Jesus Had to Come
Gordon Crook, PastorGrace Assembly, Wichita, Kansas
In December, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we consider His first coming as a baby, I think we need to understand that it was absolutely necessary for Him to come in order to fulfill God’s plan for the redemption of humanity.
From the very beginning, God points to this event, even if not in specific details. We find the first mention of this plan in Genesis 3. “And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15.
God’s plan has always involved defeating Satan in a complete and final way. I am not claiming to understand the details of how this plan works in terms of God defeating Satan, only that it was God’s plan and He executed it perfectly over a number of centuries. Peter reminds us of this in Acts. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” Acts 2:22-24.
Notice that Jesus was delivered by the foreknowledge of God. Peter also re-iterates this in his letter. “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,” 1 Peter 1:20. This plan was put in place long before Adam and Eve even existed. Satan had already rebelled against God, and God knew what he would do to His creation, so the plan was already there.
What is certain, is that Jesus had to come, in the form of a human, for this plan to be complete. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8.
Jesus would have to live on this earth as a human, without sin, so that He could atone for our sins, and redeem (purchase) us back to God. “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. “For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:26. “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:” 1 Peter 2:22. “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” 1 John 3:5.
He would have to be human to be crucified. He was only able to die because He lived in a human body. Fully human even though He was God. God incarnate. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16. “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” 2 Corinthians 13:4. The “weakness” through which He was crucified was His human body, not a failure of His divine nature.
Redeeming us from our sinful condition which is the result of Satan’s deception of Eve and perpetuated by Satan’s working in this world was God’s primary concern. He has always intended for humans to be His family and have close fellowship with Himself. Satan has always had a plan to destroy God’s creation and thwart God’s plan. I am glad to know that God prevailed (there should never have been any doubt about that) and He did it openly. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:13-15.
The entirety of Scripture is dedicated to bringing us to this point. So, I will leave you with a few verses to consider.
“Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Psalms 130:7-8
“Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;” Psalms 103:4
“The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” Psalms 34:22
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” Romans 3:24
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14
