If there is one truth we can say about Jesus: He was a man of faith. As a-matter-of-fact He was the essence of faith. If you can imagine what was manifested within that tiny body of the infant child - it was the fullness of faith. And faith through Jesus takes on various meanings. For example, He was in all ways tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. That's faith. From the moment of His conception He was completely human, subject to every type of temptation to sin. But Jesus remained faithful unto God.
Some people say that Jesus was completely God; so even though He may have wanted to sin, He couldn't. But Philippians 2:5-7 suggests otherwise,
"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human." (The Message)
When it was time to be born into the world to become its Savior Jesus willing set aside the privileges of deity (Godship) and depended on faith alone to sustain Him through life. For this reason we refer to Him as the Way. The followers of the early church identified themselves as the Way mainly because they were followers of the Way - meaning the life of Christ.
What is so significant about the Way. Well first, Jesus modeled the way. If He had resorted to His status with God and privileges of deity to get Him through the tough times of life, then His model for life would have had a different outcome. It would have been as if He was saying, "Depend upon the god that is in each of you - the god-of-self."
We all have the god-of-self within us - and the ultra ego that he/she is called is foolish pride. We could have said in our own defense, "If Jesus can trust in His Godship to get Him through life, then so can we, because He is the Way of Godship."
But no! Jesus modeled faith. He depended not upon His own strength. Instead He willing gave up His deity as a human being, and lived as one of us, in order to model the way of faith. And even though we think it impossible to live without sin, Jesus proved to us all that all things are possible for those who have perfect faith in God.
There is so much more to say in these thoughts about Jesus and His birth - the fact that He was conceived through a sinless process being one thought - but for now may I say: "Merry Christmas, and follow the Way of Christ - walk in faith." Jesus modeled the way of faith.
-Leo
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