Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, Christ's incarnation as a human was consistent with Genesis 1:26, in which God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness."

Although (as Jesus said in John 4:24) God is a Spirit, and although humanity had since corrupted itself through sin, it would thus (to me) have been logical that, in visibly manifesting Himself, God would adopt the form of the being that He had originally created in His own image, in order to give humanity a concrete example of both human and divine perfection to follow and emulate, as well as to allow a sacrifice that would be acceptable to God for humanity's sin.

This also permitted God to fully share our human experience (except for sin), so that God Himself (as noted in Hebrews 4:15) might be able to completely sympathize with us in our weakness, and so that we could have confidence that He personally understood our human perspective and trials.

June 15 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

David Robinson Supporter Army 1SG, firefighter, consultant (CFPS) - retired from all!

Perhaps it is just a figure of speech to say that Jesus was "in the image of man." In reality, He "was" a man, not merely God in the image of man. He was both God and man; as much man as if He were not God, and as much God as if He were not man. This is not a violation of the law of contradiction. This is not an "either/or” proposition. Jesus is “both” God and man. He was (and is) fully God and fully man at the same time and in the same person.

Theologians refer to this as the dual nature of Christ, two natures in hypo-static union within one person. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the church officially adopted and explained (to the extent possible) this concept which had been the prevailing doctrine from the beginning of the Christian church. Their explanation (in part) was in terms of four negative statements about Christ's nature: His two natures exist together in Him "without mixture or confusion, division or separation."

It was necessary that Jesus be fully man in order to properly represent mankind as our "federal head." A representative must be categorically the same as those represented. Mankind must be represented by a human being. Just as Adam originally represented us (and failed), Jesus became the "new Adam" or "last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45-48). He became our representative so that whatever He did was credited to us. As a man (our federal head), He perfectly fulfilled all the requirements of the law on our behalf. Once our sins were forgiven, God was then justified in crediting (imputing) the righteousness Jesus had achieved to us (Romans 3:25-26).

If Jesus is not fully human, our sins are not forgiven and we are not at all saved. It is not possible that God, in His pure divinity, could have saved us from our sin. The divine being cannot die for our sins or for any other reason. Therefore, if He had come to the earth as God and not man, then His forgiving of our sins would been arbitrary and meaningless. It would have violated His perfect sense of justice. Sin must be punished. The wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23) and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22). He will not (cannot) violate His perfect nature by forgiving our sins without due retribution. Christ, our federal head, suffered the retribution for our sins so that God would be just in forgiving us our sins. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2).

But, even having our sins paid for is not enough. It wipes out our negatives (our debt), but leaves us with nothing on the positive side of the ledger. In order for us to be considered by God to be righteous and to be reconciled to Him, Jesus, the man, had to live a life in perfect compliance with the law and will of God. On the cross, our collective sin was imputed to Christ and His perfect righteousness was imputed to us (double imputation) so that we are now the sinless righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:9, Romans 3:21-22).

So, in order for us to be considered righteous and be reconciled with God, Jesus (the man) had to live on our behalf. In order for our sins to be paid for (forgiven), Jesus (the man) had to die on our behalf. Only a human could fulfill those two requirements. I thank God that Jesus was not merely the image of man. He was (and is) fully, truly human in every respect. And, He was (and is) fully, truly God in every respect. If He were anything less, we would all be hopelessly lost. He was (and is) the only worthy and acceptable redeemer of mankind. As God and as man, He is worthy of all our thanks and praise!

June 15 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Andy Mangus Supporter I am a Christian since October 1979 & devoted truth seeker.

In my usual short or somewhat brief answer format, let me start by stating this: This is an excellent question that when pondered by the student with a genuine interest in gaining a deeper understanding of God's Word, can result in a true revelation in 'knowing' why God(theFather), "sent His one and only begotten Son", to be born of a virgin, to live among us and be subjected to every temptation, every human physical state of being and/or circumstances that comes our way in the course of life. Because "He dwelt among us", Jesus experienced and endured many things and situations that we can't even picture ourselves to even begin to have to deal with! One example comes to mind: Jesus Christ had to deal with directly, one-to-one with Satan himself! Remember?..Satan approached Jesus in the wilderness to tempt Him to follow and worship him and he would reward Jesus with all of the earthly kingdoms on Earth. Another temptation or test he tried on Jesus was telling Him to turn the rocks into bread to eat. Jesus answered Satan by telling him "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord Thy God, for man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." 

