The Word Became Flesh – Part 2

Last week I wrote part one of this four-part series. I hope you enjoyed it. As I said, the ideas behind it belong to Dr. John MacArthur. I’m only giving you my thoughts about his thoughts.

Part two has the same title because all of these parts make up the singular idea of the Word became flesh. Here in part two, I’m going to put forth Pastor John’s ideas about the pre-existence of Jesus. I told you it was getting more complicated.

I’ve already shared with you that even though my husband and I were both raised in the church, neither of us had a very good understanding of God’s Word, in this case, the Bible. It isn’t something we read regularly, that we dug into for further understanding. Until that day about two years ago when we both knew Jesus was Who we both needed. Our lives changed. Dramatically.

That’s when we began reading chronologically and learning things we’d never heard, never known, never been taught—by parents, church, or anywhere else for that matter. Not blaming anyone here. It’s just the way it was.

We began listening to Dr. MacArthur regularly. We were like sponges and couldn’t get enough. Oddly enough, we didn’t find this sermon until last week. We were both astounded at the revelations. I want to share those things with you here.

THE INFINITE BECOMES FINITE

Dr. M. as I’m going to call him, began this section by saying when the Word became flesh, the infinite (that’s God) came to earth in the form of a man, Jesus, he became finite.

He goes on to talk about verbs. This should excite all you writers. Now he’s speaking our language. He says that God always has been, He is timeless, has always existed. He isn’t becoming anything. Yet, He came to earth and became a man. The Word became flesh because He was pre-existing. He has us go back to Genesis 1:1 and read. In the beginning. Then, he asks again, what beginning? Well, the beginning of the beginning.

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In His gospel, John says, In the beginning the Word was. We’ve already established that Jesus is the Word, therefore, Jesus was already in existence when everything that exists came into existence (was created). Jesus already was. He didn’t have to go through any kind of creation because He had always been. This is pre-existence.

THE LIGHT BEGAN TO SHINE

When my hubby and I first realized that, two years ago, our mouths almost fell to the floor. Now, don’t get me wrong. It isn’t that we didn’t know and believe that Jesus was the second person of the Godhead, we’d just never thought of it like this. It was a lightbulb moment. Indeed, the Light of Jesus had finally shone in our hearts and minds. But more about that later.

From here, Dr. M. takes us to a later chapter in John. Go to chapter 8:58 where the Jews are questioning Him about who He is. He answers them at this point and says, Truly, truly, I say to you; before Abraham was, I am. He existed before Abraham. The Jews simply couldn’t understand this. Do you? Have you always?

Now go back to John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God. He’s with God. From the beginning. Now to underscore this more fully, go to John 17:5  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. How clear it is that Jesus was (is) God and was with God from the beginning of the beginning.

ETERNAL GOD

Pre-existence. Jesus is pre-existent, not a part of the creation. He is outside of creation and He is and was before time. These things make him eternal. “And if He’s eternal, He is God.” (Dr. M.)

The Word became flesh. God, right here on earth—God with us—Immanuel.

Such a fantastic explanation, in simple, understandable terms, of what we’ve always known but if you’re like me, you’d never heard put into words. I’m so thankful for teachers like Dr. M.

Next week . . . Part 3.

Blessings, y’all.

One of my favorite hymns, no matter the season. Get out your hymnal and read the words to the second verse. The one about “veiled in flesh the Godhead see”. Those are the most important words to me. They sum up this series of posts. This is the version we always sang on Christmas Eve. I sang the highest parts you hear in the final verse. How I miss being able to do that. It isn’t Christmas, or even July. But Christmas is coming! It’s never too early to prepare our hearts to welcome our Savior. Blessings to all!