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Looking at the Incarnation

There are few things as important in the Christian faith as the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. It stands at the heart of all that we believe and do alongside the Trinity, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. The idea that God almighty became a fully human person is a marvelous mystery that flummoxes many Christians and non-Christians alike. However, as central as this doctrine is there are many common misunderstandings about it.

Over the next few weeks we are going to look at the Incarnation of Jesus. Specifically we are going to address certain common misconceptions that many believers have about it. These are issues I have heard repeatedly from many sources, many quite recently. Here are a couple of examples of some misconceptions that we have about the Incarnation.

1. Jesus stopped being God while he was human.

2. Jesus stopped being human after his Ascension.

3. God became human so he could better understand and relate to us.

4. Because Jesus was fully God, he wasn't really fully human.

I'm curious to see how many of you have heard or even believe some of these things. I know I did for a while. The problem with getting the Incarnation wrong is that it's more than just an intellectual exercise; it has dramatic impact on our theology and the way we live our lives. That's how important it is. I hope you'll join me these next few weeks as we tackle these misconceptions and come to a fuller understanding of the wonderful news of Jesus Christ, God with us.

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