Turning the page…
Turning the page…
Glory · Jesus Christ
God the Son became a man because only One who is both fully God and fully man could save us. He came to reveal the Father, to share our nature and take our place in death, to be a high priest who sympathizes with our weakness, and to bring us into God's family as children. The incarnation is not a detour; it is the only road to our salvation.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/why-did-god-become-a-man · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
John 1:1-18
As you read: The eternal Word, who was God, took on flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and made the Father known.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.
4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
6There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
7The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.
8He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.
9The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him.
11He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
12But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
13who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
16From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.
17For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
18No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
Philippians 2:5-11
As you read: Christ, being in the form of God, emptied Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.
5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
9Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Hebrews 2:5-18
As you read: Why the Son shared our flesh and blood: to taste death for everyone, to destroy the devil, and to become a merciful high priest.
5For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels.
6But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?
7You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.
8You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet.
9But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.
10For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
12saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.”
14Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the seed of Abraham.
17Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
18For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
Romans 8:1-17
As you read: What the law could not do, God did: sending His Son, He condemned sin in the flesh and set us free.
1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
3For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;
4that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;
7because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
8Those who are in the flesh can’t please God.
9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.
10If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.
15For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;
17and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
Galatians 4:4-7
As you read: God sent His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption as children.
4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
5that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.
6And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
7So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
John opens with the deepest reason: 'The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory... full of grace and truth.' No one has seen God at any time, but the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made Him known. And John names the outcome: God sent His one and only Son into the world 'that we might live through him.' God became man so that we could see Him and so that we could live.
“The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.”John 1:14
“No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.”John 1:18
“By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”1 John 4:9
Paul puts it in a sentence: 'what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.' The Son who had known no sin came into the world, as Hebrews says, to do the Father's will and to offer Himself. A true substitute must share our nature, and He did.
“For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;”Romans 8:3
“For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”2 Corinthians 5:21
“Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire, but you prepared a body for me;”Hebrews 10:5
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’””Hebrews 10:7
Only God could save, and only a man could die in a man's place. Hebrews explains the necessity: 'Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death.' And he had to be made like his brothers so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest. Paul names the One who did it: Christ Jesus, who was in the form of God and emptied Himself to take the form of a servant, and who is the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. The incarnation is what makes both true: He is the man who can represent us, and the God who can save us.
“Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,”Hebrews 2:14
“Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.”Hebrews 2:17
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”1 Timothy 2:5
“who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.”Philippians 2:6-8
Because He became man, Christ was tempted in every way that we are, yet without sin, and because He suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. This is why we can draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, to find mercy and grace in time of need. God became man not only to atone for our sins but to feel our grief, so that His mercy would come to us as a brother's, not a stranger's.
“For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.”Hebrews 2:18
“For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.”Hebrews 4:15
“Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”Hebrews 4:16
The end of the incarnation is family. God sent His Son, born of a woman, 'that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.' To as many as received Christ, He gave the right to become children of God, and Paul says we have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry 'Abba! Father!' And Hebrews adds the astonishing note: because He sanctified us, 'he is not ashamed to call them brothers.' The eternal Son took our humanity so that, in Him, we might share His sonship.
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.”Galatians 4:4-5
“But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:”John 1:12
“For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,”Hebrews 2:11
“For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!””Romans 8:15