The PursueGOD Truth Podcast

WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO BECOME HUMAN? (CHRISTOLOGY 2)
Last week, we began our journey through Hebrews by focusing on Christ’s divine nature. In just four verses, we saw that Jesus is the agent, purpose, sustainer, and ruler of creation. He is fully God—uncreated, eternal, and the exact expression of God’s nature. That was a lot of theology packed into a small space.
Today we slow down and move to Christology part two: Jesus’ human nature. This raises a crucial question for Christians then and now: Why did Jesus have to become human?
The theological term for this is the incarnation—the central Christian belief that the eternal Son of God took on human nature in the person of Jesus Christ. Importantly, Jesus did not stop being God when He came to earth. He retained His divine nature and added a fully human nature. This means Jesus is one person with two distinct natures: fully God and fully man. No other being in the universe exists like this.
While on earth, Jesus didn’t “turn off” His divine power. Instead, He chose not to exercise His divine attributes independently. He lived in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. The early church called this mystery the hypostatic union. It’s deep theology, but the book of Hebrews doesn’t present it as abstract theory. It presents it as good news.
Let’s slow down and read our passage for the day:
Hebrews 2:14–18 (NLT)
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying…
From this passage, Hebrews gives us seven reasons Jesus had to become human.
First, Jesus became human because we are human. Since God’s children are flesh and blood, the Son also became flesh and blood. Only a human could represent the human race before God. To save humanity, the Savior had to belong to humanity. In God’s courtroom of justice, Jesus stands as our representative—one who truly understands our condition.
Second, Jesus became human so He could die. Death is the penalty for sin, established by God from the beginning. This is the great paradox of the gospel: the Author of life became mortal. If Jesus had remained only divine, He could not have died—and if He could not die, we could not overcome death. Hebrews later reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.
Third, Jesus became human so He could break the power of the devil. Hebrews says that through death, Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death. Satan once held the authority to accuse humanity and hold eternal separation over our heads. Notice the tense—had the power of death. Through the cross, that authority was broken.
Fourth, Jesus became human to set us free from the fear of death. Death is still inevitable, but it no longer has the final word. In the ancient world, death was a constant companion, and fear of it shaped daily life. The Christian hope of resurrection transformed everything. As Paul later declared, “O death, where is your victory?” Christians don’t have to live as slaves to fear anymore.
Fifth, Jesus became human so He could be our high priest. A priest bridges the gap between a holy God and broken people. Jesus had to be made like us in every respect to fulfill this role. He is merciful toward our weakness and faithful toward God’s holiness. Hebrews will return to this theme again and again.
Sixth, Jesus became human so He could be our sacrifice. In the Old Testament, priests offered animals. In the New Covenant, the Priest is the sacrifice. This is the ultimate power move of grace: Jesus offered Himself to take away the...

In this episode, Tracy unpacks the idea of a time budget and challenges us to take an honest look at how we spend our time and what it reveals about our true priorities. By examining our daily routines, she invites us to align our schedules with what we say matters most—especially our relationship with God.
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The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.
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What Your Time Says About What You Truly Care About
Overview
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. How we spend those hours tells a powerful story—one that reveals our true priorities, passions, and commitments. It’s easy to say we value certain things—faith, family, health—but when we step back and take an honest look at how we actually spend our time, the truth becomes clear. Are we really living according to the values we claim to hold dear?
Time Is the Ultimate Indicator of Priority
Think about it: if someone tracked your daily routine for a week, what would they discover? Maybe they’d find that your evenings are filled with sports practices, Netflix binges, or endless scrolling on your phone. Church attendance or involvement might fall down the list with sports tourneys for the kids, camping on the weekends or other vacations. Maybe work consumes your days and fatigue takes your nights. None of these are inherently bad—but when they take up the bulk of our time, we have to ask: What’s being left out?
From Habits of the Household — Justin Whitmel Earley
“Moments aggregate, and they become memories and tradition. Our routines become who we are, become the story and culture of our families.
“Think of it like this: when it comes to spiritual formation, our households are not simply products of what we teach and say. They are much more products of what we practice and do.” These habits of the household are giving our children windows into what we mean when we talk about faith.
“The liturgical lens allows us to see all of our normal moments for what they really are: moments of worship to someone or something.”
The Time Budget Exercise
One of the most eye-opening exercises you can do is create a "time budget". Just like a financial budget shows you where your money goes, a time budget breaks down how you spend the 168 hours in your week. Include everything: sleep, work, meals, commutes, entertainment, family time, exercise, screen time—and yes, time with God.
Take time to do a time breakdown of a month. Think of all that you do in a day and in a week.
What Does Your Time Budget Reveal?
Once you've created your time budget, take a step back and look at it. Ask yourself:
What gets the most hours?
What gets squeezed in?
What gets neglected entirely?
And most importantly: Where does God fit in your...

While the Bible depicts the devil as a formidable and active force in our world, his authority is far from absolute. Often misunderstood as an equal opposite to God, the devil is actually a created being whose influence is strictly bound by divine permission. His "power" is less about brute force and more about the strategic use of deception, accusation, and the exploitation of human fear. This episode explores the specific nature of his influence—often described as the "god of this world"—while highlighting the ultimate victory that renders him a defeated foe for those who stand in the truth of Christ.
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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].
Donate Now
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The Ruler of a Fallen World
The devil is frequently referred to as the "ruler of this world" or the "god of this age." This doesn't imply legal ownership of the earth, but rather a pervasive influence over its current systems and spiritual darkness.
Atmospheric Influence: He works through human culture and philosophies to nudge people toward rebellion.
Spiritual Hierarchy: While not omnipresent (like God), he leads a structure of spiritual forces aimed at clouding human judgment.
Temporary Authority: His "rule" is a result of humanity's original fall and remains only as long as God allows it for His greater purposes.

The Strategy of Deception
The devil’s most potent weapon isn't physical; it is misinformation. By masquerading as an "angel of light," he twists truth to create mental strongholds.
The Father of Lies: Deception is his native language. He seeks to make good look evil and evil look good.
The Accuser: He uses our failures to convince us we are beyond God’s grace, effectively sidelining our faith through guilt.
Mental Strongholds: By planting seeds of doubt regarding God's goodness, he leads individuals into spiritual bondage.

"He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." — John 8:44Breaking the Power of Death
Historically, the devil used the fear of death as a chain to keep humanity in slavery. Because sin leads to death, he used human guilt as a legal claim.
The Great Disarming: Through the incarnation and resurrection,...

In this episode, Brandi and AJ share how unanswered questions, painful discovery, and an honest search for truth led them from “grinding for godhood” in Mormonism to encountering the real Jesus of the Bible.
Check out Brandi's Book: The Journey to Jesus: Finding Christ after Leaving Mormonism
Brandi's Instagram
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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.
Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.
Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.
Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.
Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].
Donate Now
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Brandi and AJ’s Story: Mormon to Atheist to Christian
Brandi and AJ were doing everything “right.” They were BYU grads, married, building a life, raising kids, and fully committed to the LDS vision of a faithful future. AJ describes it like “grinding for godhood”—a life built on steps, worthiness, temple goals, and constant striving. But then the foundation started to crack.
For AJ, some of the doctrinal history raised unsettling questions (including ideas like “blood atonement,” which they mention they’ll unpack later). For Brandi, the tipping point was watching changes in the LDS church after COVID and feeling like the church was shifting in a more progressive direction. She tried to address it the way a devoted member would: she wrote letters to Salt Lake City headquarters about what she saw as inconsistency—especially related to abortion and human life. She wasn’t trying to tear anything down. She genuinely believed the LDS church was true, and she wanted it to be consistent.
But the response felt dismissive—more like a polite pat on the head than a meaningful engagement. That frustration pushed them into a place they never thought they’d go: researching.
Looking for answers… without wanting to “deconstruct”
Brandi makes an important clarification: they weren’t hunting for “gotcha” moments. They didn’t go searching because they assumed the church was false. In fact, they needed it to be true. That’s why reading outside sources felt dangerous. AJ describes that fear as avoiding the “cognitive dissonance fire”—because their hearts were convinced, and they didn’t want their minds persuaded that everything was a lie.
But once they started reading, the “genie” didn’t go back in the bottle.
They looked at sources like MormonThink because it included multiple perspectives—both critical claims and apologetic responses. That felt more balanced. Still, it wasn’t official, and Brandi felt guilty even being there. Eventually, as more historical issues piled up (like multiple First Vision...

The Seven Attributes of Jesus (Christology 1)
Big Idea: Jesus Christ is not just a chapter in the story of God; He is the Author, the Hero, and the Ending. When we see Jesus for who He truly is, every other priority in our lives finds its proper place.
Today we begin a nine-week journey through the Book of Hebrews, a letter written to magnify the greatness of Jesus Christ. Hebrews isn’t primarily about religious rules, moral improvement, or spiritual techniques. It’s about Jesus—who He is and what He has done. Everything else flows from that foundation.
The original audience was likely Jewish Christians living under Roman rule, facing intense persecution. As pressure mounted, many were tempted to abandon their faith in Jesus and return to the familiarity and safety of traditional Judaism. Hebrews speaks directly into that tension with one clear message: Jesus is greater than anyone or anything that came before Him. To walk away from Him would be to walk away from the fulfillment of all God’s promises.
The author of Hebrews remains anonymous, one of the great mysteries of the New Testament. While Paul may have influenced it, the writing style is far more polished and rhetorically sophisticated than Paul’s letters. Hebrews chapter 1 proves this immediately. Verses 1–4 form a single, majestic sentence in the original Greek—an exordium, designed to grab attention with both beauty and weight.
Hebrews 1:1–4 (NLT) sets the stage:
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son…”In the Old Testament, God spoke in fragments—a dream here, a burning bush there, a prophet’s warning along the way. But in Jesus, God didn’t just send messages; He sent the Message. This is Christology—the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ—and Hebrews wastes no time getting to the point.
In verses 2–3, the author unleashes a rapid-fire description of Jesus using seven distinct attributes. In Scripture, the number seven represents completeness and perfection. Together, these form a full portrait of the Son.
Jesus is the Heir—the goal of history. God has promised everything to Him as an inheritance. History is not random; it is moving toward the coronation of King Jesus. He is the “why” behind all creation.
Jesus is the Creator—the architect of reality. Through Him, God made the universe. Jesus is not a created being; He is the source of all things. Nothing exists apart from His will.
Jesus is the Radiance—the shining glory of God. He doesn’t merely reflect God’s glory like the moon reflects sunlight; He radiates it. The Son is the visible manifestation of the invisible God—“Light from Light.”
Jesus is the Expression—the exact imprint of God’s nature. The Greek word charaktēr refers to a stamp or seal. Jesus doesn’t resemble God; He perfectly represents Him. To see Jesus is to see God.
Jesus is the Sustainer—the glue of the cosmos. He holds everything together by the power of His word. The universe doesn’t persist on autopilot; it endures because Jesus commands it to.
Jesus is the Savior—the cleanser of sin. When He purified us from our sins, the work was finished. Unlike Old Testament priests who never sat down, Jesus completed the work once for all.
Finally, Jesus is the Ruler—the seated King. He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, a position of total authority. The victory is won.
Hebrews 1:4 reminds us that Jesus is far greater than angels, traditions, or anything else we might be tempted to trust. For believers facing hardship, this truth re-centers everything.
The message of Hebrews is clear:...