Basic Bible Doctrine

The Person of Christ

The Humanity of Christ

• THE VIRGIN BIRTH• MT 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came

about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child 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.

• LK 1:35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

Importance of the Virgin Birth

• It show that salvation ultimately must come from the Lord. God promised in Genesis, the seed of the woman would destroy the serpent.

• Salvation can never come from human effort. It is supernatural.

• Gal. 4:4-5 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

• The virgin birth made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person.

• This is how God sent his son into the world as a man.

• Its brilliant! Can you think of a better way?

• The virgin birth makes possible Christ’s true humanity without inherited sin.

• We inherited legal guilt and a sinful moral nature from Adam, but Jesus did not have a human father.

• LK 1:35 And the angel answered her, “The

Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

• Why did not Jesus get a sin nature from Mary?

• RCC says Mary was free from sin (immaculate conception)

• The work of the HS in Mary must have prevented the transmission of sin from Mary.

Virgin Birth: Bottom Line

• Scriptures clearly teaches it

• Our beliefs are to be governed by the scriptures

• Nothing is too hard for God

• It is doctrinally important

Human Weaknesses and Limitations

• JESUS HAD A HUMAN BODY

• Born as a human baby

• Grew through childhood into adulthood

• Luke 2:40, 52 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

• John 4:6 Jesus got tired

• John 19:28 Jesus got thirsty

• Matt. 4:2 Jesus got hungry

• Luke 23:46 Jesus suffered and died

• Luke 24:39 Jesus rose with a physical body

• Jn. 16:28; Lk. 24:50-51 He ascended with and continues to have a (perfected) human body in heaven.

Jesus had a human mind

• Luke 2:52, he “increased in wisdom”

• He learned how to eat, talk, read, write, and obey his parents

Jesus had a human soul and emotions

• Jn. 12:27 “Now my soul is troubled”• Jn. 13:21 “He was troubled in spirit”• Mt. 26:38 “My soul is very sorrowful, even

to death”• Mt. 8:10 he “marveled” at the centurions

faith• Jn. 11:35 he “wept” at Lazarus’ death• Heb. 5:7 he prayed “with loud cries and

tears”

People saw Jesus as a man

• Matt. 13:53-58 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 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. 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? 56 Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

• He was so human, that those who lived with him for 30 years, even his own brothers, who lived in the same house, didn’t realize he was God.

• Jn. 7:5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

HIS SINLESS HUMANITY

• Objection: if he did not sin, he was not truly human because to sin is human.

• This objection fails to realize that human beings are now in an abnormal situation.

His sinlessness• Jn. 8:46 “Which of you convicts me of sin?”• Jn. 8:29 “I am always doing what is pleasing to the Him”• Jn. 15:10 “I have kept my Father’s commandments and

abide in his love”• Jesus is referred to as the Holy One or Righteous One

(Acts 2:27;3:14; 4:30; 7:52; 13:35• 2 Cor. 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for

us• Heb. 4:15 “but we have one who has been tempted in

every way, just as we are--yet was without sin”• Heb. 7:26 “Such a high priest meets our need--one who

is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners”• 1 Peter 1:19 a “lamb without spot or blemish”• 1 Peter 2:22 “he committed no sin”

The Necessity of Christ’s Humanity

• It is important: 1 Jn. 4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

• For representative obedience

• Rom. 5:18-19 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 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.

• To be a substitute sacrifice

• Heb. 2:16-17 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers 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 between God and man

• 1 Tim. 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

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

• Heb. 2:8 About man, God “put everything under his feet. In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.”

