In Christ Jesus, we are confronted with the indivisible union of true divinity and true humanity. He was the eternal Son of God before the foundation of the world, yet He did not remain distant. He entered time and space, taking on flesh and blood—not as a mere visitor, but as one who became fully like us. This was not a symbolic gesture. It was the fulfillment of the promise: the Seed of the Woman, the Seed of Abraham, the Seed of David. The One whom God had pledged would come.
The Necessity of Incarnation
God’s purpose was not to send a distant deliverer, but to bring many sons to glory. For this, Christ had to become like us in every respect. He took on our humanity, not to improve Himself, but to become the Captain of our salvation—qualified through suffering to lead us into glory. This was the only way for the promise to be fulfilled: the Redeemer must stand as our representative, as one of us.
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Hebrews 2:10
This is not a secondary matter. If Christ did not truly partake of our humanity, He could not lead us into glory. The entire logic of justification, sonship, and inheritance collapses if we deny the real humanity of Christ. The Incarnation is not an optional doctrine; it is the foundation of our hope.
The Glorification of Humanity in Christ
The resurrection is not merely the triumph of Christ’s divinity over death. Scripture is clear: through resurrection, His humanity is “declared to be the Son of God with power.” If He was always the Son of God, why this declaration? Because it is His humanity—our humanity—that is now uplifted, glorified, and brought into the sphere of divine sonship. The Word became flesh, and that flesh, having passed through death and resurrection, is now enthroned.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
This is not a theological curiosity. The glorification—indeed, the divinization—of Christ’s humanity is the pledge and pattern of our own destiny. He is the God-Man, the representative and Head of a new, recreated human race. He holds all authority in heaven and on earth as a man, and we are destined to share in that authority.
The Exalted Dominion of the Last Adam
Adam was given dominion over the earth, but his authority was limited and ultimately forfeited. Christ, the Last Adam, has received a dominion that surpasses all imagination. His reign is not confined to earth; it extends to heaven itself. He is seated “far above all principality and power,” and every angel is commanded to worship Him.
“Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”
Ephesians 1:21
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Hebrews 1:3
“And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”
Hebrews 1:6
This is the dominion of the God-Man. He sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high, not as a solitary figure, but as the Head of a new humanity. Angels worship Him, not only as God, but as the glorified Man who has purged our sins and secured our inheritance.
What Is Lost If We Deny This?
If we diminish or deny the real humanity and exaltation of Christ, we lose everything. Justification becomes a legal fiction, sonship a metaphor, inheritance a distant hope. The entire structure of the new covenant collapses. We are left with a Christ who cannot represent us, a salvation that cannot reach us, and a destiny that cannot include us. The finished work is emptied of its power if the God-Man is not enthroned as our Head.
Our Participation in His Reign
But the truth stands: Christ has made us kings and priests to God. We are not mere spectators; we are joint heirs, destined to reign with Him. This is not a future possibility—it is a present reality, grounded in His finished work and His glorified humanity.
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:10
Let no one rob you of this hope. Christ’s incarnation, death, resurrection, and exaltation are the foundation of your justification, your sonship, and your inheritance. Because He became like us, we will be made like Him—sharing in His life, His authority, and His eternal kingdom. This is the unshakeable promise of God, accomplished in Christ, the God-Man.
