Did God become a man?

by | Apr 24, 2020 | Faith Builders

GOD BECAME MAN IN HIS VIRGIN BIRTH!

THE DILEMMA – JESUS PROVED HE WAS GOD BY HIS VIRGIN BIRTH. (Or He didn’t)

I. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD BECOMING A MAN?”

  1. God revealed Himself in His word by special revelation:
    1. Through His Word, the Bible. He miraculously guided the authors of Scripture to correctly record His message to mankind while allowing for their personalities.
    2. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12).The Word of God is inspired, profitable, and sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
    3. God determined to have the truth regarding Him recorded in written form because He knew the inaccuracy and unreliability of oral tradition.
    4. God decided to reveal everything that humanity needs to know about Him, what He expects, and what He has done for us in the Bible.
  2. God revealed himself in the virgin birth to pay the price for our sins.
    1. The meaning of the word “incarnation”. The word “incarnation” is used to express the idea of Jesus Christ coming to earth in human form.
    2. In Latin the term that literally means “the act of being made flesh.” This Latin term was used in JOHN 1:14, which speaks of Jesus who “became flesh and dwelt among us.”
    3. The importance of Him coming in the flesh to our salvation is critical.
    4. (JOHN 2:21-23 – 21) “do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also”.
  3. The importance of God becoming flesh.
    1. Because “Man is a sinner and cannot save himself”.
    2. Because God is a just God and must punish sin and is a merciful God and doesn’t want to punish us.
    3. God solved this dilemma by becoming human and dying in our place as a sacrifice. (HEBREWS 9:22).
    4. God’s coming to earth in the flesh by incarnation, living a sinless life, dying in our place and rising from the dead proves He is God.
    5. His death to take our place proves (ROMANS 5:8)”God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
    6. His paying the price for our going astray. (ISAIAH 53)
    7. His sinless life proves He was God in the flesh. (HEBREWS 4:15) “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
    8. He proved He was God in the flesh by resisting temptation. (MATTHEW 4:1-11).
    9. He proved He was God in the flesh when He arose from the dead (1 CORINTHIANS 15:3) “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins (I CORINTHIANS 15:17).
  4. The importance of his coming gives us an opportunity to be forgiven.
    1. (I JOHN 2:21-23 – 21) “do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also”.
    2. (II JOHN 7-11) “I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

II. HOW DOES GOD BECOMING A MAN CONFIRM THE OTHER CLAIMS OF CHRIST?

  1. J.I. Packer stated the problem this way in KNOWING GOD. “It is no wonder that thoughtful people find the gospel of Jesus Christ hard to believe, for the realities with which it deals pass man’s understanding. But it is sad that so many make faith harder than it need be, by finding difficulties in the wrong places.”
    1. The virgin birth. “How” people ask, “can one possibly believe in such a biological anomaly?”
    2. The miracles – Granted” they say, “that Jesus healed”. (It is hard, on the evidence, to doubt that he did, and in any case history has shown other healers; “How can one believe that he walked on water, or fed the five thousand, or raised the dead? “Stories like that are surely quite incredible”.
    3. The Atonement. They ask, “How can we believe that the death of Jesus of Nazareth – one man, expiring on a Roman gibbet – put away a world’s sins?” “How can that death have any bearing on God’s forgiveness of our sins today?”
    4. The Resurrection. “How” they ask, “can we believe that Jesus rose physically from the dead?” “It is hard to deny that the tomb was empty – but surely the difficulty of believing that Jesus emerged from it into unending bodily life is even greater?” “Isn’t it easier to believe he fainted and later woke up?” Isn’t it easier to believe that they stole the body away?”

With these and similar problems many minds on the fringes of faith are deeply perplexed today.” But in fact the real difficulty, because the supreme mystery which the gospel confronts us with is not in the story of his miracles or the Good Friday message of the atonement nor in the Easter message of the resurrection but in the Christmas message of the Incarnation.  The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man – And there was no illusion or deception in this: the babyhood of the Son of God is a reality.” J.I. Packer in KNOWING GOD – (page 45-46 Inter Varsity Press)

