Revelation in itself is not a sufficient reason for the incarnation. God was not manifest in the flesh to mock sinners by giving them an example of a perfect life which they had absolutely no power within themselves to imitate. The God-man is an example for the saint to follow but not for the sinner.
Again Jesus Christ did not come to impart teachings which the natural man could obey. Nor did He come to earth to make it a more comfortable and habitable place for the sinner through the social reforms He would effect. Nor did He come as the founder of a new religion, the spiritual had of another sect, which would go a step beyond other religions in resuscitating the old creation and in lifting the human race through gradual development to a higher moral and spiritual attainment.
Jesus Christ clearly conceived His mission to this sinful world to be that of a Saviour. Scripture always speaks of the incarnation in relationship to sin and to God's purpose in redemption. Redemption is the primary purpose in the incarnation. Christ came to save sinners like you and me.
Luke 19:10, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Galatians 4:4, "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law, that he might receive the adoption of sons."
1 John 3:5, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins: and in him is no sin."
Th incarnation is undoubtedly the first span in God's bridge of salvation. But in what way is the fulfillment of God's redemptive purpose begun in the incarnation? What part does it have in man's restoration to the favor and fellowship of God?
We have already stated two consequences of the fall; first, the utter failure of God's first man to fulfill God's original intention in His creation; secondly, the total ruin of the old order of humanity of which Adam was the head. The first Adam failed both as a man and as a representative man. Through his sin God's union established in creation with Himself and through him with the whole human race was broken. This must be restored. Sin had injected into man an evil nature which made man hostile to God. He must be reconciled. Salvation demands reconciliation and reconciliation must be followed by conformity. Salvation from God's viewpoint does not mean merely the recovery of men from the guilt, penalty and power of sin but it means restoration to the likeness of God, even conformity to the image of His Son. It is not only a negative deliverance from a state of estrangement from and hostility to God but it is a positive entrance into a state of righteousness and holiness in God.
To accomplish such a salvation an altogether new union with the race must be made and it must be a union based on kinship of nature so that both God and man could find their fullest satisfaction and greatest blessedness in such a fellowship. It was impossible for God to permit, or for man to enjoy, such a union as long as man had only an evil nature. For man to enjoy fellowship with God he must have a nature like God's. But how could he become a partaker of the divine nature? Here we discover the measure of God's grace. Here God's grace at its highest height stoops to man's need at its deepest depth. In order that man might become a partaker of the divine nature God would Himself become a partaker of human nature. In order to condemn sin in the flesh God would send His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."
Romans 8:3, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."
The act of the Son of God in becoming a partaker of our nature is the incarnation. This is followed very shortly by His death, resurrection and ascension by which we may become partakers of His nature. Thus in the incarnation we find the corner stone of the new union between God and man. But let us go further into its meaning.
God was faced with two necessities in any effectual plan of salvation: first, the sending forth of a second Man who would fulfill His original intention in man's creation; secondly, the providing of another Adam who would act representatively for the human race as the Head of a new order. The Man Christ Jesus meets both these necessities. He is God's second Man.
1 Corinthians 15:47, "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven."
He is God's last Adam.
1 Corinthians 15:45, "And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit."
In the God-man God made a new union with the human race; the ultimate issue of this union is a new race of redeemed men and women of whom Christ Jesus is the Head.
~Ruth Paxson~
(continued with # 2)
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