The Implications of the Incarnation

December 2, 2011 at 5:00 am (Christmas)

So, unfortunately, I’ve already told a lie. Sort of. I said that we were going to be doing a series on the attributes of God–which we are–but we’re not going to start it today. As I was driving home from school on Tuesday, listening to Christmas music, it occurred to me that I ought to take advantage of the season, and write about what’s on everyones mind–Christmas! So, we’re going to put the attributes of God series on hold until the new year, and today we’ll start our Christmas series, which I’ve entitled God Became a Man: The Implications of the Incarnation.

At Christmas, we (in theory) celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In practice, we are often more likely to celebrate presents, cookies, family, etc. While there’s nothing particularly wrong with any of these things, there’s also nothing about them that make them more worthy of recognition than the arrival of the God-Man. So, as we launch into the Christmas season, I want to bring a series of posts that will help us understand exactly what happened on that first Christmas so that we can better rejoice in our Lord, and celebrate his arrival.

Today, we are going to look at The Incarnation as the Revelation of God, and we’ll see that the incarnation (God becoming a man in the person of Jesus Christ) was one of God’s ways of revealing Himself to humanity. God has revealed the truth about Himself–His nature, His attributes, His character, His plan, His desires, His love–in many ways. The most significant, graphic, and important way that He ever revealed Himself was in the person of Jesus Christ.

Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about the fact that the fact that God became a man:

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. [...] 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5, 10-14

(Note: I’ve typed the entire text here for convenience, so that I don’t have to type out a verse every time I refer to it. So if you see me write “V1″ next to a statement, that means I’m referring to verse 1 from this passage. I recommend going back and rereading the verses from the passage as I reference them. You will learn more by focusing on God’s Word than on my words.)

Now, let’s see what this passage teaches about how God has revealed Himself to man in the person of Jesus Christ.

I. The Details of God’s Person (V1-3)

Before we can understand how amazing it was for God to reveal Himself to us as a human being, we first must understand how amazing the God is who was revealed. Our scripture begins by giving us some thoughts about who God is, and what He is like. As we study them, let us grow in our awe and wonder of who Jehovah is.

One very important fact that is seen immediately in this passage God and His Son, Jesus Christ (referred to here as “the Word”) are both the same, and distinct persons (V1-3). The mystery of Godliness teaches that that Jesus Christ both “was with God” and that he “was God.” It is a truth impossible to be fully grasped by the human mind, but a truth nonetheless. What is most important to understand for our purposes today is that when the Bible says that “the Word was made flesh,” it is referring to the one of whom it is said, “All things were made by him.” The baby that was born in the manger in Bethlehem is the creator who spoke the world into existence.

Another important detail that this passage shares is that both God and His Son Jesus are eternal (V1-2). While we cannot fully understand it, God is an endless, beginning-less being who always has, and always will exist. Jesus, therefore, because He is God, also always has, and always will exist. There are many false religions that teach that Jesus began to exist–that he is a created being. John’s gospel entirely dispels that notion, declaring that Jesus Christ is the eternal Creator, co-equal with God, who always has been, and always will be. God has always been, God has always been God, and Jesus Christ has always been God. God has no beginning.

Understand, however, that while Jesus Christ has always been God, He has not always been a man. Verse 14 tells us that “the Word WAS MADE flesh.” The existence of Jesus has no beginning; the deity of Jesus has no beginning. The humanity, of Jesus, however, does have a beginning, and it was some 2000 years ago. The God that dwelt in the baby in the manger never began to exist, but the body that He inhabited did. What we celebrate on Christmas is the radical change in history that occurred when the divine being inhabited a human body for the first time.

Now here’s some food for thought that you may not have realized before, or may have just never thought of: Jesus Christ is still a man today. Jesus Christ will continue to be a man for all of eternity.

Look at these words of Jesus after His resurrection: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, and ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). When Jesus rose from the dead, He had real flesh, and real bones–He was a man. A few verses later, in the same chapter of Luke, the ascension of Jesus into heaven is recorded. I am persuaded that between the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus Christ, that there was no time where He transformed from a flesh and bones man into something else. Furthermore, after the ascension of Jesus, the angels said to the disciples, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11, emphasis mine). The Bible tells us that Jesus ascended into heaven a flesh and bones man, and He’s coming back a flesh and bones man, too.

Also understand, however, that this body that Jesus has is not exactly like our human bodies. It is the glorified resurrection body that all Christians will one day receive. So, Jesus Christ still has flesh today, but it is immortal, incorruptible flesh that He will have forever, rather than the mortal, corruptible flesh like we have today.

I understand that that may seem like a bit of a rabbit trail, but it’s actually very important for our study. Jesus Christ is 100% God, and 100% man, and will continue to be so for all of eternity. When he returns, it will be as the God Man. When we get to heaven, we will meet him as the God Man. At Christmas, God did not become a man as something He would do for thirty-three years. God became a man as a vital part of his eternal plan.

But why? Why did Jesus become a man? And why is it so important that Jesus continues to be a man? What does this mean for us?

Well, it looks like we’re going to have to wait until Monday to see. This post has two more points…and this one is already quite long. I think I’ve given you enough to chew on until then. On Monday, we’ll look at the Incarnation as the Revelation of God: Part 2.

Until then, with much love in Christ,
Amy