what does the bible say about the incarnation

Full Answer

What does incarnation tell us about Jesus?

The incarnation means that he who never began to be in his specific identity as Son of God, began to be what he eternally was not” (quoted in John Frame, Systematic Theology, 883). 2. The Incarnation Shows Jesus’s Humility Jesus is no typical king. Jesus didn’t come to be served.

What does the incarnation reveal about God?

God’s identity and spirituality. God is an eternal spirit, existing in three persons, as we have been reminding ourselves. As God he does not have a body, nor is his mind a created human mind, nor like one. Yet it is confessed that in the Incarnation a human nature is in union with God, in the person of the Logos.

What does the Bible say about God incarnate?

Bible Verses about Jesus Christ as God Incarnate. John 1:1-3. 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 nothing was made that was made. John 1:14.

What is so important about incarnation to Christians?

WHY JESUS CAME

1. To Reveal the Father Jesus came to reveal the character and nature of God ( John 1:14; 14:9; Hebrews 1:1-3 ).
2. To Redeem Mankind Jesus was born under the law to redeem those under the law ( Galatians 4:5; Luke 19:10; 1 Tim 1:15; 1 John 4:10 ).
3. To Reign Over Creation Jesus’ reign will have no end. ...
4. To Relate to Us

Definitions and Summary

In a Nutshell — The incarnation means that God’s Son, who was a Spirit and never had a body, took on a human body and life just like ours.

Why the Incarnation Matters for Everyday Life

Although many Christians fail to consider the incarnation except during Christmas when they’re reminded by the little baby in the manger, it’s one of the most encouraging and important facets of our faith. Here’s why: Jesus knows by experience what it’s like to be you.

Found in Him

Our union with Christ stands at the heart of the gospel. This devotional book reflects on the Incarnation as well as the Christian’s position in Christ—two doctrines that are foundational for truly understanding salvation.

Key Passages about the Incarnation

Galatians 4:4: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law…”. By the power of the Holy Spirit, God the Son was conceived and then nourished as an embryo in the body of a young virgin girl. He was born, grew, and lived just as we do.

FAQ About the Incarnation

A: God the Son became the Man, Jesus, and lived a perfect human life in our place.

For Personal Reflection

Write your own definition of the incarnation. a. How important do you think it is? b. How important has it been to you personally? c. What confuses you about it?

Why did God give assurance to all by raising him from the dead?

Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Why do we search the Bible?

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

What did Jesus say to Philip?

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’ ?

What did Peter say to the disciples?

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Why do we rejoice in our suffering?

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame , because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ...

What is the mystery of Godliness?

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.

Why did Jesus have to be made like his brothers?

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

What is Christ's Dominion Immortality?

Christ's Dominion Immortality, In Ot Spiritual Peace Advice, From God Coronations Princes Christmas Names And Titles For Christ God, Unity Of Births Foretold Sons Christ, Names For God, Wisdom Of. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders;

What does Hebrews 1:2-3 mean?

Hebrews 1:2-3. in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

What does Isaiah 9:4 mean?

A gift of divine grace to sinners. This is the invincible figure striding across the world stage, taking gracious command, according to Isaiah 9:4–5 (cf. Ps. 2:7–9; Luke 1:32 ). Isaiah presents the events as if it were the time of the child’s arrival, with an expectation of what he will achieve ( Isa. 9:7 ).

What does Paul mean by "Christ came to save sinners"?

With “Christ Jesus came . . . to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost (cf. Luke 19:10 ),” Paul cannot mean that he now sins more than anyone in the world, for he elsewhere says that he has lived before God with a clear conscience ( Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16 ), and he asks other believers to follow his example.

What does "father" mean in the Bible?

Everlasting Father. A “father” here is a benevolent protector (cf. Isa. 22:21; Job 29:16 ), which is the task of the ideal king and is also the way God himself cares for his people (cf. Isa. 63:16; Isa. 64:8; Ps. 103:13 ).

Why did Jesus come into the world?

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

What does the word "became flesh" mean?

“The Word” continues the opening words of the prologue in John1:1. “Became flesh” does not mean the Word ceased being God; rather, the Word, who was God, also took on humanity (cf. Phil. 2:6–7 ).

Why did God send his son?

God sent his Son at the right moment in human history, when God’s providential oversight of the events of the world had directed and prepared peoples and nations for the incarnation and ministry of Christ, and for the proclamation of the gospel.

Where did God manifest his presence?

In the past, God had manifested his presence to his people in the tabernacle and the temple. Now God takes up residence among his people in the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:17 ). Thus, the coming of Christ fulfills the Old Testament symbolism for God’s dwelling with man in the tabernacle and the temple.

What is the doctrine of the Incarnation?

The Christian doctrine of the Incarnation is the truth revealed in the Bible that Jesus Christ is God the Son come in the flesh—that he is both God and man, deity and humanity, in one person. In a very real sense, every major doctrine of the Christian faith converges in this one stupendous truth. To understand the Incarnation is to understand ...

Why was Jesus exalted?

Jesus was exalted following his resurrection because he had first come down from heaven in humility to die for our sins. He is now exalted not just as the divine Son but as the divine and human Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:6-11).

What does the title of Jesus represent?

The divine titles of Jesus represent just the tip of the iceberg of the biblical revelation of his deity. Christ fully possesses the nature of God: “For in him the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). He is eternal and uncreated (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2, 10-12). Those passages also reveal that every created ...

What emotions did Jesus experience?

Jesus got tired, thirsty, and hungry; he slept, drank, and ate just as we do (e.g., Mark 4:38; John 4:6-7).

Is Jesus God?

Contrary to ideas swirling in the popular culture today, the belief that Jesus is God was not invented in the fourth century. Rather, the deity of Christ is woven throughout the writings of the New Testament, all of which were written in the first century. Most of the New Testament authors, in one way or another, call Jesus God. He is “God with us” (Matt. 1:23), “God” (Acts 20:28; Heb. 1:8), “God over all” (Rom. 9:5), and “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1). In John’s writings Jesus is called “God” (John 1:1), “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28), and “the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). He also bears the divine title or name “Lord,” which stood for the Old Testament name Yahweh or Jehovah (Matt. 3:3; Rom. 10:9-13; Phil. 2:9-11; 1 Peter 3:13-15). The Book of Revelation calls Jesus the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14; 19:16), the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, and the Alpha and Omega (three synonymous titles: Rev. 1:7-8, 17b-18; 2:8; 22:13-14). He has the name above every name (Eph. 1:21; Phil. 2:9-11).

Is Jesus a real man?

Jesus Christ: A Real Man. It is absolutely basic to Christianity that Jesus Christ was a real human being. Denial of the true, full humanity of Christ has always been regarded as a heretical deviation from the gospel.

Is Jesus Christ both God and man?

Jesus Christ: Both God and Man. That Jesus is both God and man is obviously hard to understand. That’s not surprising, since it involves the transcendent Creator uniting himself to his creation by becoming one of us. It would be surprising if his doing so did not result in paradox!

What does the Bible say about reincarnation?

The whole thrust of the Bible opposes reincarnation. It shows that man is the special creation of God, created in God’s image with both a material body and an immaterial soul and spirit. He is presented as distinct and unique from all other creatures—angels and the animal kingdom alike.

What is reincarnation connected to?

Reincarnation is usually connected with the next belief, pantheism, by the notion of karma: that after the soul has fulfilled its destiny, and learned its lessons and become sufficiently enlightened, it reverts to a divine status or is absorbed into (or realizes its timeless identity with) the divine All. 4.

What is the difference between reincarnation and ultimate reality?

In fact, ultimate reality is usually conceived as a cognitive process within man himself, rather than as a personal God.

What is the view of souls as imprisoned in alien bodies?

It is contradicted by psychology and common sense, for its view of souls as imprisoned in alien bodies denies the natural psychosomatic unity. 6. It entails a very low view of the body, as a prison, a punishment. 7. It usually blames sin on the body and the body’s power to confuse and darken the mind.

What does the Bible say about the rich man and Lazarus?

Christ’s record of the rich man and Lazarus shows that both the saved and the unsaved enter their respective rewards following death ( Luke 16:19-31 ). So then, one’s life is not followed by an indefinite number of succeeding lifetimes. This vital difference established, more tangible differences emerge.

What is the soul that survives death but not the body?

The question is not solved but dissolved. 5. Immortality: The individual soul survives death, but not the body. This soul eventually reaches its eternal destiny of heaven or hell, perhaps through intermediate stages, perhaps through reincarnation. But what survives is an individual, bodiless spirit.

What does the Bible say about resurrected people?

Both categories of people will be resurrected, one to eternal judgment and the other to eternal life with a glorified body ( John 5:25-29 ). The emphatic statement of the Bible, as will be pointed out below, is that “it is appointed unto men once to die and after that the judgment” ( Heb. 9:27 ). This statement and the concept ...

Where does the word "incarnation" come from?

The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.”. It comes from the Latin version of John 1:14, which in English reads, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”. Because of the near-exclusive use of the Latin Vulgate in the church through the Middle Ages, the Latin term became standard.

What is the difference between incarnation and hypostatic union?

This is similar to the hypostatic union. The difference is that the hypostatic union explains how Jesus’ two natures are joined, and the Incarnation more specifically affirms His humanity. The word incarnation means “the act ...

What did Jesus express during his life?

Jesus also expressed emotions including joy ( John 15:11 ), sorrow ( Matthew 26:37 ), and anger ( Mark 3:5 ). During His life, Jesus referred to Himself as a man ( John 8:40 ), and after His resurrection His humanity was still recognized ( Acts 2:22 ). But the purpose of the Incarnation was not to taste food or to feel sorrow.

Why was it necessary to be born under the law?

First, it was necessary to be born “under the law” ( Galatians 4:4 ). All of us have failed to fulfill God’s Law. Christ came in the flesh, under the Law, to fulfill the Law on our behalf ( Matthew 5:17; Galatians 4:5 ). Second, it was necessary for the Savior to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins ( Hebrews 9:22 ).

What is the incarnation of Jesus?

The incarnation refers literally to the in-fleshing of the eternal Son of God — Jesus “putting on our flesh and blood” and becoming fully human. The doctrine of the incarnation claims that the eternal second person of the Trinity took on humanity in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

How did the Son of God become man?

Rather, he became man by taking on human nature in addition to his divine nature. It is essential to the incarnation — and very helpful throughout all theology — to recognize that divinity and humanity are not mutually exclusive. The Son of God didn’t have to pick between being God and being man.

What does Hebrews 2:17 and 4:15 teach?

Hebrews 2:17 and 4:15 teach that to save human beings Jesus had to be made like us “in every respect” except our sin. In the incarnation, everything proper to humanity was united to the Son of God. The Son of God did not only become like man; he actually became truly and fully human.

What does the Bible say about reincarnation?

Several passages in Scripture refute the idea of reincarnation. Jesus told the criminal on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” ( Luke 23:43 )—not “You will have another chance to live a life on earth.”.

What does it mean to be reincarnated?

Answer. To reincarnate is, literally, to “incarnate again”; that is, reincarnation is a “rebirth” into a new body of flesh and blood. In most contexts, reincarnation refers to the process, after death, of a soul returning in a new body. Claims of remembering a “past life” imply reincarnation.

What does Matthew 25:46 mean?

Matthew 25:46 tells us that, upon death, believers go on to eternal life while unbelievers go on to eternal punishment. We are created as individuals, and our identity does not change after death (see Luke 9:30 ). Some who believe in reincarnation point to Matthew 17:10–12 as biblical support for reincarnation.

Did Elijah change his identity?

Also, Elijah himself had just appeared, talking with Jesus ( Matthew 17:3 ), which shows that Elijah had not changed his identity—he had not become John. Finally, the people had earlier asked John the Baptist if he was Elijah, and he said, “No, I am not” ( John 1:21 ).

Did Elijah die in the Bible?

For one thing, Elijah did not die; he was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire ( 2 Kings 2:11 ), so the literal “coming” of Elijah would have been a descent from heaven, not a reincarnation. Jesus calls John the Baptist “Elijah” because he came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” ( Luke 1:17 ), not because he was Elijah in a literal sense.

Is there proof of reincarnation?

Of course, there is no “proof” for reincarnation.

Is reincarnation in the Bible?

The concept of reincarnation, in any of its forms, is completely without foundation in the Bible. The truth is that we die once and then face judgment ( Hebrews 9:27 ). The Bible never even remotely suggests that people have a second chance at life or that they can come back as different people or animals.

Included in This Article

Definitions and Summary

• In a Nutshell — The incarnation means that God’s Son, who was a Spirit and never had a body, took on a human body and life just like ours. Summary — When God first created humanity, he gave them a law to obey. If they obeyed it, they would know eternal blessing. If they disobeyed it, they would know eternal death. Sadly, our ancestors disobeyed, sh...

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Why The Incarnation Matters For Everyday Life

Key Passages About The Incarnation

FAQ About The Incarnation

For Personal Reflection