Part 9

Is it incorrect to use the term Jesus? No, definitely not, however the overuse or overemphasis of the humanity of Christ will ultimately detract from the overall teaching about the Son of God.

3. Messiah: The Hebrew term for anointed one is Messiah. The Old Testament always looked forward to the anointed one and now the New Testament reflects back upon the anointed one that came and completed the work that His first appearing required, yet still looks forward to the second appearing which will tie all plans for mankind together.

4. Lord: This is the New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew term Adonai or master. This is the term for Christ's Deity. As we progress through the study of the Lord Jesus we will see that He truly was almighty God come in the flesh and that this term is quite appropriate for Him.

5. Jesus Christ: Cambron mentions that this combination of terms sets forth His humanity but that He now is exulted, while the combination "Christ Jesus" depicts His present position contrasted with the fact that He was once humiliated.4 This is a good distinction in the terms.

The fact that Jesus is his earthly name should lead us to desire to be like Jesus in our everyday life, for He certainly set forth the prime example for man to follow in his own humility.

6. Christ Jesus: This arrangement of the terms should lead the believer to realize that He is now exulted and that He once was humiliated, but that

He now is fully and eternally exulted to His rightful place in Heaven. To constantly use His earthly name Jesus and to constantly dwell on His humiliation seems to be a great disgrace to who He really and truly is today. He is the very Son of God, and always has been, but for thirty some years of His life He walked as we walk in the world that He might provide for the likes of us the salvation that His love brought down to us. He had no intention of remaining in that humiliation for the rest of time.

7. The Lord Jesus Christ: This is the fullest title given to the Lord and should be considered for our usage in this day in which many are concentrating only on His earthly "Jesus" ministry.

Ephesians 1:3,

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath

blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."

What a declaration we make when we use the term. We realize and admit to the humiliation, the deity and the Lordship of the One that gave His life for our sin.

8. I Am: Exodus 3:13,14 mentions this term in the Old Testament. "...I Am That I Am...." Jesus mentions that He is the I AM in John 18:4,5.

What a bold declaration, and should we wonder why the Jews were out to kill Him? He was laying clear claim to being the God of Abraham and Moses — Him, the carpenter from Galilee. Absurd.

The term "I Am That I Am" depicts one of the attributes of God in that He is conscious of Who and What He is. This is called the self-consciousness of God. Christ was most certainly conscious of the fact that He was God in the flesh.

9. The Son Of God: Luke 1:35,

"The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

Christ is no mere man as many of the isms and cults of our day suggest, but He is God in God's complete form. He is the Son of God as well as the

Son of Man which we will see next. He was as much God as if he had never been man, and He was as much man as if He had never been God. I do not know with whom that quote originated, for I heard it from a college professor many years ago and he has long since gone to be with the Lord, so I cannot ask. I have never run across it in any of my research so assume that it might have been his own statement. At any rate it is a good description of the total deity and the total humanity of Christ in the flesh.

10. The Son Of Man: This was a title that the Lord used of Himself. It is of interest to note how people like to be identified. I once had an employer that was known as "Dick" by most people, yet those who knew him well, knew that he preferred his given name "Richard." Richard was the preferred name, yet he allowed others to call him by the less formal name.

In my first years of teaching one of the students felt a little overburdened with calling me Mark Derickson and began a long standing tradition of calling me Mark D. It was not a name of derision, but one of great respect. They felt that they wanted to be close to me with a familiar name while still giving the respect that they desired to convey by using the Mr.

Son of Man seems to be the preferred name of the Lord for Himself. Knowing the Lord and how He lived and how much He loved us, I suspect He liked the term because it identified Him very closely with those that He came to save.

"Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Luke 9:58

Cambron observes that this is a title for the Kingdom which He was offering to the Jewish people.

"The title, the Son of man, is found eighty-eight times in the New Testament: once in Acts; once in Hebrews; twice in Revelation; and eighty-four times in the Gospels; not once in the Epistles. The Epistles concern the Church, not the coming kingdom of the Millennium."5

(He goes on to mention that Ezekiel's use of the title is in conjunction with Second coming information.)

