“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law….”–Galatians 4:4

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself….  Philippians 2:6-8

The Incarnation of the Son is the phrase used to describe the second person of the Trinity when he leaves heaven and “becomes flesh” as stated by John the Beloved. This takes place in the miraculous virgin birth, where the Holy Spirit moves upon Mary and she bears a son.  The Incarnation of the Son is at the heart of Christianity. He who created the world became part of that creation.

The Incarnation would become a foundational doctrine to the church and lead to many other debated doctrines over the history of the church. The idea that the Creator would dwell among us as one of us is one of the most gripping mysteries of Scripture.

Hebrews tells of how the Incarnation helps us because our Great High Priest understands us and can deal gently with us.  Philippians and I Peter teach us that the Incarnation is an example of how we ought to live. These are part of the complex importance of the Incarnation. But to speak of the Incarnation is to speak of the work or “point” of the Incarnation, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins”-Matthew 1:21. We who were fallen and enemies of God had no eternal destiny other than destruction. But God in his infinite wisdom sent his Son to provide a glorious grace for his elect. The Incarnation is the condition for that provision.  Atoning death is possible only if there is an Incarnation.

“God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”-Romans3:25-26

The Incarnation is the vehicle God used for the atonement, which provides for our salvation through God’s glorious grace and thus fulfilling its ultimate purpose-the glory of God the Father.

Kevin Farmer, Phil Meade, Dana Arledge