• Eph. 1:22 “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything”

• To be our example and pattern in life• 1 Jn. 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him

must walk as Jesus did.”• 1 Pet. 2:21 “To this you were called,

because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

• Heb. 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”

• To be a pattern for our redeemed bodies

• 1 Cor. 15:23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

• 1 Cor. 15:49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

• To sympathize as our High Priest• Heb. 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest

who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Jesus: A Man Forever

• His divine nature was permanently united to his human nature

• He lives forever as the eternal Son of God, but as Jesus, the Son of Man

• Luke 24:39 flesh and bones• Lk. 24:41ff ate food• Acts 7:56 Stephen gazing into heaven saw the

“son of man standing at the right hand of God”• Rev. 1:3 John’s vision “one like a son of man”• Rev. 19:9 marriage supper (bridegroom)

THE DEITY OF CHRIST

• The word “God” used of Christ

• Jn. 1:1; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1; Is. 9:6

• The word Lord “kyrios” is used of Christ

• In the OT (6,814) sense of the word is creator, sustainer of heaven and earth, the omnipotent God.

• Luke 2:11 A Savior who is Christ the Lord.

• Mt. 3:3 Prepare the way of the Lord

• Rev. 19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

• Other claims to deity

• Jn. 8:57 Before Abraham was, I AM

Jews wanted to stone him for blasphemy

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

• Son of God: Mt. 11:25-30; 17:5; 1 Cor. 15:28; Heb. 1:1-3, 5,8

• Possessed attributes of deity• Omnipotence• Mt. 8:26-27 stilled the storm• Mt. 14:19 multiplied fish and loaves• Eternity• Jn. 8:58 before Abraham was, I am• Omniscience• Mk. 2:8 knows people thoughts• Jn. 6:64 Knew who would betray him• Jn. 21:17 Peter said, "Lord, you know all

things; you know that I love you."

• Omnipresence• Mt. 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name,

there am I with them."• Mt. 28:20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of

the age.• Sovereignty• To forgive sins Mk. 2:5-10 When Jesus saw their faith, he

said to the paralytic, "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?” 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? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Conclusion

• Jesus is fully divine

• Col. 1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him

• Col. 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form

• Mt. 1:23 call him Immanuel --which means, God with us.

Why was Jesus Deity Necessary?

• It is clearly taught in scripture

• Only someone who is infinite could bear the full penalty of all the sins of those who would believe in him

• Only God could save man, man cannot save himself

• 1 Jn. 2:23 No one who denies the Son has the Father

The Glory of Christ in the Incarnation• The Humiliation of Christ in the incarnation. • God in Christ humbled himself in his lowly birth. No

room at the inn, swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.

• God in Christ humbled himself by living in this sinful world that obscured his divine glory “is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary” Mk. 6:3

• God in Christ humbled himself as he was subjected to the law. “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law”

• God in Christ humbled himself in being tempted by Satan.

• God in Christ humbled himself as he endured so much opposition from sinful men

• God in Christ humbled himself in his shameful death as that of a common criminal.

Christ’s Obedience

• In his active obedience, Jesus fulfilled all the law of God on behalf of His people, serving God and doing good. This active obedience is the positive righteousness that is granted as a gift through faith to believers, giving us a right standing in God’s presence.

• In His passive obedience, Christ paid the penalty owed by sinners to God. He did this by suffering death on the cross. In this sense “passive” doesn’t mean inactive or detached but rather permitting or allowing.

Our humble obedience

• We need to humble ourselves under God’s almighty rule in that we exhibit an active obedience; proactively doing what he has commanded us in his word. Pray, worship, fellowship, give, evangelize, make disciples, love one another etc.

• We also need to humble ourselves under God’s rule in that we exhibit a passive obedience. Permitting and allowing God to work his good, perfect and acceptable will in our lives in suffering, sickness and even death.

• Phil. 2:5-8, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!

The Way Up, is Down

• The Exaltation of Christ• Phil. 2:9 “Therefore God exalted him to the

highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

• James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

• Luke 14:11, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

• “For it is the very God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Cor 4:6)

• A Common Word Between Us and You– Muslim letter to Christians (Oct. 2007)

• Loving God and Neighbor Together– Christian response to A Common Word (Nov.

2007)

Practical Application