Doctrine of Christ

As the Christmas season is here, it is good to reflect on the Doctrine of Christ.

• Jesus Christ is a prophet, priest and king. He is a prophet in that in his earthly ministry he taught. He is a priest in that in is dying ministry he sacrificed. He is a king in that in his glorified ministry he governed and is indeed still on the throne. Jesus Christ did not come to just deliver the Gospel, he is the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the cumulative event of the sending, coming, living, dying, rising, and continuing life of this incomprehensible one. Jesus came, lived, died, and rose (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
• Jesus coming to earth is often called the incarnation. The incarnation is defined as the act of uniting human nature with the Word accomplished by the Word in his assumption of human nature, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and into the unity of his person (1 Tim. 3:16). Jesus Christ was a person before he was a man. Jesus Christ is one of the three persons in the Trinity that consists of one nature. The four great Christological Passages of the New Testament is John 1:1-18, Phil 2:5-11, Col. 1:15-20, and Hebrews 1:1-4. In these passages, Christ is described as being the first born of all creation and by him all things were created. Jesus Christ is one person who is truly God and truly man. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, sovereign, and worthy of worship. There is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are made and through whom we exist. Jesus was tempted in every way we are today
  
• Jesus died for all our sins. Throughout the Bible there is a need for atonement, and a promise that God’s people would be delivered. Jesus Christ was the penal substitution for our sins. The meaning of penal substation is that someone was punished for another. Key passages of Scripture include Isaiah 53 where Isaiah states that he was wounded for our transgressions, and he carried our sorrows. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29, Rev. 5).
• Jesus Christ is the risen Lord. The Gospel does not explain the resurrection rather the resurrection alone is what explains the Gospel. Christ did not simply come back from the dead only to die again – this is not a temporary act. He is now the first fruits of a new humanity (Col. 1:18). Jesus Christ did more than just die, he rose from the dead. A triune work existed in Jesus being raised from the dead. By the glory of the father Jesus was raised from the dead (Romans 6:4). By Christ his own power (John 10) and by the spirit (Romans 1) he was raised from the dead. There are six major theological reasons for the resurrection. The first fulfills the prophetic Word and by living Word. Secondly, it demonstrates divine justice. Third, it confirms divine Sonship, and fourth it testifies the work of the cross (1 Cor. 15 is the key passage on the resurrection). Fifth, it guarantees our regeneration/justification. Six, it guarantees our resurrection and victory over death. Seven, it is the basis for his ascension, session, and second coming.