Essentials of the Faith - Pt 3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 ESV).

The Incarnation became one of the essentials of the faith very early in the Church. We concentrate on it at Christmas, though many people of faith simply haven’t scratched the surface of this incredible truth and what it really means to them on a daily basis. Of course there are dozens of difficult questions that surround this doctrine. It boggles the mind to think God could be both divine and human at one time, in one place, with one manifestation. We do ponder how Jesus could be both God and man? Why doesn’t this make him two people? How does his Incarnation relate to the Trinity? How could Jesus have hungered and died when he was on earth, and yet still be God? Did Jesus give up any of his divine attributes in the Incarnation? All of these are valid questions; though, not all of these are answered with specificity in the Scripture. Like much of what God reveals to us about himself, it is simply declared. So, let’s begin with the first principle, which is that Jesus is one Person who has two natures: a divine nature and a human nature. In other words, Jesus is both God and man. The Bible teaches that Jesus is not merely someone who is a lot like God, or someone who has a very close walk with God. Rather, Jesus is the Most High God himself (cf. Titus 2:13; John 1:14, 18). Further, there are many references showing Jesus has all the attributes of God. He knows everything; he has all power; he depends on nothing outside of himself for life; he rules over everything; he never began to exist and never will cease to exist; and, he is our Creator. In other words, everything that God is, Jesus is. For Jesus is God. Second, we should also have some sort of understanding of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is one being, and this one God exists as three distinct Persons. This truth means, first of all, that we must distinguish each Person of the Trinity from the other two. The Father is not the Son or the Holy Spirit, the Son is not the Holy Spirit or the Father, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. They are each a distinct center of consciousness, a distinct form of personal existence. Yet, they all share the exact same divine nature/essence. Thus, the three persons are one being. The divine being/essence is not something that is divided between the Persons with each Person receiving one-third. Rather, the divine being is fully and equally possessed by all three Persons such that all three Persons are each fully and equally God. Tomorrow we’ll see why this is so important. Today, rest assured there is nothing you could want or need that He is not. He is all we need, all of the time!