11. Son Of Abraham: Matthew 1:1 shows a direct link between the father of the Jews, Abraham, and the Lord Jesus via the king of Israel, David. The genealogy of Christ in Matthew was very important to the Jewish mind. It was a bold declaration that this Jesus was the descendant for whom all of Israel had been waiting.

12. Son Of David: Mark 10:47,

"When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out,

and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me"

13. Son Of The Highest: Luke 1:32,

"He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest and the

Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David"

Still another bold declaration to the Sonship of Christ and the Fatherhood of God.

14. Second Man: Paul uses this term in 1 Corinthians 15:47 to tell the believer of what we will one day be when God is finished with His work in him.

15. Last Adam: Adam was the being by which sin entered into the human race, and Paul relates this thought to the idea that Christ is the last Adam in that Christ was the being by which sin exited mankind, that is as we, mortal man, respond properly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:45)

16. The Word: John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word...." In that great passage of John one we see all of the glory and pre-existance of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has always been here, He has always been with the Father, and He always has been God.

17. Emmanuel: Matthew 1:23,

"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."

18. Savior: Probably one of the most meaningful of names is this. The Savior. A very simple term that has so many ramifications for the lost as well as the saved. It is Christ that came to save man, it is Christ that

provided access to God, and it is Christ that allows our entrance into God's presence.

Yes, a very important term. It is of interest that in Luke 2:11 the Savior is used in relation to the terms Christ and Lord. The message was concerning a Savior, the Christ and soon to be Lord. The earthly name of Jesus seems to be of little importance even at the announcement of His birth.

19. Rabbi: John 1:38 relates this term to the realization of some of his followers that Jesus was their Rabbi or Master. The thought of master or teacher in later Jewish writings is that of one that is to be highly respected. In many cases the teacher is to have preferred treatment over all others including parents. The respect seems to be evident even in Christ's own time. Vine mentions that the term translated Rabbi stands in contrast to servant. This shows the relationship between student and Rabbi.

20. Master: Matthew 9:11 uses this term of Christ's relationship to His followers. It is the same Greek term that is translated Rabbi in the above reference. It is the term "didaskalos" which means master or teacher. This is the term that is used of teachers in the Ephesians 4:11 text which speaks of the men that God has gifted for the equipping of the saints.

1. We are about to enter into a study of the One that has given most to save us from our miserable selves. I trust that we will not only see the Jesus of Nazareth, but also the Christ of our salvation in a new and powerful manner.

2. The information already given should bring the sinner to their knees before the savior for salvation, and the believer to their knees in regret for their feeble view of the Savior and their service to Him.

END NOTES

3. Mark G. Cambron, D.D., "BIBLE DOCTRINES", Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1954, pp 60,61.

4. Cambron; p 66.

5. Cambron; p 68.

CHRISTOLOGY AN INTRODUCTION

HANDOUT

I. PURPOSE

Reasons For Studying Christ:

1. Christ Is The Center Of History.

2. Christ Is The Center Of Our Life.

3. Christ Is The Center Of The Bible. Matthew 5:17, Luke 24:27, Luke 27:44, John 5:39

4. Christ Is To Be The Center Of Our Studies. 2 Peter 3:18

5. Christ Should Be The Center Of Our Revelation Of God. John 14:9, John 1:14

6. Christ Should Be The Center Of Christianity.

7. Christ Should Be The Center Of Our Message.

II. PRE-EXISTENCE

The Pre-Existence Of Christ

1. John 1:1

2. Christ Revealed This Himself. John 10:30, John 8:58, John 17:5 John 17:24

3. Paul Revealed This. 1 Corinthians 10:4,9, Philippians 2:5-7, Colossians 1:17 (See also Matthew 23:37; John 3:13, 31; 8:42; 16:28-30; 2 Corinthians 8:9)