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  2. Lee Strobel says in THE CASE FOR CHRISTMAS (Zondervan). “The doctrine of the virgin birth is critically important (ISAIAH 7:14; MATTHEW 1:23; LUKE 1:27, 34).
    1. Look at how Scripture describes the event. In response to Mary’s question, “How will this be?” (LUKE 1:34), Gabriel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (LUKE 1:35).The angel encourages Joseph to not fear marrying Mary with these words: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (MATTHEW 1:20).
    2. Matthew states that the virgin “was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit” (MATTHEW 1:18.  GALATIANS 4:4) also teaches the Virgin Birth: “God sent His Son, born of a woman.”
      1. From these passages, it is certainly clear that Jesus’ birth was the result of the Holy Spirit working within Mary’s body.
      2. The immaterial (the Spirit) and the material (Mary’s womb) were both involved.
      3. Mary, of course, could not impregnate herself, and in that sense she was simply a “vessel.”
      4. Only God could perform the miracle of the Incarnation. However, denying a physical connection between Mary and Jesus would imply that Jesus was not truly human.
      5. Scripture teaches that Jesus was fully human, with a physical body like ours. This He received from Mary. At the same time, Jesus was fully God, with an eternal, sinless nature (JOHN 1:14; 1 TIMOTHY 3:16; HEBREWS 2:14-17).
  3. R.C. Sproul teaches on the VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS- See http://www.theopedia.com/virgin-birth “The doctrine of the Virgin Birth of Jesus holds that Jesus’ birth was the result of a miraculous conception whereby the Virgin Mary conceived a baby in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, without a human father.
    1. Christ’s miraculous birth tells us much about his nature.
    2. The Virgin Birth also relates to the deity of Christ. While it is certainly possible for Deity to enter the world in a manner other than a virgin birth, the miracle of his birth points to Christ’s Divinity.
    3. The announcement of the angel Gabriel to Mary underscores this point. When he told Mary she would have a son, Mary was perplexed: “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (LUKE 1:34).
    4. Gabriel’s answer to Mary is of decisive significance for our understanding of the Virgin Birth: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (LUKE 1:35). Moments later the angel added, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (LUKE 1:37).
    5. It reveals that this baby will be a special creation with His father being God Himself.”

Also see R.C. Sproul (1998-02-01). Essential Truths of the Christian Faith (Kindle Locations 1581-1597). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Kindle Edition.

