One more thing I want us to look at before we end for the week, and that is the incarnation of Christ.
Philippians 2:7c ESV - being born in the likeness of men.
When Paul says that Jesus was born in the likeness of men, he means that Christ became human in the exact sense, and in every sense, that makes one human—fully human. Not Superman; not hybrid man. Human—just like us.
And he was at the same time fully God. In theology, this is known as the hypostatic union. I've always remembered that obscure phrase. The church argued over this for hundreds of years. We confess that Jesus was fully human and fully God and we cannot, we do not, divide those natures. What is true of one is true of the other. Jesus was not two persons. He was not sometimes merely human, and sometimes God. He was both, all the time, and in one person.
Listen to these words from the Athanasian Creed:
He is God from the essence of the Father,
begotten before time;
and he is human from the essence of his mother, born in time;
completely God, completely human,
with a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father as regards divinity,
less than the father, as regards humanity.
Although he is God and human,
yet Christ is not two, but one.
He is one, however,
not by his divinity being turned into flesh,
but by God's taking humanity to himself.
He is one,
certainly not by the blending of his essence,
but by the unity of his person.
For just as one human is both rational soul and flesh,
so too the one Christ is both God and human.
We cannot divide the two natures. Nor does scripture divide the two natures. Whatever can be said of one is true of the other.
Again, there are mysteries here, for this concept is beyond our understanding. The atheist and the rationalist cry absurdity, and we respond with, “This is what has been revealed.” This is the transcendent, infinite God. If mere mortals could fully understand God, he wouldn't be God.
Now, why is it important that we confess Jesus as both fully human and fully God in one essence? Because this is what is necessary for the salvation of our soul. As God, he steps in to rescue sinners. As human he represents sinful humans. As God He loves and redeems. As man he gives himself as a redemption price. As God he demands justice for flagrant wrongs against his holiness. As man he satisfies divine justice on our behalf. As federal head and representative of the human race Adam fell, and we fell with him. Adam fell through pride. Jesus, as God, humbled himself and took on flesh, served and died, that we might live. And as federal head of the new human race, he effectively saves and exalts all who are in him. There are only two races of people, biblically speaking. There's the race of Adam, and the race of Jesus Christ. All who belong to Adam are born in sin and perish. All who belong to Christ are born again, born from above, and live forever. So rather than pride, rather than self-esteem, the Christian gospel teaches us to humble ourselves, like Jesus did—to trust, to follow, to obey, to serve, to believe.
Galatians 6:14 ESV - But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
This world is not our home. The thinking of this present age at any given moment in history is not the thinking of the Christian. We derive our values from the word of God. “Then what becomes of our boasting?” Paul asks. “It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, by the law of faith.”
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.
Have a great weekend!