The Humanity of Christ

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Humanity of ChristUnderstanding Christ's humanity is considered vitally important for Christian salvation and faith, historically posing a significant challenge to orthodox belief when denied or diminished.The primary reason is that salvation fundamentally depends on it. The sources explain that humanity is separated from God by an ontological and moral gap due to sin. This gap is bridged through the incarnation, where deity and humanity are united in one person. If Jesus was not truly human, genuinely "one of us," then humanity was not united with deity in him, and salvation cannot occur. His atoning sacrifice is effective for humanity because he was a human offering on behalf of his fellows.Furthermore, Jesus's intercessory ministry is enabled by his humanity. Having experienced the full range of human temptations, struggles, hunger, and sorrow, he can fully understand and empathize with us, acting as our sympathetic high priest before God.His humanity also provides the standard and example for true humanity. Unlike our corrupted nature, Jesus embodies pure, unadulterated humanity, showing us what God intended. His life serves as a model for Christian living, demonstrating that biblical standards are possible for humans dependent on God's grace.Finally, the incarnation affirms the goodness of human nature, including the physical, countering ideas that view matter as evil. It also shows that God is not totally distant but can and does act within the human realm, having lived among us as a real human. Denying or minimizing his humanity, as seen in heresies like Docetism and Apollinarianism, undermines these crucial aspects of faith.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianPatreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed