The Definition of the Incarnation of Christ

The incarnation of Christ denotes the dispensing, or addition of God into humanity (Lee, Central 84) and the mingling, the union of God with humanity (Lee, Four Steps 6). The word “mingling,” as applied here, is a key scriptural term which refers particularly to Christ in His incarnation as typified by the Old Testament meal offering. This type of Christ is described in Leviticus 2:4 as a composition of fine flour (the humanity of Christ) mingled with oil (the divinity of Christ). Thus, in the one being, Jesus Christ, the divine and human natures were, for the first time, joined in such a way as to be thoroughly and inseparably “mingled,” retaining the individual characteristics of the two natures such that a third nature was not produced (Lee, Footnotes 367-368; Webster’s). Jesus Christ, therefore, is the first God-man, “the One who is both the complete God and a perfect man, possessing the divine nature and the human nature distinctively, without a third nature being produced” (Lee, Conclusion 283).

In the entire history of mankind such a thing had never occurred. For four thousand years, God was God and man was man. Yes, man had something to do with God, and God sometimes made contact with man; yet the two remained separate. However, when Christ was [incarnated], a…wonderful event took place. A child was born, a child was called the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6). (Lee, Four Steps 6)

Christ’s marvelous incarnation thus resulted in the union of God and man: God became one with man, and man became one with God (Lee, Central 93).

To our natural understanding, the notion of God mingling Himself with man is inconceivable, yet this mysterious union was fully accomplished in the person of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the incarnation of Christ also points to the nature of the relationship God desires to have with us. God wants to unite and mingle Himself with the beings He created in His own image (Genesis 1:26). Eventually, through His complete salvation work, God will produce for Himself a counterpart that matches Himself absolutely in life, nature, mind, being, image, and glory, yet not in His incommunicable Godhead (Lee, HWMR 32).

Leviticus 2:4 And when you present an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, [it shall be] of fine flour, unleavened cakes mingled with oil or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.¹

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