III. HOW IS JESUS DESCRIBED IN SCRIPTURE:

Murray J. Harris and John Jefferson Davis

  1. Jesus’ titles:
    1. God (JOHN 1:1, 18; 20:28; ROMANS 9:5; TITUS 2:13; HEBREWS 1:8; 2 PETER 1:1)
    2. Lord (MARK 12:35-37; JOHN 20:28; ROMANS 10:9-13; 1 CORINTHIANS 8:5-6; 12:3; PHILIPPIANS 2:11)
    3. Messiah (MATTHEW 16:16; MARK 14:61; JOHN 20:31)
    4. Son of God (Matthew 11:27; Mark 15:39; John 1:18; Romans 1:4; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 1;2)
    5. Son of Man (MATTHEW 16:28; 24:30; MARK 8:38; 14:62-64; ACTS 7:56)
    6. To be worshiped applied to Jesus Christ (ISAIAH 45:23 / PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11)
    7. Being the salvation of God applied to Jesus Christ (JOEL 2:32 / ROMANS 10:13)
    8. Being the judge applied to Jesus Christ (ISAIAH 6:10 / JOHN 12:41)
    9. The nature of God applied to Jesus Christ (EXODUS 3:14 / JOHN 8:58)
    10. The triumph of God applied to Jesus Christ (PSALM 68:18 / EPHESISANS 4:8)
  2. Divine names, actions, or prerogatives proclaimed by or attributed to Jesus Christ. (Consider searching for definitions of these great terms)
    1. Creator (JOHN 1:3; COLOSSIANS 1:16; HEBREWS 1:2, 10-12)
    2. Sustainer (I CORINTHIANS 8:6; COLOSSIANS 1:17; HEBREWS 1:3)
    3. Universal Ruler (MATTHEW 28:18; ROMANS 14:9; REVELATIONS 1:5)
    4. Forgiver of sins (MARK 2:5-7; LUKE 24:47; ACTS 5:31; COLOSSIANS 3:13)
    5. Raiser of the dead (LUKE 7:11-17; JOHN 5:21; 6:40)
    6. Object of prayer (JOHN 14:14; ACTS 1:24; 7:59-60; 1 CORINTHIANS 1:2; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8-9)
    7. Object of worship (MATTHEW 28:16-17; JOHN 5:23; 20:28; PHILIPPIANS 2:10-11; HEBREWS 1:6)
    8. Object of saving faith (JOHN 14:1; ACTS 10:43; 16:31; ROMANS 10:8-13)
    9. Image and Representation of God (COLOSSIANS 1:15; HEBREWS 1:3)
  3. Godly attributes or qualities proclaimed by or attributed to Jesus Christ
    1. Eternal existence (JOHN 1:1; 8:58; 17:5; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:4; COLOSSIANS 1:17; HEBREWS 13:8)
    2. Self-existence (JOHN 1:3; 5:26; COLOSSIANS 1:16; HEBREWS 1:2)
    3. Immutability (HEBREWS 1:10-12; 13:8)
    4. Omnipresence (MATTHEW 18:20; 28:20; EPHESIANS 1:23; 4:10; COLOSSIANS 3:11)
    5. Omniscience (MARK 2:8; LUKE 9:47; JOHN 2:25; 4:18; 16:30; COLOSSIANS 2:3)
    6. Omnipotence (JOHN 1:3; 2:19; COLOSSIANS 1:16-17; HEBREWS 1:2)
    7. Sovereignty (PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11; 1 PETER 3:22; REVELATIONS 19:16)
    8. Authority (MATTHEW 28:18; EPHESIANS 1:22)
    9. Life in Himself (JOHN 1:4; 5:26; ACTS 3:15)
  4. Biblical Support for the True Humanity of Jesus Christ.
    1. Jesus Christ calls Himself or others call Him a man
    2. During His earthly ministry (JOHN 8:40; ACTS 2:22; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:21;PHILIPPIANS 2:7-8)
    3. After His resurrection (ACTS 17:31; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:47; 1 TIMOTHY 2:5; HEBREWS 2:14; 4:15)
    4. Jesus Christ was conceived supernaturally, but born naturally (MATTHEW 1:25; LUKE 2:7; GALATIANS 4:4)
    5. Jesus Christ had ancestors (MATTHEW 1; LUKE 3)
    6. Jesus Christ experienced normal growth and development (LUKE 2:40-52; HEBREWS 5:8)
  5. Jesus Christ was subject to real physical limitations
    1. Weariness (JOHN 4:6)
    2. Hunger (MATTHEW 21:18)
    3. Need for sleep (MATTHEW 8:24)
    4. Thirst (JOHN 19:28)
    5. Sweat (LUKE 22:44)
    6. Temptation (MATTHEW 4:1-11)
    7. Lack of knowledge (MARK 9:21; 13:32)
    8. Jesus Christ experienced physical pain and death (MARK 14:33-36; LUKE 17:25; 22:63; 23:33; JOHN 19:30)
  6. Jesus Christ exhibited the full range of human emotions
    1. Joy (LUKE 10:21; JOHN 17:13)
    2. Sorrow (MATTHEW 26:37)
    3. Love (JOHN 11:5)
    4. Compassion (MATTHEW 9:36)
    5. Weeping (JOHN 11:35)
    6. Astonishment (LUKE 7:9)
    7. Anger (MARK 3:5; 10:14)
    8. Loneliness (MARK 14:32-42; 15:34)
  7. Jesus Christ has all the essential qualities of a human being
    1. Body (MATTHEW 26:12)
    2. Bones (LUKE 24:39)
    3. Flesh (LUKE 24:39)
    4. Blood (MATTHEW 26:28)
    5. Soul (MATTHEW 26:38)
    6. Will (JOHN 5:30)
    7. Spirit (JOHN 11:33)

Murray J. Harris, Jesus As God, 315-17; and John Jefferson Davis, Handbook of Basic Bible Texts (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), 68-74.

  1. Some of the statements of the writers of the New Testament:
    1. Peter – “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” (MATTHEW 16:18).
    2. Peter –“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”.(ACTS 4:12)
    3. Paul – ‘Therefore , God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and that every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11).
    4. Paul – “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all men”. (I TIMOTHY 2:5-6).

IV. ILLUSTRATION AND INSPIRATION:

  1. ILLUSTRATION:

The thought of Jesus being fully God and fully man is beyond our full comprehension. An Illustration that may help.

“One Christmas Eve a non-believing husband loaded his wife and child up in the car and sent them to the nearby church Christmas Eve program.  As they drove away, he noticed the birds flying around on the snow looking for food.

He thought, “I think I’ll turn on the lights of the barn and start a fire in the stove, and lay out some food for them”.  When he had finished doing that he stood back and waited for them to enter the barn but they were afraid.

He then thought, “I think I’ll go throw some food out on the snow and lead them in,” but that didn’t work either because they either didn’t understand or they were afraid of him.

He next thought “I’ll get behind them and chase them into the barn,” but they simply scattered in all directions.He thought, “If I could only become a bird for just a few moments I could lead them into the warmth and the food.

About that time the bells on the Church began to ring and the man suddenly fell to his knees and said, “Lord I finally understand why You became a man!”

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  2. INSPIRATION:

“THAT’S MY KING!”

The late Rd.’s M Locke ridge, a pastor from San Diego, California said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:

My King was born King. The Bible says He’s a Seven Way King.

