The Incarnation

Text: 1 Ti. 3:16

  1. Introduction:

 "Mystery of godliness"

 The incarnation, while a deep doctrine, has many practical implications, especially as it relates to practical, godly living

 The incarnation may have been more contested in the early church than the Trinity

 While the focus in modern church history is on the deity of Christ, it was His humanity that was often attacked in the early church.

 The "working out" of this "God-man" doctrine will be the subject of this message.

 We will look at such questions as:

 "If Jesus was God, how could He not know when the 2nd Coming would be?"

 "Why did God have to become a man in the first place?" "Why lower himself in such a way?"

 "What does it mean when the Bible says, "Jesus emptied himself?"
  1. Arguments For the Humanity of Christ
    1. Virgin Birth
      1. Birth suggests a physical body
      2. A child was born, not something else
    2. Human attributes
      1. Jesus ate ( Mt. 4:2; 21:18)
      2. Jesus tired (John 4:6)
      3. He thirsted (John 19:28)
      4. He slept (Mt. 8:24)
    3. He died physically
    4. He was "handled"
    5. Called the "Son of man"
    6. He. 10:5 with Psalm 40:6
  2. Arguments For the Deity of Christ
    1. Direct References
      1. John 1:1
      2. He. 1:6, 8
      3. John 5:17-18
      4. John 8:58
      5. John 10:30-33
      6. John 20:28
      7. Rev. 17:14
      8. Isaiah 9:6
      9. Matt. 1:23
      10. Col. 2:9
      11. Col. 1:15
    2. Quotes of OT verses referring to God that are applied to Jesus
      1. Isaiah 40:3 with Matthew 3:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23
      2. Isaiah 44:6 with Rev. 1:17, 17:14
      3. Joel 2:32 with Ro. 10:13, Acts 4:12
      4. Exodus 3:13-14 with John 8:56-58
      5. Isaiah 6:10 with John 12:41
      6. Isaiah 8:13 with 1 Peter 3:15
      7. Isaiah 41:4 with Rev. 1:8, 17
      8. Isaiah 45:23 with Ro. 14:10-11, Phil. 2:10
      9. Zechariah 12:10 with Rev. 1:7
      10. Zechariah 14:9 with Rev. 11:15; 17:14
      11. Rev. 1:8
  3. Orthodox View
    1. Definition

      2. Jesus is one person who has two natures3/4 human and Divine3/4 both of which are complete and distinct from the other. These two natures are in union but they do not create a third "mixed" nature.

    2. Key Concepts
      1. Union of the two natures does not create a third different nature
      2. The union of the two natures does not diminish either of the natures
      3. The Divine nature is not now enclosed within the human nature
      4. Jesus is not two persons and does not have two personalities
      5. Illus. concentric circles

      Picture two concentric circles. By definition, they share the same center. Jesus has two natures that share one person.

    3. Contrast with erroneous views
      1. In contrast to the Ebionites we hold to the deity of Christ
      2. In contrast to the Gnostics, we hold to the real humanity
      3. In contrast to the Arians, we believe in the completeness and integrity of the deity of Christ
      4. In contrast to the Apollinarians, we believe in the completeness and integrity of the human nature of Christ
      5. In contrast to the Nestorians, we believe Christ is one person, not two.
      6. In contrast to the Eutuchians, we reject the idea of a mingling of the natures in Christ
  4. Difficulty: Kenosis Question (Phil. 2:7)
    1. Question stated
      1. How do the two natures of Christ work together?
      2. What is their relationship to each other?
      3. What, if any, limitations were placed on the Divine nature?
      4. Is it possible to place limits on the Divine nature?
    2. Various Views
      1. Jesus emptied Himself of His divinity during His earthly life
      2. Jesus emptied Himself of certain attributes during His earthly life
      3. Jesus emptied Himself of the independent (coordinate) use of His Divine attributes for a dependent (subordinate) exercise of them
    3. Explanation
      1. "kenosis" = "to empty"
      2. The passage does not say that he emptied Himself of any Divine quality
        1. The contrast is between the glory He shared as a member of the Trinity to the flesh he now shared as a servant in human form
        2. Jesus "emptied Himself" of the visible aspects of His glory which He had prior to the incarnation.
        3. He did not empty Himself of any Divine attribute or else He would no longer be Divine
    4. Examination
      1. Omnipresence was intact during His life (John 3:13)
      2. Omnipotence was intact during His life
        1. He performed miracles
          1. These attested to His deity
          2. This implies that He performed them, and not the Spirit. If it was the Spirit that had performed them then they would not have attested to Jesus' deity.
        2. Note: Some have suggested that Jesus lived His life solely in dependence on the Spirit and did everything through the Spirit. While Jesus lived a Spirit-filled life, He did not give up the use of His own divine attributes
      3. Omniscience
        1. This is the most difficult attribute to explain
        2. Jesus definitely used His omniscience at times
          1. Knew thoughts of his friends (Lu. 9:47)
          2. Knew thoughts of his enemies (Lu. 6:8)
          3. Knew what was in men (John 2:25)
          4. Knew the history of the woman at the well (John 4:18)
          5. Knew Lazarus was already dead (John 11:14)
          6. Knew Judas would betray Him (Mt. 26:25)
          7. Knew Peter would deny Him thrice (Mt. 26: 34)
        3. There are times He seemed not to know things
          1. He asked questions of things He genuinely seemed to not know
            1. Asked father how long his son had been in his condition (Mk. 9:21)
            2. Note: Some suggest that He was asking, not because He didn't know, but to establish a point in the spectators' minds
          2. Did not know the time of the 2nd Coming
        4. It seems that He did empty Himself of the independent use of omniscience.
          1. He still retained the quality but did not use it
          2. This seems strange to us because it seems illogical that one can have omniscience and yet elect not to use it.
          3. Consider it this way, Jesus has omnipotence, but He does not use it all the time.
          4. It is easier to conceive of the exercise of omnipotence being subordinated than of omniscience, but it can be done for both.
        5. Illus. Three-legged race. If a world-class sprinter is paired with any other person he would still have his world-class abilities but they would be "slowed" by the union of the leg straps. He could, however, at any time release the restraints and use his world-class abilities. This is not a perfect illustration, but it helps.
  5. Practical Implications
    1. Incarnation was necessary for salvation
      1. Incarnation necessary for Jesus to be our kinsman redeemer
      2. Savior had to have the following attributes
        1. Near relative
          1. Right to redeem
          2. Substitute
        2. Be able to redeem
          1. Sinless
          2. Deity
        3. Be willing to redeem
          1. God was not obligated to save anyone
          2. God's love moved him to save man
    2. Incarnation made Jesus our example (1 John 2:6)
      1. He was the perfect man without sin
      2. We should judge our humanity by Jesus, not His by ours
    3. Incarnation allowed Jesus to become our High Priest

Conclusion: