March 20, 2004

GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH

"God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory" (1 Timothy 3:16, NKJV).

Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. This confession identifies Christ as fully God and fully man. He is God in the absolute and unqualified sense, and He is human to the same degree--except that He was sinless (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). The great mystery of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ, while possessing "all the fullness of the Deity... in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9, NIV), divested Himself of His divine prerogatives (see Philippians 2:5-8), and lived among men and women fully possessing the body and nature of humanity. Though both natures were distinct, yet they were mysteriously united in one.

In His incarnation, Christ came to demonstrate who God is. Through the incarnation, He became one with us and personally identified with our experience in order to reveal God's character. "He too shared in their [our] humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death... and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death... For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest... and... make atonement for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:14-17, NIV).

Ellen G. White makes this timely observation: "By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God, --God's thought made audible... but not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God's wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which 'angels desire to look,' and it will be their study throughout endless ages."--The Desire of Ages, p. 19.

My Prayer Today: Lord, In Your matchless love and grace, You became one with us so that I can become one with You. Amen.