Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
9/5/2022
How Can Jesus Be God and Man? When was Jesus Most Manly?
We asked a question in our Courageous Men’s group last Thursday;
“When was Jesus most manly?”
Have you ever thought of that? He grew up a carpenter and also worked with rock…he was buff. He walked over 1,000 miles in 3 yrs. He drove 200 men from the temple with a whip. He saved the life of a woman caught in adultery. (Who today would stand up in Christ's name to an angry crowd?) The night in Gethsemane, they sent a troupe to capture him. He went to the cross like a lamb without a whimper….like a sheep. His last act was to say to John… take care of my Mom!
100% Man – 100% God. Was he able to pull on his divinity to get over the edge of some of these harder tasks or miracles?
Have you reconciled that within yourself?
How Can Jesus Be God and Man? Let’s talk.
The doctrine of the Trinity IS the doctrine of the Incarnation — that Jesus Christ is God and man, yet one person, forever. J.I. Packer has said, “Here are two mysteries for the price of one” — 2 NATURES but one man – The plurality of persons within the unity of God, and the union of Godhead and manhood in the person of Jesus. . . .
Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation.”
The early church considered the Incarnation to be one of the most important truths of our faith. Because of this, they formulated what has come to be called the Chalcedonean Creed, a statement that sets forth what we are to believe and what we are not to believe about the Incarnation. From October 8 to November 1, 451, in the city of Chalcedon, IT WAS AGREED THAT JESUS HAD 2 NATURES IN ONE PERSON, since that day all the major branches of Christianity have agreed.
These are the five major truths that summarize that council.
1. Jesus has two natures — He is God and man.
2. Each nature is full and complete — He is fully God and fully man.
3. Each nature remains distinct.
4. Christ is only one Person.
5. Things that are true of only one nature are nonetheless true of the Person of Christ.
A proper understanding of these truths clears up much confusion and many difficulties we may have in our mind. How can Jesus be both God and man?
Why doesn’t this make him two people? How does his Incarnation relate to the Trinity? How could Jesus have hungered (Matthew 4:2) and died (Mark 15:37) when he was on earth, and yet still be God? Did Jesus give up any of his divine attributes in the Incarnation? Why is it INACCURATE to say that Jesus is a “part” of God? Is Jesus still human now, and does he still have his human body?
Jesus has two natures — God and man
He is both God AND man. Let's look at each nature accordingly.
Jesus Is God
The Bible teaches that Jesus is not merely someone who is a lot like God or someone who has a very close walk with God. Rather, Jesus is the Most High God himself. Titus 2:13 says that as Christians we are “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” Upon seeing the resurrected Christ, Thomas cried out, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Likewise, the book of Hebrews gives us God the Father’s direct testimony about Christ: “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" and the gospel of John calls Jesus “the only begotten God” (John 1:18).
Another way the Bible teaches that Jesus is God is by showing that he has all of the attributes of God. He knows everything (Matthew 16:21; Luke 11:17; John 4:29), is everywhere (Matthew 18:20; 28:20; Acts 18:10), has all power (Matthew 8:26–27; 28:18; John 11:38–44; Luke 7:14–15; Revelation 1:8), depends on nothing outside of himself for life (John 1:4; 14:6; 8:58), rules over everything (Matthew 28:18; Revelation 1:5; 19:16;), never began to exist and never will cease to exist (John 1:1; 8:58), and is our Creator (Colossians 1:16). In other words, everything that God is, Jesus is. For Jesus is God.
Specifically, Jesus Is God the Son
Tomorrow let's take a deeper look at Why Jesus is 100% man. But, in order to have a more complete grasp of Christ’s incarnation, it is necessary to have some sort of understanding of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity states that God is one being, and this one God exists as three distinct Persons. This truth means, first of all, that we must distinguish each Person of the Trinity from the other two. Ponder this in your heart today…
Finally, On Labor Day we honor American workers who contribute to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. Jesus commands us to rest from work, to recharge and rest. But lets us first honor him with a focus to put him first. To thank him for whatever we have. Remember to worship him for who he is.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Phil Driscoll You Deserve The Glory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmdaV0ES8MU
Excerpts are taken from; Got Questions Ministries
