Literature Ministries International

Literature Ministries International


[ return to web page ]

Make text bigger | Make text smaller
SEPTEMBER: Life in Christ

September 6

THE INCARNATION

The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
John 1:14

The doctrine of the Incarnation does not teach, neither does it involve the idea, that a change took place in the personality of the Son of God. There was a change in the form in which He appeared, there was a change in the state in which He manifested Himself, but there was no change in His personality. He is the same Person always. In the womb of the virgin Mary and lying as a helpless babe in the manger, He is still the second person in the holy Trinity.

We must never so state the doctrine of the Incarnation as to give the impression that we say that the Son of God was changed into a man. That is why that phrase about God becoming man is misleading. We see this in John 1:14: "The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." That very phrase "was made" has often caused people to think that the Son of God was changed into a man. This is partly due to the fact that it is not really the best translation. Instead of saying, "The Word was made flesh," what we really mean is that He became flesh or that He took on flesh. The idea of making gives the impression of being changed into, but that is wrong.

In other words, the way in which the Scripture generally puts it is this: In Romans 8:3 we are told that He came "in the likeness of sinful flesh." That is better. Or take it as it is put in 1 John 4:2: "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." Jesus Christ has not been changed into a man; it is this eternal Person who has come in the flesh. That is the right way to put it.

A Thought to Ponder
We must never so state the doctrine of the Incarnation as to give the impression that we say that the Son of God was changed into a man.

From God the Father, God the Son, p. 257.




Today’s devo is taken from Walking with God Day by Day © 2003 by Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

"Walking with God Day by Day" emailed to you!
To have Walking with God emailed directly to you each day, type your email address in the box below and click on "Subscribe me!" FOR YOUR SECURITY you'll receive a follow-up email asking you to confirm your subscription request, and YOU MUST REPLY TO THAT EMAIL before you will be subscribed to Walking with God.





This page was reproduced from http://www.litmin.org/walking.php




Walking with God Archive

January
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

February
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29  

March
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

April
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

May
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

June
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

July
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

August
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

September
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

October
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

November
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

December
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31