Jesus Christ was 'born in the image of man', because He had to be man in the flesh, to live as a human in the flesh, to endure as a man in the flesh, to be tempted as a man in the flesh "to be our Holy example" of man being subjected to any and all physical flesh, blood and bones experiences, growing pains, etc. It was so that we could see, know and understand how real God is! And, He did all of this because "He first loved us, even before the foundation of the world!" We, as His children, are God's greatest creation; the Pinnacle of All Creation! 

"God sent His one and only begotten Son, to live and to die on that Cross at Calvary, to take away the sins of this world, so that we may have a home in Heaven with Him, to dwell with and worship Him for all eternity." For anyone that asks God to forgive them and to take away/ wash their sins away "as far as the East is from the West" they will have an eternal home with our Lord! For the Bible tells me so, for He is faithful and just to do as He said He would. "For by faith in God's Son, Jesus Christ and believing God sent His son to be our substitute, to take on our many sins and to be our sacrifice", He showed each of us the only way to have life eternal!

I Praise God each and every day for God sending His Son, "to be born in the image of man", to come down from Heaven and dwell among us!

***The Major Point is This!*** God loves you and me more than we could ever conceivably understand or comprehend! The PROOF: "Jesus came to save a wretch like me, a soul that needed saving from this cruel wicked world and a soul (me) that learns "daily to decrease so that He may increase within my very soul, so that He may work a mighty work in me by His Holy Spirit, which He leads me on that straight and narrow path of His righteousness." 

"Praise Ye the Lord God Almighty, for His name is to be praised, in Jesus' name.....Amen!" ~~Andy~~

June 17 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Shelley Supporter Engineer / Business Owner - Born Again Saved Sinner!

The Jesus was, according to 1 John 1:1, "THAT which was form the beginning" - Can you believe that the Lord used the word THAT to describe Jesus from the beginning? It's strange because it's a neutered word... I would never describe the friends I had over for dinner last night as "THAT which i had dinner with".

But Jesus was more than we know. He became flesh, something we can know, and understand - "the fullness of the Godhead bodily" and the "express image of the Person of God".

To answer the question: It was because "without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins." The Word had to be made flesh so He could shed that blood, and mar that flesh to pay in full the cost of all of our sins! What incredible love! What unspeakable grace!

June 16 2016 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Bud Zack Supporter

The Jews were (are) waiting for the Messiah. The Messiah is a man. Jesus had to come as a man to be the Messiah. There are many more reasons, but this satisfies my curiosity.

Maranatha

June 18 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Thomas K M Supporter A retired Defence Scientist from Indian Defence R&D Orgn.

When the fullness time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law(Gal.4:4). He redeemed us from the Law to become children of God. He is the image of the visible God, the first born of all creations. (Col.1:15). The incarnation of eternal Son was part of a divine plan. According to this plan to redeem mankind from the clutches of Adamic sin, God sent his only begotten son to this world, not to perish but to have eternal life. Christ can only set men and women free. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal.5:2, Jn.8:16). 

Language, creativity, love, holiness, immortality and freedom: all these attributes and many more man possesses because he is human, made in the image of of God. But man did not retain the image of God. 

Freedom is liberty. We are called 'into the glorious liberty of the children of God' (Rom. 8:2). Adam was created free but chose to be enslaved to sin. All men and women since have been in bondage, Christ came in the image of man to set men and women free from bondage of sin.

God set an example to mankind by sending His only begotten Son to this world in the image of man but sinless, to redeem the wold. 

In Christian doctrine, the incarnation is stated that the eternal son became man. It was one of the greatest events that occurred in the history of the universe. The incarnation of the son of God is the fact of God becoming man, but still retaining His "God status". The virgin birth is the method by which God the son became man.

Christ defined the purpose of His incarnation and His earthly ministry (Mark2:17). Had there been righteousness in the human heart, there would have been no need for the incarnation of the Son of God to become in the image of God. 

Therefore, to redeem man from the Adamic sin and to become the image of God, He sent His son in the image of man.

June 21 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report