When God Became a Human Being

John 1:1, 14,17 Jesus came in the flesh so that we might “know God”.

How could God, who is spirit, who is creator of all things physical, material… and yet apart from all things material and physical… become human like one of the very creatures He made?

And when we say God we are of course talking about Jesus.

Many people stumble and become confused about the person and life of Jesus. “Was he a real human being just like us… or was he a human being with incredible super powers?” Or “when He was a human being, was He still God?”

SPS: Today we will look into Jesus Christ…when God became one of us

The Presence of God

God had been present with human beings before… in the pillar of fire… on Mount Sinai… in the shekinah glory of the tabernacle and temple.

However, Jesus time on earth was different from those examples. Jesus didn’t shine like the sun… He was just a plain human being… not even especially handsome. Yet, there was never a time when He ceased to be who He always was… the Word… who was God and who was with God, the rock who was with Israel in the desert, the creator of all things.

When Jesus was in the womb of Mary, He was God… as a baby boy in the crib, He was God… as a teenager growing up in Nazareth, He was God. And when He was dying, He was God.

Prior to His human birth, He was infinite in knowledge, with unlimited power to act on any object, anywhere. But if He really became a normal human… like you, or me… then He had to become limited to only the normal abilities any average human being has… No superpowers.

A Physical Body With Physical Limitations

One very human thing that Jesus had was friends… meaning that just like you and me there were some people who’s company He enjoyed above the company of other.  John the son of Zebedee was one of His closest friends… “the apostle who He loved”… yet He treated them all equally with fairness and love.

What did Jesus friend want you to know about Him? 1 John 1:1 that Jesus was a real flesh and blood human being. A man he had heard, touched, seen, and been friends with.

Jesus Experienced Human Frailty

Jesus was born a baby and grew and developed just like any other child with a normal body…. all the same parts, the same need for food, water, oxygen.

• Luke 4:1-2 He experienced hunger when He fasted
• John 19:28 thirst
• John 4:6 fatigue from a long walk

Jesus suffered physically… when he hit his thumb with a hammer it hurt, when He was beaten and executed it hurt, the whip on His back hurt, the nails driven into His wrists and ankles hurt... betrayal hurt.

Jesus Felt Human emotions

Jesus thought, reasoned and felt the full range of human emotion and intellectual qualities.

• He had strong affection for people John 11:5 ; 19:26
• He experienced joy John 15:11
• He became sad and wept  John 11:33-35
• He felt compassion and pity Matthew 9:36 ; 15:32; 20:34
• Angry and frustrated with people's attitudes  Mark 3:5
• Upset (indignant) toward His own disciples Mark 10:14
• He was deeply troubled when considering that one of His disciples would betray Him John 13:21
• He acknowledged His anxiety/agitation to His disciples when facing suffering and death John 12:27
• Like most human beings…  Jesus didn't want to be left alone as he struggled with His thoughts and feelings before His arrest  Matthew 26:37-40 .

Jesus possessed the same human capacity to feel sorrow and anguish as deeply as we sometimes do… dopamine, adrenalin, testosterone, serotonin… all working in his flesh & blood brain.

Jesus' Knowledge

The bible reveals Jesus had knowledge of the past, present and future far beyond what any ordinary man might have. Before we discuss that lets look at some examples:

• At 12 He showed understanding beyond His age in His discussions with the teachers at the temple Luke 2:46-47
• He knew the thoughts of both His friends and enemies Luke 9:47, Matthew 9:3-4
• He knew of the Samaritan woman’s five husbands and current boyfriend John 4:17-18
• He knew Lazarus was dead from his illness even though He and the disciples were miles away John 11:1, 11-14
• He knew who would betray Him long before Judas had made the decision to do so John 6:70-71
• He told Peter he would deny Him three times on the night of hi arrest followed by a rooster’s crow Luke 22:34

Do these examples show Jesus had super powers after all? Did the Word… all knowing… all powerful carry over some of that divine power into His life in the flesh? Just in case… So He’d have an edge? No Jesus did not carry His divine powers into human flesh… Then He wouldn’t be human.

Phil 2:5-8 He emptied himself … all He brought with Him into this world was His character. Scripture tells us there is a spirit in human beings… setting us apart… I believe for Jesus this spirit component (essential to all humans) was the pre-existent Logos [speculation].

