This was the text for our sermon this morning.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already." 1 John 4:1-3
The sermon used this in context of gnosticism. Which is a heresy, in which the body and matter are seen as evil. Matter and the body are not evil, although they are fallen!
"And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." Genesis 1:21
"But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many." Romans 5:15
I guess the essence of whether Jesus stayed a man, after he ascended to heaven, is the question, "Did Jesus have a physical body after the resurrection?"
"Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”" John 20:27-28
Right here, Jesus has a very physical body, complete with the nail scarred hands and side. And yet, Thomas acknowledges him as God. And Jesus goes to heaven with a body.
"And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
Why would Jesus lose his physical body, and suddenly become only Spirit? In fact, this is the essence of the error of gnosticism. That we will lose our bodies, at the resurrection! In fact, God created us to have bodies, and Jesus did, too! So, if he has a body, he must be a man.
I don't see that changing after the ascension, or the angels would not have said, "This SAME Jesus." Same, as in both God and man.
Just a few thoughts off the top of my head!