Why was it necessary for Jesus to come in the flesh? Why did sovereign God come to the earth He created? John 1:14 (NIV) states, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
What He Accomplished
By coming in flesh, Jesus:
• Revealed God the Father to us – Before His coming, God the Father was viewed as unapproachable because of the magnitude of fear that He produced in the people. Jesus introduced Him as a loving father and we as His children. Romans 8:15-16 states, “…the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
• Revealed Kingdom Living – The King of the universe had to take on flesh to teach us how to live the kingdom life. Through His life He demonstrated how to deal with our flesh, the world, and the devil. He showed us how to love our enemies, how to treat those who are rejected by society, how to have faith when things are hopeless, etc. Jesus’ sinless life of obedience and faithfulness is an example to us when we face any temptation since we have the same resources that He had: the Word of God, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. Don’t be fooled into thinking that He lived a sinless life because He had a divine nature that we do not have. No, He became our example of how to live righteously as a human by relying on the three resources I just mentioned. We are called to live our lives as He lived His. Remember, He was truly human (got hungry, sleep, was tempted, had emotions, etc.). In 1 Peter 2:21 it states, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
• Revealed God’s Plan of Salvation – All mankind sinned against God and broke His law of commandments. The penalty for sin is death. So all humans are sentenced to death: meaning physically in their body and spiritually in separation from a Holy God who cannot have sin in His presence. God is love and never intended to be separated from the very ones He created in love. Jesus took on human flesh and became like us because no sinful human could meet the requirements of God to overthrow the penalty brought on us by sin. Jesus came in human flesh to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. In the flesh He accomplished every requirement of God (sinless life, blood shed, death, etc.) to fully remove sin’s penalty and to restore us back in relationship to a Holy God. Now anyone who accepts what Jesus did on their behalf in faith (salvation), are able to be freed from sin’s penalty and have a close relationship with God their Creator. Hebrews 2:14-17 (NLT) states:
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.
Why We Rejoice
A High Priest would mediate between the people and God. What peace and security you can have in knowing that Jesus is your High Priest. He identifies with you as a human living in a sinful world because He was just like you. By His coming in the flesh, He has walked in your shoes and is able to be a source of hope, comfort, confidence and help in whatever you face in life. The Father’s redemptive plan, carried out by His Son, Jesus Christ, should evoke praise and gratitude in your heart.
So let’s rejoice this Good Friday and on Resurrection Day this Sunday for Jesus coming in human flesh and providing salvation for all who believe. Click here to know more.
Paula is compassionately committed to biblically teach and mentor women who desire to be renewed in their minds by God’s eternal Word so their destinies will become a reality. She goes beyond sharing biblical principles to practical application for everyday living.
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