The Incarnation: A Crucial Doctrine (John 1:14)

Biblically speaking, what was the purpose of the incarnation? This question is of utmost importance and is not to be trivialized. To misunderstand the purpose of the incarnation is to misunderstand the righteousness of God and the necessity of penal substitution through a pure and sinless sacrifice for the purpose of legal pardon of sinners. When it comes to giving pardons there are only two possibilities: the pardon will either be legal or illegal. In other words the pardon will either uphold the law (legal) or nullify the law (illegal). Of the two kinds of pardons which one do you believe is the kind God gives?

God never gives illegal pardons. God only gives legal pardons. In simple terms, God is righteous and just and will never do anything wrong or unjust. Therefore God cannot and will not illegally pardon. So the question must be asked: “How can God pardon sinners and remain righteous and just in the process?” The right answer to this question will show that the incarnation is a crucial doctrine and that our pardon came at a great cost to God.

The Gospel of John answers how God can pardon sinners and remain righteous and just in the process. The Old Testament sacrificial system with its tabernacle illustrated that God would provide the only law upholding means of pardon. The innocent would have to die in the place of the guilty for pardon to be extended. The sinner’s death penalty for violating God’s Law had to be paid by an innocent substitute. This is called Penal Substitution, meaning penalty substitution.

Could the death penalty for a man really be paid by an animal? Never! That is why the Bible says, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). The sinner’s death penalty for violating God’s Law would have to be paid by an innocent man. Therefore the incarnation of Christ was a necessity for penal substitution and legal pardon. The Gospel of John shows Jesus as the fulfillment of the Tabernacle because He was God in flesh come to live a sinless life, die a sacrificial death, and experience a supernatural resurrection so that God could be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

This was the primary purpose of the incarnation – to make propitiation (legal pardon) for the sins of the people. It would not and could not be an innocent animal that allowed God to give a legal pardon but only an innocent, sinless man. The uncreated Son of God had to become a man to achieve our legal pardon. John said, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Amazing truth – the Son of God on earth as a man! Even more amazing is the reason He was on the earth as a man – “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)!

According to God’s Word, God could not have pardoned any other way, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendents of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-18).

Penal substitution is the only way God can legally pardon. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore the incarnation was necessary for the realization of penal substitution (legal pardon) and that is the primary biblical interpretation for the incarnation. If God could have legally pardoned any other way, surely He would have done it!

Our salvation cost God everything! There has never been and never will be a greater demonstration of love than the truth that God sent His only begotten Son into the world as a man to die as a substitute for sinners (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). The incarnation is a precious doctrine; it is a marvelous doctrine; it is a crucial doctrine. No one can be saved apart from pardon based on faith in Jesus. God does not save any other way – there is no other way.

Relationships to Friends and Foes (Romans 12:14-21)

In Romans 12:1-2 we see how we are to love and serve God because of His grace shown to us in the salvation He has provided for us. Since God sacrificed His sinless Son in order to redeem us from sin, we are now to give Him our bodies as living sacrifices – living for Him and no longer for ourselves and the world.

In Romans 12:3-13 we see how we are to relate to other believers in the church because of the grace shown us by God. The grace given to us is to guide our relationships to one another in the church as we respond to each other in grace. The way we relate to others is a pretty good indicator of whether or not we are living as children of God and the starting point is in our relationships to other believers.

Now we come to Romans 12:14-21 where we will see how we are to relate to all people whether friend or foe. Since we are saved by grace, God wants us to live by grace. Since we have received grace, God wants us to give grace. Sounds easy, right? Well, let’s see how we are doing in reflecting the character of God in our relationships with either friends or foes.

First, we are to bless those who persecute us instead of cursing them (Romans 12:14). This exhortation is completely contrary to our sinful human nature – bless those who persecute you! Yeah right! We don’t just get mad, we get even! That’s not living by grace though is it? That isn’t how God treated us and that is not how we are to treat others. We are to bless those who persecute us and do not curse. This is precisely what Jesus said in would mark those who belong to Him – (Matthew 5:43-45). To truly bless those who persecute us is to treat them as if they were our friends.

Second, we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). We are to rejoice in the blessings, honor, and welfare of others rather than resent their happiness or success. The same is true for those who are facing disappointments, hardships, or sorrows – we are to weep with those who weep. We are to enter into their suffering. This is what the Lord Jesus did – not only did He enter into the happiness of others such as His presence at the wedding in Cana of Galilee where He performed His first miracle of turning the water into wine which was a symbol of joy (John 2:1-11); He also wept at the tomb of Lazarus entering into the sorrow of Lazarus’ family and friends (John 11:1-35).

