Introduction
Jesus Christ is the virgin born Son of God, all God yet all man. He is from eternity to eternity, the same yesterday, today and forever.
All things were made by Him: and without Him was not anything made that was made.
We believe that He is risen from the dead after His substitutionary death on the cross and that He is mankind’s only access to the Father.
Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
The Lord Jesus Christ’s Virgin Birth
Christ’s Heavenly Origin
The heavenly origin of Jesus Christ should not be a disputed fact, and yet, there are many who reject the idea that the Lord Jesus Christ existed in heaven prior to his incarnation. But what does the Bible say?
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
John 6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Jesus Christ has existed from eternity past and will continue to exist into eternity future.
The Lord Jesus Christ existed in heaven in eternity past, in total unity and harmony with the Father in both divine nature and divine will.
John 1:1–2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
John 10:30 I and my Father are One.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Phillip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
The Lord Jesus is eternal because he is God. The fact of the deity of Jesus Christ has been disputed by many, down through the centuries, and is still rejected today by ones like the WatchTower group and Islam.
The Lord Jesus Christ is known as the living Word, and in John 1:1 we are told that “the Word was God.”
Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, if for ever.
The disciples recognized Jesus as God, and He never rebuked them for it.
John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Jesus Christ himself declared that he was God, and the Jews used that as justification for crucifying Him.
Matthew 26:63–65 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto them, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Christ’s Earthly Existence
The Meaning of Christ’s Incarnation
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
“The incarnation of Christ means that he was manifest in the flesh.”¹
The eternal Lord Jesus Christ came to dwell in human flesh. Matthew 1:23 tells us that his name, Emmanuel, means “God with us”.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Importance of Christ’s Incarnation
Jesus had to be fully God in order for His sacrifice to be sufficient to atone for all sin past, present, and future. But he also had to be fully man so that He could take upon Himself the penalty for sin.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Reasons for Christ’s Incarnation
By the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed from sins penalty and, by the broken body of Jesus Christ, the curse of sin upon creation has been broken.
If Jesus Christ had not died a physical death, and risen again bodily then there would be no bodily resurrection for the saved (Rom 6:8–9) and, in fact, there would be no justification for the sinner (Rom 4:25).
By Christ’s death we can enter into an abundant new life. (John 10:10–11)
Jesus was manifested in the flesh to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
1 John 4:2–3 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Christ’s Immaculate Birth
Jesus Christ Was Born of a Virgin
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
The truth of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is very clearly outlined in scripture. There would be no human interference in the birth of Jesus.
Jesus could not be born of the seed of an earthly father, since the sin nature is passed down through the seed of Adam. (1 Cor 15:22)
Jesus Christ Was Born of the Holy Ghost
Matthew 1:18–20 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
The immaculate conception in the virgin Mary was accomplished by the Spirit of God. At no point was there a physical union between Mary and God, Mary and Joseph, or Mary and any other person.
The Lord Jesus Christ’s Attributes and Works
Christ’s Character
Omniscience
The Lord Jesus Christ knows everything there is to know, about everything there is, was, or will be.
John 6:64b …For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Jesus is not and never was subject to limitation on his knowledge and understanding. Jesus is equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and, as an equal, he participates in the divine consultation of the God head. (Gen 1:26)
Omnipotence
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Almighty God.
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord over life and death.
John 10:18a No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
The Lord Jesus Christ if the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
Colossians 1:15–17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Omnipresence
“By the omnipresence of God is meant that God is everywhere present. This attribute is closely connected with the omniscience and omnipotence of God, for if God is everywhere present He is everywhere active and possesses full knowledge of all that transpires in every place.”²
Indwelling the saints
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Jesus dwells in the hearts of all believers, while also interceding for us before the throne of God in heaven. As God, He is always present everywhere in all of heaven and earth.
Eternality
Jesus Christ is eternal, having existed in eternity past and existing into eternity future.
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Immutability
The Lord Jesus Christ is unchanging in nature. Since God does not change over time, and Jesus Christ is God, so He is unchanging and unchangeable.
This does not mean that He cannot be moved to act on our behalf. In the infinite wisdom and sovereignty of God He has allowed himself to be moved to action by the means of prayer.
In scripture we often see God change His course of action in response to man’s heart toward Him. (eg… He refrained from destroying Nineveh because the Assyrians repented.) I believe that in a similar way God can be moved to take action on our behalf by the heartfelt prayer of faith.
Not that we have changed God’s mind, but that God’s actions are always in line with his character, and when we bring our prayers in line with His will, He moves in fulfilment of His promises to bring us blessing.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Morality
Holiness
The Lord Jesus Christ is in every way pure and perfect, without any mark of sin upon his life and character.
Hebrews 4:15 …but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 7:26 For such and high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.
Love
The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of the pure love of God.
John 13:34, 15:9, 15:13; Galatians 2:20
Grace and Truth
The Lord Jesus Christ came as the prefect expression of, and the perfect balance between grace and truth. These are not opposed to each other, but rather, work in harmony with each other.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.