God in Human Flesh

I. Is salvation contingent upon the incarnation?

I don’t know what you may think about this question, but there is definitely opposing opinions to it’s answer.

There are many who would rather not bother themselves with such theological inquisitions, and simply claim faith in Jesus, who ever He really is!

There’s a sought of soothing of the soul and easing of the conscience to simply dismiss the question altogether.

And yet, what does that say about us or our own intellect if we so readily ignore this question, and the answer to it?

From the first century of Christianity, people have debated and written on this very topic, because there is always in every generation, Satan’s ambassadors who insert hellish doctrines to the subverting of many peoples faith.

To dismiss the doctrine of the incarnation is like loading 6 rounds into a revolver with no empty chamber, spinning it and putting it to your head!

There are even those who over time have changed the definition of “incarnation”, saying that it also means the physical embodiment of a spirit being.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church Incarnation

Incarnation. The Christian doctrine of the Incarnation affirms that the eternal Son of God took flesh from His human mother and that the historical Christ is at once both fully God and fully man. It is opposed to all theories of a mere theophany or transitory appearance of God in human form, frequently met with in other religions.

But some would say, “do we really need all this doctrinal stuff now, since it’s already been dealt with and proven? Because what we really need is teaching on how to cope in this world.”

My answer is the same now as it was then, because nothing has changed with mankind.

They have always been chasing the teachers that will tell them what they want to hear! ()

So the answer to the question: “Is salvation contingent upon the incarnation?”

Yes, it is necessary!

And Here’s why.

A. Because of the changed nature do to the fall.

Even as we explore the doctrine of the incarnation, we stumble upon other doctrines essential to our belief.

Like creation and the fall of mankind.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they did not just bring a judicial decree on themselves, but a change of their very nature as perfect created beings in the image of God.

B. It is expedient

Genesis 2:16–17 NKJV

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 3:16–19 NKJV

To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

B. Because salvation requires a recreation.

John 3:3 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:

The man Jesus did not just die in our place.

The eternal Son of God, died in our place, atoned (covered) our sin with His blood, rose from the dead to impart eternal life to His own, raised us from the dead to the living in the new birth, reconciling us back to God, and putting His Spirit in us, sealing us till the day of redemption, and keeping us in that happy and blessed state despite the pain and anguish of this present fallen world.

Jesus, the God man, recreated us!

In the titles of His name,which we shall get to in a minute, He is called the Mighty God!

God is El or Elohim.

Of all the names of God, it is the name of the Creator God, as disclosed in

Genesis 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

So, because of what salvation (regeneration) truly is, it requires God to be the very one to save or else there is no salvation!

II. Do the scriptures prove the deity of Christ?

II. Do the scriptures prove the deity of Christ?

II. Do the scriptures prove the deity of Christ?

Without a doubt!

A. In the titles used to describe Him.

Wonderful

Judges 13:18 NKJV

And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?”

2. Counselor

Psalm 16:7 NKJV

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

3. Mighty God

Psalm 24:8 NKJV

Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.

Ps. 24:8

Titus 2:13 NKJV

looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

4. Everlasting Father

Titus

4. Everlasting Father

John 14:9 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

5. Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9:5 NKJV

For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

Genesis 49:10 NKJV

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Luke 2:14 NKJV

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Ephesians 2:14 NKJV

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

B. In the prophecies of His coming.

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Here we see that the coming one, the Messiah, Jesus is named Immanuel (God with us)!

C. In His undeniable works.

John 10:38 NKJV

but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

There are those who will point out the miracles done by O.T. prophets, and those of the Apostles, but a closer examination of those works, shows that it is God who did the miracles through them.

The disciples of Jesus were given the gifts of the Spirit, such as Gifts of healings.

Acts 15:12 NKJV

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.

Acts 19:11 NKJV

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

However, with Jesus, it was within His nature to do miracles!

The nature of God!

Mark 5:30 NKJV

And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

The prophet Elijah After a three year drought prayed earnestly on mount Carmel before it began to rain.

But Jesus, told the boisterous sea to be still and it was. And He even walked on the same.

The prophet Elisha told Naaman the Leper, to dip himself 7 times in the Jordan River and God healed him of his leprosy.

But Jesus touched the Lepers and they were healed.

Elijah raised the woman of Zarephath’s son to life after he prayed to God for the boys life.

But Jesus, raised Lazarus to life, reversing 4 days of decomposition, and by calling to him to come forth with the voice of authority.

And there are so many more comparisons to make and undeniable proofs of Christ’s divinity, but we do not have the time now.

What am I saying today?

That this child who was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, who’s birthday we celebrate, is not just a man or some super angel, but very God!

If we truly understand this, we should be shaken at the core and follow Him in obedience!