It is not true at all that dogma [doctrine] is “hopelessly irrelevant” to the life and thought of the average man. What is true is that ministers of the Christian religion often assert that it is [irrelevant], present it for consideration as though it were, and, in fact, by their faulty exposition of it make it so. The central dogma of the Incarnation is that by which relevance stands or falls. If Christ was only man, then He is entirely irrelevant to any thought about God; if He is only God, then He is entirely irrelevant to any experience of human life. It is, in the strictest sense, necessary to the salvation of relevance that a man should believe rightly the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Unless he believes rightly, there is not the faintest reason why he should believe at all. And in that case, it is wholly irrelevant to chatter about “Christian principles.”

Dorothy Sayers, Creed or Chaos?

As followers of Christ we are usually more than ready to agree with the statement, “Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man,” just as Christians have believed for 2000 years. Yet when it is asked what that means or how that can be, more often than not the response is a blank stare or “You’re just supposed to believe it!”

Yet, according to Sayers, this belief is foundational to the relevance of the Christian faith. In terms used prominently in Hebrews, this speaks to Jesus’ high priesthood. Being God he is able to reveal God himself to humanity. At the same time, he understands fully what it means to be a human being, having experienced what we experience. Consequently, he is in the unique position of interceding for us with God.

Now, as Christians we will be quick to raise our hands and acknowledge belief in the incarnation, but does this belief genuinely inform our thinking and our actions? For example, take our common understanding of Jesus’ words, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” How willing are we to admit that Jesus demands everything? “Well, Jesus really means that we should be ready to sacrifice for him,” is the much preferred interpretation. “C’mon, I mean really, Jesus was God! I certainly can’t be expected to do what he did.”

Yet, when this is our response, we not only attempt to rationalize our own sinful behavior, but we also diminish Jesus’ true experience as a human being. Consequently, his obedience was no big deal because he is divine.

Do you think Sayers is right? If so, how else should our belief in the full humanity and deity of Christ affect our daily lives?

Pastor Dave