Lesson for December 23, 2018
The Truth About Christmas
The historical record of the birth of Christ is well documented both Biblically and secularly. It is safe to say that no other Person in history has changed the world in the way that Jesus of Nazareth changed it. (Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:14)
According to Psalms 2:7, the virgin birth of Christ was planned in eternity past. The virgin birth was also prophesied in the Old Testament in Isaiah 7:14, about 700 BC. God prepared a nation (Israel) for the virgin birth of Christ according to Genesis 12:1-3. This great nation of Israel would be the nation from which Jesus Christ would be born.
The virgin birth of Christ fulfilled the Davidic Covenant. This covenant was the unconditional promise from God that David would have a son who would reign forever. (II Samuel 7, Psalms 89, II Chronicles 21) The lineage of Mary can be traced to David. (Luke 3:23-38) The lineage of Joseph, Christ’s legal guardian, can be traced to David as well. (Matthew 1:1-17) Christ, therefore, has both a birthright and a legal right to the throne of David (a throne that will be set up during the Millennium upon which Christ will sit and rule the world).
Most of us are familiar with the story. However, many are not familiar with the doctrine of the birth of Christ and its impact upon the world. Foretold for thousands of years throughout the Old Testament by prophets, priests and kings, the virgin birth of Christ was the fulfillment of prophecy. For those who knew the Scriptures, this event was a fulfillment of all that they had been taught with regard to the coming Messiah (Anointed One). The place and manner of His birth had long been prophesied by Jews and by Gentiles alike. His birth caused kings to fear, wise men to rejoice and angels to sing. (Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:14)
More than a mere human being, Jesus Christ is the God-man, being fully divine and fully human. We call this union in theology the Hypostatic Union. This term is derived from the Greek word for essence, “hupostatis.” Jesus Christ is the essence of God, being Himself fully God. He is also the essence of man, being fully man. Jesus Christ is the unique Person of the universe. This union of deity and humanity uniquely qualifies Christ to be the only mediator between God and mankind. (John 10:31; 12:45; 14:7; 15:24; Colossians 2:9)
His birth was also unique because it was the only virgin birth in history. This means that Christ was born without a sin nature, a very important fact, as we will see. Without a sin nature and under the control of God the Holy Spirit, Christ was able not to sin. In His deity, He could not sin and in His humanity, He was able not to sin. “Deity remains deity and humanity remains humanity.” Therefore, Jesus Christ is both God and man in one Person, forever.(Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 1:19)
The hypostatic union of Christ is personal in that a new Person came into being at the Virgin Birth. Christ was not merely in harmony with God nor did He merely indwell or possess the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was born a man, in the same way that we are born, yet He remained deity. This is why He is so unique! (John 14:18-21; Romans 8:9-10; II Corinthians 13:5; Ephesians 3:17-19; Colossians 1:27; Revelation 3:20)
The hypostatic union is eternal in that Christ will never cease to be a member of the human race. We are told that Christ is seated in the place of honor at the right hand of God the Father. This, of course, is a testimony to the fact that God is completely satisfied with Christ’s execution of the plan of salvation for mankind. We must also remember that it is the humanity of Christ Who is seated at God’s right hand. Deity is omnipresent and does not sit. (Acts 5:31; Hebrews 1:3)
The fact that Christ is sinless uniquely qualifies Him to be our mediator with God. Unlike Jesus, we are born with a sin nature that has been passed down to us genetically. It is Adam’s original sin, which every person is born with, that separates us from God and keeps us from having a relationship with Him. Created in the image of God, man was designed to have a personal relationship with God. It was an act of disobedience against God that caused this separation to exist. But God in His grace had already designed a plan to solve this problem. (Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24)
The plan, formulated in eternity past, called for a sin-bearer to bridge the gap between God and man. This sin-bearer had to be uniquely qualified, however. He had to have no sin of his own, he had to be equal with both parties involved and he had to be willing to bear the sin of the entire human race. Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, agreed to execute the plan. Therefore, Jesus Christ became a man, lived a sinless life and became our sin-bearer. (Romans 5:8; II Corinthians 5:21)
