By Jim S. Brooks - Roebuck, SC

The unmerited gift of life to “believers” of the incarnation of the Word of God (John 1, 1-5; 14) surpasses even the power and magnitude of God’s original material creation of the universe and all in it (Gen 1, 1-26-notice “us” and “our”)! The specific details of the incarnation are light years above the understanding of created man’s finite mind! Thankfully, those details rest easily and securely within the all-loving perfect and infinite mind of God for His people (Isaiah 55, 8-11)! But God reveals, seemingly for a believer’s encouragement and comfort, glimpses of the extent of His love for those that trust Him! We who believe can, through scriptural revelations, begin to understand in awe-even in a small way; and, be amazed at God’s undeserved steadfast love for such as us!

The Word of God-eternal and uncreated-(John 17,1- 5)-(Son of God) assumed human flesh (John 1, 14) from the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7, 14-15) and voluntarily, temporarily set aside His inherent Glory as the essential and uncreated Word of God (Philippian’s 2, 5-11) and voluntarily abided within the limitations of innocent, original human nature and flesh-those attributes inherited in course of time from the single seed of Eve (Gen 3, 14-15); and, in the same flesh and blood, an attribute, received from the virgin Mary that all humans possess, Mary included, entered this material world. He existed here, as we, subject to human limitations, human physical needs and a body like Adam and Eve that was suspectable to death on sin or transgression, but as they-sinless. He was completely dependent upon full faith in God in His newly accepted limitations (Son of Man) and the role He MUST fulfill. He came on a single essential mission (John 3, 14-15: John 3, 16-21; Heb 2, 9: I Peter 2, 24) and that was to give His sinless body on the cross for believers (Luke 22, 19-20; John 6, 51; Matt 17, 22-23)!

It was possible for Him in His new limitations (Son of Man) to yield to the weakness of human nature, be overcome of the world and fail in His mission. The greatest test waged on Him in His accepted limitations of the flesh the innocent Son of Man, unlike Adam and Eve, having overcome all in the world (John 16, 33), must then become the embodiment of sin (Gal 3-13; II Cor. 5, 20-21) and God must abandon Him (as such voluntarily assumed sin necessitated God’s wrath on Him Matthew 27, 45-46) and pay the penalty for our sin and unbelief!!! He OVERCAME it all as the Son of Man-died (gave up His human fleshy body) and arose-and is now seated in Glory in a glorified sinless human body with all power over the spirit and material existence-the first man united fully with God in the image and likeness of the Godhead. He died on the cross as the Son of Man and was glorified in heaven as the eternally unified Son of God and Son of Man (Psalm 2, 7) and given by God all power on earth and heaven (Matt 28, 18-20)!  He is the beginning and the ending (Rev 1, 17-18; 22, 12-13)!

And He did it all for us when we believers were worthless in sin! His actions demonstrated the Glory of God!

He became a saving brother for believers (Heb 2, 9-18)!  We freely inherit in rebirth (John 3, 5-8) what He earned through His life and death-forgiveness of sin and eternal spiritual life with God! The incomprehensible awesomeness of it all is that He did it by presenting a sinless body for us on the cross as a sacrifice and die on the cross for us!! He chose to endure what we should endure, yet without sin- but with complete trust in God knowing He could return to God any time before the cross (Mat 26, 52-54)-but He preferred to suffer the penalty and die for us; and, provide sin forgiveness and provide spiritual eternal life for believers!! He is now our High Priest in heaven. He makes believers new creatures (John 3, 1-36) We were all condemned to physical death and temporarily barred from the Tree of Life at birth for one transgression (Adam, Gen 3, 17-19) but believers are saved from hundreds of billions of personal sins and unbelief in ignorance; and, given a resurrection from death and eternal spiritual life because of one-Jesus Christ.

