Romans 8:3 says, “For that which the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Moreover, Romans 6:5-6 says, “For if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, indeed we will also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin as slaves.” Furthermore, verses 8-11 go on to say, “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death lords it over Him no more....So also you, reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but living to God in Christ Jesus.” These verses show us that Christ is the centrality of God.
God’s center and purpose in the universe is Christ. Although this purpose was not plainly written but hidden in a mystery, it is obvious that God’s intention and purpose is Christ. Hence, Christ is God’s centrality, God’s purpose, and God’s mystery (Col. 2:2). One day God removed the veil and showed us this mystery, the revelation of God. This revelation is Christ. This revelation is not related to religion but is of Christ. The revelation is not that if we practice religion properly, we will have no problem; rather, it is that when we are in Christ and have no problem in our relationship with Him, we truly will have no problem before God. Everything hinges not on religion but on Christ. Therefore, we must spend much time and effort to know who Christ is.
If we read the New Testament carefully, we will see that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily (v. 9). Christ is God Himself; He is God (Rom. 9:5; John 1:1). One day He became flesh and came into the midst of mankind, yet within Him was the very God. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ. The Bible speaks much concerning this. We cannot find God or possess God outside of Christ. All that God has is in Christ. Who is Christ? Christ is God’s dwelling place. Moreover, the Bible also reveals to us that when God was incarnated, He put on the flesh. Christ is God, but one day He came to the earth and put on humanity. This is the Word becoming flesh (John 1:14). The Word is God, and flesh is man. Also, Romans 8:3 tells us that when Christ was sent to the earth, He became flesh; that is, He came in the likeness of the body of sin, the likeness of the flesh of sin. When the Lord Jesus became flesh, He put on the body of sin, the flesh of sin. In other words, He was God putting on humanity.
Christ was the incarnated God; He was God putting on the flesh. In Him one could meet God, and in Him one could also meet man. Everything of God was in Him, and everything of man was upon Him. He was the mingling of God and man. Everything of God dwelt in Him, and everything of man hung upon Him. Hence, in Him was God’s fullness, God’s glory, God’s life, God’s nature, and everything of God. At the same time, He also put on the flesh of man. Hence, man’s weakness, man’s body of sin, and everything of man were upon Him. Even though He put on man outwardly, inwardly He was without sin (2 Cor. 5:21). Although He did not have the sins of the flesh, He did have the likeness of the flesh of sin. All the problems of man were put on Him. When He was on earth, outwardly He was the same as all men. But on the day that He went up to a high mountain and the God of glory was manifested from within Him, Peter, James, and John saw in Him the glory of God (Matt. 17:1-2). Therefore, we all should be very clear that Christ was the God of glory putting on humanity. Everything of God was in Him, and everything of man was upon Him. He was God yet man.
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