The Necessity Of The Incarnation

If our Mediator had not possessed a nature inferior to that which is Divine, He could not be our representative, for it would be impossible for Him to carry out the great work of redemption; He could not render the obedience required, nor endure the sufferings imposed by His Priestly office, and in accord with God's most Holy Law; all being absolutely necessary for the salvation of sinners.

The Eternal Son cannot render obedience to Himself, for the Law-giver is above the law. Christ, as God, the Son, requires that obedience be rendered unto Him, and will maintain His most Holy Law from the Great White Throne on the Judgment Day. Again, Deity cannot experience weariness, pain, anguish, sorrow, or suffer death. Deity cannot be "sorely amazed" or "very heavy." Therefore, the incarnation, brought into indissoluble union with the Deity of the Son of God human nature, equipped in every way to carry out the plan of redemption. A true representative of His people under the covenant of Grace. (Heb. 2: 14-18).

The human nature of Christ consisted in a "true body and a reasonable soul," "yet without sin" (2 Cor. 5: 21; Heb. 4: 15). If Christ's human nature had partaken of sin, it would have been destitute of the Holy Image, consequently worthless so far as atonement is concerned, for the following reasons:

1. It was absolutely necessary that our Mediator should be both God and man. The Lord Jesus Christ could not have obeyed, suffered, or offered Himself a sacrifice had He not been possessed of a creature nature; also had Christ been a mere man, however immaculate, He could not have redeemed one soul. Had Christ possessed all possible created excellencies, such would not have been sufficient to meet the need of sinners for He would still be dependent, not having life in Himself. Deity is self-existent; the creature is dependent. (Acts 17: 28). The most exalted creature in heaven's illustrious hosts is wholly dependent upon Deity; therefore, perfect obedience does not produce a surplus of righteousness; and our greatest need is righteousness. The whole creature creation, rendering absolute obedience, could not produce anything that could be used as compensation for the disobedience of one sinner. The Lord Jesus Christ, in our nature, is under indispensable obligation to perfect and perpetual obedience. The vicarious nature of Christ's righteousness is measured by the dignity of His Person.
   
   
2. The infinite Nature of Sin: Sin is an infinite evil. God's sovereignty has universal authority, its immensity is beyond comprehension; and God's holiness is absolute. We are under infinite obligation to love, honour and obey God: Therefore, by our sin we have broken an infinite commandment, violated an infinite obligation, which is met with infinite punishment. Human nature, ever carrying the merits of perfect obedience, immaculate, could not fulfil its infinite obligation. It is therefore essential that our Mediator must be more than perfect humanity. Our Mediator must be One Who is bound by no obligation to obedience; as we have noticed, infinite obedience is the necessary obligation of the human race to God.
   
   But the Saviour of men must be independent of the law; that is, the infinite commandment. He must be above the law; in short, he must be God. The Lord Jesus Christ has all the qualifications to stand before the Eternal Father, and by our sins being imputed to Him, to render infinite satisfaction for our violation of the infinite obligation to love, honour, and obey God. In matchless grace and amazing condescension, God, the Son, infinite in holiness, took unto Himself our nature, and, as our substitute, by the dignity of His Person placed infinite merits before the Throne of Eternal Justice.
   
   The obedience of Christ magnified the law of God. His obedience was inconceivably excellent. Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, the "brightness of the Father's glory," the Creator of all things, having life in Himself, possesses incomprehensible attributes of Deity. The infinite glory of His Person cannot be separated from His human nature, thus infinite glory equals infinite merit. On the Cross of Calvary, He was the Son of God, Jehovah's Fellow, the glorious dignity of His Person, that strips language of its descriptive powers, declares that such a sacrifice offered by such a Person alone, could atone for the violation of God's law.
   