The sin-bearer is described in detail in the Book of Ruth as the kinsman redeemer. The kinsman redeemer had to meet certain requirements by Jewish law in order to redeem or buy back a relative from slavery or servitude. The requirements for this kinsman redeemer were: he had to be a relative, he had to be able monetarily to pay the price of redemption and he had to be willing to pay the ransom price. In the Book of Ruth, we see Boaz fulfill all of these requirements and redeem Ruth. Boaz is the perfect type of Christ, our kinsman redeemer. It is Christ Who has met the purchase price for our salvation, as a willing sacrifice for our sin. Christ is related to mankind, the only Person Who could meet the price for our ransom and He willingly sacrificed Himself on our behalf. Therefore, Jesus Christ met all the requirements of a kinsman redeemer and purchased us from the slave market of sin. (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; I Timothy 2:6)
From humble beginnings, this unique Person of the universe grew to manhood and began an amazing journey. Part of His journey from age thirty to age thirty-three was recorded for us by four of His followers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We are very fortunate to have been given this record. It is this record of Christ (Anointed One) that not only teaches us how we are to treat one another, it also records the greatest love story of all time. (Genesis 3:15; II Samuel 7:5-17; Isaiah 7:14)
This love story is between the Creator of the universe, Jesus Christ and His creations, mankind. “Greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends.” Because of His great love, Jesus Christ laid down His life for you and me. The Christmas story is the beginning. However, the story of Christ’s death on the Cross is not the end. Not willing that anyone would perish and spend eternity separated from God, Jesus Christ voluntarily became our sin-bearer.
Isaiah declared this fact in chapter 53, verse 6, when he said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him (Christ) the iniquity (sin) of us all.” This entire chapter is a description of the life and death of Jesus Christ. (John 15:13)
Paul makes a similar statement in II Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ to be sin for us Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus Christ became sin on our behalf, as our substitute and paid the penalty for our sin in full. Even Abraham, as recorded in Genesis 15:6, received the righteousness of God by faith in Jehovah (Jesus Christ). The penalty for sin is spiritual death (separation from God) according to Romans 6:23. It was the spiritual death of Christ (becoming sin for us) that paid the penalty. God poured out the sins of the entire human race (past, present and future) upon Christ and judged them. Christ then declared, “It is finished.” The work of salvation had been accomplished. Then Christ died physically, dismissing His own spirit. No one killed Christ, He gave His life freely. After three days in the grave, Jesus was resurrected and was seen by hundreds of people, as recorded in the Bible. These events were also recorded by Josephus, a noted Jewish historian. Having returned to Heaven, Jesus Christ, in His humanity, is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Therefore, Christ won the victory over sin, the victory over death and the victory over the grave. (I Corinthians 15:51-58)
This is the good news of the Gospel. Sin is no longer an issue with regard to eternal life. God is able to offer eternal life as a free gift, because Christ’s death on the Cross satisfied the justice of God. As a free gift, eternal life cannot be earned nor is it deserved. It is not a matter of good deeds, church membership, giving money or any other form of human works. To receive this gift of eternal life, a person must simply recognize the fact that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin and accept this payment by faith. This means that you are no longer trusting yourself or your good deeds to earn you a place in Heaven. You are now trusting Christ as your Savior. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father except by Me.” He also said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His uniquely born Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16; 14:6; I John 2:2)
The Bible declares that the soul of man lives forever, but not all will spend eternity with God in perfect happiness and peace. For those who reject this free gift of eternal life, they will be forever separated from God in a place where there is no peace or happiness. God has already done all the work so that you don’t have to. “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) You cannot earn, nor do you deserve eternal life, but God in His grace has provided the way for you to have an eternal relationship with Him. The way is through faith alone in Christ alone. (Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5)