Passage: Galatians 4:4-5
Second Article - Creation
And in Jesus Christ…
What does this mean? I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man
...
In one brief paragraph, the redemptive narrative of Christ is told. Following creation, sin entered our world and broke the relationship between humanity and God, and within mankind. But, from the very beginning, God had a plan. Paul notes in Galatians 4:4-5 that “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.” The Father knew just when to take action and send Jesus to live the perfect life that we were not able to.
The creed grounds the story of redemption historically. Pilate is specifically mentioned, placing this story at a particular time in history. Christ died at a particular place and a particular time. Our salvation was won on a hill outside of Jerusalem two millennia ago. This historical grounding is used to help us have confidence that our faith does not hang in mid-air.
Paul compares and contrasts Jesus with Adam when he writes “For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) We could not be obedient in order to save ourselves. Therefore Christ’s obedience is applied to us all.
Jesus entered into creation, becoming one of us, experiencing life as one of us. Christ willingly set aside the glory of His divinity, in order to redeem us and restore us to a right relationship with the Father. Jesus felt the pain of separation from the Father so that we would not have to face the ultimate punishment for our sin.
Thoughts for Reflection
Why is it important to keep in mind both the humanity and the divinity of Jesus Christ?