Jesus Did Not Know Everything

• There was knowledge that He did not have and therefore asked to find out Mark 9:21.
• Mark 13:32 He admitted He did not know the exact time of His coming.

Where Did Jesus’ Knowledge Come From?

John 5:20, 26, 30 Jesus remarkable abilities and knowledge were not something that He had inherently. They were given to Him by the Father. Jesus repeatedly said, "I can of Myself do nothing"—that is, He did not have super powers… He was a limited human being. 

Jesus constantly turned to the Father for guidance on what to do, what to say, how to answer. Through the Father He got insight into the hearts of men, prophecy, and everything else He needed according to the will of the Father. Jesus went to God the Father for help to obey, for power over demonic spirits and strength to resist and overcome temptation.

• Luke 5:16 Sometimes He prayed for long periods
• Luke 6:12-16  prayed before making big decisions like choosing the 12 apostles
• Luke 22:41-44  prayed repeatedly to the Father, who sent an angel to strengthen Him when facing His death

As a human being, Jesus trusted the Father completely for the strength He needed to prevail against the forces that worked so fervently against Him (e.g. His own flesh, and spiritual forces of wickedness). 

John 10:32 the miracles and healings He attributed to the Father working through Him

John 14:10-14 we too are able to ask the Father for all things if we ask in faith… and in accordance with His will. Our limitations are because of our own sin… doubt… and lack of faith.

Was It Possible For Jesus To Sin?

First, the Bible is quite clear that Jesus did not sin.

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul says that Jesus "knew no sin"
• 1 John 3:5 John confirms that "in Him there is no sin"
• John 8:46 None of His enemies could convict Him of sin [the crime He was executed for was stating that He was Messianic Son of God]

But… Could He Have Sinned?

Think of it this way… if sin wasn't even possible for Jesus, then can we say His temptation was genuine? Like yours or mine? And if not real temptation then He skipped an important part of what it means to be human under the judgment of God.

Hebrews 4:15 Jesus temptation was the real deal… so did God’s plan hang in the balance during Jesus life? Did God roll the dice with Jesus? Was it a risky plan?

It's perhaps more fitting to say that while Jesus had the option to sin, it was always certain that He would not. Jesus faced genuine struggles and temptations, but refused to give in to the temptation to sin because of who He was… the Word who became flesh who at all times relied totally on the Father.

Jesus faced strong temptation with fasting, prayer Matt 4:1-2, Luke 22:44-46 

Hebrews 2:17-18 For Jesus to fully know how human beings have to deal with sin. He had to be faced with real temptation exactly like you are… not just going through the motions.

Did Jesus Need to be Saved? 

John 6:57 – Jesus placed His entire future squarely in the hands of the Father. The self-existing I AM now would have no life unless it were through the Father. If He were to again have eternal life, He would now have to obtain it as a human being, in the same way you and I achieve salvation—through submission to the Father and the resurrection from the dead.

Hebrews 5:7-9 Jesus lived to show what is possible for human being. He demonstrated  the entire process of salvation as a human being, birth, life, death… and being saved from death through resurrection to an incorruptible body composed of spirit power.

Could God Die?

As an infinite, immortal spirit Being, God cannot or does not die. God is life, the self existent one. So wouldn’t Jesus, who was subject to death be something other than “God”.

But, if that member of the God family volunteered to become a human being. Volunteered to have only the attributes and qualities of the flesh. Volunteered to empty Himself of His former glory so that He had life only as much as it was given to him by the Father… then, Jesus could die.

And Jesus did die. Not some fakey death where He went off to hang out in a spirit being waiting room for 3 days and 3 nights.  He was really dead… no thoughts or consciousness… His spirit returned to God like you will be when you die. It had to be a real death otherwise it would not have been a real substitution—His life for ours to pay the righteous penalty for our sins.

 

Anything other than a real death it would have just been a game. God’s righteous requirement for sin a hollow platitude.

Jesus was dead. But He has been raised to life by the Father in whom He had complete confidence – and that confidence can be yours too. Total, complete and utter trust in and reliance on our Father.

The one who became Jesus put His salvation on the same basis as yours. He is your forerunner, your example, the author of your salvation.

Was There Ever a Doubt About The Outcome?

There was none—not because Jesus couldn't fail, but because He and the Father knew what each could do and would do. The strength of God is the greatest strength there is, and the faith of Jesus was absolute. It is the same faith through which we are saved.