III. PRE-INCARNATION

Christ Ministered Before His Birth

1. He Participated In The Decrees

2. He Created All Things John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2

3. He Sustains All Things Colossians 1:17

Christ Seen In The Old Testament In Retrospect

1. Genesis 3:15

2. Genesis 18:1-33

3. Exodus 40:38

4. The Angel of the Lord

IV. PROPER NAMES

His Names

1. Jesus Acts 2:36

2. Christ

3. Messiah

4. Lord

5. Jesus Christ

6. Christ Jesus

7. The Lord Jesus Christ Ephesians 1:3

8. I Am Exodus 3:13,14; John 18:4,5

9. The Son Of God Luke 1:35

10. The Son Of Man Luke 9:58

11. Son Of Abraham Matthew 1:1

12. Son Of David Mark 10:47

13. Son Of The Highest Luke 1:32

14. Second Man 1 Corinthians 15:47

15. Last Adam 1 Corinthians 15:45

16. The Word John 1:1

17. Emmanuel Matthew 1:23

18. Savior Luke 2:11

19. Rabbi John 1:38

20. Master Matthew 9:11

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why Is A Proper Understanding Of Christ Important:

To the believer?

To the lost?

2. Why Is Christ's Pre-Existence Important To:

The believer?

The lost?

3. Just how do you relate personally to the Lord in the area of each of these names?

1. Jesus

2. Christ

3. Messiah

4. Lord

5. Jesus Christ

6. Christ Jesus

7. Lord Jesus Christ

8. I Am

9. The Son

10. The Son of Man

11. Son of Abraham

12. Son of David

13. Son of the Highest

14. Second Man

15. Last Adam

16. The Word

17. Emmanuel

18. Savior

19. Rabbi

20. Master

4. Attempt to describe Who Jesus is in twenty-five words or less with the thought in mind of trying to communicate that description to a lost person.

5. What changes in your life are needed to bring you into a proper life that would be honoring to Christ? Jot them down and make some commitments to work on those areas of your life.

THE DEITY OF CHRIST

The deity of Christ is paramount in the study of our Lord. If He is not God then we have no purpose for continuing this study, no purpose for continuing on with church attendance, no purpose for reading the Bible, and no purpose for following any of the Lord's teachings. Indeed we may as well close all churches and call home the missionaries. There is no purpose to Christianity.

Now that we have set forth the importance of the Deity of Christ we can continue with our study:

There are two basic classes of people that have been confronted with the Biblical record.

Those that have read, understood and rejected the Biblical record and those that have heard something about the Biblical record and Christ and that have not pursued what they have heard or have accepted one of the false beliefs set forth concerning Christ.

C.S. Lewis in "Mere Christianity" mentions, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse."

IF NOT GOD? WHAT THEN?

There are some possibilities that we must look at if Christ was indeed not God. First of all some have suggested that he was a great moral teacher, but not God. He told people that He was God to add weight and authority to His teaching.

Is the thought of being a great moral teacher, and a liar at the same time, sort of hard to swallow? It should be obvious to any person that considers the possibility, that a liar is not a moral person, and would have difficulty being a great moral teacher.

Others suggest that He was a legend. He may have existed in some historical period past, yet the stories were legends handed down over many years. We have proof that the gospel accounts are within 50 years of Christ's time on earth. It is not easy to believe that the apostles started something that was false and turned it into a legend in that short a time.

That would be similar to one of my friends sitting down and writing a gospel on the life of Mark Derickson in which he stated that I was God and that I raised people from the dead. Even 50 years from now I rather doubt that anyone that had any knowledge of either party would hold to such stories.

It could also be suggested that he was a crazy man, but just didn't know it. There is no indication in the scriptures that the disciples, other people or even His opponents thought that this was the case. Had the Jewish leaders thought this I'm sure that they would have given some indication.

If any of these be true then we must conclude that the Lord was quite effective in his hoax, whatever it was, because the apostles and many early Christians believed that He was God and that He would do as He promised. They believed it so much that they died for that belief. (I believe my wife is divine and heavenly but I sure won't die for that belief. I may die because of that statement, but I won't die over the belief.)

On the other hand if none of these thoughts be true then one is left to realize that Christ was more than mere mortal man, and that He was God Himself.

We need to make note of one item before we continue further. There are a number of references which indicate Christ knew things not normally to be known. There are also indications, such as miracles which might show His omnipotence. These are not listed, because there is some question as to whether Christ was using His omniscience and His omnipotence during His earthly walk, or if He was relying perfectly upon the Holy Spirit for His information and miracles. We will discuss this question in a future study.

