Born to Die -

'But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.'

- Galatians 4:4-5

'God willed Christ to be our Savior. ...The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took a human body in order that He might die for our salvation.'

- James Boice, The Christ of Christmas, p. 14

'If there is no incarnation, there is no union with the Son or with the Father, and no regeneration - and no salvation.'

- John Piper, Finally Alive, p. 72

'Every human being longs for a savior of some type. We look for someone or something that will solve our problems, ease our pain, or grant the most elusive goal of all, happiness. From the pursuit of success in business to the discovery of a perfect mate or friend, we make our search.' 

- R.C. Sproul, The Glory of Christ, p. 18 

This time of year our thoughts are turned to the birth of Christ. We rejoice in God becoming a man. We are enamored and mystified by the stories of angels, cattle stalls, stars, and wise men. But there is more at stake in our remembering the birth at Christ than the celebration of His birthday, for the fact of the matter is there is no salvation without the Incarnation. Jesus was born to die. Jesus was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world was laid. In other words, it was God's will to crush Him from the beginning; this is the brutal, but marvelous and incomparable way that salvation has been brought to God's people. In the glorious revelation of the gospel God sent Christ as the atoning sacrifice for sins, at just the right time, under the demand of the law, and as the Passover Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Christmas points to Good Friday and Good Friday points to Easter; the manger inevitably leads to the Cross. As a result of the Incarnation were are united to Christ in His life, death, and resurrection. We are joined to Him really and truly. His sinless life as the God-man is ours. His atoning death as the God-man is ours. And His resurrection as the God-man is ours. During this Christmas season remember that without the Incarnation there is no salvation.

-DJM