I could watch the Polar Express to see what the first Christmas gift is going to be, but I already know. I could go peeking thru the boxes my wife has placed under our tree, but it wouldn’t help.
Immanuel — which being interpreted means “God with us” — that is the Christmas season’s big gift. God in the flesh. That is why Christmas is all about. That is what Christianity is all about.
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” These are Paul’s words to Timothy. Mincing no words, Paul teaches that God chooses to show Himself to us in the flesh — as a human.
The very God who created Heaven and Earth not only made Himself a mortal human like us, but before that, a child who was subject to His parents — and before that, a helpless baby who relied on His parents to nurture Him — and even before that, an embryo living and growing in the womb of Mary. Why did He do all that? It is a part of the Plan of Salvation. Alma 42:15 tells us that the Plan of Salvation “could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.” God with us.
I’m quite perplexed how traditional Christianity misses this portion of the Christmas message. God with us, God manifest in the flesh, the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, etc. The story of Christmas tells me that if you believe Jesus Christ is the eternal God of Heaven and Earth, then you must then believe that God has a body of flesh and bone. Jesus Christ, being in the “form of God [the Father]“, which is the form of a man, thought it not robbery to equal with God, which is an exalted man. Jesus Christ thought it not robbery, because it is the Father’s goal to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man“. He descended below all things to enable us to rise above all things and be made one with God.
This is the Divine incarnation, this is the Atonement, this is Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
2 Comments
26 December 2008 at 5:47 pm
Great post! Here’s an interesting (youtube) video of the blasphemous claims of Christmas – the One who claimed to be the Son of God!
26 December 2008 at 9:48 pm
Glad to hear you liked the post.
Thanks for the link.
Hope your family had a great Christmas.