The Gospel of John begins straightway by introducing, our Lord as the Eternal Word [Greek, Logos]. We read, " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Same was in the beginning with God." (John 10:1, 21Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:1‑2)).
Here we get the Word as from all eternity, a separate Person standing in full relation to the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Word being Himself God, and that from all eternity with God.
A similar testimony is born to our Lord. Writing of Him as the Word of Life, we read, " For the life was manifested; and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that Eternal Life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us." (1 John 1:22(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:2)).
Now we come to an amazing statement, apart from which there can be no Christian faith. We read, " THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH." (John 10:1414I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:14).).
How surpassingly wonderful that the Eternal Word, the Son in the Unity of the Godhead, the express Image of God's Person, the Brightness of His glory (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)), should become a Man on this earth, the Revealer of the Father, the Mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:55For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1 Timothy 2:5)). With amazement we read the wonderful news, " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 10:1414I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:14)). " No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He
At this point we would like to sound one word of earnest entreaty. Believers have alas! as long as they are on this earth the flesh in them, born of sinful parents. Let us then refrain from comparing our feelings with those of our blessed Lord. How do we know what a sinless Man feels? In contrast to ourselves there was with Him no response in His sinless nature to temptation without. It is sad indeed when comparisons between our feelings and those of our blessed Lord are indulged in. Such talk is irreverent, defiling and foolish. Let us carefully refrain from such folly.
Our Lord's own testimony to His Manhood is clear and definite. We read, " When Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." (Luke 23:4646And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46)).
" My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me." (Math 26: 38).
Scripture teaches us that man possesses spirit, soul and body, and lacking one of these component parts, there could not be a man. We read, " I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess. 5:2323And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)). The writer James tells us plainly, " The body without the spirit is dead." (James 2: 26).
Scripture makes it plain that our Lord in taking Manhood to Himself took it in all its fullness—spirit, soul and body. To deny this, or weaken it, would be the complete destruction of the Christian faith.
Tamper with the Person of the Mediator, and the approach between God and man is shattered.
The fact is, if our Lord were not a Man with human spirit, soul, and body (sin apart), we have no Christ at all. We read of our Lord, " Verily, He took not on Him the nature of angels: but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." (Heb. 2:16, 1716For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:16‑17)).
Denying or not affirming that our Lord had a human spirit is not bringing " the doctrine of Christ."