The main theological topic addressed in Don Fortner's article, "The Glorious Humanity of Our Lord Jesus Christ," is the incarnation of Christ and the preparation of His human nature as part of God's eternal covenant of grace. Fortner argues that Christ's human body and soul were not eternal but were divinely prepared by God from eternity, highlighting that the incarnation was part of God's redemptive plan established before creation. He supports this argument using Scripture passages such as Hebrews 10:5, Psalm 139:13-16, Genesis 1:27, and Ephesians 1:3-4, which underscore the necessity of a prepared body for Christ as the Mediator and the surety of salvation for the elect. The doctrinal significance of the article lies in affirming the Reformed understanding of God's sovereignty in salvation and the intimate connection between Christ's humanity, the church as His body, and the fulfillment of redemptive history.
Key Quotes
“A body was prepared for the Son of God in eternity in the everlasting covenant of grace.”
“The incarnation of our Savior has always been the purpose of God.”
“The church of God is the fulness of Christ as his mediatorial body.”
“The salvation of that elect body is as sure and certain as the exaltation and glory of Christ himself.”
What does the Bible say about the humanity of Jesus Christ?
The Bible reveals that Jesus Christ's humanity was prepared by God as part of the covenant of grace, emphasizing His role as both fully God and fully man.
The Scriptures affirm that the incarnation was a deliberate act of God’s sovereignty, as seen in Psalm 139:13-16. Here, the formation of Christ's body points to the profound mystery of the Trinity and the union of divine and human natures in Jesus. This reality underscores the importance of Christ’s humanity for our salvation, as He fulfilled all righteousness on behalf of His elect. His mediatorial work relies on His being fully man to represent us before God, making His humanity not only significant theologically but essential for the completeness of our salvation.
Hebrews 10:5, Psalm 139:13-16, Genesis 1:27, Hebrews 1:3, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 1:3-4, Romans 3:24-26, Job 33:24, Ezekiel 16:62-63
How do we know the incarnation is true?
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is affirmed through Scripture, particularly in the context of God’s overarching plan of redemption.
Furthermore, God's promise of incarnation can be traced back to His creation of humanity in Genesis 1:27, where man is made in God’s image. This foreshadows the coming of Jesus, the 'express image' of God (Hebrews 1:3). As such, the certainty of the incarnation is rooted in God’s sovereign plan. The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 1:3-4, further clarifies that our election in Christ was settled before the world's foundation, affirming that the doctrine of the incarnation is both prophetic and fulfilled in the person of Jesus. The divine and human natures of Christ are foundational for understanding His mediatorial work and the certainty of our salvation.
Hebrews 10:5, Genesis 1:27, Hebrews 1:3, Ephesians 1:3-4
Why is the incarnation of Christ important for Christians?
The incarnation is vital for Christians as it guarantees our redemption and ensures Christ's role as our Mediator and representative before God.
Furthermore, the Word becoming flesh not only affirms Christ's full humanity but also His ability to empathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). As both God and man, Christ acts as our federal head, securing our justification and righteousness. His incarnation makes the doctrine of salvation accessible, as He partakes in our nature and redeems us by His obedience and sacrifice. This profound truth encourages believers that their salvation is sure because it rests on the dual nature of Christ, fully divine yet fully human, enabling Him to bridge the gap between man and God.
Hebrews 10:5, Hebrews 4:15, Romans 3:24-26
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: hast...: Or, thou hast fitted me - Hebrews 10:5The Glorious Humanity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
“Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” Hebrews 10:5
A body was prepared for the Son of God in eternity, in the everlasting covenant of grace. Our Savior was not a man before he came into this world. Neither his human body nor his human soul is eternal. Yet, his human nature was prepared by God in predestination, in the arrangements of the covenant of grace, before the world began (Ps. 139:13-16). The incarnation of our Savior has always been the purpose of God. When the Lord God made Adam in his own image and likeness (Gen. 1:27), he had in mind's eye that Man who, in the fulness of time would come, who would be "the express image of his person" (Heb. 1:3).
These words also reveal the sure salvation of God’s elect. As the Lord God prepared a physical body for our Lord Jesus Christ, in which he fulfilled all righteousness and accomplished eternal redemption as the federal Head and Representative of his elect, he has also prepared a spiritual, mystical body for his Son as the Mediator of his elect and the Surety of the covenant. The church of God is the fulness of Christ as his mediatorial body (Eph. 1:22-23). As God, Jesus Christ needs us for nothing. But as the Mediator, Christ must have all his elect, every member of the church, which is his body, that he may be complete and full in his mediatorial glory. In order that Christ may enjoy the fulness of his glory as the Mediator of the covenant, a body of elect sinners has been prepared for him from eternity.
The Lord God prepared a body for his Son in eternal election. All the elect were chosen in Christ to be his body before the world began (Eph. 1:3-4). Christ was chosen to be our Head. And we were chosen in him. And the salvation of that elect body is as sure and certain as the exaltation and glory of Christ himself.
This body has been prepared for Christ by the satisfaction of divine justice (Rom. 3:24-26). God’s chosen ones, before they could be brought into union with his Son, must be both redeemed from all sin and made perfectly righteous before the law. It is true, Christ himself has made us righteous and redeemed us to God by his own obedience and death. But the scheme of redemption was devised by the Triune God, for the glory of Christ, that he might have a body of redeemed sinners for his praise (Job 33:24; Ezek. 16:62-63).
And the church is a body prepared and made ready for Christ by God the Holy Spirit in regenerating grace (Eph. 1:20-23). In divine regeneration the Spirit of God gives each of God’s elect, those men and women redeemed by Christ, a new, holy, righteous nature. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us in justification. The righteousness of Christ, his righteous nature, is imparted to us in regeneration. By making us righteous, sanctified, giving us to be partakers of the divine nature, God makes us a body prepared for Jesus Christ, his dear Son.
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