I. HIS NAMES PROVE HIS DEITY

A. The Word: John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The fact that He was in the

beginning demands deity, and then the bold statement of John "and the Word was God" is rather difficult to find a meaning other than that Christ was God — deity.

B. Son Of God: Matthew 8:29 mentions that the Demons recognized Christ as the Son of God. Luke 1:35; John 5:18; 19:7; 1 John 5:20.

C. Lord: Luke 2:11, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Only God can be a Savior for mankind. Acts 10:36 identifies Christ as the Lord of all. Philippians 2:10,11 mentions that all creation will bow before Christ and recognize His Lordship. The Septuagint used "kurios" for Jehovah in the OT. This is the NT Greek word translated Lord. This might make for an interesting study for you sometime.

D. Holy One: 30 times God is called "the Holy One" in Isaiah. The obvious application of Acts 3:14 would be that Peter thought Christ to be that "Holy One" of Isaiah. "But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you."

E. God: John 20:28, "Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God" Again, just how plain does the Scripture need to be for us to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of the universe — total and full deity?

II. HIS WORKS PROVE HIS DEITY

A. Creation: There is ample information to show that Christ was an integrated part of the creation of Genesis one and two. Paul in Colossians mentions this as a bold fact of life, while John seems to be quite plain in his meaning as well in John one.

Colossians 116, "For by him were all things created...."

John 13,10 "All things were made by him...."

and "...the world was made by him...."

B. Preservation: The creation was not left to maintain its own way through the ages. The design of creation was such that there would be need of maintenance and that labor was for Christ to undertake.

Colossians 117, "...and by him all things consist."

Hebrews 13, "...and upholding all things by the word of his power...."

Not only is the Lord presently occupied in preserving the creation, but He is also active in the preservation of all promises set forth in the Word which includes the preservation of the believer. If Christ be preserving our beings for the eternal state, and we know that He is, then we can have all the assurance of our salvation that we need. It is God Himself that is giving us that constant watchfulness.

C. Forgiveness: Only God has the power, prerogative and desire to forgive man of his sins. Christ forgave sins on several occasions in the Gospels while still here on earth, thus indicating that he had the power, prerogative and desire to do so. It is of interest also that the people involved accepted His statements of such forgiveness as fact, not fiction.

Not only in His earthly ministry did He forgive sin, but also in his ministry on the cross he brought about the forgiveness of sin for mankind.

Mark 2:5,

"When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee."

Colossians 3:13,

"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have

a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

D. Answers Prayer: Only God can make a promise to answer prayer. Only He can give the promise, and only He can give the answer. In John Christ makes the following comment about prayer and His power to complete it. "If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." John 14:14

E. Resurrection: He will raise the dead, not only the righteous but the unrighteous. (John 5:21, "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth them life, even so the Son giveth life to whom he will.") This ref. would also show that He could give eternal life which only God can give. (Vs. 2829 mention the righteous and unrighteous being raised.)

At times we forget that there is provision of eternal existence for all of mankind whether they desire it or not. All mankind will continue for eternity, but the quality of that existence is the problem. Some will have eternal joy, while others will have eternal torment.

F. Judging: Only God can judge mankind. God is the lawgiver and the judge of those that do not follow His law. God has committed that judgment to His son according to John,

"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed

all judgment unto the Son;" John 522; v 27 also.

Acts 10:42 mentions again that Christ will judge and that it will be the living and the dead.

III. HIS ATTRIBUTES PROVE HIS DEITY HE

HAS THE SAME ATTRIBUTES AS GOD.

A. Eternal: A few comments to show this will be sufficient since we saw this in our introduction to Christ.

He was before John. John 1:1

He was before Abraham. John 8:58

He was before creation. John 17:5,24

He was before birth. "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah through 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, form everlasting." Mic 5:2; (see Hebrews 1:11; Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 1:11 as well.)

He always has been and always will be. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1; (see 1 John 1:1,2 and Isaiah 9:6 also.)

B. Self-Existence: He has life within Himself. He does not depend on the Father or the Holy Spirit for life, for He is an integrated part of them and they have life without need of anything external to themselves to continue to exist. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:4

C. Immutability: He is unchangeable. "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8; (see Hebrews 1:10,12) There is nothing that can ever change about the character and being of the Lord.

