Ten Reasons for Christ’s Incarnation

John Colquhoun (1748-1827) was a minister in Leith for almost forty-seven years. He authored several books. In an extract from a volume of sermons, he gives ten reasons as to why the Son of God became man.

The first reason that he gives is that the Son of God did so to fulfil the prophecies and types of the Old Testament. Colquhoun refers to several prophecies such as Isaiah’s announcement that the Saviour would be called Immanuel and Micah’s stating the place of the Messiah’s birth. None of those prophecies could have been fulfilled if the Son had not become a man. As far as typology is concerned, Colquhoun focuses on the practice of the kinsman redeemer and how it depicts what the Son did in order to recover the inheritance that we had lost in Eden, which he could not have done if he had not become incarnate.

The second reason why the Son became incarnate was so that he might be under the law and so capable of obeying and suffering in our place. He had agreed to become our Surety in the everlasting covenant, but he could not fulfil those responsibilities on behalf of his people until he added a human nature to his divine person. Those responsibilities were to live a perfect life and render satisfaction for their sins by his death. ‘He became man so that the sword of justice might have an opportunity of smiting him.’

The third reason why the Son became man was so that the honour of the divine law would be supported and the divine wisdom that devised the way of salvation would be ‘more illustriously displayed’ in the same nature that fell short of the glory of God.

The fourth reason for the Son becoming incarnate was to show his people the degree to which he loved them by becoming like them as much as was possible for him, apart from sin.

The fifth reason was so that the Son would overcome the devil in the nature in which he overcame Adam.

A sixth reason for the Son becoming a human was to provide a permanent union with his people that would ensure that they could never lose progress in holiness here and the prospect of perfect holiness hereafter.

The seventh reason for the Son becoming incarnate was to provide ‘a perfect pattern of holiness’ for his people. ‘His humanity, or our nature in him, was richly furnished with all those heavenly endowments and divinely adorned with all those spiritual graces’ that compose this pattern.

The eighth reason for the Son taking a human nature to himself was so ‘that in it he might be the heir of all things, and might secure the inheritance of his spiritual seed from a second forfeiture’.

The ninth reason why the Son of God became man was ‘so that he might have an experimental knowledge of his people’s infirmities’. ‘In consequence of his omniscience as a divine Person, his knowledge of the infirmities and trials of his people, even before his incarnation, was as exact and comprehensive as it was possible for it ever to be. But it was only in consequence of his incarnation and subjection to the sinless infirmities of human nature that it was rendered experimental, and that he could be properly said to sympathise with his people in such circumstances, from his own experience.’

The tenth reason why the Son assumed a ‘human nature was so that, in its exalted state at the right hand of God, it might be the pattern or model of that glory which will be conferred on the souls and bodies of his redeemed after the resurrection.’

Ten good reasons to think about.