III.  Christology - The Doctrine of Our Lord Jesus Christ or Teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is God, identical in Deity or co-equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is eternal from eternity past to eternity future and is distinct in personality. He became man willingly but remained God. Jesus Christ was completely man and completely God in His incarnation. He did not possess a sin nature, therefore, He was not able to sin. Jesus Christ willingly died on the cross shedding His blood for the sins of the world. He was the perfect sacrifice, (once and for all), to justify those who come to Him by faith.  He was buried and rose the third day in bodily form,  giving eternal victory over the power of darkness and death. He ascended to heaven to be man's Mediator after giving proof of His resurrection to many living at that time. He is seated at the right hand of the Father as our Great High Priest and will someday come again to receive the believers into eternal Glory through the Rapture and with His second coming He will judge the world for its sins. He will reward the believer for the quality of life he lived and condemn the unbeliever to the lake of fire.

His pre-existence in eternity or existence before His birth is clearly stated in Scripture (Mic. 5:2; John 1:1-3,14;17:5; Is. 9:6; John 8:58; cf. Ex 3:14,15).   He is the Creator of all (Col. 1:15-17; Jn. 1:3) and  Sustainer (Heb. 1:3).

The Deity of Christ is clearly seen through the teaching of the Scriptures. It teaches of Jesus Christ's pre-existence, manifestation of His Power, deity through His names, and recorded testimony.

  1. Jesus Christ showed deity by the manifestation of His power and attributes.

    a. He controlled the elements, diseases, death, etc. Matt. 12:22, 23 Luke 4:31-36; John 11:43-44. Also the whole book of Mark shows His deity.
    b. Jesus Christ showed omnipresence in Matt. 18:20; 28:20; always present everywhere,
    c. Showed omniscience in John 16:30; 1:48    , knows all things,
    d. and shower omnipotence in Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:14-18 all powerful.

  2. Jesus Christ showed deity through His names.

    a. Son of the Living God - Matt. 16:16.
    b. Lord - Matt. 22:43-45; Acts 2:36.
    c. God - Heb. 1:8; Phil. 2:6; Matt. 1:22, 23
    d. King of Kings, & Lord of Lords - Rev. 19:16; I Tim. 6:14, 15.
    e. Alpha and Omega and Jehovah - Rev. 1:8 Cf. 22:12-16.
    f. I Am - Ex. 3:14 Cf. John 8:24; 10.

  3. Jesus Christ showed deity by recorded testimony of Historical fact.

    a. His own Matt. 4:6-7; 26:63-64; John 4:25-26.
    b. John the Baptist  John 1:15, 23, 30, 34.
    c. Disciples & Apostles  John 20:28-29; Matt. 16:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-8.
    d. Angels - Luke 1:35; 2:11.
    e. The Father Matt. 3:16-17; 17:5.    

Jesus Christ was not only God but took upon Himself humanity (Phil. 2:6-11; John 1:1-14; Heb. 2:14-18).   Jesus Christ emptied Himself (Kenosis) to become a servant and taking upon himself the nature of a man (except for the sin nature) and became subject to the limitations of man:

The Kenosis is a part of the mystery of the incarnation;  it is unfathomable because of the incomprehensibility of God and the inability of the human mind to conceive adequately. However we know he did because the Word of God tells us he did empty Himself   (Phil. 2:7; Jn. 17:5; II Cor. 8:9). 

The Impeccability of Christ is shown by no sin committed; because Jesus Christ was not able to commit sin (Jas. 1:13).  The Lord Jesus was sinless and holy (Heb. 4:15, Jn. 8:46; I Pet. 1:19; Luke 1:35, Acts 2:27; 3:14; 4:27).

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ must be accepted for one to be saved for eternity, (Rom. 10:9-10; 8:11; I Cor. 15:1-8,12-19).  The historical facts, even before it happens and after, are recorded in the Bible along with eye witnesses (I Cor. 15:4-8).

  1. The resurrection was prophesied in the Old Testament (Ps. 16:10; Ps. 22; Isa. 53) and Jesus said that He would raise Himself from the dead (Jn. 2:19, 21; Matt. 17:9).
  2. His resurrection was accomplished the third day after the crucifixion (Matt. 17:23).
  3. His resurrection was bodily (Matt. 28:1-6; Lk. 24:1-3; Acts 2:31),    

    a. He ate after His resurrection  (Lk. 24:30).
    b. Jesus Christ had flesh and bones after the resurrection   (Lk. 24:39).
    c. After the resurrection Jesus Christ ascended to heaven (Jn. 6:62, cf.  Lk. 24:51; Acts 1:9; Eph. 4:10) and  is  preparing a place for us (Jn. 14:2, 3). 
  1. Prophet (Heb. 1:1-2; Jn. 4:19, 44; Ac. 7:37, 38),   
  2. Priest (Heb. 4:14, 15; 5:6-10; 7:3), and
  3. King (Ps. 24; Jn. 18:36; I Tim. 1:16,17; 6:15, 16).
  4. He is the Mediator between God and man (I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:15). 
  5. Someday He will be the Judge of all men (Rom. 14:10), believers for the quality of life (I Cor. 3:10-15) and unbelievers in punitive condemnation  (Rev. 20:11-15).

Illustration of the Godhead or trinity of the one God in three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

Time - time is one and made up of three unique parts which are all the one time. There is past, present and future and each one of itself is not the other and would not exist without the other. Without all three time would not exist, take away past and time ceases to exist, it is not present time or future, this is the same for present or future.