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Introduction
Christianity teaches that Jesus was in fact God on Earth. His title, the Son of God indicates his dual nature - that he is a human and yet God at the same time (thus one person of the Holy Trinity). This belief is called the Incarnation.
Incarnation
The Incarnation is the idea that God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. What this means is that Christians believe that Jesus was fully human - experiencing life, emotions, and suffering like any person - but at the same time fully divine, being truly God.
One of the most important Bible passages that relate to the Incarnation is found in John’s Gospel. John begins ...
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1)
This passage asserts that the “Word” (Greek: Logos) is God. John continues,
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." (John 1)
Here, John makes a clear connection between God and Jesus. Jesus is the Word made flesh - God taking on human form and living on Earth. Through the Incarnation, Christians believe that God fully entered human experience, showing his love, teaching, and offering salvation in a way that humans can relate to.
Jesus as human
As a human being, Jesus felt our emotions. This is especially seen during the last hours of his life leadning up to his crucifixion. This is evidenced In the Garden of Gethsemane,
Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26)
This moment shows that Jesus truly shared in human suffering, experiencing anxiety, grief, and the weight of what was to come. It demonstrates his humanity and makes him relatable to believers, showing that God understands human pain. At the same time, his willingness to accept God’s plan reflects his divinity, combining perfect human emotion with divine obedience and love.
Jesus as God
As a divine being, Jesus was able to perform miracles that ordinary humans cannot. For example, he raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11), showing power over life and death.
This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ divine nature - that he was truly God in human form - and shows his authority over the natural world. It also reveals his compassion, as he wept for Lazarus and his family before performing the miracle, combining divine power with human emotion. For Christians, miracles like this confirm that Jesus is the Son of God and strengthen faith in his teachings and promises.
The most significant miracle is Jesus’ own resurrection, which is central to Christian belief. After his crucifixion, Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, as described in the Gospels,
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” (Matthew 28)
The resurrection shows Jesus’ divine power over death and confirms his identity as the Son of God. It is also the foundation of the Christian hope in eternal life - because Jesus was raised from the dead, Christians believe that they too can be saved and share in eternal life with God. For believers, the resurrection demonstrates God’s love, reinforces faith in Jesus’ teachings, and reassures them of the promise of salvation.