   
3. The Promises are Dependent upon the Incarnation: The promises under the Covenant of Grace are built upon the original promise, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Gen. 3: 15). The assurance is given that the "seed of the woman" shall bruise the head of the serpent, and therein is the power of the serpent destroyed; but in the conflict, it is stated, the "heel" of the Saviour shall he bruised.
   
   Satan cannot inflict any injury upon Deity. It is only by the Son of God taking into union with His Person our nature that brings such an act, bruising His heel, within the range of possibility. We must also remember that the destruction of Satan's power was absolutely essential for the redemption of God's people; but it was equally essential that its destruction should be accomplished by the "seed of the woman"; otherwise we could not have been fairly represented by the Saviour. To quote one of the early fathers: "Had He (Christ) not been man Who conquered our enemy, He would not have been fairly conquered; and, on the other hand, had He not been God Who gave us the victory, we could hold it upon no secure tenure." (Irenaeus).
   
   The Apostle, writing to the Romans, says: "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." Had not Christ assumed our nature, that would be a moral and physical impossibility. The angels could not be requested to "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ," for there exists the impassable barrier of a different nature. "For verily, He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. (Heb. 2: 14-16). The Apostle draws the distinction between the angelic and human natures to emphasise that Christ took unto Himself human nature, and we are called upon to "put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ."
   
   Dr. Charles Hedge, commenting upon Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 30, makes this point clear; he says: "We are partakers of the flesh of Christ because we have the same human nature which He assumed. In Heb. 2: 11, it is said: "Both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one," i.e., of one nature; and in verse 14: "Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same." "These and similar passages do indeed prove that one of the essential elements of the union with Christ is this community of nature. It is also true that the more specific union indicated in the text presupposes and rests upon the fact of the incarnation. But the incarnation cannot be what Paul here refers to. The incarnation consists in the Eternal Son of God taking to Himself a true body and a reasonable soul; but the union here spoken of arises from our participation of Christ's body; that is, of His flesh and of His bones. It is not His taking our flesh and blood, but our partaking of His, after He had assumed them, that is here asserted. Besides, so far as the mere assumption of human nature is concerned, it is the bond of union between Christ and the whole human race; whereas the Apostle is here speaking of a union with Christ peculiar to His people." (Hodge on Ephes., p. 249).
   
   To "put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ" or "partake of His flesh and bones," refers to "community of life." When the Apostle declares "husband and wife" to be "one flesh," he does not mean in substance, for husband and wife are distinct and separate; but the unity is in their "community of life." Dr. Hodge says that Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 30, is one of the most difficult passages in the Bible, and the Apostle states that the union he describes in verse 30 is a "great mystery"; therefore, any explanation that claims to dispel the mystery must be false.
   
   
4. The incarnation is Necessary for the Offices of Christ: The Divine and human natures united in one Person is essential for the exercises of the offices of Prophet, Priest and King. If the Saviour was not Divine, He could not reveal God or declare His purpose in redemption. Christ, as God, speaks from the bosom of the Father. The love and goodness of God cannot be known by the creature unless God reveals Himself; and Christ is "God manifest in the flesh." If our Saviour had not partaken of our nature, then the knowledge of God's love and goodness could not be imparted to us, for God is "enthroned in light inaccessible and full of glory, which no man can approach unto." The Eternal Son, by assuming our nature, has become our "Daysman" (Mediator) (Job 9: 33). In the exercise of His prophetic office, Christ stoops to the level of our nature to impart, within the limits of our capacity, the incomprehensible glory of the Invisible God.
   
   In order that Christ should perform the highest functions of His Priestly office,- it was necessary that He should have something to offer. He could not offer Deity to Deity. The Holy Scriptures declare that a body was prepared for Him. Human nature was a necessary qualification. "Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." (Heb. 2: 17).
   
   To rule as a King, Deity is essential to give eternal life to His people and to banish His enemies. Human nature is a necessary qualification for Christ to occupy His place as "Head of the body, which is the Church." "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one." (Heb. 2: 11-12).