The mystery of the Incarnation
Some practical thoughts.
I believe an orthodox writer once said that all theology is for prayer. I had a similar revelation my first year teaching through the book of Hebrews in Okinawa. Wrestling with the warning passages began to bear fruit in me when I began to see them pastorally; asking not only what does this mean but who needs to hear this. They were not there to lead me to an often disparaged ‘ivory tower’ but were there to work repentance in my heart. Theology is for prayer.
This week I was talking to a close friend living south of us in Tokyo. He is studying Christology in seminary and wanted to talk over it for the next couple of weeks. So we made time and for about an hour or so were talking about the two natures of Christ. I can tell you this, it was not dry but invigorating! The conversation ended with my soul looking forward to eternity. So today I would like to think about the incarnation and what this means for us.
First, what is the incarnation? It is the mystery of the Jesus who is God in the flesh. Begotten of the Father from eternity, God from God, yet in time conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully man, two natures united in one person.
Historically the relationship of the natures has been defined negatively in this way1;
Unconfused - There is no mingling of natures. Although there is a communion, they remain distinct.
Unchanged - One is not changed into the other.
Indivisible - i.e., with respect to place, "Nowhere is the human nature unsustained by the Logos, or the Logos not sustaining the human nature. The human nature is not outside of the Logos, nor is the Logos without the human nature."
Inseparable - i.e., with respect to time. The union is never dissolved, but is perpetual.
(1) and (2) are in opposition to the Eutychians; (3)and (4) in opposition to the Nestorians. The Eutychians confused the natures; the Nestorians divided the person.
To use a silly example the natures are not mixed together like coffee and milk becoming a latte, nor is one swallow up by the other like a drop of water falling into the ocean. They remain distinct but perfectly united in the one person of Jesus. The human nature is never without the divine nor is the divine ever without the human nature. This union never ceases like one dance partner needing a rest after a while, no in the person of Christ this blessed dance continues for all eternity.
So this might sound like ‘ivory tower’ theology to some people but it is glorious to think about and is helpful to apply to a number of situations.
The goal of Redemption and what it means to be a Man.
In Jesus Christ, through his work of redemption, God and man have been reconciled and brought together. In Christ we are at peace with God and enjoy communion with Him. Yet at the same in the incarnation we see already both God and Man being brought together in perfect unity. In one sense the goal of redemption is brought about already in the person of Christ.
Christ embodies in Himself the work which He will accomplish. Like a seed which contains within itself the tree which grow up out of it, what Christ will do and accomplish is already displayed within His own person.
Does not reflecting upon this help us to think about what it means to be a man? Who we are today is laying the groundwork for what we will do tomorrow. Tomorrow’s fruit is seeded within us today. For example Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote that
‘The morning prayer determines the day. Squandered time of which we are ashamed, temptations to which we succumb, weaknesses and lack of courage in work, disorganization and lack of discipline in our thoughts and in our conversation with other men, all have their origin most often in the neglect of morning prayer.’
Our work in the world will be affected by who we are inside. A man who does not learn to lead himself will never learn to lead others. A man who is not faithful in small things will not be faithful in large things. Perhaps we could say who we are today is an embodiment of the work we will accomplish tomorrow.
Eternity with God and life together.
The relationship of the two natures in Christ can help us in thinking about our relationship to God in eternity. What do I mean? Our union with God is found in Christ. Forever we will be with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. As the two natures are united in the person of Jesus, perhaps they can therefore provide some guidelines to our thoughts; unchanged, unconfused, inseparable, and indivisible…
We could expect eternity to be a true union and fellowship, God and man together forever. So close that we will never be without Him yet never ceasing to be ourselves. Not us becoming divine and ceasing to be human, nor us disappearing into the great ocean of God, but us being with Him truly forever. Is not this the language of love which seeks the close union of the beloved?
How could this help think about marriage or even church membership? For starters husband and wives are truly one flesh and the church together is the body of the Christ. The union of the two natures in Christ teaches us that perfect union is not in the destruction of one for the other. A husband should not see his wife simply as an extension of himself. But just as the two natures are inseparable husband and wife neither should they seek to live independent of the other. We could say similar things for members of a church. We are to be of like mind but that does not mean we are to be copies of one another. At the same time a group of independent strangers is not what it means to be a church nor less members who never gather. As a church we should seek to be together, gather together, live out the union we have in Christ.
Blessings.
Henry Jacobs - A Summary of the Christian Faith, Chapter 11, 31.
Amen!!! Thank you Tom!