The Incarnation of Jesus Christ The word "Incarnation" comes from the Latin words "in," which has

the same meaning as our English word "in," and "carnis," which means "flesh." Flesh is the solid part of our being, the part that we can see and touch, in contrast to our mind, soul, and spirit.

The Son of God was normally "spirit." "Spirit" isn't bound to one place as a body of flesh is. He had the entire universe for His workshop and playground. He was the BELOVED Son, as the Father announced at His baptism, and again at the transfiguration. He was the ONLY begotten Son, as John 3:16 tells us, and the writer of Hebrews says that the angels are commanded to worship Him. He was a partner in the creation of the world. He had helped to create angels whose only duty was to worship and serve Him, and the only thing that He still wanted was the companionship of creatures like Himself, and this He secured by helping to create human beings in His own image.

What was the purpose of the Incarnation? The primary purpose (and we do not have space to deal adequately with it) was that the Son of God might justly offer Himself as our substitute and pay the penalty for our sins so that we might be free from the penalty of eternal death. But a secondary purpose was that He might, by sharing our experiences, be a merciful and understanding advocate.

This is what He gave up to come down to earth as one of us. John says, "And the Word became flesh, and encamped among us" (literal translation of John 1:14). Here is the critical part of the Christian doctrine that we need to believe in order to be saved. John writes in his first epistle, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist" (1 John 4:2,3). The Bible teaches, and we need to believe, that the man known in history as Jesus of Nazareth was actually the divine Son of God. Paul tells Timothy, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16).

When the Son of God took on human nature, He did not give up his divine nature. Paul says in Philippians 2 (putting it in my own words), that Jesus was in the form of god, and did not think it improper to regard Himself as equal with God, but He emptied Himself--this is what the original language actually says--and took on the form of a servant. Jesus retained His divine powers and attributes, but He did not use them for His own benefit.

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" Colossians 2:9.

We see evidence for Christ's deity in that He does things which only God does and has attributes which only God has. For a few examples, we see Christ's deity in His: "...He who came down from heaven, that is the Son of man who is in heaven" John 3:13

"He who comes from heaven is above all" John 3:31

"The birth of Jesus was not, as in ordinary births, the creation of a new personality. The person - already existing - entering on this new mode of existence"

"It is not possible to speak of the incarnation of one who had no previous existence"

"Before Abraham was, I am" John 8:58

"For unto us a Child is born... And His name will be called... Everlasting..." Isaiah 9:6

"All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made" John 1:3

"For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were made through Him and for Him" Colossians 1:16

"To the Son He says, '...You O Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of your hands" Hebrews 1:10

God alone possesses Glory:

"I am the Lord, that is my name; and my glory I will not give to another" Isaiah 42:8

Jesus possessed this glory with the Father:

"And now O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself with the glory I had with You before the world was" John 17:5

The Father says of the Son:

"Let all the angels of God worship Him" Hebrews 1:6

Jesus accepted the worship of others:

"And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'" John 20:28-29

Notice that Jesus does not shun his worship or redirect Thomas to worship more appropriately as the angel does in Revelation 19:10, "Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You

must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God."

"I and the Father are one" John 10:30

The Jews who heard Him say this understood what He meant. They were about to stone Him because, in their words, "You being a man, make Yourself God" (vs. 33).

"Philip said to Him, 'Lord show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father..." John 14:8-9

By the Father:

"But to the son He says: 'Your throne O God...'" Hebrews 1:8

By the Gospels:

"And the Word was God" John 1:1

By the Apostles:

"And Thomas answered to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'" John 20:29

By the prophet, Isaiah:

"Immanuel" Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel="God with us"

"His name will be called Mighty God" Isaiah 9:14

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" I Timothy 2:5

"Greek mythology abounds in stories of gods who walked the earth giving the impression that they were men. They looked like men. They acted like men. But when need arose they cast off pretense, put forth their powers, and revealed their identity. They were not really men, but gods in disguise"

He was tangible:

"That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim to you concerning the Word of life."

I John 1:1 (NIV)

"Look at my hands,and feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have"

Luke 24:39 (NIV)

He knew :

Physical growth Luke 2:52

Weariness John 4:6

Hunger Matthew 4:2; 21:18 Luke 4:2

Thirst John 19:28

Sorrow Matthew 26:37

Astonishment Mark 6:6 Luke 7:9

Grief John 11:33

Being Troubled John 12:27

Agony Luke 22:44

Loneliness & Abandonment Matthew 26:38; Mark 15:34

He groaned in the spirit" John 11:33

"Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" Luke 23:46

"My soul is troubled" John 12:27

"Humanity was spoiled and corrupted by the sin of Adam and Eve.

Consequently, we are not true human beings, but impaired, broken down vestiges of essential humanity, and it is difficult to imagine this kind of humanity united with deity. But when we say that in the incarnation Jesus took on humanity, we are not talking about this kind of humanity. For the humanity of Jesus was not the humanity of sinful beings, but the humanity possessed by Adam and Eve from their creation and before their fall. There is no doubt then as to Jesus' humanity. The question is not whether Jesus was fully human, but whether we are..."

TWO NATURES IN ONE PERSON

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh" I Timothy 3:16

AS DISCUSSED, SCRIPTURE AFFIRMS BOTH HIS DEITY AND HIS HUMANITY

HE ALWAYS REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS A SINGULAR PERSONALITY

"I' "Me" "Mine"

There is nothing like, "Let us make man in our own image" (Genesis 1:26)

Thus, two natures exist in one person.

Compiled by Max Shimba