In my systematic theology reading, in the chapter on Christ’s deity, there’s a section that breaks down this view called kenosis theory or kenotic theology and why it should be rejected.

Here’s the theory:

The kenosis theory holds that Christ gave up some of his divine attributes while he was on earth as a man.

A good portion of the breakdown happens in Philippians. Phil. 2:7 when Paul wrote that Jesus “emptied himself,” the meaning got lost in some translations. While some took this as emptying himself of divine attributes, “no recognized teacher in the first 1,800 years of church history, including those who were native speakers of Greek,” thought this.

Jesus humbled himself at the cross and took on a lowly position, taking a sinner’s place and died for all.

It is important to realize that the major force persuading people to accept kenotic theory was not that they had discovered a better understanding of Philippians 2:7 or any other passage of the New Testament but rather the increasing discomfort people were feeling with the formulations of the doctrine of Christ in historic, classical orthodoxy. It just seemed too incredible for modern rational and “scientific” people to believe that Jesus Christ could be truly human and fully, absolutely God at the same time. The kenosis theory began to sound more and more like an acceptable way to say that (in some sense) Jesus was God, but a kind of God who had for a time given up some of his Godlike qualities, those that were most difficult for people to accept in the modern world.

Later on, Grudem says that admitting we don’t or cannot understand is an appropriate level of humility, similar to admitting when you’re wrong. If we ever say that something is just not possible would be to exhibit intellectual arrogance instead.

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I can’t think of anything at the moment personally, but how might we be accepting a theory or a belief based on comfort and our lack of understanding rather than our faith? Could our comfort and level of understanding be preventing us from reaching our faith potential?

Is it easier to accept what “fits” and “makes sense” over something that requires genuine faith?

Faith doesn’t always make sense. God works in ways we don’t understand. We have to accept a lot of things that aren’t humanly possible because God operates outside of our capabilities to show us who He is.

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Encouragement for today:

• If you’ve accepted a false theory, it’s not too late to alter your thinking and seek further understanding from His Word.
• God is the same even if our theories change and grow over time. It’s up to us to seek Him first and not lean on our own understanding.
• Our faith is something beautiful – not something seen with the eyes, but something experienced. You have access every day.

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I pray you have a fantastic week!

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Quotes from: Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, 2nd edition.