Almost no one denies that Jesus existed as a man. Even those who stand in opposition to His teachings and His church acknowledge that He lived. Jesus was a man. 

What sets believers apart is that we recognize Jesus’ humanity, as well as His divinity. Jesus is both the Son of Man and the Son of God. 

In his letter to the church in Colossae, Paul reiterated the truth of Jesus’ divinity. 

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”‭‭ Colossians‬ ‭1:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Christmas season provides us with the reminder that the Word (Jesus) became flesh. Deity put on humanity. 

Why is it so important that Jesus is the Son of God?

• It speaks to Jesus’ trustworthiness. He claimed to be the Son of God. If He wasn’t, then He would be a liar. 
• It speaks to Jesus’ sufficiency. Only a perfect, sinless sacrifice would atone for the sins of humanity. Had Jesus been merely a man, he would not have been eligible to bear our sins. 
• It speaks to Jesus’ authority. In order for Jesus to establish a new covenant with mankind, He had to be an authorized representative of both parties in that covenant – man and God. 

The litmus test of whether or not a person is a believer is not that he or she believes that Jesus was a good man, a powerful prophet, a philosophical teacher, or a compassionate miracle worker. 

The defining characteristic of a true believer is that a person believes that Jesus is God, the second Person in the Trinity – that He became one of us, that He lived the sinless life we didn’t live, that His death atoned for all sin, that His resurrection defeated death entirely and proved again that He was, is, and always will be God!

Yes, Jesus’ humanity is an essential and fundamental truth to embrace; but His divinity is what makes all the difference. The words of Charles Wesley beautifully express this truth. 

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark, the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”