NOTES AND QUOTES FOR TODAY:
The Incarnation of Jesus Christ
“And the Word was made flesh , and dwelt among us,…” John 1:14
The incarnation involved a great condescension on the part of the second person of the Godhead. While there was much humiliation in the death of Christ, there was also much humiliation in His incarnation. The underlining truth His coming to this world being delineated in 2nd Corinthians 8:9, “ For we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Some years back, there was a booklet written and in large circulation among professing Christians entitled, “Could Jesus Sin?” Now, because of their trust on the writer this booklet as a well known teacher, some might have accepted without any critic what the book teaches – “that Christ could have sinned.” Voicing the alarm and very much the opposite, we argue that such teaching has a basic conflict with The Holy Scripture, and it is a false teaching. Now, some said, since Christ did not sin, there is nothing practical to be worried about. In fact many shunned the whole discussion as unimportant, nothing more than verbal sparring between theologians. We must insist on making it clear that much more is involved than appears on the surface, or than what the writer of that booklet would have us to believe. Here is the hinge of the argument: Since all agree the God cannot sin, in order to show that His Son could do so, this son must be in one way or another, be proven to be different from the Father or inferior to Him. The Biblical record makes it clear that the “Eternal Word” even in incarnation was unique and in fact vastly different from every other man who ever lived. The focus of this article is not in particular to deal with this issue but rather to set forth the incarnation of Christ that the Scripture clearly sets forth!
1.The Mention of The Incarnation: There are several verses in the Old Testament that either directly or indirectly mention the incarnation of Christ. The first divine mention of this event is found in Genesis 3:15, where God Himself mentioned that there will be historical and lengthy conflict between the seed of Satan and the seed of the woman. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head (Satan’s) and thou shalt bruises his (the seed- Christ) heel.” The promise of the coming seed- the Messiah was reiterated in Isaiah 7:14, “ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.”
2.The Mystery of The Incarnation: The Scripture teaches us that in the fullness of the time, God sent forth His Son in the “ likeness of sinful flesh and for sin” (Romans 8:3) This of course is the great mystery1st Timothy3:16 “ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..” Beloved bear in mind that almost all the versions have changed the word “ God” in this verse to “he”. Now, he being manifest is no great mystery at all. You and I are also manifest in the flesh! The great mystery is “God” being manifest in the flesh. Beware of the versions who try to demote Christ to the human level.
3.The Miracle of The Incarnation: Matthew 1:22-23, we read, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Here also we see the versions losing out (coming short), when they changed the word “virgin” to “ a maiden or a young girl.” A “young girl” or a “maiden” being with a child can be no sign at all; since many young girls (especially in this day and age) can be with a child, within or without the wedlock. The sign that the Bible speaks about is “ a virgin” being with a child!
4.The Message of The incarnation: Yes, we have Scripture after Scripture declaring the purpose of incarnation so that no man can miss out. John 3:16, “ for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Again w read in 1st John 4:9 “ In this was manifest the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” The angle brought the glad tidings of the birth of Christ to the humble shepherds saying, “ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
5.The Mockery of The Incarnation: One of the marking signs of a cult is the false view they have about the incarnation of Christ. They say that, “ Christ is fully and totally man who had a close walk with God.” They deny His eternal Sonship, and Him being the second person in the triune God, demoting Him to the level of man. 2nd John7, “ For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus is come in the flesh, This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.”
The Peoples Gospel Hour Staff
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The Bible reveals two ways which people are following to get into heaven. One way, the true way, is God’s way. God’s way into heaven is the way of peace and truth and righteousness. It is the only way approved of God. This way centers in the Lord Jesus Christ who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). The Bible declares that there is another way. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12).
There are so many popular ways today filled with lost multitudes all over the land, such as the way of morality, the way of respectability, the way of religion, the way of churchianity, the way of baptism, the way of christening, the way of confirmation, the way of penance, the way of confession, the way of “doing the best I can”, the way of self, the way of education, the way of philosophy, the way of false isms and cults that crowd the street. Little wonder then when we speak to people about the way of salvation, that so many have asked, “How can I know which is the true way? There are so many different ideas and so many religions.”
But there is ONE difference between God’s way of salvation and man’s way, and that difference is found in a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. You will notice that man leaves Christ out of the center of his way. You will discover that the modern false cults and isms demote Christ to a mere man and add something to what He has already done for your salvation and mine. We become children of God through a supernatural birth. Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus also said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7)
“May the Lord bless you, and make you a blessing!” – The PGH Staff.
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