Why God had to Become a Man
By Peter Salemi
Have you ever wondered why God had to become a man and go through the things that he went through? Why did Jesus suffer and die? Why did Jesus have to overcome temptation and sin? These are fascinating things to ponder and when one understands why, you can know just how loving our God really is-for “God is Love” (1 John 4:8).
Sin Entered the World
In the beginning when God created man, man was without sin. After the fall the scriptures says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Rom 5:12). Adam, the father of the human race, introduced sin into the world. And all of us have succumbed to it. We have inherited the very nature of Adam-human nature which is basically vanity, jealously, lust and greed (see Mark 7:21-23; Matthew 15:19; Galatians 5:19-21). The fallen nature of Adam has been passed down to all of us, proof of that is death, “so death passed upon all men.” God said to Adam, “thou shalt surely die.” “For the wages of sin is death;” (Rom 6:23); and death is now universal-we are all subject to death, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom 3:23). The human race is under the death penalty for sin-and to redeem man a price must be paid.
But how can God save the human race? What would satisfy God’s justice? Only a blood sacrifice can justify and pay the penalty for sin, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb 9:22). Interesting about blood, God says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Lev 17:11). So a life must be taken-blood must be shed for the atonement to take place.
Now the blood of animals cannot satisfy as Paul says, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Heb 10:4). This was not a permanent solution for sin. The offering was necessary, and it answered its purpose; but a “better sacrifice” was needed to remove sin permanently. A band aid temporal solution was devise by God till the Christ comes and pays it fully.
Paul said, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” (Heb 10:1-3). Sins were covered, but not cancelled. The guilt and penalty for sins came into remembrance because they were continually offered or “would they not have ceased to be offered?” A permanent solution for the putting away of sin must be offered for all of mankind. The Solution was that God had to become a Man-that Man is Jesus!
God in the Flesh
No ordinary man can save the human race. All have sinned and so this disqualifies everyone from being the savior of the world. No human life is precious enough to atone for all of the sins of all of mankind. Only one life is precious enough-that life is the life of God himself!
Think of it! If Jesus were only human, His life would pay the death penalty for only one other person. No one human being could save all of mankind. The full penalty for everyone’s sins must be paid!
Also, think of this, God alone could not of Himself pay the penalty for man’s sins. God is the source of all life, and has life in himself, “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;” (John 5:26); but is himself “Spirit.” “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24; 2 Cor 3:17); being a spirit He cannot die, “the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor 4:18). So what is the solution? God had to become a man-this was absolutely necessary that there be one who was both human and divine. So the precious life of God can be sacrificed, and his shed blood would permanently take away sin and its penalty for all mankind! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). Do we realize what a tremendous sacrifice had to be made to redeem us from sin and give us eternal life? God so loved this world that He gave His own Son to save it! God IS love!
Christ was Divine
In order to pay the penalty for all of mankind, it was necessary that Christ be Divine-His life be worth more than all our human lives put together.
Christ and the Father alone have life in themselves as quoted above. And, “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
“Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” (1 Tim 6:15-16).
Only Christ has immortality, ordinary human beings do not possess eternal life. The immortal soul doctrine that says we have eternal life within us is contrary to scripture and is a pagan concept. Man is temporal “for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen 3:19). God blocked the way to the tree of life so that, “lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:” (Gen 3:22). So we see that Adam had no eternal life whatsoever inherent within himself-there is no immortal soul! John wrote, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15). Even for the sinner there is no immortal soul, and people will not live forever in a place called hell. The wages of sin is “death” not eternal life in Hell fire!
God alone has eternal life and can give life, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4). If Christ were only human, He could have saved but one other human, and given eternal life to none. To save mankind this required God-the life and power of the Creator! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made…. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten [“genes” race, stock, kind] of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 3, 14). Therefore Christ’s life is the life of the Creator God. Paul called Him “God our Saviour” (Titus 1:3). Yes, in the person of Christ, the very Creator became our Saviour!
The Saviour God becomes Human
Christ then, the one whom the Father used to do the creating of the universe and everything in it was “made flesh.” Christ became human born from a virgin woman, “she was found with child of the Holy Ghost…And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18, 21).
It continues, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
“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.” (vv.22-23). Here we see that even Jesus Christ’s name revealed Him both as Saviour, and God with us-a divine being with us, in the flesh-to save us from our sins. Only His life-that of the Creator-could pay the full penalty of sin for all mankind so he had to become a man to do it!
Jesus was Human
Again, it was not enough that Jesus was Divine; God had to become human and be the God-Man. Blood must be shed a life has to be taken to pay the penalty for the sins of the world, and God being in spirit form cannot die so God had to become human. These two conditions were met in the person of Christ!
Now when it comes to the blood sacrifice, again, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Heb 10:4). Remember the “life” is in the “flesh.” “…there was no efficacy in the blood of a mere animal to wash away a ‘moral’ offence. It could not repair the Law; it could not do anything to maintain the justice of God; it had no efficacy to make the heart pure. The mere shedding of the blood of an animal never could make the soul pure.” (Barnes Notes, emphasis added). The law of God was not given to plants or animals but to man, so the life in the flesh of an animal had not moral value-so the sacrifice must be of human blood without sin! “…thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…” (Isa 53:10). Christ then is the human sacrifice to pay this penalty for sin.
