The incarnation of Christ is one of the most foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. It refers to Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, taking on human flesh and being born as a man. The incarnation is absolutely vital to Christianity for several reasons:
1. It shows that God identifies with us in our humanity
When the Son of God became flesh, He entered into the human experience in a profound way (John 1:14). Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully human. He experienced the same kind of emotions, temptations, pain, and suffering that each of us faces in our lives (Hebrews 2:14-18). God did not remain distant from us, but chose to draw near and relate to us in our weakness through the incarnation.
2. It provides the means for our salvation
The Bible teaches that sinful humanity is separated from the holy God because of our sin (Isaiah 59:2). We needed a mediator to reconcile us to God. Jesus Christ, the God-man, was the only one capable of bridging that gap between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Only someone who was equally God and man could restore the broken relationship. So in the incarnation, God provided the perfect mediator and the only means by which we could be saved (John 14:6).
3. It demonstrates God’s love for us
The fact that God Almighty would humble Himself by leaving the glories of heaven to take on mortal flesh is the greatest demonstration of His love (John 3:16). The incarnation shows the length that God was willing to go in order to rescue us from our hopeless state. He became like us so that He could fully save us. The incarnation displays God’s unconditional, sacrificial love.
4. It provides an example for the Christian life
As followers of Christ, we are called to live as He lived (1 John 2:6). Jesus modeled for us the kind of life we are now empowered to live, by the Spirit, as new creations in Him. His example shows us how to live in humility, obedience, faith, courage, self-sacrifice, purity, wisdom, and love. The incarnation provides the pattern for how we are to live in relation to God and others.
5. It gives us hope of our future glorification
In the incarnation, we see not only our Savior but also the guarantee of our future glory. Philippians 3:20-21 says that Christ “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” 1 John 3:2 says “when he appears we shall be like him.” Because Jesus was resurrected and glorified in His humanity, we can be fully assured that we will share in the same glory as we are conformed to His image.
6. It confirms the truth about who Jesus is
The fact that Jesus Christ is God in flesh is foundational. Every major doctrine about Him and His work hinges on it. That He is both fully God and fully man is what qualifies Him to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. As Colossians 1:19 says, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.” The incarnation confirms that Jesus Christ is who Scripture declares Him to be.
So in summary, the meaning of the incarnation is that God became man to save us from our sins and provide the way for us to be reconciled with Him. Jesus had to be God so that He could live a perfect life, die a substitutionary death, and be raised from the dead. Jesus had to be man so He could identify with us and die on our behalf. Praise God for the incarnation – this central event in Christ’s first coming that made our salvation possible!
7. Key Bible verses about the incarnation
Here are some of the most important Bible verses that speak about the meaning and significance of the incarnation of Christ:
– John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
– Philippians 2:6-7 – “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
– Colossians 2:9 – “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
– 1 Timothy 3:16 – “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”
– Hebrews 2:14 – “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
– 1 John 4:2 – “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.”
– Matthew 1:23 – “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).”
– John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
8. Historical background
Belief in the incarnation dates back to the earliest days of Christianity. The first Christians inherited their faith from Jewish roots, but came to accept Jesus as the divine Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. The Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth and the epistles of Paul, John, and others establish the doctrines of the incarnation and Christ’s deity. In the face of early heresies that tried to deny Jesus’ humanity or divinity, the church strongly upheld the orthodox teaching of Scripture that He is fully God and fully man.
In the early centuries of Christianity, church councils like Nicea (325), Constantinople (381), Ephesus (431), and Chalcedon (451) were called to refute false teachings and affirm the biblical truth about the person of Jesus Christ. The Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed both specifically state that Jesus was “incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” This incarnational language became foundational for orthodox Christianity.
Throughout church history, theologians like Athanasius, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, and countless others wrote at length about the meaning and importance of the incarnation. Without it, there would be no Christian gospel and no salvation offered to sinful humanity. Belief in the incarnation remains a non-negotiable doctrine for all Bible-believing Christians today.
9. Objections and misconceptions
Despite the clear biblical basis and historical affirmation of the incarnation, there have been objections raised and misconceptions advanced over the years:
– It’s impossible. Critics claim it is impossible for the infinite, omnipotent God to become finite. But God is all-powerful and can choose to temporarily veil His glory and enter human existence. Nothing is too hard for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17).
– It’s illogical. Some argue it makes no logical sense that God would become lower than the angels and die for sinful humans. But God’s ways are higher than ours, and Christ’s sacrifice is the wisest way for God to be both “just and the justifier” (Romans 3:26).
– Jesus only seemed human. Early Gnostic heresies taught that Jesus only appeared to look like a man but was simply a divine spirit. But Scripture is clear Jesus took on real flesh and blood (1 John 4:2-3).
– Jesus was two separate beings. Some contend that the divine Christ and human Jesus were two completely different beings. But orthodox Christianity insists He is one unified, incarnate person.
