Understanding the Incarnation: The Word Became Flesh
Hello and welcome to this article on Understanding the Incarnation: The Word Became Flesh.
The doctrine of the incarnation is one of the most profound and mysterious teachings of Christianity, and it has significant implications for our faith. In this article, we’ll be diving into what it means for the Word to become flesh and what this means for us as believers. Then I’ll read the Bible. John 1:1-18
In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness, we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
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John 1:1, similar to Genesis 1:1
The first verse of John reminds me of the first verse of Genesis. Genesis 1 describes God’s creation and its contents, whereas John 1:1 introduces a person who was present when it was created. The Bible translated as “The Word”,” but the word that John actually used was “Logos.”
Is there a reason why John used the term Logos instead of Jesus? In Greek philosophy, logos played an important role. Those who think rationally and express their thoughts with rational words were known as Logos. Hellas believed that humans were the core of Logos, the reason for the universe.
Therefore, I thought humans could learn about space and human knowledge. As a result, I understood that learning this knowledge is salvation. John says that the Logos they think are Jesus and that he is the way of salvation and the means of salvation.
The concept of Logos was not limited to Greek culture. Although Jewish society at the time of Jesus became very hella over hundreds of years, the Bible was the center of Jewish thinking. According to the Bible, God created the world with his words.
Law and wisdom were considered by the Jews to embody the word. The Old Testament emphasizes law and wisdom for this reason. John tells those who had this idea that Jesus is the Word.
I claim that the Logos was with God in the act of creation. The world was created through him and nothing was made without him, not because we were together, but because he made everything through him.
A new creation is created when the light shines in the dark and wins. In John’s Gospel, we live as creatures of new creation in the world that Jesus has created with victory.
God’s Family
The Apostle John emphasizes and discusses the fact that John the Baptist is not light. The Jews at the time believed that John the Baptist might be the Messiah, according to Luke. People seem to have thought more about John the Baptist than necessary even when John the Apostle lived.
From verse 9 to verse 11, John returns to the story of the Lord, who is light. Throughout the story, he portrays a world that rejects the true light, Logos. The light of Jesus shines on the world.
However, people rejected Jesus, the light of life. Neither Jesus’ world nor his possessions, the people, knew him and did not welcome him. In spite of the fact that socializing with him is the purpose of new creation, the world rejects him.
Throughout chapters 2 to 12, we see how the Lord, the light, is ostracized by the people.
In verse 12, John talks about people who will have a positive response, as opposed to those who reject the Lord, the light. As soon as one acknowledges that Jesus is the Logos and has come to the light of new creation, one is given the power to become a child of God.
In John’s explanation, we become children of God when we become new creatures of creation. Likewise, Paul describes our salvation as being adopted as children of God as being creatures of new creation. Christianity talks about this blessing. Living a long and prosperous life is not the blessing of true salvation. Being part of God’s family is what it means.
In verse 13, John refers to three conditions unrelated to the privilege of being a child of God. In the first place, “blood” refers to Jewish blood. Secondly, “the will of the flesh” refers to natural birth. Lastly, “the will of the man” refers to the will of the father.
According to John, he is not a child of God based on his blood, natural birth, or parents’ will. A system of privileged people in the world is limited according to certain standards under these conditions.
Being a member of God’s family is not a privilege reserved for specific loyalty. According to John, this privilege is granted by faith. The privilege of becoming a member of God’s family is open to all those who accept Jesus with faith.
Building God’s House
According to verse 14, God created us to be part of his family by doing one thing. Due to human sin and vulnerability, the man-made tent and temple could not last. The original Greek text reads “God became a body and set up a tent among us.”
So Logos personally visited humans in his body and built a perfect temple that could never be destroyed. The Holy Body is what it means.
When the Israelites played tent or completed the temple, Jehovah’s glory would often appear. John said he saw God’s glory in the temple when he saw the Lord strike the tent among us.
In verse 16, John says it is grace to associate with God within the tent of the Lord. What is beautiful is “the expression of grace over grace.”
