What Does Incarnation Mean?

The coming of Christmas — Jesus’ advent on earth — is fast approaching.  And it brings to my mind an intriguing topic: God incarnation — God actually dwelling within — the baby born in a manager.

According to vocabulary.com dictionary, Incarnate means;

 “Having a bodily form.”     

Taken from the Latin root, the prefix ‘in’ means ‘in'.  and 'caro' means ‘flesh’.  So incarnate means “In the flesh.”…..

It can be understood as a “miraculous instance in which something that can’t normally be seen or touched assumes bodily form." 

The Christian faith is founded on the belief that Jesus was God incarnate.” 

That my friends is a most miraculous bit of information.

Think about what that must mean for you and me.

God dwelling — living moving -- and having human qualities. In us as well as Jesus.  (read John's Gospel)

The Apostle Paul puts it in these words:

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ²make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 

⁶ who, though he was in the form of God,

   did not regard equality with God

   as something to be exploited, 

⁷ but emptied himself,

   taking the form of a slave,

   being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, 

⁸   he humbled himself

   and became obedient to the point of death—

   even death on a cross. (Phil. 2) 

Now with the Christmas season upon us I encourage you to contemplate this truth.

Consider what the implication are for you and your life of faith.

I invite you to consider, then, what Jesus meant when he announced to his disciples that he was leaving them with his Holy Spirit.

More to come.  So please let me know what your questions might be.