Ask a Minister

Question: Was Jesus Christ God manifested in the flesh? Do you think it can be overly stressed that Jesus Christ came in the flesh in light of 1 John 1:1--3 and 1John 2:24? What would be the importance of Him coming in the flesh and what it proves if one denies this fact?

Answer: In response to your request for Scriptures which state Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh, we submit the following references: John 1:1-14; John 14:6-11; 1 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 1:21-23; 1 Cor. 2:7-8

The Scripture references given above amply show that Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh. Apparently you are wondering what is the importance of this doctrine.

"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now is in the world." To deny this fact is to deny the Gospel itself (1 John 4:2-3).

If Jesus was a mere man, and not the Son of God, He could not die to save us from our sins. He would then be an impostor, and a sinner like us.

God, by His very nature, as the supreme ruler of the universe, must punish sin. Our own laws and court system recognize that fact. Laws whose violation are unpunished would not be obeyed. A man follows the speed limit because he does not want to pay a fine; a man does not rob, because he does not want to be imprisoned. By the same token, When God made His laws, He also decreed a penalty for the violation of those commandments. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Nevertheless, the fact is that all have sinned, and all must receive the penalty of eternal death, because God is consistent, and will not lie. There are two possible outcomes: either the person on the day of judgment must die for his own sin, or an innocent substitute must pay his penalty for him.

Jesus came into this world, born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-35). He had to be born of a virgin, because had he had a human father, he would not be the Son of God, but a sinner just like us. In that case, He could not die in our place. Only a sinless person could make an acceptable sacrifice on behalf of a sinner.

God's Son had to become one of us, and live a sinless life as a man. When men crucified Him, God laid on Jesus the sins of the whole world, and exacted from Jesus the punishment due all of us. It is however, necessary for an individual to wholeheartedly accept those terms, and receive by grace God's offer of salvation.

When Jesus died on the cross, He, as a man, took upon Himself the just punishment that you and I deserved. Since Jesus was also God, He gave infinite worth to His suffering, so that all who receive Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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