In this phrase, grace overflows and is poured over grace. The phrase can be translated into ‘a grace instead of grace’ if you translate it according to John’s intention.
How does grace apply to grace? Through Moses, God gave the law to the people of the first covenant. It is described as grace in the Old Testament. However, John talks about another grace that replaces it.
It is said that grace comes through Jesus Christ instead of the first grace. The explanation of paragraphs 16 and 17 is as follows. “The holy body of Jesus, that is, the event in which the logos hit the tent, completes grace. The shadow grace has passed, and the true grace has come to the first promised people in the Old Testament.
The law is also God’s grace. However, it is only a shadow, not a substance. The good news is that there’s someone who can tell us what he’s like when it comes to his father. The law was the only way to know who God was in the first world.
As I saw the shadow of the law, I knew God’s character and had to associate with Him. Now you can see what God is like when you look at Jesus, the Logos. Now, in the world of new creation, we can have a close relationship with God through Jesus.
Put this word into practice
So far, we have looked at John 1:1 to 18. Let’s put this word into practice.
What does it mean to live as a creature of new creation? The Lord has illuminated the darkness with his light of life, and we who believe in him are also alumni of his ministry. Matthew the Great quotes Jesus saying this. Jesus is the light of the world, but so are we newly created through the Lord.
It should be a good act to shine the light in the way we, the creatures of new creation, shine the world. God’s grace called us to this holy calling even though we were unqualified for it.
So Christians must respond to this holy calling with gratitude and humility. As a creature of new creation, light must shine in the darkness. Together, we can make the world a brighter place. In this way, Christians must shine the light of Jesus Christ through their good deeds.
According to the text, even people born with good blood can’t be children of God if they deviate from faith in Jesus Christ. We can only become children of God through true faith.
So It is grace without discrimination. This grace makes us members of God’s family. Our salvation is explained in the Bible as being part of God’s family. The same is true for John and Paul. I feel so reassured and warm. Families are the only ones who can be helpful anywhere in the world.
It is important for the saints to remember that God is their father. If there are difficult and difficult things, you should talk to your father who knows everything, created the world, and still governs. We are newly created people to associate with the Lord in such a way. That is the gospel. In order to establish the family of God, Christians need to testify to the Lord who gave such a non-discriminatory gospel.
We are all truly human. I want to live a lucky life. Probably because a lucky life is the happiest life, I’m the most human. You can only live a happy and human life if you are in daily contact with the Lord, the Temple. When someone has lost their happiness, it is impossible to find it again
Nevertheless, Satan, the murderer from the beginning, whispers falsely to us. Having money. Having status. Indulge in pleasure.” whispers to fill the empty space in your mind with those things.
However, I can live a lucky life through a true relationship with Jesus, the new temple. Only through Jesus can you have a blessed relationship with God. It is God’s way for man to live the happiest life. We will feel our souls come back to life in this suffocating world if we have a true relationship through words and prayers.
The incarnation refers to the belief that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human. According to the Bible, in the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. This means that Jesus, who is the Word, took on flesh and became a human being.
The significance of the incarnation lies in the fact that it allows us to have a personal relationship with God. Through Jesus, we can experience the love and grace of God in a tangible way. And because Jesus lived a perfect life, He was able to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins and make it possible for us to be reconciled with God.
Another implication of the incarnation is that it shows us the nature of God. Through Jesus, we see that God is not distant and uncaring, but rather He is loving, compassionate, and willing to enter into our lives and experience the pain and suffering of the world.
Finally, the incarnation teaches us about the value of humanity. Jesus, who is fully God, chose to take on human form, demonstrating the importance and dignity of each human life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the doctrine of the incarnation is a profound and powerful teaching that has significant implications for our faith. Through the Word becoming flesh, we are able to experience the love and grace of God in a personal way, understand the nature of God, and learn about the value of humanity. Thank you for watching, and may God bless you as you continue to grow in your understanding of this crucial doctrine.
