The Ecumenical Councils debated the nature/substance of Christ in relation to God the Father. It was a fool's folly. There is no way they could know, no way we can know because we cannot comprehend it. I have essays on this, mine and others. To say that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all full-fledged Gods is about as far as you can go. To use the word "same" they are probably not the same.
From there it is beliefs and speculation.....for example Christ.....I speculate that His nature....not defining it!.....Christ ascended to the Father in bodily form.....Both God and Man. To some to degree in the physical and to some degree in a spiritual body. Which expands the concept of the tri-unity in a manner. I believe that the physical man of Christ was not lost. That His human side also ascended to heaven and became part of this unity. Which would be different than God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. But then, this spiritual unity that I do believe in...is there something about this spiritual unity that the human Christ would have an affect....and what would it be?
Christ was conceived of Almighty God....conceived in a young lady.....delivered of the same....I do not think that that relationship or perspective will ever change. Further I believe that this aspect of adoption that Paul speaks of was due to this relationship that Yahweh had with Yeshua and a human female. So we could be adopted into the family of God due to that. Not subjects of Yahweh but true children of God, that I further believe that this adoption occurs at the moment of your first communion. This is my blood...this is my body....He did not say that this is kind of like my blood and kind of like my body. Christ said that if you did not do the Bread and Wine ritual...drink His blood and eat His body....there would be no life in you and He would not abide in you or you in Him...inverse....and would He raise you on the last day?
Eternal punishment and reward....no expiration date....
Your parallels in the Spirit world?...whether it exists as eternal punishment or eternal reward is forever. Neither eternal punishment or the eternal reward in heaven are temporary and the scriptures refer to both as eternal.
Whether it be Gehenna or Hell or the Lake of Fire....which all may be flames with out light....utter darkness. It is all about those in the biblical era trying to convey the horrible punishment that awaits sinners if they do not repent. Fire and darkness was the worst things they could understand so that is how it was described....what if hell is a thousand times worse than fire....how would they explain it?
Leaven....in use, in the literary, it more or less means corruption
In the physical the same...the ancients had various ways of making leaven. But it was never anything clean and fresh....something allowed to sit and exposed to the air. A little bit of rot and a little bit of bacteria.
He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:33....this is one of those scriptures that have been debated for centuries.
Now if it said, The world is like leaven....there would be no debate.
But the kingdom of heaven is like leaven?
Christ used leavened bread at the Last Supper....not consistent with the Seder meal for Passover that would occur the next day on Friday. A lot can be read into that.
You....ladies and gents have been talking about the New Covenant....well the term New Covenant does not define or even encompass the meaning of what happened. There were a few Covenants in the Old Testament....and in the Old Testament sin was not tolerated. Yahweh had zero tolerance to sin, that is why everyone had to keep their distance. One sin and you were out forever. You could sacrifice till the cows come home but nothing would provide salvation...nothing would provide a close relationship with Yahweh....nothing would reward them with heaven...the best you could hope for was appeasing God and avoiding His wrath.
In this relationship with Christ we have a different relationship with Yahweh....The New Covenant did not change Yahweh... God the Father, He still has zero tolerance to sin, but by the Cloak of Grace given to us by Christ....Yahweh sees no sin. Christ redeemed us, He paid the price for our sins....and took authority .... God gave Him authority over all judgement and so those sins are between Christ and us....and if we repent and ask forgiveness He is faithful to forgive those that desire to be good. Be good and do good the best you can...Because of this we can be adopted into the family of God and offered heaven as a reward....to be with God as family members, much different than the Old Testament....the Old Covenant. But we are still leaven! LOL LOL
God so loved the world...why does a perfect God love us so much that He would give His Son to be horribly tortured and crucified....? Why? Well there has to be something about us....even though we "got some" leaven in us there is something about us that He loves.
Old Testament....
And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. Amos 7:8 NKJV
Yahweh could have turned His back on us and walked away from us and never looked back. No more concern, no more sinning against Him! But He did not. Why? Even the best of us have a little leaven and God loves us. We are saved and we will go to heaven....but we will still have a little leaven in us. God loved us even when we were yet sinners....Christ, the Son of God a full-fledged God walked among us and taught us "The Way" to heaven. I am not sure if this is what Matthew 13:33 is referring to...but it could make for a good discussion.
