The Necessity of the Incarnation

When the first man and federal head of humanity sinned against God in Eden, “need” appeared and multiplied (Gen 3). The chief need of humanity, since the fall of creation is salvation (Acts 4:12). Unless one is reconciled to the offended Creator God, he or she will die in sin. It is appointed for a man to die, once, and then comes the judgment (Heb 9:27). The sentence for guilty sinners is eternal punishment in the fiery hell of the second death (Mt 25:41, 46; Jude 7; Rev 20:14–15).

Justice demands that full payment be made in order for right standing with God to be secured. When a deceived person considers the demands of the Law of God (Ex 20; Dt 5), he will either dismiss it as an impossible standard, or he will imagine that God must grade on a curve. Both suggestions are fallacious.

The Day of Judgment is the day of justice. Every sin ever committed will be accounted for by the just Judge of the whole earth (Gen 18:25). Every person will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of what he did — both good and bad (2 Cor 5:10). With this knowledge of pending judgment, a sinner should be very uncomfortable. One might consider who his or her lawyer will be on that day. The question of payment for sins, and of course, resources to actually pay the penalties incurred must also be addressed.

The Gospel of grace is the only solution to the sin-plight of humanity. This is why it is called, “good news.” There are many facets to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but our interest is in the necessity of the eternal Son of God being enfleshed (Jn 1:14).

The incarnation is the reason we celebrate Christmas. God’s only begotten Son was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary (Mt 1:20; Lk 1:35). Upon arrival at the city of David, Bethlehem, the virgin gave birth to her first child, Emmanuel, God with us (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23). It was the fullness of time and this holy one was born under the Law (Gal 4:4). He was born without the sour inheritance of Adam’s original sin (Gen 3; Rom 5:12). He had no sin nature (Eph 2:3). Jesus Christ was like us, yet without sin (Heb 4:15).

The federal head of humanity, Adam, failed his posterity by sinning against God in Eden. A new creation was necessary. The incarnate Son of God was the first born of this new beginning. For this reason, He is called, “the second Adam” (1 Cor 15:45). Jesus is the federal head of the redeemed holy nation of God’s chosen people (1 Pet 2:9).

As the Creator of all things (Col 1:16), we know that all things are from Him (Rom 11:36). Humanity is from Him. The new humanity is also from Him. The Lord knows those who are His (Jn 10:26; 2 Tim 2:19), that is, the remnant whom the Father chose for salvation, by His grace (Rom 11:5–6). Not one of God’s elect, redeemed people in Christ’s church deserves to be a member of His body of regenerated believers. God had mercy and showed compassion on these to whom the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26; 15:26; Rom 9:15–16).

The incarnate Christ was a necessity because God’s elect were helpless to remedy their sin situation. In His love for them, God sent His only begotten Son into the world to be their sin-bearer (Jn 3:16; 1 Pet 2:24). God took the sins of His beloved and imputed them to Christ on the cross. Hence, He who knew no sin became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21). God then poured out His wrath upon His Son, in just judgment. Jesus died to atone for the sins of those He came into the world to save (Lev 16; Mt 1:21).

The holy nation of saints — drawn from every nation, tribe, and tongue across the ages — had their debt of sin cancelled at the cross (Col 2:14; Rev 5:9; 7:9). This was in accordance with God’s will for the forgiveness of their sins (Eph 1:7, 11), through the covenant of redemption, the purchase of blood (Mt 26:28).

There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood (Heb 9:22). It was the precious blood of Christ that purchased His church off the slave market of sin (Acts 20:28; Rom 6:6; 1 Pet 1:19). The Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11, 15). Jesus Christ is our redemption (1 Cor 1:30); and in Him, we have redemption (Col 1:14). He paid the debt we incurred and could never pay back.

In His humanity, Jesus endured the penalty, the guilt, the shame for His bride, His church, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16). He did this as their federal head, representing His body of people, in making purification for sins (Heb 1:3).

The offering of Jesus Christ, the unblemished Lamb of God (Jn 1:29), by Jesus, the Son of God and great high priest (Heb 4:14), was acceptable to God, demonstrated by God raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:31). Apart from Christ, there is no acceptable sacrifice for sins committed against God (Acts 4:12). Apart from Christ’s incarnation, humanity has no federal head representative to serve as the necessary mediator between God and man. There is only one advocate before God the Father; and He now lives to make intercession for the saints (Heb 7:25).

Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation of the eternal Son of God, who condescended to the lowly status of humanity (Phil 2:5–11). He came into this world, in love for all those given to Him by the Father before the world began (Jn 6:37; 17:2, 6, 24). His mission of salvation demanded His identifying with those He intended to save. He will lose none of those who belong to Him (Jn 10:28–29).

Christians love Jesus Christ because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). He demonstrated His love in the humiliation of the incarnation (Jn 1:14; 3:16). He loved us in the discipline of a perfect sinless life. He loved us in His suffering and death upon the cruel cross of Calvary (Rom 5:8). There was simply no other way to deliver His beloved from the tyranny of sin and Satan, except the one way the sovereign God ordained in His eternal purpose.

Thank God for the sacrifice of His beloved Son, in whom He is always well-pleased. We, too, who believe in Jesus are also well-pleased with so great a salvation accomplished on our behalf and for our eternal benefit. All glory to the Son of God, who is fully man now glorified, ruling and reigning at the right hand of Majesty and ready to return to earth in glory.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

December 15, 2023