• Man/Sin
• Salvation
• The Holy Spirit

The Doctrine of Jesus Christ

The early church was forced to define the doctrine of Jesus Christ because of emerging heresies that presented a false view of Christ. Today, many people do not place much emphasis on who Jesus was, they just want to "know Him," or "love Him." But who is it we love, and what can He do for us? Unless we answer these questions correctly, how can we rely upon Him for our eternal salvation? If Jesus Christ possessed a human body, but a divine spirit, is He truly human? if not, can He represent us before God? These are the issues that faced the early church, and head our discussion on the God/man.

The God/Man

The Bible identifies Jesus Christ as both divine and human. The Father calls Him "God" (Heb. 1:8), as do plenty of the Bible authors (see John 20:28; Acts 20:28; Tit. 2:13; Rom. 9:5; 1 John 5:20). He possesses divine qualities, such as omniscience ("all knowing," see John 2:24-25), omnipotence (all powerful, see the miracles of Jesus in the gospels), immutability (He "never changes," cf. Heb. 13:8), and He is everlasting (Mic. 5:2).

Equally, Jesus was truly a man, but minus the sin that other humans carry (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22). He was born of a virgin without a human father (Matt. 1:23 and see below on the virgin birth), and experienced human suffering and temptation (Heb. 4:14-5:2, 7:13-28). A casual reading of the gospels reveals that Jesus was a complete man in every sense of the word, yet without sin. As such, He qualifies to represent us before God as our sin-bearer. Now God looks upon the repentant believer with mercy and receives him/her into His family on account of what Christ did for them.

The early church defined the doctrine of the Trinity at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325, declaring God as one in three persons. The second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, was of the same substance as the Father. So we have one God in three persons, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Later at the Council of Chalcedon in A.D. 451, Jesus was declared one person in two natures, a divine and human. These two natures form a unity without mixture or confusion. Furthermore, each nature retains its own attributes. The Lord Jesus Christ is truly divine and truly human.

The Virgin Birth

Primary passages: Matt. 1:18-20; Luke 1:34-35; Isa. 7:14.

Introduction

In one sense the Bible records several supernatural births. Among these we cite Isaac, John the Baptist, Samson and Samuel. In fact, every birth smacks of the supernatural when we consider the creative power needed to generate life. What then sets apart the birth of Christ? It alone was a virgin birth. The baby was conceived and born while the mother was a virgin.

1. What is the virgin birth?

It is supernatural conception. Lu. 1:34-35. Jesus had no human father, only a mother. Those who deny this have an aversion to the supernatural.

V. 34, "How shall these things be?" We might expect the angel not to answer the question, or to reply with an answer such as "With God all things are possible." But answer he does, giving specifics as to how this miracle would unfold. Holy Spirit would conceive the child in the womb of the virgin Mary.

2. What is the meaning of the virgin birth?

Several things:

a. God sanctified (set apart) the human nature of Christ and preserved it from human sin (though it was a mystery as to how He did it).

b. Man could now be redeemed from sin.

A sinful man could not do this; he would not have access to God. He would not qualify as a spotless sacrifice. Christ is our perfect representative, the second Adam. Furthermore, He had to be born under the law, as we are lawbreakers, Gal. 4:4. Why didn't God simply forgive humanity. He couldn't, and still be God. Afterall, God had to remain just, and also find a way to justify (declare innocent) those who believe in Jesus (Rom. 3:26).

c. Scripture is fulfilled. Isa. 7:14; Micah 5:2; Isa. 9:6.

Christ had to be born of a woman, Gen. 3:15. Christ had to be of the seed of Abraham of the lineage of David, cf. Gen. 12:3, 49:10; Matt. 1:1; Gal. 3:16; Luke 1:31-33.

d. Divine sympathy. Heb. 2:14-18.

God sympathized with the fate of the fallen human race, and took measures to rescue them.

The Resurrection of Christ

Theories that attempt to explain the resurrection

1. The Evaporation Theory. The body disappeared by the normal process of disintegration. Answer: This kind of rapid decay would require a miracle almost as great the resurrection itself.

2. The Wrong Tomb Theory. The disciples went to the wrong tomb. Answer: a) The women carefully noted where the body was laid (Mark 15:47); b) Right on! They go to a wrong tomb where an angel meets them and tells them it really is the right tomb. c) If they go to a wrong tomb the Sanhedrin could have gone to the right tomb, produced the body of Jesus, and forever shut down the Christian movement.

3. The Swoon Theory ("swoon," meaning "to faint"). The view holds that Jesus didn't really die, He just fainted, later to be revived by the cool air of the tomb. He then came to, and walked away. Answer: Christ, after being crucified and speared, would then have to roll away the heavy stone, avoid detection by the Roman soldiers who, on the pain of immediate death, were sworn to guard Him, and then walk away leaving no trace evidence (e.g., blood, etc.).

4. The Disciples (or, perhaps, Joseph of Arimathea) Stole the Body Theory. Answer: They could not have done this and overcome the posted Roman guards. Nor could penniless disciples (remember who held the purse) bribe the guards. Finally, where would they drag an adult body?

Suggested Order of events of the Resurrection:

(Because some allege the gospels accounts of the resurrection "don't agree among themselves," we provide a possible scenario below that offers one possible explanation.)

1. Mary Magdalene and other women go to tomb early Sunday morning (Mark 16:1; Luke 23:55-24:1; Matt. 28:1).

2. They see stone rolled away; Mary Magdalene, fearing they took her Lord's body, runs off alone to tell Peter & John (John 20:1, 2).

3. While Mary runs off to tell Peter $ John, the other women went up to tomb, found the body gone, saw vision of angels, were told Jesus had arisen, and were commanded to go to Galilee and tell disciples. Some went in one direction, some in another.

4. While this occurred, Mary Magdalene, who ran to tell Peter & John, found them; then they all three came to the tomb after the other women went away; Mary Magdalene probably arrived later than Peter and John.

5. Peter and John see empty sepulcher, then go away, leaving Mary Magdalene weeping there.

6. As soon as Peter and John went away, Mary Magdalene saw the two angels, then our Lord Himself, and was told to carry a message to His brethren (John 20:17).

7. The other women (who had gone off in two or three directions) are still traveling. Mary, wife of Clophas, and Salome were on their way when Jesus met them (very shortly after He appeared to Mary Magdalene).

8. One party of women (headed by Joanna) saw nothing of the Lord, but went to the disciples and told them the message of the angels.

9. The Lord appears to Peter (who very likely had gone again to the grave on hearing Mary Magdalene's report).

10. The Lord appears to two disciples on the way to Emmaus (who left Jerusalem after Joanna and the women reported to them the message of the angels).

11. That evening, Jesus appears to the disciples.

Implications of Christ's Resurrection

1. Confirms Christ's Teachings (including plan of salvation).

2. Guarantees our justification (Ro. 4:25); a holy and righteous God accepts us in Jesus.

3. Guarantees our own resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3, 4; 2 Cor. 4:14; 1 Thess. 4:14).