He Who Was Manifested in the Flesh

He Who Was Manifested in the Flesh

Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh for our salvation is a great mystery of godliness. 1 Tim. 3:16. Therefore only those who are wholeheartedly surrendered to God are acquainted with it.

This is the essence of salvation—that One with flesh and blood like ours was obedient to God and kept His commandments, and yet suffered death according to the flesh. The just suffered for the unjust and has therefore the right and the power to justify the unjust, which He does with those who believe in Him.

The actual work that Jesus did and which He had to do in order to present us with a just salvation is only understood by the fewest of those who have benefited from it.

It is of great benefit to comprehend this work, precisely because we have been called to follow in the steps of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was born into mankind of the seed of David in order to take up the battle against sin in the flesh, which He had inherited from the fathers. He did this, and He overcame it. He was tempted in all points as we are; yet He overcame and did not commit sin.

The fact that Jesus had flesh and blood like ours is plainly evident in many ways. In fact, He had to have it; otherwise there would be no righteous foundation for our salvation.

That He had flesh and blood is evident from these straightforward and plain words of Scripture: “Born of a woman . . . .” Gal. 4:4. It was a natural birth. A woman became pregnant and “brought forth her . . . Son.” Luke 2:7. Therefore He is also called “The Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 2:5.

Only the conception was super-natural, by the Holy Spirit. Therefore He is also called “the Son of God with power . . . who is over all . . . .”

“Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead . . . .” Rom. 1:3-4. “And from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all . . . .” Rom. 9:5.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that . . . .” Heb. 2:14.

“Therefore in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that . . . .” Heb. 2:17. This is quite simple and straightforward.

Some people have said that Jesus had flesh and blood like Adam before the Fall. This cannot be so, for Jesus was tried; He labored and toiled in the sweat of His face and suffered death in the end. However, Adam was not acquainted with any of this until after the Fall!

People think of someone angel-like, but that doesn’t fit either because He did not die for angels but for us.

One translation of Hebrews 2:16 reads as follows: “Indeed, He did not assume the nature of angels, but He assumed the seed of Abraham.” And this agrees with the promise to Abraham.

Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Heb. 4:15. If He did not have flesh and blood like we do, then He was not tempted in anything like we are tempted! According to this scripture, He must have been tempted in all points as we are. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” Jas. 1:14. And He suffered, being tempted. Heb. 2:18. He was made to be sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21) precisely because He had received a body of sin.

“He will appear a second time, apart from sin . . . .” Heb. 9:28. This says indirectly that the first time He appeared with sin, with sin in the flesh, the very sin that God condemned and which He overcame by denying Himself! “He condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3), that is to say, in Jesus’ flesh! Thus it is written, “By a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” Heb. 10:20.

This is precisely the great work that was finished when He Himself said “It is finished!” as He hung, nailed to a cross, and was reckoned among transgressors, even though that was precisely what He was not. He had never transgressed! He never committed sin despite the fact that He was sorely tempted as we are!

Jesus said: “Not My will, but Yours, be done.” But Yours! What kind of “My will” was this? It was the very will He had according to the flesh, the will which He denied in that He suffered!

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” I suffer while I deny myself in temptation and die to sin. And this is how I also by faith cease from sin as this work progresses.

In Hebrews 5:7-9 it is written about Jesus: “Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”

When Jesus, point for point, had overcome all the wretchedness that is in a human being, then what He had come to do was finished, and the veil in the temple was rent so that a way was made through it into the Holiest.

The veil was a symbol of His flesh. This way is open today. Hallelujah!

Peace be upon the Israel of God according to the Spirit, and upon everyone who follows in the steps of Jesus Christ.