by Pastor Steve Ellison
Christs life and death are effective unto salvation because He is both God and man. Without both, His atoning sacrifice would not have been enough. Praise God it was enough. God coming in the flesh to dwell among us is the great Christmas gift. He is both the Son of God and the Son of Man. Isaac Ambrose wrote eloquently of the two natures of Christ in his book Looking Unto Jesus. Let's draw heavily upon Ambroses description of the divine and human side of the Savior. Jesus the Savior was conceived in woman as all other men are, therefore He is man. Jesus was conceived not by human father but by the Holy Spirit thus He is God. Jesus was born from a woman thus He is man; however, He was born of a virgin, as no other man, thus He is God. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes indicating His humanness; His birth was announced by angels, a special star shone over His birth, and a heavenly host announced His birth indicating His divinity.
Where did the name Christ come from? "In the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Bible, the word Christ was used to translate into Greek the Hebrew mashiach (messiah), meaning "anointed." Christs in classical Greek usage could mean covered in oil, or anointed, and is thus a literal translation of messiah." --Wikipedia
Not only did the events around the birth of Christ evidence His two natures but so did His life. Jesus identified with sinful man by being baptized in the Jordan but the Holy Spirits descending upon Him in the form of a dove identified Jesus as deity. The temptations in the wilderness showed Christs humanness, but His unparalleled victory over Satans temptations prove His deity. The fact that Jesus became tired, thirsty, and hungry illustrates His humanity. The fact that He supernaturally fed people, refreshed the weary, and provided spiritual living water shows that He is God. Because Jesus grew greatly weary and was fast asleep on a stormy sea shows Him to be the man. Because He rebuked the wind and calmed the raging sea, we know that He is God. The fact that Jesus had no place to lay His head and had no money identifies Him with lowly man. The fact that He could produce money in the mouth of a fish and that He cannot be contained by the heavens identifies Him with God.
Because Jesus was sad and full of sorrow illustrates that He is indeed the Son of Man. Because He is the only one truly capable of comforting the sorrowful shows Him to be God. We see Christ as human in His praying to the Father; we see Christ as divine in His answering of prayers. His despondent plea in the Garden of Gethsemane shows His humanity. His faithfulness to the mission in that same garden proves His deity. Christ being rent and torn on the cross proves His humanity. Christs tearing of the veil in the Temple from that same cross proves His deity. Christs physical death on the cross substantiates His humanity; His causing the sun to hide its face substantiates His deity. His wail on the cross asking God why He was forsaking Him demonstrates His humanness; His promise from the cross to the thief demonstrates His deity. Christs death on the cross proves He was human. Christs resurrection of Himself proves that He is God. The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus in which he talked and ate with the disciples show Him to be human. The fact that He ascended to heaven in their sight shows Him to be God.
There could be no greater Christmas gift. Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, became flesh and dwelled among men so that He might be the atoning sacrifice for their sin. Do yourself a favor and dwell on that during this Christmas season.
The staff of the Voice of the Ozark wish our Christian readers a very joyous Christmas and a healthy prosperous new year. Go Back | 
