Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Christ Incarnate: Carol Theology


As we celebrate the Godhead come to earth, taking on the flesh of men - the Incarnation - let us consider the rich theology found in Charles Wesley's great work, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
(Charles Wesley, 1739)

1.
Hark! The herald angels sing, (Luke 2:10)
"Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, (Luke 2:14; 1:78)
God and sinners reconciled!" (2 Cor. 5:18-21; Col. 1:20-22)

Joyful, all ye nations rise, (Rev. 21:24; Haggai 2:6-7)
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" (Luke 2:10-11; Matt. 1:4-6; Micah 5:2)
Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!" (Matt. 2:2)

2.
Christ, by highest Heaven adored; (Luke 2:9-14; Rev. 5:13; Heb.1:6)
Christ the everlasting Lord; (Rev. 22:12-13)
Late in time, behold Him come, (Gal. 4:4)
Offspring of a virgin’s womb. (Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:26-38)

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; (Heb. 10:20)
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, (John 1:14; Rom. 1:3, 8:3; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:7-8; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3; Heb. 2:9-11; 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 1:7; Rev. 22:16)
Jesus our Emmanuel. (Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:23)

3.
Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6)
Hail the Sun of Righteousness! (Malachi 4:2)
Light and life to all He brings, (John 1:4, 10; John 8:12; 2 Tim. 1:10)
Ris’n with healing in His wings. (Malachi 4:2)

Mild He lays His glory by, (Phil. 2:6-8; John 17:5, 24)
Born that man no more may die. (John 11:25-26)
Born to raise the sons of earth, (1 Cor. 15:35-57)
Born to give them second birth. (John 1:13; 3:3-6; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 23; Titus 3:5)

4.
Come, Desire of nations, come, (Haggai 2:6-7)
Fix in us Thy humble home; (Eph. 3:17; Rom. 8:9)
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed, (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20)
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.

Now display Thy saving power, (Heb. 7:25)
Ruined nature now restore; (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10; Rom. 12:2)
Now in mystic union join, (Eph. 5:31-32; 1 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 6:5)
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine. (Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 2:14-16)

5.
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface, (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:22)
Stamp Thine image in its place: (Gen. 1:26-27; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:23-24)
Second Adam from above, (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:47)
Reinstate us in Thy love.

Let us Thee, though lost, regain (Phil. 3:8-11; Luke 19:10)
Thee, the Life, the inner man: (John 14:6; 1 John 5:11-12; Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 4:16; 1 Pet. 3:4)
O, to all Thyself impart, (Jer. 31:34; Habakkuk 2:14; Phil. 3:8-11)
Formed in each believing heart. (Gal. 4:19; Rom. 8:29; Eph. 4:24; Col. 1:27; 3:10)

(HT: Joyful Heart)

Friday, December 18, 2009

Having Taken, He Gave

- Having become with us the Son of Man, he has made us with himself sons of God.
- By his own descent to the earth, he has prepared our ascent to heaven.
- Having received our mortality, he has bestowed on us his immortality.
- Having undertaken our weakness, he has made us strong in his strength.
- Having submitted to our poverty, he has transferred to us his riches.
- Having taken upon himself the burden of unrighteousness with which we were oppressed, he has clothed us with his righteousness.
John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)