CHRISTOLOGY
– The Theology of “Jesus
Christ”
His
Person
The second person of the Trinity
is Jesus Christ who possesses
both the essence and attributes
of the Godhead.
- His Pre-existence
– Christ has existed
forever. From eternity to
eternity, Christ has always
been with God and was God
(John 1:1). The Father compose
the earth in such way that
it would ultimately point
to and summed in Christ
(Ephesians 1:10; Hebrews
1:2). In Christ, God elected
all believers (Ephesians
1:9).
- His Incarnation
– While He was fully
God (Colossians 1:19), Jesus
Christ became fully man
through human conception
of a virgin, Mary (Isaiah
7:14; Matthew 1:21,25).
He was conceived by the
agency of the Holy Spirit,
thus being perfect human
being without the sin nature
of Adam (Hebrews 4:15).
He retained His deity, yet
laid aside the privileges
of God as He gave Himself
as a sacrifice for sin (Philippians
2:6-8).
- His Hypostatic
Union – Jesus is the
perfect God-man who is wholly
both divine and human in
nature. These two natures
are eternally united in
one person, which never
contradict one another.
- His Impeccability
– This union of the
two natures perfectly empowered
Christ accomplish His work
of redemption and yet remain
free from sin. His impeccability
is based upon His sinless
union of both natures. In
His sinless humanity, Christ
was fully capable of real
temptation (Hebrews 4:15;
Matthew 4:1-11). Christ
in His deity was not only
sinless, but he also could
not succumb to temptation
(James 1:13). Christ inability
to give into temptation
was due to unchanging nature
(Hebrews 13:8), His infinite
power to resist temptation
(Matthew 28:18; John 5:19)
and His perfect knowledge
of the full impact and effects
of sin (John 2:24-25; 16:30).
His Work
A) Earthly Ministry
Christ’s
purpose was to first glorify
His heavenly Father and bring
reconciliation to men through
His atoning death (John 17:4;
2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Jesus
authenticated His ministry
by His claims to deity and
living a sinless life (2 Corinthians
5:21), demonstrating signs
and wonders (John 20:30-31),
dying and rising bodily from
the grave (John 20; Matthew
20:19) and ascending in His
glorified body to sit at the
right hand of God (Acts 1:9-11;
Romans 8:34).
- His Atonement
– The death of Jesus
Christ is sufficient for
all but effective for those
whom He has chosen from
the foundation of the world
(1 Timothy 2:5; John 10:11,15).
His death was efficacious
as recognition and redemption,
propitiation, a substitution
and a proof of God’s
love and concern for sinners
(Romans 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians
5:21; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John
2:2).
- His resurrection
– The resurrection
is seen in Scriptures as
a working of the triune
God. Christ prophesied His
own resurrection (John 2:19-21;
10:18). The Father also
raised Him from the dead
(Romans 6:4; Hebrews 1:1).
The Holy Spirit was operative
in the resurrection of Christ
(Romans 8:11). The resurrection
of Christ is critical to
the gospel message (1 Corinthians
15:3-4), a proof of Christ
claims (Romans 1:4), the
ground of the believer spiritual
power and authority (Ephesians
1:19-20), and the guarantee
of the believer glorious
resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).
B) Present Ministry
Christ is presently
seated at the right hand of
God functioning in His intercessory
ministry for His people and
serving as their High Priest
(Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14-16;
7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2).
He also exercises His rulership
over the church and creation
(Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians
1:17). He ministers through
the Holy Spirit to empower
the saints (John 14:16-17).
C) Future
Ministry
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