While we may never fully comprehend the incarnation this side of eternity, we accept it by faith because it is clearly taught in Scripture. We can reject unbiblical misconceptions while still affirming this miraculous, mysterious event – God becoming man to save us from our sins.
10. The significance of the virgin birth
An essential aspect of the incarnation is the virgin birth – the fact that Jesus was miraculously conceived in Mary’s womb through the power of the Holy Spirit, without a human father (Luke 1:26-38). This too has faced skepticism over the years, yet it is profoundly significant for several reasons:
– It shows Jesus is the divine Son of God, not merely a prophet or good teacher.
– It demonstrates salvation ultimately comes from the Lord, not man’s efforts.
– It provides a means of entrance into the world without inheriting original sin.
– It underscores God’s sovereignty, power, and willingness to intervene in creation.
– It confirms the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).
– It points forward to Christ’s perfect righteousness given to all who believe.
So the virgin birth is an integral facet of the doctrine of incarnation. Fully man yet born holy, Jesus came to redeem and transform those who trust in Him as Lord and Savior.
11. Celebrating Christ’s incarnation
Because the incarnation is so vital to the gospel message, Christians since the earliest centuries have celebrated it as one of the most significant events in all history. Here are some key ways the church has honored Christ’s incarnation:
– Christmas – Annually remembering Jesus’ birth with services, gifts, meals, concerts and other traditions.
– Advent – The season leading up to Christmas, symbolizing hopeful anticipation of the Savior’s coming.
– Epiphany – A January celebration recalling the coming of the Magi and the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.
– Holy Days – Annunciation (March 25), commemorating the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. And the Nativity of Mary (Sept 8), celebrating Mary’s own miraculous birth.
– Art & Hymns – Nativity scenes, paintings, sculptures, carols, anthems and other artistic works depicting the incarnation.
– Doctrine – Church councils, creeds, catechisms, and theologians reinforcing Christ’s incarnation as orthodox belief.
These traditions handed down throughout church history enrich our understanding of the meaning of the incarnation and allow us to reflect on its profound significance in new dimensions each year.
12. The incarnation in other major religions
While the incarnation of God in Christ is a distinctively Christian doctrine, some other major world religions include ideas that bear faint similarities:
– Hinduism – Gods occasionally appear on earth in human avatar forms (like Krishna). But these avatars merely illumine the way; they do not reconcile man to God.
– Buddhism – Accounts of Buddha’s birth have parallels to the virgin birth, but he did not claim to be God, only enlightened.
– Islam – Muhammad is Allah’s greatest prophet, but explicitly not divine. Islam denies that God could ever take on human flesh.
– Judaism – The Messiah will be a mighty prophet, but not God in the flesh. Jews reject Jesus’ divinity and Messianic claims.
So Christianity alone teaches that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God incarnate – fully God and fully man. This belief is unique and exclusive to the biblical gospel message.
13. The incarnation empowers our mission
The fact that God took on human flesh should deeply impact how we live as followers of Christ. As the Father sent the Son into the world (John 20:21), so we are now sent to carry on His mission. The incarnation empowers us to boldly preach the gospel and minister to human needs in several ways:
– It gives us confidence – If God became flesh, no place is too dark or depraved for the light of the gospel.
– It emboldens our witness – Knowing Christ identified with us makes us uncompromising in proclaiming the truth.
– It drives our service – Since Jesus touched lepers and washed feet, we joyfully serve the poor, sick and marginalized.
– It spurs global missions – Because Christ took on flesh for all nations, we must share the good news locally and globally.
May the wonder and power of the incarnation propel us into the world as we live out the gospel of Christ’s love and redemption.
14. The incarnation and spiritual formation
Not only does the incarnation empower our outward ministry, but it profoundly impacts our inner spiritual life and formation. As we seek to become more Christlike, we can follow Jesus’ example in the incarnation:
– Humility – Christ’s willingness to be born in a stable reminds us to pursue lowliness, not status.
– Obedience – His submission to parents and teachers trains us to obey God over self.
– Self-denial – His setting aside heavenly glory for earthly suffering models sacrificial service.
– Compassion – His poverty and hunger enables Him to identify with the weak and needy.
– Prayer – His constant communion with the Father demonstrates the necessity of prayer.
By the Spirit’s power, the incarnate Christ transforms us into His image as we meditate on His characteristics and follow His pattern of living.
15. The meaning of the incarnation for our lives
This profound miracle and mystery of the ages is far more than abstract theology. The incarnation impacts every aspect of human life in many practical ways:
– Our value – We have dignity as those made in God’s image.
– Our purpose – We love God and neighbor knowing Christ first loved us.
– Our ethics – We live wisely and morally as the Spirit sanctifies us.
– Our hope – We have confidence in God’s plan to renew all creation.
– Our faith – We boldly believe despite unanswered questions.
– Our destiny – We look ahead to resurrection and eternal life in a restored universe.
The incarnation gives us inexpressible purpose, meaning and motivation to live all of life for the glory of Jesus Christ, our incarnate God and Savior.