    • He’s the King of the Jews – that’s an Ethnic King.
    • He’s the King of Israel – that’s a National King.
    • He’s the King of righteousness.
    • He’s the King of the ages. He’s the King of Heaven.
    • He’s the King of glory.
    • He’s the King of kings and
    • He is the Lord of lords. Now that’s my King!

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don’t try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said,” The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.“

    • My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love.
    • No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies.
    • No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.
    • He’s enduringly strong.
    • He’s entirely sincere.
    • He’s eternally steadfast.
    • He’s immortally graceful.
    • He’s imperially powerful.
    • He’s impartially merciful.

That’s my King.

    • He’s God’s Son.
    • He’s the sinner’s savior.
    • He’s the centerpiece of civilization.
    • He stands alone in Himself.
    • He’s honest. He’s unique.
    • He’s unparalleled.
    • He’s unprecedented.
    • He’s supreme. He’s preeminent.
    • He’s the grandest idea in literature.
    • He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
    • He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism.
    • He’s the fundamental doctrine of historic theology.
    • He’s the central necessity of spiritual religion.

That’s my King.

    • He’s the miracle of the age.
    • He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
    • He’s the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously.
    • He supplies strength for the weak.
    • He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
    • He sympathizes and He saves.
    • He’s the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people.
    • He heals the sick.
    • He cleanses the lepers.
    • He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors.
    • He delivers the captives.
    • He defends the feeble. He blesses the young.
    • He serves the unfortunate.
    • He regards the aged.
    • He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek.

That’s my King … do you know Him?
Well, my King is a King of knowledge.

    • He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
    • He’s the doorway of deliverance.
    • He’s the pathway of peace.
    • He’s the roadway of righteousness.
    • He’s the highway of holiness.
    • He’s the gateway of glory.
    • He’s the master of the mighty.
    • He’s the captain of the conquerors.
    • He’s the head of the heroes.
    • He’s the leader of the legislatures.
    • He’s the overseer of the over comers.
    • He’s the governor of governors.
    • He’s the prince of princes.
    • He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.

That’s my King!

    • His office is manifold.
    • His promise is sure.
    • His light is matchless.
    • His goodness is limitless.
    • His mercy is everlasting.
    • His love never changes.
    • His Word is enough.
    • His grace is sufficient.
    • His reign is righteous.
    • His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you… but He’s indescribable. That’s my King.

    • He’s incomprehensible,
    • He’s invincible,
    • He is irresistible.

I’m coming to tell you this- The heavens of heavens can’t contain Him, let alone some man explain Him.

    • You can’t get Him out of your mind.
    • You can’t get Him off of your hands.
    • You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.
    • The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
    • Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.
    • The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree about Him.
    • Herod couldn’t kill Him.
    • Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him.

That’s my King!

    • He always has been and He always will be.
    • I’m talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He’ll have no successor.
    • There’s nobody before Him and there’ll be nobody after Him.
    • You can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign.

That’s my King! That’s my King! Ask yourself “IS HIS KING MY KING?

V. WHERE I CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION:

  1. Bill Putman www.answersforreallife.org Teaching tools for GODISNOWHERE APP.
  2. https://gotquestions.org
  3. Bibleevidences.com accuracy of Prophecy.
  4. Lehman Strauss – Bible Prophecy – bible.org
  5. Know What You Believe –  Richard Helsby – knowwhatyoubelieve.com
  6. Letusreason.org
  7. The Blue Letter Bible The blueletterbible.org. How God has made Himself known.
  8. “Handbook of Christian Apologetics”, Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli, Monarch Publications, 1995
  9. Evidence That Demands A Verdict Volume 1, Josh McDowell, Here’s Life Publishing, Inc., San
    Bernardino, CA 92402
  10. A Ready Defense, Josh McDowell, Here’s Life Publishing, Inc., San Bernardino, CA 92402
  11. Answers to Tough Questions about the Christian Faith, Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, 1980, Here’s Life Publishers, Inc., San Bernardino, CA 92402
  12. Defending You Faith: Reliable answers for a new generation of skeptics and seekers, Dan Story, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1997
  13. Letters To A Skeptic – Gregory A Boyd and Edward K. Boyd – Chariot Victor Publishing
  14. Reasons to believe – R.C. Sproul – Zondervan Press.
  15. Knowing God – J.I. Packer – Inter Varsity Press.
  16. Mere Christianity –  C.S. Lewis – HarperCollins Publisher
  17. 77 FAQ’s – Josh and Sean McDowell – Harvest House
  18. Defending Your Faith: Reliable answers for a new generation of skeptics and seekers, Dan Story, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1997
  19. Know What You Believe  – Paul Little – Victor Books