Third, we are not to show partiality or high-mindedness (Romans 12:16). The virtue expressed in the words, “Be of the same mind toward one another” is that of impartiality. God doesn’t show any partiality and neither should we. When we begin to show partiality we are no longer living by grace but by merit. This is dangerous because it moves one into the realm of using people rather than loving people and is a result of being haughty in mind or high-minded. The person haughty in mind will show partiality and will be interested in only those they perceive can further their status or cause. Instead we are to associate with the lowly and not be wise in our own estimation.

Notice that this is the second time in this chapter alone that the Holy Spirit has warned against thinking more of ourselves than we ought. When we properly understand grace and our need for it we will begin to better understand that we are no better than anyone else no matter how rich or how wise and we are no worse than anyone else no matter how poor or uneducated. The ground is level at the foot of the cross! A conceited, self-promoting Christian is a serious contradiction. Just as there is to be no social aristocracy in the church, neither is there to be an intellectual aristocracy in the church. A church that is seeking to faithfully serve Christ will pursue and eagerly accept all genuine believers regardless of superficial human distinctions.

Fourth, we are not to fight fire with fire (Romans 12:17a). “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” Two wrongs don’t make a right. Paying back evil for evil is operating by merit rather than by grace. How easily we forget that God hasn’t dealt with us according to merit but according to grace.

Fifth, we are to have regard for what is honorable (Romans 12:17b). “Respect what is right in the sight of all men.” We are to be honest and forthright in our dealings with others whether they are friends or foes. Notice that the right or good that we do is to be visible to all men – in the sight of all men. This principle is illustrated in 2 Corinthians 8:20-22 – “Taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things....” We should handle every situation with an honorable manner.

Sixth, if possible, we are to be at peace with all men (Romans 12:18). The believer who seeks to obey God is going to have his enemies. However, the Christian is to be a peacemaker not a troublemaker. Offending others with the truth of God is unavoidable for the uncompromising Christian. This truth is clearly seen in Matthew 5:9-12. We are not to compromise the truth in order to have peace but neither are we to hold a crusade to war with infidels. Short of compromising God’s truth and standards, we should be willing to go to great lengths to build peaceful bridges to both offended friends and foes.

Loving Consideration of Believers (Romans 12:9-13)

Romans 12:1-2 deals with our relationship to God after He has saved us by His mercy and grace. We love God because He first loved us and we offer our bodies to His service. Our love for God and desire to reveal His love to others affects all other relationships that we as Christians have. The first area that our relationship to God affects is our relationship to other believers.

Paul wrote Romans 12:3-13 in order to instruct the Christians at Rome to practice honest evaluation of self (12:3), to practice faithful cooperation with each other (12:4-8), and to practice loving consideration of each other (12:9-13). This passage instructs us that in light of God’s love and mercy toward us, we are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves, faithful cooperation with each other, and loving consideration of each other in the church.

First, in light of God’s love and mercy toward us, we are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves in the church (Romans 12:3). The truth that we have none earned salvation is to humble us and keep us from having an attitude of superiority. When God saved us He gifted us so that we could serve Him in His church. Each Christian must know what his or her spiritual gifts are and what ministries he or she is to have in the local church. We are saved by grace, we are gifted by grace and we serve by grace. We are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves in the church.

Second, in light of God’s love and mercy toward us, we are to practice faithful cooperation with each other in the church (Romans 12:4-8). Each believer has a different gift and God has bestowed these gifts so that the local body can grow in a balanced way. We are interdependent by God’s design. We have unity of purpose and diversity of ability. Just like the members of our physical bodies have different functions and yet work together, so we are to have faithful cooperation with each other. We have different functions and yet we work together as a team. We are to practice faithful cooperation with each other in the church.

Third, in light of God’s love and mercy for us, we are to practice loving consideration of each other (Romans 12:9-13). Here the emphasis is on the attitudes of those who exercise their spiritual gifts. It is possible to use a spiritual gift in an unloving and unspiritual way. Love is the circulatory system of the spiritual body, which enables all members to function not only in faithful cooperation with each other but also in loving consideration of each other. Here we see how we are to practice loving consideration of each other.

