From “Three Terms”

 

Three New Testament terms help believers understand the Christmas event: Logos (Word), Jesus, and Christ. All three terms have been applied to the God-Man.  Each term is distinctive.  Their differences, however, have been ignored. Jesus and Christ are now synonyms, used interchangeably.  Christ today means nothing more than a last name like “Smith” or “Jones.”

           

Historically, the Church has not processed the incarnation comprehensively. The question “how” attracts the most theological attention. Why? The answer, VIRGIN birth, underscores the divinity of Jesus. We shade the experience to prove the point of His divinity.

           

Historically, the Church has not processed the life of Jesus chronologically. Recall sermons, sermon series, or Sunday school lessons. The usual study of Jesus is haphazard or fragmented—a parable here or a miracle there. The result is a partial or fractured picture.  Some aspects of Jesus’ life, like His gestation (nine months) and delivery (normal), receive little or no attention. Why? Virgin BIRTH verifies the humanity of Jesus.

           

Recall Tony Martin’s comment: “The people around Jesus had no difficulty believing Jesus was a man. They had difficulty believing He was God.  We today have no difficulty believing Jesus is God.  We have difficulty believing Jesus was a man.” If we dodge the humanity of Jesus, we cannot know how He lived and how we, His followers, should live. Understanding the incarnation, therefore, is crucial to following Jesus.

 

 

<<back