During this Christmas season, I decided to write quickly on the subject, “Why Jesus Did Not Come.” Now by this, I do not mean to imply that Jesus did not come. I merely mean to express why Jesus did not come. Am I confused? No. Are you confused? Maybe. Well, perhaps this thesis statement will help us sync together over the following paragraphs:
We need to study the statements of why Jesus did not come so that we can most accurately know why he did come.
First, Jesus did not come to counter-balance the Father. Some believe Jehovah is the Jewish God of male chauvinism. They believe him to be the deity who delights in placing religious burdens on the backs of his people and then responding to their failures with angry wrath. In addition, they see this Old Testament deity as one who delights in ethnic cleansing and the pouring out of fire and brimstone.
In contrast, according to some more liberally minded, Jesus comes along to make right what is wrong with God. According to some, Jesus is the Christian God of sexual equality, religious flexibility, gracious love, ethnic inclusion, earthly peace, and heavenly paradise. To them, Jesus is the New Testament deity who comes to earth, contrary to the distant Father, with a desire to fix the public relations problem of the Father. The Father began his journey with mankind in one direction, but Jesus arrived to save his people from their sin and from their harsh Old Testament God.
However, Jesus did not come unilaterally or independently, He came covenantally. Listen to his words:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.
The first Christmas came about because the Holy Father, Son, and Spirit decided together that grace would be offered beside justice. The Father chose to send his Son to rescue whoever would believe and call on the name of the Lord. As a part of this plan, the Father also decided to afflict and sacrifice his dearest companion in order to redeem those who were his enemies. The Son, equal in all aspects to the Father, willingly chose to submit himself to this plan and be the Lamb of God to be slain for those who would repent and have faith. From this point in the plan, the Holy Spirit promised to become the “closer.” He would be the one to overshadow Mary, and then he would be sent according to the will of the Father and Son to call, convict, encourage, court, entice, gift, and grace the hard-hearted objects of God’s favor. Foreknowledge, foreloving, and foreordaining were the work of the Father. Atonement, redemption, and priestly intercession were the work of the Son. Effectual calling or regeneration was the work of the Spirit. The Trinity was not at odds; they were in sync. Christmas came about because the Holy Trinity agreed to a Covenant of Redemption whereby many men and women would receive mercy instead of justice.
So this Christmas season, do not fall prey to the heresy of liberal theologians. Jesus did not come to fix what was wrong with the Father. Jesus came to fix what was wrong with you and me. And he came, not on his own, but in league with the other members of the Godhead. Christmas, and your salvation, is a glorious and gracious work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Point two … tomorrow
Unfathomable Grace 