Have you ever heard someone say that God cannot be real because His existence does not make sense? Most likely that person could have been referring to attributes of God such as existing as the Trinity or as Jesus being both man and God.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ was at one point in time man, but was in every time in humanity God. He was never just completely God because that would invalidate His life, ministry and sacrifice. However, He was never only just man either because Jesus has always and will always will be Lord and Savior.
The concept of seeing Jesus as both man and God can be hard to completely comprehend, but it is a non-negotiable in our faith. A Christian who cannot embrace Jesus as being once born as man but existing in every point in time as God will never be at peace in his view of Elohim -- God over all things.
Why is it important to see Jesus as both God and man, and why can't we just consider Him to be one and not the other?
Jesus's mortality sets a moral example
Jesus is the ultimate example to follow for all Christians. Jesus never commanded us to follow the example of the apostles or the saints. He commanded us to follow His example. And He wasn't saying that as an almighty deity who did not experience what we experience but as a man who went hungry, got tired and got tempted just like us.
Although we can never be truly like Jesus, we can be assured that we will progressively experience His victories over temptations because He was once man like us, but was able to say no to sin.
Jesus' mortality exemplifies His humility
Philippians 2:5-7 tells us, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."
Jesus's mortality sets Him apart from any other because it was the greatest act of humility that the world will ever know. Because Jesus was God who came down as man, we are assured that we serve a God who isn't just power hungry and authoritative, but who is also loving and compassionate bearing all pain and agony for us.
Jesus's immortality imposes His authority
Although Jesus was once man, He has always been God. It was because He is God that hell could not swallow Him whole. It was because He is God that His sacrifice is more than sufficient to wipe away every sin of those who believe. It is because He is God that we can put our complete faith and trust in Him, calling Him our Lord and our God.
