Posted on 09/08/2019 3:03:12 AM PDT by metmom
“The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
John 1:14 is the most concise biblical statement of the Incarnation. The first four words, “the Word became flesh,” express the reality that in the incarnation God took on humanity; the infinite became finite; eternity entered time; the invisible became visible (cf. Col. 1:15); the Creator entered His creation. God revealed Himself to man in the creation (Rom. 1:18–21), in the Old Testament Scriptures (1 Cor. 2:7–14), and, supremely and most clearly, in Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1–2).
Jesus Christ, God’s final “Word” to mankind (Heb. 1:1–2), “became flesh.”
That He actually “became” flesh affirms Jesus’ full humanity.
When John says He became flesh, this does not mean Christ ceased being the eternal Word when He became a man. In the Incarnation the unchangeable (Heb. 13:8) God did become fully man, yet remained fully God. Think of it—He entered the realm of creatures who are limited by time and space, and experienced life as it is for those He created.
No wonder Paul wrote of the Incarnation, “By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory” (1 Tim. 3:16).
Ask Yourself
Is the doctrine of Christ’s incarnation merely a subject for scholarly textbooks and sermons? Or does it have bearing on the everyday of every man and woman? How does the Incarnation affect your life and cement your salvation?
Studying God’s Word ping
. και ομολογουμενως μεγα εστιν το της ευσεβειας μυστηριον θεος εφανερωθη εν σαρκι εδικαιωθη εν πνευματι ωφθη αγγελοις εκηρυχθη εν εθνεσιν επιστευθη εν κοσμω ανεληφθη εν δοξη (1 Tim. 3:16 TR; my bolding for emphasis).The race of created mankind now has God in human form, now pleading for us." 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 Tim. 3:16 AV; my bolding for emphasis).
And yet even after 40 years, I still feel wholly unworthy of His consideration, and gift.
It's the Lord's Day, so get dressed and get to His assembly to which you have been summoned for prayer, worship by the breaking of bread in Remembrance, doctrine, and fellowship.
If you are able, that is.
Is a child worthy of its parent’s love? Not at all. Yet that love is given with great joy. Just so, our heavenly Father has made us with love. We are His. He has made this way for us to never be separated from Him. We need only surrender ourselves to Him to accept the most perfect gift of eternal life in His presence.
John 1:14 is the most concise biblical statement of the Incarnation. The first four words, “the Word became flesh,” express the reality that in the incarnation God took on humanity; the infinite became finite; eternity entered time; the invisible became visible (cf. Col. 1:15); the Creator entered His creation...
The obstinate are dead-set determined to ride out their settled consensus conformity doctrines all the way into the Abyss. What can you do. There's nothing new under the sun.
In the everyday world where language makes simple plain sense,
flesh out (third-person singular simple present fleshes out, present participle fleshing out, simple past and past participle fleshed out)
1.(idiomatic) To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure or skeleton.The model shows the basics, but we still need to flesh out the details.
It's a good thing for humanity that there is a remnant within the Church who aren't huffy-puffy dogma wonks by any means. They just know to do the works of their Father -- to be kind, patient, and loving souls who desire to make the world a better place, helping those in need and generally being all round decent honest folks without any guile in their hearts. Like the Messiah himself, who is the example to follow for becoming a fine Christian man. But who's going to recognize.
The dark side becomes rattled by easily understood rules for peaceful, simple living, coming back with "works don't save". That way people will continue to argue, unaware that they've been had, which greatly pleases the adversary. His soul counter spins faster than Clark Griswold's electric meter!
Amen!
“A prince, while he is a little child, is presumably as willful and as ignorant as other little children. Sometimes he may be very obedient and teachable and affectionate, and then he is happy and approved. At other times he may be unruly, self-willed, and disobedient, and then he is unhappy, and perhaps is chastised—but he is just as much a prince on the one day as on the other. It may be hoped that, as time goes on, he will learn to bring himself into willing and affectionate subjection to every right way, and then he will be more princely, but not more really a prince. He was born a prince” (C.I.Scofield, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth).
A good sign that you are still in the faith!
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