The Incarnation Flashcards
1
Q
What does incarnation mean?
A
The belief that God took human form in Jesus
2
Q
What does Virgin birth mean?
A
The belief that Jesus was not conceived through sex.
3
Q
Why is the virgin birth an important belief?
A
If Jesus was conceived by sex, then he would be a normal human, not God.
4
Q
What is the biblical basis for the incarnation?
A
- Matthew’s Gospel says Mary’s husband-to-be Joseph, was told that Mary had conceived through an angel, married Mary and Jesus was born in Bethlehem. King Herod saw him as a threat, they escaped and returned to Nazareth after he died.
- Luke’s Gospel says Mary was visited by angel, she and Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a census, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the family returned to Nazareth.
5
Q
Why is the incarnation significant?
A
- Shows God’s love because he sent his son to show humans how to live.
- It is the basis of Christian faith: without the incarnation of Jesus there would be no Christianity.
- In Jesus, humans can see what God is like.
- Through the incarnation, God began the process of salvation from sin, making it possible for humans to have a full relationship with God.
6
Q
Name a SOWAA to support the incarnation.
A
John’s Gospel says that Jesus was the Word made flesh.
7
Q
What are some arguments for Jesus being God’s incarnate?
A
- Jesus had a virgin birth, only God could be born of a virgin.
- Jesus performed miracles, like stilling a storm.
- Jesus rose from the dead.
- It is the teachings of all the Christian Churches.
8
Q
What are some arguments against Jesus being God’s incarnate?
A
- The only evidence for the incarnation is the Bible and there’s no reason to believe that the Bible is the truth.
- Accounts in Luke and Mathhew contradict each other.
- A human requires male and female genes, so if Jesus was a human, where did his male genes come from.
- God is supposed to be an infinite being, but Jesus was a finite being, meaning that Jesus could not be God.