The Apostle Paul further explains, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil 2:6-8).
When Paul says that Christ “made himself of no reputation,” in the Greek, the word is “kenoō” (Strong’s #2758) meaning he “emptied” himself. He emptied himself of his divine glory and power, “…emptied (or, stripped) Himself of His glory” (Ellicott, emphasis his). God became human and had human strength fully subjected to the Father, (see John 5:19, 30).
With his human strength and with the power of the spirit of God that he had without measure (John 3:34) he lived a perfect life “without sin.” (Heb 4:15).
Jesus now been changed into flesh-still having the personality and will to do right (Though human his identity is Jehovah on his Father’s side) which distinguished Him as an entity-yet now had become human, having human nature with all of its desires, weakness, and lusts-and subject to death just like any other human he had to continually fight. God was putting all on the line for us and his creation!
Jesus Overcame Sin and the World
The only difference between Jesus and any other human is that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Therefore He obeyed God’s laws from birth. Jesus was the perfect baby-the perfect one year old, 2 year old, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.…
Jesus never had to go through the process of repenting, of going the wrong way, of unlearning wrong ideas and habits, and he always exercise His will to do right continually. Jesus had the law of God in his heart and mind since birth ingrained in his spiritual DNA (see Romans 5:5; Jer 31:33). He retained in His personality the determination, the will to obey God always. But he also had from his mother human nature-this is the overcoming Jesus had to face every day of his life!
Jesus however “overcame” the world, he said “but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). All the external temptations that are in the world Jesus had no internal desire for the external temptations that the world offered-he just wasn’t interested as he told Satan through Peter, “…thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:23). Jesus chose the things of God continually! James wrote that “…God cannot be tempted with evil,” (James 1:13). No external temptation will cause God to sin. “Nothing can be presented to his mind as an inducement to do wrong…” (Barnes Notes, emphasis added).
But what about internal temptations? The Human nature we are all born with? “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:14-15). Jesus continually fought the human nature within him, the instincts we all have, and we have never ruled over, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” (Prov 25:28).
Jesus of course obeyed the word of God and ruled over his own spirit and body, and overcame his human nature so he can be that faithful high priest in heaven for us, “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Heb 2:17-18). Jesus knows firsthand what we go through on a daily basis, because he went through it himself, for this he is a “merciful” and faithful “high priest” and we can go to the “throne of Grace” and receive the Father’s mercy through Christ.
Notice Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” “He was subjected to all the kinds of trial to which we can be, and he is, therefore, able to sympathize with us and to aid us” (Barnes Notes). Jesus was tempted in “all points” like us yet “without sin” he continually chose to do the will of God. But he understands our weaknesses and because he does when we repent shows us mercy.
Strength from God
Jesus when he was tempted always turned to God and found strength in his Father by the power of the spirit, “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;” (Heb 5:7-8). By prayer and choosing the good continually- crying out to God he “learned” meaning “He learned His obedience, not from His Sonship, but from His sufferings. As the Son, He always obeyed the Father’s will; but the special obedience needed to qualify Him as our High Priest,” (JFB Commentary, emphasis added). Through sufferings, “…the meaning is, he had an experience of it, and effected it; and which was voluntary, and done in our room and stead; and is the rule and the measure of our righteousness before God: and this he learned,” (Gill’s commentary, emphasis added). He learned how we suffer with our human nature and how tough it really is and he overcame through the spirit of God and this qualified him as High priest so he would know and understand what we go through and to have mercy on us.
This is the “…life of the flesh…in the blood” that can permanently take care of sin. Only through this pure precious blood and body of Jesus, “…we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb 10:10). Justice is done, and there is no more offering for sin. Jesus sacrifice took care of sin permanently! The guilt and penalty of sin is taken away! “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:” (Gal 3:13). Unlike the animal sacrifices there is no more need for an offering. Animal lives cover, but don’t take away sins. Jesus Christ life is enough and satisfies God’s justice and pays the penalty of sin forever more!
The Difference between Animal and Jesus’ Sacrifice
In the Old Testament God instituted the sacrificial system. Clean animals were sacrificed for sin. However as mentioned this is not a permanent solution for sin. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins [permanently]” (Heb 10:4). Or, as Paul says, “For then would they not have ceased to be offered?” (Heb 10:2). It was a temporary solution to the sin problem until Christ came and, “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb 10:10).
Animal sacrifices do not make people completely righteous in their conscious minds. The guilt and penalty of sin is still there. “because that the worshippers once purged [“from guilt” (Thayer’s)] should have had no more conscience of sins.” (Heb 10:2), meaning “…consciousness of the guilt of sin” (Alford NT).
Poole’s Commentary says the same, “i.e. pardoned, justified, and acquitted them from guilt of sin and punishment, there would have nothing remained to have troubled, vexed, or tormented their souls, they being no further accused or condemned by their conscience about sin...” (emphasis added). However, under the animals sacrifices there was still that guilt and penalty for sin that had to be paid, having the lives of the animals continually offered.
