Christology

OUR BELIEFS ABOUT JESUS

We believe that Jesus is the eternal divine son of God. He chose voluntarily to be made in human likeness and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Although he lived a sinless life, he allowed himself to be executed by crucifixion. His death paid the penalty for the offenses of mankind against God. However, as prophesied, he rose from the dead three days after his execution. After appearing to witnesses on a number of occasions for forty days, he ascended into heaven where he now serves as the mediator between God and man. We believe, that at the end of time, he will again visibly return to Earth to complete his eternal plan.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

Fully Human

The Virgin Birth

Matthew 1:18, 20 “18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit...20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

Shows us that salvation is ultimately from the Lord.

Gen 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Gal 4:4-5 “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”

Made it possible for the uniting of a fully divine and fully human person

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Made it possible for Christ to have true humanity without the inherited sin.

Luke 1:35"So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Jesus had a human body just like ours.

Luke 2:7 “and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

Luke 2:40 “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Human Limitations

He was tired (John 4:6 “Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.”)

He was thirsty (John 19:28 “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’”)

He was hungry (Matthew 4:2 “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”)

He was experienced physical weakness (Luke 23:26 “As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.”)

He was died (Luke 23:46 “Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.”)

Resurrected in a human body

Luke 24:39 “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Luke 24:42-43 “They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.”

Ascended in that human body

Acts 1:9 “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”

Jesus had a human mind

Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Heb 5:8 “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered”

Mark 13:32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Jesus had a human soul and emotions

John 12:27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.”

John 13:21 “After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’”

Matthew 26:38 “Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’”

Matthew 8:10 “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

Heb 5:7 “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”

Heb 5:8-9 “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”

Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

People saw him as only a man

Matt 13:53-58 “When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”

Matt 13:55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?”

Mark 6:3 “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.”

John 7:5 “For even his own brothers did not believe in him.”

Despite being fully human, Jesus was sinless

Luke 2:40 “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

Luke 4:13 “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”

John 8:46 “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?”

John 8:12,29 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life...The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’”

John 15:10 “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

John 18:38 “‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him.’”

Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

Despite being sinless, Jesus could have sinned

Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

James 1:13 “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone...” (His divine nature could not be tempted, but his human nature clearly was.)

Being fully human was necessary

For representative obedience (parallels in Jesus' wilderness temptations and Adam and Eves)

Romans 5:18-19 “Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

First Adam and a second Adam

1 Cor 15:45,47“So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit...The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven.”

Substitutive sacrifice

Hebrews 2:16-17 “For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

To be the One mediator betwen God and men

1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,”

To fulfill God's original purpose for man to rule over creation

Hebrews 2:8-9 “and put everything under their feet.”, In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Eph 1:22 “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,”

Rev 3:21 “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

To be our example and pattern in life

1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

2 Cor 3:18 “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

1 Peter 2:21 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

Rom 8:29 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Heb 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

To be a pattern for our redeemed bodies

1 Cor 15:42-44 “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”

Col 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

To sympathize as our High Priest

Heb 2:18 “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Heb 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Jesus will be a man forever

Acts 1:11 “‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”

Fully God

John 8:57-58 “‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ they said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’ ‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’”

A. M. Ramsey says in his commentary “God, Christ, and the World: A Study in Contemporary Theology” that "God is Christlike, and in him is no un-Christlikeness at all."

The word for God (Theos) used for Christ (normally used in the NT for God the Father)

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:18 “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 20:28 “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!””

Romans 9:5 “Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.”

Titus 2:13 “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,”

Heb 1:8 “But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”

Quoting Ps 45:6 “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.”

2 Peter 1:1 “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:”

The word Lord (Kyrios) used for Christ

Sometimes used as polite title of honor to a superior, other times in Septuagint (Greek OT) it is used for God.

Luke 2:11 “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Matt 3:3 “This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” (Quoting Isaiah 40:3, John the Baptists calls Jesus Lord)

Heb 1:10-12 “He also says, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.’”

Jesus possessed attributes of deity

Omnipotence

Calming the storms Matt 8:26-27

Multiplied loaves and fishes Matt 14:19

Changed water into wine John 2:1-11 ("manifested his glory")

Eternal Nature

John 8:58 “‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’”

Rev 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Omniscience

Mark 2:8 “Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking these things?’”

John 1:48 “‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.’”

John 6:64 “‘Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.”

John 2:25 “He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.”

John 16:30 “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

John 21:17 “The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”

Omnipresent Matt 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matt 28:20 “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”

Divine sovereignty and authority

Mark 2:5-7 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

Added “I say to you...” statements on par with scripture (Matt 5:22, 28, 31, 34, 39, 44 unlike prophets before)

Matt 11:25-27 “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’”

John 2:19 “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.””

John 10:17-18 “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.””

Rev 19:10 “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.’”

Rev 5:12-13 “In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!””

The Incarnation of Deity

Phil 2:5-7 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

Col 1:19 “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,”

Colossians 2:9 “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,”

He is the exact representation of God

Hebrews 1:1-4 “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.”

So, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. The way CS Lewis said it was, "Jesus is what the Father has to say to us."

All scriptures ultimate purpose is pointing people to the crucified Christ, who is the very life of Scripture

John 5:38-47 “nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

David S. Dockery, in his book “Biblical Interpretations Then and Now: Contemporary Hermeneutics in the Light of the Early Church” that "For Jesus, the key to understanding the Old Testament was located in his own life and work, for everything pointed to himself."

Jesus is the supreme revelation over all previous revelations in the OT

John 5:36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me.”

Matthew 11:11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Theologian and pastor Gregory A. Boyd calls it the "radical superiority of Jesus's revelation over all previous revelations" of how we understand God and the lens by which we are interpret and understand all previous understandings of God.

Col 2:16-17 “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

Heb 10:1 “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”

OT gave glimpses of truth but in the Son is truth itself

John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Gregory A. Boyd "Jesus is not part of what the Father has to say or even the main thing the Father has to say. As the one and only Word of God (John 1:1), Jesus is the total content of the Father's revelation to us."

1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,”

Col 2:2-3 “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Matt 11:27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Luke 6:27-36 hyperbole to communicate that our allegiance to him just be incomparably greater than our allegiance to our family members or to anyone else

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