Overview
Jesus declared, "Before Abraham was, I am" — John 8:58 BSB. Copeland's kenotic theology represents a departure from clear scriptural teaching about the nature of Christ during His incarnation. This doctrine, promoted by certain prosperity gospel teachers, suggests that Jesus completely emptied Himself of divine attributes and power during His earthly ministry, functioning merely as a human being dependent entirely on faith and God's power. This teaching contradicts the explicit testimony of Scripture regarding Christ's eternal nature, divine power, and the consistency of His being throughout His incarnation.
Biblical Account
Scripture reveals that Jesus remained fully God while becoming fully man. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He Himself is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" — Colossians 1:15-17 BSB. This passage clearly indicates that Christ sustained all creation during His earthly ministry, not that He had abandoned divine power and authority.
Jesus Himself demonstrated divine attributes throughout the Gospels. He commanded the wind and waves with authority: "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it became completely calm" — Mark 4:39 BSB. Additionally, Jesus declared His divine nature directly to His disciples: "I and the Father are one" — John 10:30 BSB. Furthermore, the writer of Hebrews explicitly states: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word" — Hebrews 1:3 BSB.
The incarnation involved the addition of humanity to Christ's divine nature, not the subtraction of divinity. Christ perfectly accomplished His redemptive work precisely because He possessed both complete humanity and complete divinity operating in perfect harmony.
Theological Significance
The kenotic theology promoted by prosperity teachers fundamentally undermines the foundation of Christian salvation and hope. If Christ emptied Himself of divine power, then He could not have been the perfect sacrifice for sin, could not have risen from the dead by His own power, and could not presently intercede for believers at God's right hand. The theological significance of Christ's true nature is paramount: His divinity guarantees the sufficiency of His sacrifice, the efficacy of His resurrection, and the certainty of His return.
Scripture teaches that "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind" — Numbers 23:19 BSB. Christ's consistent nature throughout history, including His incarnation, assures believers of God's immutability and faithfulness. Understanding Christ's true nature protects believers from false hopes placed in prosperity theology or man-centered faith formulations.
Key Bible Verses
- Philippians 2:6-7 BSB — Though Christ emptied Himself of privilege and took the form of a servant, He never emptied Himself of divine nature or power.
- John 1:1-3 BSB — The Word was God and with God from the beginning, and through Him all things were made.
- 1 Corinthians 15:27-28 BSB — Christ's power and authority remain eternal and comprehensive.
- Revelation 1:17-18 BSB — The risen Christ declares He has the keys of death and Hades, demonstrating His continued divine authority.
- Matthew 28:18-20 BSB — Christ claims all authority in heaven and on earth, promising His presence with believers.
Application
Believers must reject teachings that diminish Christ's divine nature or suggest that faith mechanics replace Christ's power in salvation. The Gospel message rests entirely upon Christ's identity as the eternal God-man who accomplished complete redemption through His divine power expressed through perfect humanity. As Jesus taught His disciples, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" — Matthew 19:26 BSB, reminding believers that their hope and confidence must rest in Christ's true nature and power, not in false formulations that deny His divinity.