Believers have this heavenly treasure, a gift from God, in an earthly tabernacle-our human body (John 16, 33-34; 14, 23-27). We will one day trade this earthly tabernacle for a sin free heavenly tabernacle! While we tarry here the desires of that body remain unchanged in covetousness and temptations of the flesh. That mind of the flesh demands to serve sin and in the past we enthusiastically obeyed! In the past we were, in fact, SLAVES to those desires and Spirit dead toward God!! But believers are changed-we are new creatures-with the actual presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God (Romans 8. 1-14). We cannot “see” Him but we know He is present by our change in heart attitude, but most important is the Word of God which states says He is present in “believers”. Explaining by metaphor we cannot “see” the wind, but we know when it is present because of changes in surroundings i.e., blown up dust, cooling skin, blowing leaves or swaying trees, or disturbance to smoke. The unseen wind did it!

Our emphasis in life has undergone internal changes and that produces outward results (John 3, 5-8). Our outward actions have changed. Sins we once loved and very actively pursued we now shun or resist! But we can still be “tempted” by the allurements of the world-but with bad results if we constantly succumb. But an internal battle now ensues!!!!! As Israel was instructed to defeat the inhabitants of the Promised Land and fully overcome them, we are to overcome and remove the sin inclinations of our body. We are encouraged to overcome since we are no longer slaves to our carnal desires. Our old man (former mode of life) was once, with all mankind, “absolute slaves” to the thoughts and deeds of the mind and body listed in Romans 1, 28-32 and Gal. 5, 19-21. But now because of the cross of Jesus Christ we are forgiven all past sins, set free from its dominance and given the presence of the Holy Spirit to “freely” pursue the new fruits of the Spirit which are listed in Gal. 5, 22-23.

WE must not demonstrate to God that having been given knowledge of the forgiveness of sins past through Jesus and the cross and Jesus’ single-handed defeat of Satan and the power of death over us (Romans 3, 23-26) by the blood of the cross we would actually, though set free from slavery to sin in Jesus, prefer of our own free will to live in sin again!!!! Do not resist the Spirit Acts 7, 51. Do not grieve the Spirit I Thess 5, 19-25) and do not quench the Spirit. Eph 4, 20-32. How can we return to the weak and beggarly religions and philosophies of the world that cannot reconcile to God? How can we prefer sin!

We must not abuse knowledge of our new freedom as a freedom to sin!  We must use our freedom to overcome the world and overcome sin. Our old man (Romans 6. 6; Ephesians 2, 1-10; 4, 22; Col 3,9) is no more in absolute slave control and we must gradually put his acts to death, but the new man is like Jesus was, still in a body subject to strong former temptations, it cannot be reformed-it must die! We must overcome!! But not in our strength!!! We have no inherent spiritual strength or power! It all comes from continued reliance on the power of God-not our goodness, strength or good intent! We still have no “personally earned” inherent righteousness-it is imputed to us for Jesus’ sake! But we struggle to put former single acts of sin to death. We wash and cleanse ourselves of sinful thoughts and deeds with the Word of God through the Spirit. God the Father, created us, His Word saved us and His Spirit renews and sanctifies us. God does it all, but we must willingly yield in faith as properly moist clay yields to a perfect potter’s hands.

The world will hate us (John 15, 18-27). We are not like them anymore or share their desires. Jesus was mocked and hated for what He taught. True Christians will be mocked and hated when we repeat what Jesus taught! To our heartbreak, our best friend or fondest closest relative may suddenly become an adversary to us and shun us! The world is sadly, spirit dead and hates the Word of God. But we seek a place of true rest, peace, comfort and love-where there is no fear. We would hope many would find that place!

Do not despair with present worldly adversity or internal struggles! Do not turn back to spiritual destruction as some did in Israel and chose to turn back to physical destruction even after God saved them from physical slavery out of Egypt and completely destroyed the absolute power of Pharaoh over them, they nonetheless freely chose to return to Pharaoh and Egypt from their deliverance in the Wilderness! Do not cease to tell others of the Cross of Jesus Christ! Do not be overcome and distracted with the cares and desires of this world as to miss the world to come (Luke 21, 34) Strive to overcome this world through the power of God-not ours (Romans 8, 28-39)! The consequence of overcoming in faith is beyond our comprehension (I John 5, 4-5; Rev 2, 7; Rev 2, 11: Rev 2, 17; Rev 2, 26: Rev 3, 5: Rev 3, 12; Rev 3, 21; and Rev 21, 1-8)

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