First, our love for each other is to be sincere love – “Let love be without hypocrisy” (12:9a). Hypocrisy means to “play the part or play-act.” There is to be no pretense in our love for each other nor is there to be any ulterior motives that would cause us to “use” each other for selfish gain under the pretense of love.

Second, our love for each other is to be discerning love – “Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good” (12:9b). “Abhor” means to detest with horror. The word for “evil” means that which is injurious or harmful to someone else – it is a relationship word. Love hates! Love hates that which would cause harm to those it loves. In this context, we are to hate that which would cause harm to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Not only are we to abhor what is evil, we are to cling to what is good. The word “cling” is the word for glue. The word “good” is another relationship word and it is the word for that which would benefit or help others. So we are to detest with horror the evil that would injure our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are to be glued to the good that would benefit or help them. Our love for each other is to be discerning.

Third, our love for each other is to be family love – “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (12:10a). We don’t see each other as just a group of people who come together, sing some songs, and hear a message – we see each other as family – as brothers and sisters in Christ no matter our social status, education, nationality, or race. We are to be glad to be part of the family of God and we are to love each other with family love.

Fourth, our love for each other is to be showcasing love – “Give preference to one another in honor” (12:10b). The words “give preference” mean to outdo by taking the lead. The word “honor” means to put others higher than self. So we are to “outdo one another in putting others higher than ourselves.” We are to regard one another as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). We are to showcase the importance and value of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Fifth, our love for each other is to be enthusiastic love – “Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (12:11). “Not lagging behind in diligence” means to not be lazy – don’t fall behind. “Fervent in spirit” means with zeal or boiling intensity. We are to be enthusiastic in our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. What makes it possible for us to have this enthusiastic love for them? It is how we serve the Lord because they are members of His body. Our love for each other is to be enthusiastic.

Sixth, our love for each other is to be persistent love – “Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer” (12:12). Let’s face it; loving each other isn’t always easy. This is why our love for each other must be persistent. As we deal with others and love them out of our service for the Lord we are to rejoice in hope. The word “hope” in the original has the definite article “the” in front of it. We are to rejoice in “the hope.” What is “the hope?” It is the certainty that every believer will be just like Jesus one of these days. When our brothers and sisters seem unlovable we are to persist in loving them because one day we will all be set free from the presence of sin.

We are also to persevere in tribulation. I believe that the context here is dealing with the burden of loving others in the body of Christ and having that love rejected or spurned. “Persevering” means to bear up under just like you would in a family with a rebellious family member. The word “tribulation” means crushing pressure. We are to bear up under the crushing pressure of the problems of a rebellious member in the family. We don’t leave the family or give up on the family member – we persist and continue to love the family and all its members.

We are to be devoted to prayer. To rejoice in hope while persevering in tribulation means that we must be devoted to prayer. It’s hard to talk to others about someone in the church when we have been talking to God for them in prayer. Our love for each other is to be persistent.

Seventh, our love for each other is to be participating love – “Contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality” (12:13). The word “contributing” means to participate with or share with others. We are to participate with or share with the needs of the saints. On one level this means to share in the hurts and heartaches of the saints among us. On another level it means giving money or goods to meet the needs of the less fortunate among us.

“Hospitality” means to show kindness to strangers. We are to practice showing kindness to those among us that we don’t know as well as we do some of the others. One of the primary ways this is done is to invite them over for a meal, get to know them, and speak of the things of the Lord together. Our love for each other is to be a participating love.

The Church is an Organism (Romans 12:3-8)

Romans 12:1-2 deals with our relationship to God after He has saved us by His mercy and grace. We willingly give our bodies to God as living and holy sacrifices for His service because of our love for Him for what He has done for us in our salvation. Romans 12:1-2 are the fulfillment of the first and greatest commandment – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (see Mark 12:30).

It is our relationship to God that becomes the well-spring from which all our other relationships flow. Being in a right relationship with God will affect how we relate to others. If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength because of the mercy He has shown us, we will love others as ourselves (Mark 12:31). This is always the proper order – love God; love others.

The first area that our relationship to God affects in regard to our relationship with others is in our relationship to other believers. Paul was writing to Christians who were members of the local church in Rome. The first place our love for God will manifest itself is in the context of our relationship to each other in the body of Christ. If our relationships in the church are not right then we are not living what we say we believe.

Paul wrote Romans 12:3-8 in order to instruct the Christians at Rome to practice honest evaluation of self (12:3) and to practice faithful cooperation with each other (12:4-8). This passage instructs us that in light of God’s love and mercy toward us, we are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves and faithful cooperation with each other in the church.

