The Word Was God
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a mystery to mankind. Paul wrote, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
Received up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).
The Bible tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1). Christ is divine in the absolute sense of the word; He is also human in the same sense, except that He “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Bible teaches this fundamental truth (Luke 1:35; Romans 1:3; 8:3; Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:2, 8; 2:14–18; 10:5; 1 John 1:2; etc.).
From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus Christ was one with the Father (Micah 5:2), but He made the decision to leave the scepter into the Father’s hands, and to come down to earth, in order that He might live among us, and show His Father’s divine character.
The Son Became a Man
Though Christ was initially “in the form of God” He “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself,” and, “being born in the likeness of men,” was “found in human form” (Philippians 2:6–8). In Him was “all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9); nevertheless, “in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren” (Hebrews 2:17). Christ took on the liabilities of the human nature but His humanity was nevertheless “perfect.” Although, as a man, He could have sinned, no inclination to evil was ever found in Him. He was “tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus – Both God and Man
The two natures, the divine and the human, were mysteriously united into one Person. Divinity was dressed with humanity, not replaced for it. In no sense did Christ stop to be God when He became man. The two natures became one, yet each remained separate. Christ became one of us to show us the Father’s love, to partake of our experiences, to give us a perfect example, to help us through temptation, to suffer for our sins, and to represent us before God (Hebrews 2:14–17). Thus, the eternal Word, who had ever been with the Father became Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
