And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
The commercialization of the holidays can often cause us to miss the true miracle of Christmas: the incarnation. What is the incarnation?
This term actually may seem antiquated to some and possibly foreign to others. However, the above verse explains the incarnation perfectly: “The Word (meaning Jesus) became flesh.”
The term “incarnation” derives from the Latin verb, incarnare, meaning “to make flesh.” The Bible firmly teaches the incarnation, and this is a foundational doctrine of Christian theology. Jesus became fully human while remaining complete deity- fully God and fully man. The Bible further teaches that Jesus humbled Himself and took on the form of man (Philippians 2:6-8).
Jesus was miraculously conceived in Mary’s womb (Luke 2:7). He grew up in His physical nature (Luke 2:40). He had physical needs (John 19:28) and human emotions (Matthew 26:38). And He lived a perfectly sinless life (Hebrews 4:15). Nothing wrong was ever in His life. In His words He was perfect. In His actions He was perfect. In His thoughts and emotions, He was completely perfect. For He never ceased to be God. He embodied the glory of Heaven.
But when Christ Jesus took on a physical body, He did not cease to be God. For, Jesus as God is immutable and infinite. Therefore, the doctrine of the Incarnation proclaims that Jesus, while remaining fully God, became fully man. Wow! Now, do you understand why the incarnation is indeed the true miracle of Christmas? God became flesh. Jesus came to us as one of us.
Therefore, “In the flesh” announces that Jesus, the Word – as God’s Word and the Message of love and salvation, took on the form of humanity and came to earth to dwell among mankind “in the flesh.”
Today, let us not take the incarnation for granted. Let us not forget what a monumental miracle this actually was, as deity stepped into humanity.
I find it a persistent and sad paradox that so many generations have debated over and fantasized about extraterrestrial beings from other planets while ignoring the incarnation. Since Orson Well’s 1938 “War of the World” novel that panicked many, the lingering affect for some today is the question of whether or not we are alone in the universe. But there is a true “other worldly” conversation that comes to the forefront of our culture every Christmas. God Himself sent His Son who was not of this world to become of this world so that we could know God and live with Him forever in Heaven. How much more “otherworldly” can we get than the incarnation?!
God actually came to us. He stepped into our lives. And there was only one reason God did this: to lovingly rescue us from our sin and ourselves. He stepped into our world to give us a completely new life – a life lived by faith in the Son of God, and a life lived in prefect fellowship with God.
God came to us. So today, celebrate the incarnation. Celebration the birth of the Christ child.
This is love. This is Christmas.
READ
Today, read John 1:1-18 and rediscover how love stepped into our world.
