THE CHILD AND THE SON

 

Today the minds of men throughout the world are focused on the birth of the holy child, Jesus. My heart is delighted that, at least once in the year, the world is constrained to remember the advent of our Lord. But let us never forget that the virgin's infant, in the manger at Bethlehem, is himself God the Eternal Son.

The Prophet Isaiah stated the doctrine of the incarnation with the perfect accuracy of infallible inspiration, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given." Mary was not the mother of God! She was the mother of our Lord's sacred humanity. As a man, Jesus Christ was born. But as a Son, the Son of God, he was given. It was not possible that the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father should be born. But God gave us his Son in the birth of the virgin's child, "God was manifest in the flesh." This is the incarnation, the Son of God took upon himself an inseparable union with humanity. Jesus Christ is the God-man, God and man in one glorious person. Thus he has become our Redeemer and our King.