Ep 174 – 1 John 1:1-4 PT 3

Today's episode is entitled "The Incarnation" and is based on the first four verses of 1 John chapter 1. We have chosen to remain in these opening verses because there is a lot of rich content packed into what seems to be a short section of Paul's letter. The incarnation, or Jesus' taking on of human flesh, is an essential doctrine of the church. For Paul, it was non-negotiable and critical in terms of the entire gospel message. Had Jesus not become a man and lived a sinless life, He would not have been the proper sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. His divinity and humanity were both necessary. He was the God-Man, who was fully capable of living in complete dependence upon God, obeying all His commands and, therefore, accomplishing what no other human being had been able to do. It was His perfect obedience and sinless life that qualified Him to be the unblemished lamb, chosen by God to die in the place of sinful men and women. To refuse Christ's deity is to deny the gospel. And Paul knew that salvation was impossible apart from the incarnation of Jesus.