DG5_CR4_We Believe in The Lord Jesus Christ Dogma for Pr-Servants February 19, 2011 a) Divinity of Christ b) The Doctrine of Incarnation

The Creed CR1 & 2: We believe in One God, God the Father who created heaven and earth:  God (CR1)  Trinity (CR2) CR3: We believe in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, True God of True God, Begotten not made, One essence with the Father :  Divinity of Christ CR4: Who for us all and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnated of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary and became Man.  Incarnation of Christ

The Incarnation of Christ 1)Introduction 2) What is the real need for the Incarnation? 3) How did the Incarnation happen? 4) What is the meaning of Incarnation? 5) What are the blessings of the Incarnation?

1) Introduction In Christianity the Doctrine of Incarnation is: In Christianity the Doctrine of Incarnation is: + A Cornerstone - Without Incarnation there is no Christianity + Redeeming - Salvation from Adam’s death - God’s Mercy vs. Justice + Uniting - God is united with Man Questions: Questions:  Why was the incarnation necessary?  What does it mean that God became man?  How has this been understood throughout the scriptures?

Tim Haile5 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name ‘Emmanuel,’ which being interpreted is, God with us.” Isaiah 7:14 (Matthew 1:23) “And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16 Jesus reflected and revealed the Father’s glory “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18)

2) The need for Incarnation? God’s Forgiveness vs. Incarnation: The punishment: “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” Genesis 2:17 The punishment: “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” Genesis 2:17 The result: human “nature” is corrupted eternally and forgiving the disobedience “action” is not enough to satisfy God’s Justice. The result: human “nature” is corrupted eternally and forgiving the disobedience “action” is not enough to satisfy God’s Justice. The solution: God, to satisfy His Mercy, had to unite with the human flesh and carry the death penalty. The solution: God, to satisfy His Mercy, had to unite with the human flesh and carry the death penalty.

3. How did the Incarnation happen? The Creed: Who for us all and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnated of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary and became Man John 1:14: => John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” => “Hypostatic union of the two natures of Christ” “Many people have sought to be God, but only one God has sought to be man.” Luke 1:34-35: => Luke 1:34-35: “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God’.” => “Theanthropos God-man”

The birth of Christ occurred in 3 steps: 1)Divine: from the Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary forming “God Incarnate”. 2)Human: God Incarnate grew in St. Mary’s womb. 3)Divine: Baby Jesus (God Incarnate) was born preserving St. Mary’s virginity then and forever. “ This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut” Ezekiel 44:2

Why was Christ born of a virgin?  To fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14.  To point to the uniqueness of Christ.  To substantiate his deity.  To substantiate his humanity.  So that he would not have inherited sin.  So that he might be the “Second Adam,” undoing the failures of the first Adam.

4. Meaning of Incarnation Key terms: Incarnation The biblical understanding that Christ took on a human nature Incarnation The biblical understanding that Christ took on a human nature Hypostatic Union The theological description of the union of the two natures of Christ Hypostatic Union The theological description of the union of the two natures of Christ Theanthropos Theological name of Christ affirming that he is the “God-man” Theanthropos Theological name of Christ affirming that he is the “God-man”

Key Terms Incarnation: God humbled Himself and took the same flesh as ours and manifested Himself in flesh as a Man. God humbled Himself and took the same flesh as ours and manifested Himself in flesh as a Man.  “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh” 1Timothy 3:16  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” John 1:14

Key Terms “Cont’d” Hypostatic Union: God Incarnate has two natures in one without change of God’s divinity. God Incarnate has two natures in one without change of God’s divinity.  “He (God) made It (Christ’s Body) One with His divinity without mingling, confusion and alteration” (Liturgy)

Key Terms “Cont’d” Theanthropos: God Incarnate (our Lord Jesus Christ) appeared as a and a in one Person when He was in the flesh. God Incarnate (our Lord Jesus Christ) appeared as a True Man and a True God in one Person when He was in the flesh. He was born in Bethlehem, Matthew 2:1  Man: He was born in Bethlehem, Matthew 2:1 Before Abraham was, I AM, John 8:58  God: Before Abraham was, I AM, John 8:58 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”, Luke 19:10  Man: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”, Luke 19:10 “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”, John 20:31  God: “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”, John 20:31

The Blessings of Incarnation Revealed God’s love to Man; John 3:16 Revealed God’s love to Man; John 3:16 Was the first step for Man’s redemption; John 3:17 Was the first step for Man’s redemption; John 3:17 Renewed the corrupted nature of Man; 1Cor 15:53 Renewed the corrupted nature of Man; 1Cor 15:53 Gave the man the knowledge about God; John 1:18 Gave the man the knowledge about God; John 1:18 Presented to man the high example for human perfection; John 8:46 Presented to man the high example for human perfection; John 8:46