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The Incarnation (Blogging the Belgic: Article 18)

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Anyone can make a promise, so promises are only good if we have both the ability and the opportunity to fulfill that promise. The previous article in the Belgic Confession (Article 17) highlights the promise of God to save fallen humans, a promise that is first found in Genesis 3:15. Article 18 turns to the how of this promise being fulfilled, as it discusses the incarnation, the truth that Jesus took on human nature in order to save fallen humans. This fact of God taking on human flesh is one that we celebrate at Christmas, but this article helps us to pause and a ponder a bit its meaning — hopefully leading us to deeper worship of this amazing God.

The article begins by noting that Jesus coming in human flesh is really the fulfillment of God’s promise: “So then we confess that God fulfilled the promise made to the early fathers and mothers by the mouth of the holy prophets when he sent the only and eternal Son of God into the world at the time appointed.” God is the ultimate promise keeper, and we see that in the coming of Christ; not only that, but we are also reminded that God has a plan and sticks to the plan, even if that plan seems to be long developing. These words also remind us that the beginning of Jesus Christ is not on the manger in Bethlehem or Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, but rather that Jesus is the “only and eternal Son of God” (see article 10). The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is not the only story or even the beginning of Jesus, as he is the second member of the Trinity, one who was there in the beginning of the world (as he participated in the creation of the world) and there before the beginning of the world.

In addition, the confession notes that what Jesus does in the incarnation is take on a human body and soul; it is less a subtraction of the divine nature than the addition of the human nature. We see this in these words: “The Son took the ‘form of a slave’ and was made in ‘human form’ (quoting Philippians 2:7), truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, without male participation. And Christ not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order to be a real human being.” These words highlight an important theological truth that was discussed and debated in the early church, and one about which Christians today could be confused. Jesus was not a divine soul that then took on a human body, with the human body just a shell for a divine being. Since we are body and soul, then Jesus would not really be human. He is the eternal Son of God who has been united to a real human body and human soul. I realize that seems technical, but this is incredibly important because only by being like one of us – having body and soul – can Jesus save body and soul. Note the following words in the confession: “For since the soul had been lost as well as the body Christ had to assume them both to save them both together.” If Christ only had a body, then our bodies could be redeemed, but because he was body and soul, he can save both and we can truly say that he was like us in every way – except that he was not a sinner. Why was he not a sinner? Well, he was not born in the same way that every other human was born (as he was conceived by the Holy Spirit), so he has the exact same experience as us but with a different nature. He needed to be both like us and unlike us to save us; like us in experience, unlike us in obedience.

This doctrine was not one in which the Reformed church differed from the Roman Catholic Church of the 1500’s (or today), as this truth about Jesus having a real human body and a real human soul was something that was discussed in early Christian creeds that Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches such as the Reformed Church all adopt (such as the Creed of Chalcedon). However, it was one in which the Reformed church differed from a group known as the Anabaptists (at times called the Radical Reformers), a group that was in the same area as the early Reformed Church and thus one from which the Reformed Church needed to differentiate itself. This differentiation happens in the words that conclude this article that feature numerous quotations of Scripture: “Therefore we confess, (against the heresy of the Anabaptists who deny that Christ assumed human flesh from his mother) that Christ “shared the very flesh and blood of children” (Hebrews 2:14); being the “fruit of the loins” of David “according to the flesh” (Acts 2:30), “descended from David” according to the flesh (Romans 1:3); the “fruit of the womb” of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:42); born of a woman (Galatians 4:4); the seed of David (2 Timothy 2:8); the “root of Jesse” (Romans 15:12); descended from Judah (Hebrews 7:14), having descended from the Jews according to the flesh; descended from Abraham—having assumed descent from Abraham and Sarah, and was “made like his brothers and sisters,” yet without sin (Hebrews 2:17; 4:15). In this way Christ is truly our Immanuel—that is: “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).” That these words reflect so many quotations from Scripture reminds us once again that the Belgic Confession is not a system of belief alongside of Scripture, but rather seeks to explain what is found in Scripture.

The question might still remain for you about why this is such a big deal and one that was important enough that they had to define and defend it. An important implication of this truth that Jesus was body and soul is that all humans have value, as Jesus was just like us. He was an embryo and a baby growing in his mother’s womb; he grew up as an infant and toddler and developed as a person. Therefore, a person in each and every stage is important, as they reflect the life of Jesus in a certain way. In fact, that Jesus came down and grew up (rather than just being created mature like Adam) could very well be a way to elevate the importance of people in those stages. Just as the son of God taking on human flesh reminds us of the importance of the physical world (it is not evil like some believed/believe, as God has created it and even sanctified it), so going through these early stages of life that we all do makes us recognize that God really sought to become like one of us — to save us. And when we are saved, we belong to Jesus, not just in soul, but as the Heidelberg Catechism tells us, in body and soul. What a great comfort – all because of the incarnation!

 

Questions about Bible or theology? E-mail them to Pastor Brian at Theology@wearefaith.org. You can also subscribe to this blog by filling out the info on the right side.

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