God did not carry out the work of redemption only in Heaven. He came to this earth in the flesh and preached the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Bible describes God who came in the flesh for the salvation of humankind as Christ.
Christ originates from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), which means the Anointed One. In the Old Testament times, God appointed kings, priests, and prophets by anointing them (Ex 40:13; 1 Ki 19:15–16). God predestined each historical figure that would represent Christ as a king, a priest, or a prophet and prophesied Christ who would appear in the New Testament times. Christ came as a king like David, a priest like Melchizedek, and a prophet like Moses.
People claim that God is Almighty, but they do not easily accept the teaching of the Bible that God comes as a man for the salvation of humankind. Their attitude of completely rejecting God who came in the flesh is no different from the thoughts of the Jews who tried to stone Jesus, saying, “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (Jn 10:33). The core of Christianity is to believe in “God who was born as a child,” that is, God who came in the flesh (Isa 9:6). The saints of the early Church testified that Jesus, who was born in the flesh, was the Creator of all things and God who would be praised forever (Jn 1:1–3; Ro 9:5; 1 Jn 5:20).
The Man Christ
The reason the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Christ 2,000 years ago was that He came in the flesh just like one of them (Jn 10:30–33). Alternatively, the apostles were convinced that Jesus, who came with the same appearance as theirs and lived a physical life in the same way as other people, was God. The writings of the apostles in the New Testament show many examples which emphasize that we should believe in Jesus who came in the flesh. Apostle Paul emphasized the fact that Jesus was a man in his letter to Timothy.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Ti 2:5
Apostle Paul added the word “man” before Christ to emphasize the “man Christ.” Paul clearly revealed that the Christ, whom he himself believed in and that all mankind should receive, was a man just like one of us. In this way, the apostles boasted of the man Christ. On the contrary, the Jews rejected Jesus 2,000 years ago, saying, “You, a mere man, claim to be God.” Apostle John said that anyone who denies Jesus coming in the flesh had received the spirit of the antichrist.
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 1 Jn 4:2–3
Apostle John said the spirit that acknowledges that Jesus has come in the flesh, belongs to God. Alternatively, the spirit that denies the fact that Christ has come in the flesh, is the spirit of the antichrist, that is, the spirit of Satan who opposes God. The apostles strongly testified that God, the Christ, came in the flesh to save humankind.
Blessings Given to Those Who Have Received Christ
Not only 2,000 years ago but also in this age, there are many people who do not accept that God comes as a man just like one of us. Their fixed idea that God should appear in unimaginable and great glory shuts their spiritual eyes; however, the apostles correctly received Jesus, who humbled Himself and appeared in the flesh. God gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and the right to become children of God to the apostles who received God who came in the flesh.
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven . . . I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Mt 16:16–19
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Jn 1:10–12
We should not reject God who came in the flesh to save humankind with fixed ideas, but correctly recognize Him through the prophecies of the Bible and receive the eternal blessings of Heaven.
Humanity of Christ: A Stone Over Which People Stumble
When God comes to this earth, people expect Him to come with great visible glory. Is this the correct teaching of the Bible?
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. Isa 53:1–2
About 700 years before Jesus came to this earth, the Old Testament prophesied about Jesus’ appearance as “a root out of dry ground”; a dry root cannot grow properly because there is no water. The Old Testament also prophesied that Jesus would not come with a special appearance that would enable people to recognize Him as God in the flesh; He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. Contrary to the expectations of the world, the Bible prophesied that God would come in such a humble appearance in the future. Nevertheless, if we try to recognize Christ through His physical aspects, we will fall down as if stumbling over a stone.
“The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.” Isa 8:13–15
Both houses of Israel refer to those who claim to believe in God. Concerning them, It is prophesied that the LORD would be a stone that causes men to stumble, a rock that makes them fall, a trap, and a snare for them, and that many would fall and be snared because of God. If God appears in the glory expected by all, no one will fall. Since He comes in the flesh, people fall, break, and are snared, seeing His physical aspects. To such people, Christ, who is absolutely necessary for salvation, becomes a stone which causes them to stumble and a rock which makes them fall. Apostle Peter testified that the prophecy of Isaiah 8 was fulfilled by Jesus who came in the flesh.
As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him . . . Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 1 Pe 2:4–8
The reason Jesus became a stone which causes people to stumble and a rock which makes them fall, is that He appeared in the flesh, in a manner too humble for people to believe that He is God. Those who only focused on the physical aspects of Jesus’ life and circumstances came to fall. So Peter said that they were “destined” to fall. God had ordained that those who only look at the physical aspects of Christ would never recognize Him.
It is the prophecies in the Bible that testify Jesus is the Christ, not the physical aspects of Jesus Himself (Jn 5:39). The Jews ignored the prophecies that Jesus was fulfilling in front of them, but focused on Jesus’ physical aspects that were completely different from their expectations, so that they could not help but fell down. Today, we must recognize Christ, that is, God who comes in the flesh, not through His physical aspects, but through the prophecies of the Bible.