JESUS CHRISTThe Savior of the World

THE HUMILIATION: CHRIST’S ADVENT

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4

More than 2,000 years ago, God became a man in the person of Jesus (John 1:1,14).

Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. (Luke 1:27, 34-35)

PIPER : THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

First, it highlights the supernatural. On one end of Jesus’ life lies his supernatural conception and birth; on the other, his supernatural resurrection and his ascension to God’s right hand. Jesus’ authenticity was attested to by the supernatural working of his Father.

Secondly, the virgin birth shows that humanity needs redeeming that it can’t bring about for itself. The fact that the human race couldn’t produce its own redeemer implies that its sin and guilt are profound and that its savior must come from outside.

JOHN PIPER: CONTINUED

Thirdly, in the virgin birth, God’s initiative is on display. The angel didn’t ask Mary about her willingness. He announced, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). God didn’t ask Mary for permission. He acted—gently but decisively—to save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Finally, this virgin birth hints at the fully human and fully divine natures united in Jesus’ one person. The entry of the eternal Word into the world didn’t have to happen this way. But it did.

HYPOSTATIC UNION

He was fully God (Matthew 1:23 “Immanuel”) and fully human (1 Timothy 2:5, Romans 9:5), one Person with two natures.

By maintaining the nature of both God and Man, it was Jesus Christ who was the Chosen One of God to be the one and only Mediator between God and fallen man (1 Timothy 2:5).

THE PERSONAL UNION OF JESUS’ TWO NATURES

So “hypostatic union” may sound fancy in English, but it’s a pretty simple term. Hypostatic means personal. The hypostatic union is the personal union of Jesus’ two natures.

Jesus has two complete natures—one fully human and one fully divine. What the doctrine of the hypostatic union teaches is that these two natures are united in one person in the God-man. Jesus is not two persons. He is one person. The hypostatic union is the joining of the divine and the human in the one person of Jesus. –John Piper

WAYNE GRUDEM

“God, in his wisdom, ordained a combination of human and divine influence in the birth of Christ, so that his full humanity would be evident to us from the fact of his ordinary human birth from a human mother, and his full deity would be evident from the fact of his conception in Mary’s womb by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.” (Systematic Theology, 530)

A SINLESS INTEGRITY

Although Christ experienced the temptations and difficulties that all humans face, He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21).

In his earthly ministry, Christ preached, taught, showed power and authority over evil, and worked countless miracles (Matthew 4:23-24).

THE 2ND ADAM

Furthermore, He came to walk in perfect obedience to His Father, fulfilling his role as the second Adam – wherein the first Adam failed, He succeeded (1 Corinthians 15:45, Romans 5:12-19).

The Old Testament Prophesies Fulfilled in Christ

THE MESSIAH OF GOD

THE CHRIST

As Christ marched towards the cross at Golgotha (Matthew 27:33), it became clear that He was the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies and that He was indeed the Messiah of God (John 1:41), the Seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

MESSIANIC PROPHECIES FULFILLED

He proved Himself also to be: The Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy

18:18) The Priest after the order of Melchezedek

(Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5:5-6) The Son of David (Isaiah 9:7, Matthew 1:1) The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) He was in fact the Promised One that

Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms had said would come (Luke 24:27, 44)*.

The Righteous One for the Unrighteous

SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT

OUR SUBSTITUTE

We believe that Christ both voluntarily (John 10:18) and in accordance with the predetermined plan of God (Acts 2:23) suffered and died on the cross as a substitute for sinners (Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 2:24).

He did this so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

PROPITIATION

On the cross He canceled our sin debt (Colossians 2:14), satisfied the wrath of God that we deserved (1 John 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Romans 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:9), and by bearing the full penalty for our sins, reconciled to God all those who believe in Christ (Romans 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Colossians 1:22).

Propitiation: “appeasement” or “satisfaction”

JUSTIFICATION BY DOUBLE IMPUTATION

Because the wrath and condemnation of God was fully satisfied in the death of Christ, and because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us by faith, we now stand justified in the presence of God(Romans 5:1). There is therefore now no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1 ).

"In the imputation of Adam’s sin to us, of our sins to Christ, and of Christ’s righteousness to believers, the nature of imputation is the same, so that one case illustrates the other." (Hodge: Systematic Theology, 2:194)

DOUBLE IMPUTATION

"Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.". (Rom 5:15-18)

Paul is making the point that if Adam's disobedience to the law of God was the reason for death, then Jesus’ full obedience to all the demands of God’s law all the way to his death is what brings us righteousness.

The Tomb is Empty

THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION

If we were to end with the death of Jesus, then the “Gospel,” which literally means “good news,” would not in fact be good news at all. (1 Corinthians 15:13)

We believe that not only did Christ die, but that He was buried and on the third day, rose from the dead (Matthew 28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11).

THE RESURRECTION

After His resurrection, He was seen by many witnesses, even as was prophesied in Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:4-8).

By His resurrection, Christ broke the power of death and defeated Satan who once had power over it (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

Significance of the Resurrection: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” -1 Corinthians 15:17

SOLUS CHRISTUS

Through this death and resurrection, Christ has become the only means of salvation. Salvation is found in no one else.

There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12), thereby making Jesus Christ the only Way, the only Truth, and the only Life. No man is able to come to God except through Him (John 14:6).

RELIGIOUS PLURALISM

All other religions, alleged saviors, and so called roads to heaven are false and lead to hell.

Religious Pluralism teaches that all religions are equally true, or a certain religion can be true for some while another religion is true for others.

This is what we call a logical contradiction (the law of noncontradiction).