THE WORD BECAME FLESH!

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And theWord was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1,14, KJV).

Devotion 5 of 10 THE EXTENT OF HIS HUMILIATION

As if entering into the world deprived of Divine prerogatives, assuming the form of a servant, and being found in the likeness of man, were not enough, His obedience is declared. "And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." While in a humbled state, He debased Himself even more by submitting to death, even the death of the cross. He received a commandment from His Father, and He was intent upon carrying it out. "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father" (John 10:18). He would not die an ordinary death, like Jacob, who "drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people" (Gen 49:33). He would not enjoy a gracious death like Moses, who breathed his last on the border of the promised land, while still in vigorous health, and was buried by God Himself (Deut 34:5-6). His death would be the most grievous of all! It would be "even the death of the cross." He would not only be rejected by men, but by God. Hoisted between heaven and earth, He would endure indignities that were a reproach to any man. He would become, as it were, "a worm, and no man" (Psa 22:6). The repulsive and defiling sins of the world would be laid upon Him, and He would bear them "in His body, on the tree" (Isa 53:6; 1 Pet 2:24). There, upon that cross, God would make "Him who knew no sin to be sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21). The death of the cross was a death of cursing- -Divine cursing. As it is written, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" (Gal 3:13). There is no human language capable of adequately describing the humiliation involved in Christ's substitutionary death. The extent of Christ's humiliation confirms the eagerness of God to save! It declares the magnitude of our sin, and the requirement for Divine intervention. It should melt every heart, and compel us to deny ourselves, presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. It was in Christ's flesh, that the sin of the world was condemned. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom 8:3). The NIV is seriously wrong in translating the latter part of this verse "And so he condemned sin in sinful man." Our sin was condemned in Christ's flesh--in His body, if you please! O, the greatness of Divine purpose! The magnitude of Divine condescension! THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH! The reason Jesus came into the world was in order that He might DIE! Thus it is written, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death" (Heb 2:9). This is the primary reason for Him being made like unto us! In the world, men are generally noted for their life. Jesus is noted for His death. As ordinarily perceived, children are born to live. Jesus was born to die! His entrance into the world was for the solitary purpose of retrieving humanity from the fall. "THE WORD BECAME FLESH!"

-- TOMORROW: SORRY, PETER! --