The Identity of Christ and the Message of Christmas

Dear readers, 

Of all the births this Bethlehem birth was the most unique. The coming of Christ into the world is the grand central event of history. This I believe. God manifests Himself in nature and history; God clothing Himself with the human. A superhuman life demands a superhuman birth. This I believe.

My not-yet-Christian friend asked me a question one day. “Please don’t be offended ya,” he politely requested and I know he meant it well, “Richard, can you comprehend how Jesus Christ can be both God and man?”

“No, I cannot understand”, I paused. “I even can’t really explain to you right now my friend. If I can explain how God can be man, God could be no greater than me. Let me put it this way, if Jesus is God and never was a man, then my relationship with God doesn’t change; I still live under the curse of sins and God is still untouchable, separate God of the Universe – I can’t really identify with Him. But if Jesus is Man and not God, then my sins are still with me because men are unable to save themselves – only God can.”

He scratched his head; dandruff falls out. My hand touched my mouth; a bit too much, I guess. I don’t know what he gonna do about it. It’s not my intention to convert him into Christianity; let the Holy Spirit do the job. But it was my intention to tell him about the deity and the humanity of Christ... since he asked. [His religion trained him not to ask questions, I’m glad he thinking outside the box.]

The Deity and the Humanity of Christ – that’s the message of Christmas!

It was back then, right? How about now? What probably my answer? So you ask, “Richard, can you comprehend how Jesus Christ can be both God and man?”

I’ll say, “No, but I understand some of it right now”.

“And what is that?” you probably replied.

“Well… It was necessary that God, the infinite Being to communicate His love and righteousness by reveal Himself through the infinite like you and me. He must stand within the limit of our faculties before we can grasp Him. But it was not only necessary for God to reveal Himself through the finite, but also through the familiarity.”

“Suns, moons, stars, seas or mountains, might be greater than man but you see – the physical nature (the material) cannot be fully reveals the Greatness of God.”

“Then, how about books?” you might asked. “Isn’t most of religions in the world today claim that their sacred books are the best God’s revealers?”

I tell you, “Words, whether spoken or written, constantly change in value and meaning. Sacred books mean nothing if god(s) or men that were written about don’t really revealed themselves. But in the Bible, God revealed Himself to Moses and the prophets. He revealed Himself to Paul and the apostles. That’s the unique and may I confess – the supremacy of God’s authenticity in His revelations to humankind. He first revealed Himself, and then words were written. ‘The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.’ (John 1:14ISV)”

God reveal Himself – that’s the message of Christmas!

“Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:2) and “Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 4:15) is it amazing?!! But wait until you learned why He comes to the world. C.S. Lewis writes, ‘The Son of God becomes the son of Man so that sons of men may become sons of God’. The purpose of the Incarnation was to convert the slaves of sin into the sons of God (refer Romans 8:3, 4). That’s the message of Christmas!

With Love,

Richard

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.