First, in light of God’s love and mercy toward us, we are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves in the church (Romans 12:3). We are saved by grace and we are not to forget it! The truth that we have none earned salvation is to humble us and keep us from having an attitude of superiority. When God saved us He gifted us so that we could serve Him in His church. Each Christian must know what his or her spiritual gifts are and what ministries he or she is to have in the local church. It is not wrong to recognize and exercise your gifts. It is wrong to have a false evaluation of yourself. Nothing causes more damage in a local church than a believer who overrates himself and tries to perform a ministry that he cannot do. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. We were saved by grace, gifted by grace, and must serve by grace.

It is also just as wrong for a believer to deny his giftedness and refuse to exercise it under a pretense of humility. False humility is just another form of pride but more cleverly hidden. The second part of verse three says, “But to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” To have sound judgment means that we are to be sober in our assessment of ourselves. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought and we are not to sell ourselves short on what God has gifted us to do. We are to exercise the gift God has given us to the degree that God has allowed us to trust him in that area.

So we are to avoid both thinking to highly of ourselves claiming giftedness we do not possess and thinking too lowly of ourselves claiming no giftedness at all. We are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves in the church.

Second, in light of God’s love and mercy toward us, we are to faithful cooperation with each other in the church (Romans 12:4-8). Each believer has a different gift and God has bestowed these gifts so that the local body can grow in a balanced way. We are interdependent by God’s design. We have unity of purpose and diversity of ability.

Romans 12:4 uses the example of our physical bodies having many members but the members have differing functions to illustrate the truth of unity and diversity in the body. Just as the different members of the body have different functions yet cooperate to fulfill the purpose of the body.

Romans 12:5 ties the way the church is to function to the illustration of a physical body given in Romans 12:4 – “So we.” Just like the members of our physical bodies have different functions and yet work together, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another, are to have faithful cooperation with each other. We have different functions and yet we work together as a team.

Romans 12:6-8 give seven categories of gifts that differ in function but are to work together in faithful cooperation with each other:

First, prophecy – means to tell forth. Prophecy means to declare the revelation of God through His Word. Here in Romans 12:6, prophecy is a spiritual gift for preaching and not the office of prophet. The gift of prophecy has to be in relation to and in proportion to the Word of God. The phrase, “according to the proportion of his faith,” is literally, “in agreement with the faith.” The one with the gift of prophecy is to remain in the bounds of the Word of God. He is not to add to it or take away from it. The motivation of the person with the gift of prophecy is to confront with truth. The motivation of teaching is to clarify with truth.

Second, serving – a menial and practical service. The word for serving is the word from which we get the words “deacon and ministry.” This is a person who supernaturally seeks to meet the practical needs of other people. The people with the gift of serving do not have to be appreciated by anybody. They know that they can believe God and their service to others is their service to God.

Third, teaching – the gift of teaching means taking something that you know and communicate it to someone else. Remember that the motivation for teaching is to clarify the truth. The motivation for prophecy is to confront with truth.

Fourth, exhortation – it means to comfort or to encourage. The person with the gift of exhortation comes alongside someone to comfort or encourage them. The person with this gift doesn’t just come alongside and put his arm around but he comes with “words” and his words are instructions from the Word of God.

Fifth, giving – means to give with good intentions. Liberality means to be sincere and pure in motive. There are to be no ulterior motives in giving. The person with the gift of giving turns loose the gift without worrying about where it went because he has given it to God.

Sixth, leading– to stand out before and lead. The one with the gift of leading is to do it with diligence. Diligence means with an earnest effort. Those with this gift do not complain about something going undone or needing to be done – they take the lead and do it!

Seventh, mercy – means to be sensitive to others and their needs. This gift has to be shown with cheerfulness.

We are to practice honest evaluation of ourselves and practice faithful cooperation with each other. The church is an organism and not just an organization.

God's Mercy: Motivation for Dedication (Romans 12:1-2)

The apostle Paul, moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote the book of Romans as an explanation of the Gospel of God’s grace and mercy through Jesus Christ toward undeserving sinners. The first three chapters of Romans establish the universality of sin (all are sinners both Jew and Gentile); the offensiveness of man’s sin to God; and the inability of sinful man to justify himself through his own efforts before God. It is the backdrop of the magnitude of our sin and offensiveness to God that the multitude of God’s mercies toward us are highlighted or displayed from Romans 3:21 to 11:36.

