Reflections
Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Phil. 2:6-8)
Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. But He entered into this world from the outside through the womb of Mary and became God Incarnate. The name by which He referred to Himself as, “God become man,” was, “The Son of Man.” Of course, the Son of Man is also the Son of God – one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man. “For in him dwelt all the fullness of Godhood bodily.” (Col. 2:9)
The Son of Man is also referred to as The Last Adam. (I Cor. 15:45) These names accent the humanity of Christ but also point us to the reason He had to become a human being. Jesus became The Last Adam in order to live a sinless life to God’s glory, and thus bring to a fullness and a consummation all that God originally wanted in the Adam race. Then, once that was accomplished, He presented Himself as the perfect man – the Lamb without blemish – to bear the sin of the Adam race — indeed, to bear the Adam race collectively — on the Cross. Thus, when Jesus died on the Cross, the Adam race died IN HIM. His death ENDED the Adam race – that is why He is called The Last Adam. Through His resurrection, God began a NEW creation – a NEW race.