On the BeliefNet Website, there is an
interesting article entitled
I don't think there is anything that an
informed Latter-day Saint (or even Evangelical or Catholic for that matter)
would disagree with. However, there is a very important point made about how
the true humanity of Jesus is forgotten or given short shrift by those within
the broad Christian spectrum (at least those who do not hold to a Socinian
Christology):
Forgetting
Jesus Was Fully Human
Too
often, as Christians, we get caught up in the deity of Jesus that we forget
about the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was born as a human being while still being
completely divine. The concept of the humanity of Jesus co-existing with His
deity is difficult for our mind’s to comprehend, but Jesus’ nature – wholly man
and wholly God – is biblical fact. There are those that reject these biblical
truths and declare that Jesus was a man, but not God. There is also the view
that Jesus was God, but not human. Both viewpoints are unbiblical and false.
The fact that Jesus was born
as a human being is important for several reasons. Galatians 4:4-5 says, “But
when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under
law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”
Only a man could be born under a law. No animal or angelic being is “under the
law.” Born under the law of God, all humans are guilty of transgressing that
law. Only a perfect human – Jesus Christ – could perfectly keep the law and
perfect fulfill the law, thereby redeeming us from that guilt. Jesus
accomplished our redemption on the cross exchanging our sin for His perfect
righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). The humanity of Jesus enables Him to relate
to us in a way the angels and animals never can. “For we do not have a high
priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has
been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin” (Hebrews
4:15).