The blood and body of animals are not made in God’s very own image. The “death of dumb animals for sin committed by man, who was made in the image of God” (The Sanctuary and the Atonement by Frank Holbrook, p.84, emphasis added); therefore it was limited “they were only covering up those sins, temporarily delaying judgment.” (What does Hebrews 10:4 mean? BibleRef, emphasis added). It required human-divine blood (in God’s image) to fully pardon mankind from the guilt and penalty of sin, and as we have demonstrated from the Bible Jesus is the only one who can do this being God in the flesh. This is why believers under the Old Covenant came out from under the judgment of God after the sacrifice of Christ even though they offered animal sacrifices, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Heb 9:14-15).
The animal sacrifices were a band aid-a temporary solution. “Nowhere in the Old Testament is it ever claimed that sins were ‘taken away’ (i.e., completely removed) by animal sacrifices. The root of the Hebrew word translated ‘atonement’ in the Old Testament is kaphar, which has the idea of ‘covering,’ not total removal… these sacrifices were essentially like a bandage, only acting as a covering for sin. They did not, and could not, remove sin… (Article; Did Animal Sacrifices Remove Sin? By Ron Dudek, emphasis his and mine). As Gann’s Commentary rightly puts it, “…sins were covered, but not cancelled.” (Emphasis his).
Why does the blood of animals just cover and not take away? Animals as noted above have no morality. The life of the flesh is in the blood. Animals run on instinct not choice and morals the way humans do. What makes one just and righteous? “Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 18:9); “for all thy commandments are righteousness.” (Psalm 119:172). Animals do not have the ability to do this. So yes a “life” is taken in sacrifice that delays the judgment of God and the sin is covered but not taken away. The universal condemnation of all of mankind-the guilt of sin is still there and cannot be taken care by the life of bull and lambs.
But in the case of Jesus who is “without sin,” we have his “precious blood” (1 Peter 1:19). His righteous life is in his blood, and his blood since it is filled with righteousness, “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). The righteousness of God in the blood of Jesus and it makes us “just” and “right” in the sight of God, “In the LORD [Jesus is Jehovah in the flesh] shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory” (Isa 45:25).
Now the penalty of death is paid through innocent life and death of Christ which no animal or ordinary human being can pay, only through the precious life of God in the flesh Jesus, and we, “…by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb 10:14) and the guilt of sin is lifted and the penalty of sin is gone and justice is satisfied in Christ, and his blood cleanses us and we become “just” and “right” and God’s sight clothed with the righteousness (Blood) of Christ. “These are they which…have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev 7:14).
This source rightly observes that, “The sacrifices for sin that the Law of Moses required were incapable of perfecting those who offered them. This is why the sacrifices had to be offered continually and repeatedly—they were not efficacious to achieve the righteousness of God for humanity. If those sacrifices had been effective for making a person righteous, then they would not have continued. People would have recognized their guilt was resolved and would not have offered more sacrifices to God for their guilt (Hebrews 10:2). But as long as those sacrifices continued, there was a reminder for the people of their guilt before God and the importance of dealing with that guilt as He had prescribed (Hebrews 10:3).” (Article; Why is it not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews 10:4)? emphasis added). Now under the sacrifice of Christ, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1). Whereas under the animal sacrifices the “condemnation” and guilt was still ever present.
Jesus demonstrated that Man can keep God’s Commandments.
Though having human nature, Jesus did not sin! And what is the Bible definition of sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). Then Jesus, though having human nature obeyed God’s Law! He said, “I have kept my Father’s commandments” (John 15: 10). He instructed: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matt. 19: 17).
So it is not only possible- but obligatory-that we obey God’s spiritual law-the Ten Commandments. Keeping them in the “spirit,” meaning our intent, drive focus to really obeying them as Jesus set us the example, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, which He gives to them that obey Him! (Acts 5:32).
We can now perhaps better understand Paul’s inspired statement in Romans 8:3: “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh , and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”
Yes, Jesus was in the likeness of sinful flesh- human nature. But by exercising the will to always obey God, and by receiving the extra help He needed to master His fleshly desires, Jesus repudiated the sway of sin in the human flesh and showed that the law of God could be kept! Christ came to condemn sin in the flesh-“That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:4).
Christ came in the flesh to set us a perfect example, then to die in payment for our sins and make it possible for us to be reconciled to a holy, righteous God and receive of His Spirit.
Conclusion
God’s amazing plan reveals his love for us!
God had to become man to die for the sins of the world and pay the penalty for our sins and lift the guilt from our conscience. There was no other way to do it; animal sacrifices just delayed the judgment of God because a “life” was taken.
His blood cleanses us of our sins so we can be just and right in God’s sight! Something animal sacrifices cannot do.
His very life and character is implanted within us through the spirit so we can obey him.
He was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, having now qualified through human experience to be our merciful and faithful high priest-now to guide us and strengthen us through the Holy Spirit so that we, too, can learn to obey God’s laws perfectly, and choose to do right always, can develop the holy, spiritual character of God.
And finally be found worthy to inherit eternal life as the born children of Almighty God. How great is God’s love in coming into the human flesh to save us and make us His own!
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