I. The Fulfillment of promise.
A. The promise which was given:
1. To Adam in paradise.
a. In Genesis 3:15 (the “mother-promise”).
1) Speaks of an enmity which exists between two seeds.
2) An assurance of final victory of the one seed.
3) The victorious seed of the woman is Christ.
b. In the clothing of skins which God provided for our first parents (Gen. 3:21).
1) This served as a proper covering for them.
2) A covering which could only be obtained through the shedding of biood.
2. That promise is repeated throughout the Old Testament.
a. Given to the patriarchs (find instances of this).
b. Spoken through prophecy (find instances of this).
c. Revealed through type and shadow.
B. Its fulfillment in the appointed time.
1. In the “fulness of time” Christ came (Gal. 4:4).
a. Negatively: that means that Christ could not come at any time.
b. Positively: there was an ordained and appropriate time for His coming.
2. Its evidence:
a. The world situation was such that it was suitable for His coming: one world power; a common language; etc.
b. The situation in Israel also showed this “fulness of time.”
1) His coming appeared completely impossible according to human standards.
2) The situation in the “church” was one of spiritual corruption.
II. The Son of God enters our flesh.
A. We confess His eternal Sonship.
1. The second Person of the Trinity enters the flesh.
2. Scripture also proves this:
a. John l.
b. Names, powers, attributes of God are ascribed to Him.
B. Its implications:
1. Our Mediator is very God.
a. He is God also in His suffering and death.
b. This explains the infinite worth of His death.
2. His birth into the flesh is a wonder of Grace.
a. It can not be explained through human reason or philosophy.
b. It is by faith that the child of God confesses this truth.
III. The real human nature of the Mediator.
A. We confess that this is Scriptural and confessional.
1. In Scripture:
a. He is born of a woman (Matt. 1:18-22; John 1:14; Gal. 4:4)
b. Human attributes and characteristics are ascribed to Him: He had a human body (Lu. 24:39; human soul, Matt. 26:28; He weeps; He hungers.
2. A confession of His humanity is essential part of our faith.
a. It is man who sins that must die according to God’s justice. Ez. 18:20.
b. Therefore our Mediator must be of us.
B. Its implications:
1. Christ has a complete human nature.
a. Not only a human body.
b. But complete: body and soul.
2. It was a central human nature.
a. Out of the line of the promise.
b. Pointing also to the truth that Christ is the center of all history.
3. A weakened but sinless human nature.
a. He had a body as we now do–not as Adam possessed before the fall.
b. But He was always without sin in mind and deed.
Worksheet
A. Supplementary reading:
1. Scripture: Matt. 1; Luke 1; John 1.
2. Canons of Dordt, Head II:A:1-4.
3. Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Days 13-14.
4. Westminster Catechism, Question 37.
B. Proof-text: (Incarnation) John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
C. Questions for study and consideration:
1. What is the explanation of the Roman Catholic Church for the immaculate conception of Christ?
2. Can we explain how Christ is born of the line of Adam–yet without the original guilt and corruption of Adam? If so, how?
3. Give instances of type and shadow in the Old Testament which pointed to the work of Christ.
4. Can it be shown that the “seed of the woman” in Genesis 3:15 is the Christ?
5. How must we understand “the fulness of time” of Galatians 4:4?
6. What do Jehovah Witnesses say of the Divinity of Christ? How would they explain John 1? In what way must they be answered?
7. Try to find further information on the heresy of the Anabaptists mentioned in this article.