The Bible says in John 1:1-2 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. Then in John 1:14 it says, The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
We see the “Word” from these passages "Jesus” became flesh, became man. We describe this through a theological term, saying that Jesus became “incarnate.”
The question is, why did He do it? Why was it important that Jesus came as a man? Did He have to become a man? This post will look into the Bible and see at least six reasons that Christ, the Word, had to come in the flesh.
Why Jesus Had To Come As A Man
JESUS CAME PHYSICALLY TO REVEAL GOD TO HUMANITY
The revelation of God in the OT was often conceptual and general. While God revealed Himself to humanity in the Old Testament, the disclosure was "incomplete." In contrast, Jesus revealed God to humanity in a personal way.
Many wonder what God the Father is like. Jesus shows Him to us through His life on earth. If you wish to know what God is like, look at Jesus.
John 1:18 - No one has seen God at any time. The only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
Jesus, through His life, word, and actions, explained and revealed God to humanity.
John 5:19 - Then Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do. For whatever He does, likewise the Son does.
John 12:49 - For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
Every time you read about what Christ said or did, it expresses who God the Father is. When Jesus healed the sick, Christ showed that God was a healer of the sick. When Jesus shows compassion, He is showing us that God has compassion. Jesus came to the world as a man to give a physical and tangible expression of the Father.
JESUS CAME TO FULFILL THE LAW
Jesus had to come and fulfill the Law of Moses as a man. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18 - “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one dot or one mark will pass from the law until all be fulfilled.
By living a perfect life here on earth, Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law in every respect. This was necessary because only a perfect, sinless man could die to remove sin.
CHRIST CAME TO DIE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD
In Hebrews, it tells us that the sacrifices of animals could not take away sin. Neither would the death of an ordinary sinful human being. Only someone human, tested, and sinless could make the payment for sin. Jesus had to come in the flesh to fulfill these requirements.
Jesus had to be a human being to die. It says in Hebrews 2:14 - So then, as the children share in flesh and blood (physical nature/human), He likewise took part in these, so that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil… A human brought sin upon us; with that came the consequences (separation from God). A human could only make payment for that sin. The only way for Jesus to qualify as the remedy was for Him to become the perfect man.
The man who died for sin had to be sinless even through testing. Jesus had to be tested in His humanity. He had to remain sinless through it all. Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.
His death on the cross, as the sinless man, has paid the penalty for our sins. He died in our place so that we do not have to suffer the eternal consequences of sin.
Matthew 20:28 - even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Jesus Christ came into the world to become our Savior. But, He could not do it without becoming human.
JESUS BECAME A MAN TO JUDGE THE WORLD RIGHTEOUSLY
The Bible says it would be Jesus will be the One who judges humanity.
John 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son… 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
Jesus came into this world as a Man, lived here among humanity, and died on the cross as a Substitute for men and women. He was rejected and crucified when He came into the world as a Man. Because He is both God and Man, He is ideally qualified to be Judge.
JESUS CAME TO BECOME OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.
Because Jesus lived here upon the earth and experienced the limitations of being a human being, He can sympathize with the problems and concerns that we faced. He was tempted as we are tempted. He met all of these things as a human, but He did so perfectly. As a result, He becomes our High Priest who intercedes, represents us before God, and gives us access to the very presence of God.
Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
JESUS CAME TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR BELIEVERS
Jesus also came to provide an example for the believer on how we live. Jesus lived the perfect life as the perfect man with faith in His Father. When we put our faith in Christ, we have an example to follow.
1 John 2:6 - Whoever says he remains in Him ought to walk as He walked.
1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
Jesus gave us an example of what it means to live as a Christian. Everything He did, everything He said, every miracle, His devotional life, every healing, going to the cross, to coming out of the grave (and rising again) was an example for us. It was accomplished in His dependence upon God for the Holy Spirit.
We can see His example, how to live, and our need to depend on the Holy Spirit. We see our need to depend upon God. To depend upon His Word, to abide in Him. The example of Christ is a blessing to us as we see Him live in the flesh what is available to us.
CONCLUSION
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
When you touch all these things about Christ and His coming in the flesh, we see the glory (bright, shining light of the God’s presence) of Jesus. We see the glory of God, we see the love of God, we see the grace and truth of God. All of this is because Jesus came as a man in the flesh.
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