INTRODUCTION
Why did Jesus come in the Flesh? Was is absolutely necessary for Jesus to come as a man?
It says in John 1:14 The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
We know from the first chapter of John that this is speaking about Jesus. The Word became Flesh (He took on human nature, a human body) and lived here on the earth. Philippians further describes how He emptied Himself and what happened when Jesus took on Flesh.
Philippians 2:5-8 - Let this mind be in you all, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. But He emptied Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in the form of a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Here, we see the phrase "being in the form of God" to describe Christ. This is not saying that He merely resembled God, but He possessed God's nature and attributes. He is God in the truest sense. Again, this is confirmed in John 1:1 – that Jesus was God and with God in the beginning.
It also says that He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant in the likeness of man. Christ, while being fully God, voluntarily took on a human body – in that – Jesus became a servant and human. Think about it, He became subject and dependent on parents; He came subject to the Law, Christ became subject to the limitations of a human body. He knew what hunger was. Jesus knew what physical pain was. He knew what it was to have to walk somewhere.
The truth that the Jesus, God, became man is hard to grasp in a sense and can only be accepted by faith.
In theological terms, we say - Jesus comes in the Flesh. The “Word” – “Jesus” became man. He became “incarnate.”
The question is, was it necessary for Christ to be human? Are there reasons why He had to do this? Why did Jesus have to came as a man?
6 REASONS WHY THE WORD BECAME FLESH
1. Christ Came To Further Reveal God To Humanity
While God revealed Himself to humanity in the Old Testament, the revelation was incomplete. The revelation of God in the OT was often very broad and general. In contrast, Jesus revealed God to humanity in a personal and even intimate way.
If you wish to know what God is like, just look at Christ.
John 1:18 - No one has seen God at any time. The only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
As the Word became flesh and walked the earth, Jesus, through His life, His words and actions explained and revealed the Father to humanity.
2. He Came To Fulfill The Law Of Moses
Jesus also came to fulfill the Law of Moses as a man. He said. Matthew 5:17-18 - “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one dot or one mark will pass from the Law until all be fulfilled.
By living a sinless life here upon the earth in a human body, Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law in every respect.
That is essential because only a perfect, sinless man could die and pay the price to remove sin.
3. Jesus Came To Die For The Sins Of The World
The sacrifice of animals could not take away sin. Neither would the death of an ordinary, sinful human being.
The payment had to be made by a human being; still, that person had to be sinless. This person had to live and be tempted as a human. These were all fulfilled when Jesus became Flesh.
Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.
He, had to be a human being to die. Hebrews 2:14 - So then, as the children share in Flesh and blood (physical nature/human), He likewise took part in these, so that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil…
Sin was brought upon us by Adam (a man), with that came the consequences (separation from God). The only way for Christ to qualify as the remedy (make the payment for the sin) was for Him to become a perfect man.
Matthew 20:28 - even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.
His death on the cross has paid the penalty for our sins. He died in our place so that we do not have to suffer for our sin.
Jesus Christ came into the world to become our Savior. But, He could not do it without becoming human.
4. He Came To Judge The World Righteously
Jesus will be the One who judges humanity. John 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son… 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
He came into this world as a Man, lived here among humanity, and died on the cross as a Substitute for men and women. He was rejected and crucified when He came into the world as a Man. Because He is both God and Man, He is ideally qualified to be Judge.
5. Jesus Came To Sympathize With Believers As The Great High Priest
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.
Because Jesus lived here upon the earth and experienced the limitations of being a human being, He can sympathize with the problems and concerns that we face. He faced all of these things as a human, but He did so perfectly. He was tempted as we are tempted.
6. Jesus Came To Be An Example For Believers
It was necessary for Jesus to come in the Flesh to provide an example for the believer. When a person puts his faith in Christ, he has an example to follow. He lived the perfect life as the ideal man with faith in His Father in dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
1 John 2:6 - Whoever says he remains in Him ought to walk as He walked.
1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
Christ provides the pattern of how believers should live. As mentioned, Jesus gave us an example of what it means to live in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. Everything Christ did, everything He said, every miracle, His devotional life, every healing, going to the cross, coming out of the grave, and rising again was an example for us and was accomplished in His dependence upon God in the Holy Spirit.
Christ's example shows our need to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Our dependence upon God. Our reliance upon His Word. Our need to abide in Him.
CONCLUSION - WHY THE WORD BECAME FLESH
14 The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
When you touch all these things about Christ and Jesus coming in the Flesh, we see the glory of Jesus. We see the glory of God; we know the love of God. We see the grace and truth of God. We see it all in Jesus. These are some reasons it was necessary that Jesus come in the Flesh. It is why the Word became Flesh.
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