J I Packer in `Knowing God' writes,

"The mystery of the incarnation is unfathomable. We cannot explain it; we can only formulate it. ... the taking of manhood by the Son is set before us (c/f 2 Cor 8:9) in a way which shows us how we should set it before ourselves and ever view it - not simply as a marvel of nature , but rather as a wonder of grace ."

He quotes Charles Wesley:

"Our God contracted to a span; Incomprehensibly made man."

Heresy frequently results from a vain attempt to understand and explain God in human, rather than in biblical terms. For example Kenneth Copeland, who spawned the Toronto Deception, on the basis of the meaning of the Hebrew `zereth' translated `span' in Isaiah 40:12, defines God as "A being that stands somewhere around 6' 2", 6' 3", that weighs a couple of hundred pounds, little better, has a span of ... 9 inches across .."

That is blatant heresy and flies in the face of the clear warning and commands of Deut chpt 4 c/f vs 12, 15, 16 etc. It is idolatry. In the words of JI Packer, "the idol, in this case being a false mental image of God."

Morris Cerullo, who is reported to be planning a crusade in Wellington, NZ next year, is no better. In his audio tape entitled The End time Manifestation of the Sons of God, he echoes the heresy of Kenneth Hagin, who states, "The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth." Here's the quote by Cerullo: "And when we stand up here, brother, you're not looking at Morris Cerullo; you're looking at God. You're looking at Jesus." Such heresy undermines Christ's deity & unique sinless humanity. It is predicated upon a totally false view of Scripture. The Bible demands that we reject all false teachers & their teachings.

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Appeared in Volume 1. 5 November / December 1995