Christology Basic Summary Handout 2017
Tod Kennedy, 2017
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and true man in one person. This means that He is undiminished deity and true humanity on one person forever. As God he has existed forever, fellowshipped with God the Father and the Holy Spirit forever, and he created all things. The man Jesus was born, lived, died, arose, ascended to the Father, is the head of the church, and is waiting to call his church to heaven and then to return to rule earth in the millennium and new heavens and new earth. Believers trust him, watch him, and follow him. Jesus Christ’s relation to believers emphasizes that he is mediator, priest, advocate, authority, leader, and protector. This topic of Bible doctrine is called Christology. He is the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 11.17). Jesus is his human name meaning savior (Matthew 1.21). Christ is his title meaning anointed one, Messiah (Matthew 1.1). Lord is his divine name; he is God (Acts 7.33).
I. The doctrine of Jesus Christ
- Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the eternal God (Micah 5.2; John 1.1; 8.58; Romans 1:4). The Word of God states this (John 1.1). He performs the works that God performs (Matthew 9.1-6). He is worshipped (Hebrews 1.6). His names indicate that He is God (Matthew 1.23). The attributes of God are His attributes (Colossians 2.9). He is a member of the trinity (Matthew 28.19).
- Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became true man. He was physically born into the world (John 1.14) a descendent of David (Romans 1:3) through a human mother (Luke 2.1-20); but He did not have a sin nature (Luke 1.35). His humanity consisted of soul and human spirit (Matthew 26.38; Luke 23.46) and body (Hebrews 10.5). He had human characteristics such as hunger (Matthew 4.2), physical exhaustion (John 4.6), emotion (John 11.35), and tests (Hebrews 4.15). He has human names and titles: Jesus (Matthew 1.21), Son of David (Mark 10.47; Romans 1:3), Son of Man (Luke 19.10), and man (1 Timothy 2.5). He physically died and was physically resurrected (John 19-20).
- Jesus Christ became man in order to solve the sin problem (John 1:29; 1 Timothy 1.15; 2:3-6) and restore God’s rule (Luke 1:31-33; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28). He defeated Satan, the source of sin (John 16.11); He reconciled man to God (2 Corinthians 5.18-19); He was resurrected from physical death (1 Corinthians 15.4); and He conquered the power of man’s sinful nature (Romans 6.6). While He was on earth, He never sinned (Hebrews 4.15) and He completely fulfilled the will of God the Father (John 6.38; 19.30). A person must believe in Him to gain forgiveness and everlasting life (John 3.16-18; 14.6; 20.30-31; Acts 4.12; 10.43; 1 Timothy 1.15-16; 2.3-6; 1 John 5.12).
- Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church (Colossians 1.18), King of Israel (Micah 5.2; Matthew 2.1-6), and is King over all mankind (Psalm 2; Revelation 1.5).
- In the future He will come to take the church to heaven (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), and then later come to earth to rule (Matthew 24:29-31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:11-20:6).
- During the time between the first coming and the second coming of Christ, Jesus Christ is the believer’s leader and object of faith dependence and service. (Hebrews 12.2; Galatians 2.20; Colossians 3.24).
II. Jesus Christ’s relation to believers
- Savior: sacrifice by substitution for sin, and gained victory over death (John 1.29; 1 Corinthians 15.20-26, 54-56; 1 Timothy 1.15).
- Author of the faith: founder and leader (Hebrews 12.2).
- Perfecter of the faith: completely and perfectly accomplished the faith—reconciliation by substitution (Hebrews 12.2).
- Head of church: savior, authority, leader, protector (Ephesians 1.22-23).
- Priest for people: go-between, mediator, intercession (1 Timothy 2.3-5; Hebrews 2.17; 7.26).
- Shepherd of the sheep: authority, leader, protector (John 10.1-18).
- Vine for the branches and fellowship with him is needed for us to produce spiritual fruit (John 15.1-8).
- Cornerstone and we are the stones in the building (1 Peter 2.4-8).
- High priest and we are a royal priesthood (Hebrews 4.14; 7.26-27; 1 Peter 2.5, 9).
- Bridegroom and we are the bride (Ephesians 5.25-27, 32-33; Revelation 19.7-8).
- Last Adam and we are alive in relationship to him (1 Corinthians 15.22, 45).
- He is the firstfruit and we are the harvest (1 Corinthians 15.23).
- He is the heir of the father and we, in him, are heirs of the father (Hebrews 1.2; Romans 8.17).
- Master and we are the slaves (Ephesians 6.5-9; Colossians 4.1).
III. What is Christ doing for believers at this time?
- He keeps us secure in our eternal salvation (John 10.28-29).
- He is preparing an eternal home for us (John 14.1-3).
- He makes intercession for believers, since he is our high-priest and advocate (Hebrews 7.25; 1 John 2.1-2).
- He sympathizes with our weaknesses and helps us when we are tempted (Hebrews 2.18; 4.15-6).
- He is faithful to his word and to believers (2 Thessalonians 3:3; 2 Timothy 2:13).