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26 The second person of the Holy Trinity—the Son—took on human nature and came to the world. We describe it as "incarnation." Christmas is, simply speaking, a celebration of the Son of God becoming a human being, incarnation, for significant purposes. The Son of God incarnated for the purpose of redemption, buying sinners back from the power of Satan, evil, sin, and death. Redemption breaks the power of enslavement and gives the redeemed the inexpressible joy of liberation, salvation, and freedom. We should learn to celebrate the redemption that God the Father has brought to us in the Son and through the Holy Spirit. Moreover, God reveals Himself in and through the Son of God incarnated. Through incarnation He makes Himself known to us and demonstrates that He is Christlike. Jesus Christ reveals who God is, what God does, and what God requires of us. Jesus reveals God's character, grace, wisdom, love, righteousness, holiness, compassion, and patience. In and through Jesus Christ, we come to know God not only intellectually but also relationally and experientially. Jesus said knowing God is eternal life (John 17:3). Here knowing signifies relational and personal knowledge. When we know God personally, we enjoy eternal life. But without God's revelation of Himself, we cannot know God. There- fore, God revealed himself in Christ so we can know Him personally and relationally and enjoy Him forever and ever. Why incarnation? Jesus came to redeem and reveal. God the Son became a human being and redeemed sinners so that they may know and enjoy intimate fellowship with the triune God. Dr. Sung Wook Chung, DPhil professor of ChristiAn theology "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known." – John 1:18 Why incArnAtion? December 21