The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Titus 2:12-14,
"It [the grace of God] teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
Here Paul calls Jesus Christ our "great God and Savior". It was Paul's inspired understanding that Jesus Christ was not just a mere man, but God in the flesh. Yes, he is a man, fully a man. Yet, he is also God in flesh at the same time, fully God. Not half and half, but fully both together. Theologians, who love to invent fancy lingo to ply their trade, call him the Theo-anthropic person in hypostatic union. That is, Jesus Christ exists as fully human and fully God all at once in the same person. This, of course, is a mystery and applying a label to it brings no relief in our understanding of it. It simply clarifies what is being said.
"It [the grace of God] teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
Here Paul calls Jesus Christ our "great God and Savior". It was Paul's inspired understanding that Jesus Christ was not just a mere man, but God in the flesh. Yes, he is a man, fully a man. Yet, he is also God in flesh at the same time, fully God. Not half and half, but fully both together. Theologians, who love to invent fancy lingo to ply their trade, call him the Theo-anthropic person in hypostatic union. That is, Jesus Christ exists as fully human and fully God all at once in the same person. This, of course, is a mystery and applying a label to it brings no relief in our understanding of it. It simply clarifies what is being said.
I am reminded of a stunned observation made by his followers "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:27. On one occasion Jesus asked his followers, "Who do you say I am?" Matthew 16:15. The answer to this question is important as Paul tells us, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9. Our understanding of who Jesus Christ is, is a very important issue if we claim his is "Lord".
Paul told his Colossian readers, "in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form", Colossians 2:9. John tells us he is the Creator God, "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. John 1:1-3. Several verses later he tells us who he means in his reference to "the Word", "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 1:14. In speaking of the Jews, Paul said, "Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:5.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-3. This is a wonderful introduction we are provided about who Jesus Christ is.
Jesus himself made clear he was God as well. In John 5:18 we read, "For this reason they [the Jewish leaders] tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."
So much could be cited as evidence that the man Jesus Christ was, in fact, God in the flesh. Miracles, fulfillment of prophecy, the things he said and did all attest to his deity. He was no mere gifted teacher, although he was. He was not just a prophet, though he was. He was no mere leader of a new movement that would establish itself as "The Way" to God and his kingdom, though he was. He was not just a moral and spiritual guide, though he was. God the Son, existing eternally, was born of a virgin and is Jesus Christ.
Paul told his Colossian readers, "in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form", Colossians 2:9. John tells us he is the Creator God, "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. John 1:1-3. Several verses later he tells us who he means in his reference to "the Word", "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 1:14. In speaking of the Jews, Paul said, "Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:5.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-3. This is a wonderful introduction we are provided about who Jesus Christ is.
Jesus himself made clear he was God as well. In John 5:18 we read, "For this reason they [the Jewish leaders] tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."
So much could be cited as evidence that the man Jesus Christ was, in fact, God in the flesh. Miracles, fulfillment of prophecy, the things he said and did all attest to his deity. He was no mere gifted teacher, although he was. He was not just a prophet, though he was. He was no mere leader of a new movement that would establish itself as "The Way" to God and his kingdom, though he was. He was not just a moral and spiritual guide, though he was. God the Son, existing eternally, was born of a virgin and is Jesus Christ.
Of himself he says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. Who do you say he is?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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