The Son of Man on Earth and in Heaven

“And no one has ascended up to Heaven except He who came down from Heaven, the Son of Man Who is in Heaven.” (John 3:13)

Jesus was explaining the Gospel to Nicodemus. Because Nicodemus was having difficulty understanding, Jesus tells him that he will not be able to understand heavenly things if he can’t understand earthly things. Then Jesus makes the statement in John 3:13 which is even more difficult to understand.

He was telling Nicodemus that He was the Son of man. He is the One Who has been in heaven, the Son of man, but in His divine nature the Son of God. He has come down to earth to teach us and to redeem man. “For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) And He is also in heaven.

When Jesus makes the statement that the Son of man is in heaven He was telling Nicodemus about His omnipresence, to be everywhere at the same time. Only God is omnipresent. This is a characteristic that belongs only to God. He was telling Nicodemus that He was God. God is everywhere at the same time. Jesus incarnate was on earth, but also at the same time in heaven. This is why Jeus told His disciples that if they have seen Him, they have seen the Father. “Jesus said to him, Have I been with you such a long time and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. And how do you say, Show us the Father?” (John 14:9) This is hard for us to understand. We take that fact at face value but don’t realize the impact this has in our lives. The Holy Spirit is God, the Holy Spirit in us. The Godhead is one. Although it’s the Holy Spirit in us, the Father and Jesus are also with us. But it’s only the Holy Spirit Who indwells. This is God in us. What a wonder! And what a marvelous thing.

This is the reason I believe that if a person seems to fall into sin but completely leaves Christianity and lives a life of sin, I don’t think that person was ever saved. No one who has God in him/her can live a life of sin. It is impossible. It’s against the born-again nature. That person has to be without God. They may have thought they were saved. Many people ascent to the facts of salvation. They love the Good News, but they never repent. They never make Jesus Lord. They are still ruling their own lives. They don’t obey Jesus. “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) The old sinful man has not died. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25) These are requirements to following Jesus. We must deny ourselves. We must give up our lives. And we will find the life Jesus wants us to live.

It doesn’t happen all at once. But the Holy Spirit in us will lead us, step by step. And we must obey step by step. And obedience is another subject altogether. Obedience is yielding to what God wants. Many times, we can’t without His help because it’s hard on the flesh. But with God’s help we can obey. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) We misuse this Scripture and use it to do things we want to do. I guess we can apply it. But Paul was writing about being in God’s will, whether in need or in abundance. (Philippians 4:12) And it’s God’s will to be in obedience.

In short, we are in union with Jesus when He is our Lord and Savior. But because Jesus is God the Son, part of the Godhead which is one, we are in union with the Father through the Holy Spirit Who indwells. These truths are heavenly truths and may be difficult to understand. But we believe in faith many things Jesus said. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him...” (Hebrews 11:6)