Part 6 of 12

The Importance of Jesus’ Humanity

 

The eternal Word, Jesus Christ, had to become human and bear the human body of His humiliation. This was in order that He shed His Royal physical blood and to die to redeem and reconcile fallen mankind to God. Consider God’s love, that the limitless eternal creator-God would limit His own self to the single human body of Jesus of Nazareth; a body that suffered pain, and died just as ours. The creator-God had taken the human form of His creatures, in Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus “was born of a (human) woman” in the lineage of fallen Adam. “…God sent His Son, born of a woman (Mary, daughter of Heli)), born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, (Galatians 4:4 (AMP). Thus, Mary gave Jesus His physical human body, while “the Spirit of God” was His father with whom He was “one in His spirit.” Recall that when Jesus died physically He gave up His Spirit. In Luke we see the physical lineage of Jesus Christ that came through his mother. Read Luke 3:23 very carefully to see that it does not say that Joseph was the son of Heli, but rather that “Jesus” was “the son of Heli,” and that was physically through his mother Mary. Heli was Mary's father. Therefore Jesus was Heli’s son according to his flesh body, via Mary.

Since the Godhead is “one” and thus in Jesus, we can say it was the eternal limitless God who was processed via the incarnation of Jesus of Nazareth. The Godhead in Jesus then suffered human death, then being raised to life by “the Spirit of God” in order to fully accomplish salvation for mankind. In resurrection, Jesus became “the life-giving Spirit” to enliven and indwell all believing men.

These changes in God’s form were necessary to enable God to fulfill His eternal plan and purpose to indwell the human spirit of His believing creatures. Ephesians 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: God’s eternal purpose had been hid as a “mystery” (secret plan) of God. Paul says that mystery was “kept secret since the world began,” until it was first revealed to Paul for “the body of Christ” (Eph 3:1-2).

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to MY (Paul's) GOSPEL, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the MYSTERY (secret plan of God), WHICH WAS KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN,

Over the years I’ve heard preachers say “God never changes.” They miss-apply Malachi 3:6, which actually refers to God’s consistency, steadfastness, reliability, and faithfulness. I agree, God’s attributes and nature are consistent, never changing, but His form has in fact had these two great changes. You may note these changes as you read John 1:14, Gal 4:4, 2Cor 3:17, and 1Cor 15:45 below. There you see that “the Word (Jesus) “became flesh.” The word “became” indicates a change from what formerly was. Who can deny that “the Word” in John 1:14 refers to the eternal “Son of God” who “became flesh,” that is Jesus of Nazareth, the man. Then also “the last Adam (Jesus, the man) became a life-giving spirit”?

John 1:14 (NIV) The Word (God the Son) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman…

1 Corinthians 15:45 (AMP) Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual person); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life].

2 Corinthians 3:17a Now the Lord (Jesus) is that Spirit…

These verses speak of a sequence of change in the form of God. In that process of change, upon Jesus’ death and resurrection, God in and as Jesus Christ became the “new life” for believing men; “… the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]” (1 Cor. 15:45). The Greek word for “life” here is not “bios” for the physical life, and not “psuche” for the soul (psychological) life, but rather the word “life” here is the Greek “Zoe,” for “the eternal Spirit-life.” This means Jesus became the giver or the dispenser of His own “Spirit of life.” Paul writes “the last Adam became the life-giving spirit,” this Paul writes is in contrast to “the first man Adam” who “became a living soul” when God “breathed the breath of (animating) life” into Adam at his creation (see Gen 2:7; see also Job 33:4, 27:3).

Now consider this. Have you ever realized that, with His death and resurrection, Jesus of Nazareth ’s humanity was brought into or added into the eternal Godhead? The humanity of Jesus of Nazareth (the Son of man), who became “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36), was then added into the divine Godhead. Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus (of Nazareth ), whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. This verse tells us the processed Jesus of Nazareth, as the “Son of man,” was “made (made to be or became) …both Lord and Christ.” God elevated and added Jesus’ humanity into the Godhead – while all the time still bearing the marks of His suffering, now in His changed body He had a “Spirit-body” that still bore the nail and spear scars in His physical body… but now He was in spirit-form that could pass through doors, etc.

Paul goes on to tell us “the human” Jesus, as “the seed (human lineage) of (King) David according to the flesh (humanity)” was resurrected to be “declared the Son of God.” The “Son of man” had now also become “the Son of God.”

Romans 1:3-4 Concerning his (God’s) Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed (human lineage) of David according to the flesh; (flesh being His human essence) and DECLARED TO BE THE SON OF GOD with power, according to the spirit of holiness, (Spirit- His divine essence) by (ek, out from) the resurrection from the dead:

With the moment of Jesus of Nazareth’s out-resurrection there was a “declaration of God” by which Jesus of Nazareth, “the Son of man,” was now declared to be included into the Godhead as the now completed “Son of God.” In other words, the Godhead was altered forever when the humanity of Jesus of Nazareth was added to it. Thus we can now understand Paul's words that he preached quoting Psalm 2. Acts 13:33 God … hath raised up Jesus (of Nazareth ) again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

You might ask why this is so important. Because, it is by the addition of Jesus’ humanity into the Godhead that God can now genuinely “be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.” Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest (Christ) which cannot BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Upon Jesus’ death and resurrection as “the spirit of life in Christ” He is not only able to know us intimately, but as “the Spirit of life” within believers, He is in all that we need in every circumstance we may face in our daily life.

The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ has personally tasted the humiliation of human living; being rejected, He then suffered and was ultimately He was brutally killed on the cross. Thankfully, Jesus rose from the dead as “the life-giving Spirit” who is now available to indwell our human spirit as our new overcoming life. As we abide in union with Him we are equipped by His life-supply to overcome all situations and circumstances, even while remaining in the midst of suffering, just as He endured and overcame.