God With Us

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (1)

"They shall call His name Immanuel,... God with us." The light of the knowledge of the glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus. From the days of eternity, Jesus was one with the Father. (2) He is the "image of God. (3) The disciples "beheld His glory." (4). It was to manifest the glory of God that Jesus came to our world. To this sin darkened earth He came to reveal the light of God's love, and to be "God with us."

By coming to live with us, Jesus was to reveal God to His creation. He is the Word of God. (5) He was on earth God's thought made audible, "The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me." (6)

"The plan of redemption was not conceived in haste. It reveals God's character that He gave His only Son to ransom us. God is love, and His government rests upon that principle. The great controversy is the selfish system of Satan and the selfless system of God in collision. While Lucifer stated he would 'be like the Most High' (7), Christ is the Most High. 'Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.' (8)" (9).

From the days of eternity Jesus was one with the Father. (5) He is "the image of the invisible God." (10). He is the image of the Father's majesty and glory. Yet, Jesus took the nature of humanity upon Himself and cloaked His divine nature. Had he come in His divine glory and splendor, we would not have been able to relate to him nor understand the depth of His character of love. He took our nature upon Himself so that we might receive His nature. Christ did not cease to be God when He became a man. In Jesus, the two natures became inseparably one, yet each remained distinct. Jesus, the Word (11), was with God from eternity, yet He "chose" to become flesh that He might ransom us from sin! Through Jesus, we are linked with God, we are adopted into His family.

It is our choice the nature we choose. Jesus gave up the courts of heaven that we might have the choice to become the sons and daughters of God.

1. Matthew 1:23.
2. John 10:30.
3. 2 Corinthians 4:4.
4. John 1:14 and Matthew 17:1, 2.
5. John 1:1.
6. John 14:10, 11.
7. Isaiah 14:14.
8. Philippians 2:6, 7.
9. Jesus, p7.
10. Colossians 1:15 and 2 Corinthians 4:4.
11. John 1:1, 14.