God in His grace sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, to accomplish for us what we cannot accomplish for ourselves. Jesus lived a sinless life under God’s Law upholding the Law perfectly and obtaining the Law’s promise of life – “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them” (Leviticus 18:5). This we did not and cannot do. We are sinners by nature. This the Lord Jesus Christ did do. He is holy by nature.

Then Jesus died a sacrificial death to pay and uphold the penalty of the Law for those who had earned death by breaking the Law – “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to perform them” (Galatians 3:10); and, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Jesus, the sinless man, was crucified, died, and buried all for crimes that He did not commit.

Then Jesus experienced a supernatural resurrection from the dead to uphold the Law’s promise of life for the one who never sins and so that God could justify sinners on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. Now sinners can receive mercy from God and be justified by the sinless life of Jesus, the sacrificial death of Jesus, and the supernatural resurrection of Jesus.

The first eleven chapters of Romans clearly show us God’s mercy towards sinners and the benefits of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans chapters twelve through sixteen show us the practical outworking of having received God’s mercy through faith in Christ. These chapters show us what God’s mercies motivate us to do.

Paul wrote Romans 12:1-2 in order to motivate the Christians at Rome by God’s mercies to dedicate their bodies, minds and wills totally to God for His service. This passage instructs us that we are to be motivated by God’s mercies to dedicate our bodies, minds, and wills totally to God for His service. God’s Mercy is the motivation for Christian dedication to God.

First, we are to be motivated by God’s mercies to dedicate our bodies totally to His service (Romans 12:1). Paul “urged” the Christians at Rome to present their bodies a living and holy sacrifice to God for His service. The word “urge” means to come alongside and help. Paul’s reminder to the Christians at Rome of God’s mercy toward them in the Gospel was his way of helping them to be motivated to dedicate themselves to God.

The word “present” means that this is to be a once for all commitment to God’s service. This is the language of the Old Testament priesthood and sacrificial system. The sacrifice was offered to God as a gift and it was not taken back – it was once for all.

The sacrifice God is looking for is to be “living” and “holy.” This means that we are to be dead to sin and alive to God. This is acceptable or “well-pleasing” to God. The reason it is “well-pleasing” to God is because we are dedicating our bodies to live for Jesus a life that is true based on His great sacrifice for us. We are being motivated by God’s mercies to serve God out of loving loyalty and not by legalistic manipulation. This is well-pleasing to God. This is also our “reasonable” service of worship. Dedicating our bodies to God because of His mercies to us is logical. We are to be motivated by God’s mercies to dedicate our bodies totally to His service.

Second, we are to be motivated by God’s mercies to dedicate our minds totally to His service (Romans 12:2a). Whoever controls the mind controls the body. The “world” or “spirit-of-the-age” wants us to “conform” to its ways and reflect its values. The world seeks to press us into its mold by bombarding our minds with its ungodly values and ungodly ways. Christians are pressured from every side to compromise with and conform to the world. The remedy for conformity to the world is not self-abasement or severe treatment of the body (Colossians 2:23); the remedy for conformity to the world is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind by dedicating your mind totally to God for His service.

Whoever controls the mind controls the body! This is why the world bombards the minds of men with its sinister thoughts and ideas. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The word “transformed” is where we get the word, “metamorphosis.” We are to be changed from the inside out by the renewing of our minds. This is why self-abasement and severe treatment of the body are of no value against fleshly and worldly indulgence (Colossians 2:23). We dedicate our minds to God by filling them with His Word and meditating on His Word and treasuring His Word (see Philippians 4:8). We are to be motivated by God’s mercies to dedicate our minds totally to His service.

Third, we are to be motivated by the mercies of God to dedicate our wills totally to His service (Romans 12:2b). Technically this phrase is a purpose clause – “So that you may prove what the will of God is....” We dedicate our bodies and our minds totally to God’s service so that we may prove what the will of God is. However, this does have to do with dedicating our wills totally to God’s service. By dedicating our bodies and minds totally to God for His service, we no longer do the will of the devil but now we do the will of God; we no longer to what “we will” but we do God’s will. We say and pray, “Not my will but Yours be done.” As we submit to God’s will, we experience the liberating truth that His will is good, acceptable, and perfect.

We are to be motivated by God’s mercies to dedicate our bodies, minds, and wills totally to God for His service. We are to live for Jesus a life that is true because of His atonement for us.