THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST   [Part 3]

(Lesson 04 on Bible Doctrines) 


 

I. THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF CHRIST

  1. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the eternal Word of God (John 1:1-14). “The pre-existence of Christ is asserted in an extensive body of Scripture which is of great importance since it enters vitally into the revelation of the fact of His Deity” – Lewis Sperry Chafer, Major Bible Themes.
  2. This was foretold by the prophets (Isa. 9:6; Micah 5:2).
  3. This was affirmed by our Lord Himself (John 8:58).
  4. Our Lord frequently appeared in the Old Testament as “the angel of the LORD” (Gen. 16:7-14; 22:15, 16; 31:11-13; Ex. 3:2ff; Judges 6:11ff; 13:3-25; Zech. 3:1ff; 12:8).
  5. The angel of the LORD is distinguished from the “LORD of hosts” (Zech. 1:12, 13).
  6. The angel of the LORD is identified as Christ (Ex. 14:19; 23:20; cf. I Cor. 10:1-4).
  7. Other pre-incarnate visitations and references (Gen. 19:24; 32:24-32; Josh. 5:13-15; Psalm 2:12; Pro. 30:4; Dan. 3:25).

 

II. THE HUMILIATION OF CHRIST

  1. The state of humiliation consists in that Christ laid aside the divine majesty, which was His as the eternal Son of God, and assumed human nature in the form of a servant (Phil. 2:5-8).
  2. “In the kenosis (literally, “self-emptying” from Phil. 2:7) Christ emptied Himself of retaining and exploiting His status in the Godhead and took on humanity in order to die” – Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology.

 

III. THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST

  1. In the incarnation the Son of God became flesh by assuming human nature (John 1:14; Rom. 8:3; Heb. 10:5; I John 4:2).
  2. The New Testament presents the historical facts of His incarnation, including our Lord’s genealogy, His conception and virgin birth (cf. Matt. 1:1-25; 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-20; 3:23-38).
  3. Biblical reasons for the incarnation:

A.    He came to reveal God to man (Matt. 11:27; John 1:18; 14:9; I Tim. 3:16).

B.    He came to die on the cross for our sins (Rom. 5:8; Heb. 10:5-10).

C.    He came to set an example for believers to follow (I Peter 2:21-25; I John 2:6).

D.    He came in the flesh that He might destroy the works of the devil (Gen. 3:15; cf. Rom. 16:20; John 12:31; 16:11; Col .2:13-15; Heb. 2:14; I John 3:8; Rev. 20:10).

E.     He came into the world “that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God” (Heb. 2:16-18; 4:14-16; 5:7-10; 8:1; 9:11, 12, 24).

F.     He came in the flesh that He might fulfill the Davidic covenant (II Sam. 7:16; Ps. 89:34-37; Isa. 9:6, 7; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 2:30-36; Rom. 15:8).

G.    He came in the flesh in order to be the Judge of sinful mankind (John 5:22-27; Acts 17:31).

 

IV. JESUS CHRIST IS OUR PROPHET, PRIEST, AND KING

  1. He is a prophet like unto Moses (Deut. 18:15-19; cf. Acts 3:22-24; 7:37).

    A.    He was recognized as a prophet by the people (Matt. 21:11,46; John 7:40).

    B.    He called Himself a prophet (Matt. 13:57) and did the work of a prophet (John 14:10, 24; 17:8).

    C.    He accurately predicted the details of His death (Matt. 16:21; 20:19; 26:21).

  2. He is a priest “after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:21; cf. Gen. 14:18-20).

    A.    He is both priest and king (Zech. 6:13).

    B.    He is our sinless high priest (Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:14-16; 7:23-28).

  3. He is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (I Tim. 6:15;Rev. 17:14; 19:16).

A.    This was prophesied in the Old Testament (Isa. 9:7).

B.    Christ was born in the royal line on both sides (Matt. 1:1,6; Luke 1:32, 33; 3:31).

C.    He preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Matt. 4:17).

D.    He claimed to be the King of the Jews (Luke 23:1-4).

E.     He was rejected as the King of the Jews (Matt. 27:29-31, 41, 42; John 19:14-22).

 

V. THE SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH OF CHRIST

  1. The vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Gospel (I Cor. 15:1-4; II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:21-24; 3:18).
  2. Christ is “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29; cf. Gen. 22:8; Ex. 12:5; Isa. 53:7).  NOTE: He died for “the sin of the world,” not just the sins of the elect (cf. I John 2:2).
  3. This includes propitiation for past sins (Rom. 3:25), present sins (Rom. 4:25), and future sins (Rom. 5:6, 8).
  4. This demonstrates the love of God (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; I John 3:16; 4:9).
  5. We are saved by “the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:19; cf. Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:22; Rev. 1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11).

Pastor James Barker
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