D. Omnipresence: He is everywhere totally present.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name,

there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 1820

Matthew 28:20 tells us that he promised to be with us always. If he is with me and with the missionary in Japan at the same time and always he must be, then He is omnipresent.

The very fact that he indwells every believer also shows his omnipresence.

E. Omniscience: Let's just list some information for your study.

He knew the time and manner of His exit from this life: Matthew 16:21; John 12:33

He knew who would betray Him: John 6:66-71

He knew the character and certain end of the age: Matthew 24:21-28

He knew the Father: Matthew 11:27

He knows all there is to know — all things: Colossians 2:3, "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. John 16:30; 21:17

F. Omnipotence: He is all powerful. If He created — and He did — this one is obvious to the most casual observer.

Paul tells us that he will subdue all things unto Himself as well as change our bodies and fashion them like his own. Anyone that can do that is Powerful. Philippians 3:20,21

G. Holiness: In Him is no sin — perfect Holiness. He is called the "Holy One" in Acts 3:14. He was to be holy when conceived according to the angel speaking to Mary in Luke 1:35.

H. Righteousness: He has no sin. It is a little bit absurd to even suggest that He could have sin for He is divine. "My little children, these things

write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;" 1 John 2:1

I. Love: His love was shown in His humiliation, in His life and in His death. He paid a supremely high price for the redemption of mankind, and so many reject it so easily when they are confronted with His free gift.

IV. WORSHIP OF CHRIST PROVES HIS DEITY

A. He Accepted The Worship Of Men: (Matthew 15:25ff, "Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me."; John 9:35-39-v 38, "And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him.")

There are two references that show God is to be worshiped, but not man or angels. Acts 14:11-15; Revelation 22:8-9

B. He Deserves Worship: As God He certainly should be the focus of our worship. He is as deserving of worship as the Father, though the focus of Scripture seems to be on the Father. As we worship, we praise and give honor and glory to the Father.

John 5:23 holds forth a stiff statement that we would do well to consider.

"That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. he that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father, who hath sent him."

C. God Calls For Him To Be Worshiped: Not only are men to worship Him but the angelic host is called to worship Him as well. "...And let all the angels of God worship him." Hebrews 1:6

V. CHRIST AND WRITERS OF SCRIPTURE CLAIMED

HE WAS DEITY AND EQUAL WITH GOD

The authors of Scripture recorded the words of Christ on the topic and held them to be as true.

"Therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not

only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his

Father, making himself equal with God." John 518

"I and my Father are one." John 1030

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and

from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." John 147

"Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the

glory which I had with thee before the world was" John 175

Matthew 26:63-64; John 12:45; Philippians 2:6a; Colossians 2:9

VI. HIS PERFECT LIFE DEMANDED DEITY

He lived a perfect and righteous life while on earth and no man can possibly do that. He must have been God.

VII. HIS DEATH DEMANDS DEITY

He chose when and where to die. This is not a choice that man is offered. He laid down His life — no one took it from Him.

"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life

that I might take it again. 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. This commandment have I received of my Father."

John 10:17-18

VIII. HIS VOLUNTARY SUBORDINATION

TO THE FATHER SHOWS HIS DEITY

He willingly placed Himself, from a place of equality to a place of subordination to the Father. Only an equal could voluntarily subordinate oneself to God. We are subordinated to God, as are all creatures because of our creation. We can do nothing except be subordinate. Christ on the other hand had that choice thus He must be God.

His subordinate position is pictured in 1 Corinthians 11:3 where Paul is picturing the relationship of the woman to the man.

"But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."

This is a subordination of office, position and function, yet it has absolutely nothing to do with essence. He is just as much God now as He was before the subordination.

Indeed, a question that is stirring in many circles today is whether this was an eternal subordination or something that took place sometime into the program of God. Post — decrees would be the best place if it is not eternal. Subordination does not change what Christ is. Subordination does not change what believers are.

A. Christ Stated That The Father Was Greater. John 14:28, "...for my Father is greater than I".

B. The Lord Is Begotten Of The Father. This shows a subordinate place in the scheme of the ages. John 3:16 mentions this.

C. Christ Was Dependant Upon The Father.

John 5:19, "...Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for whatever things he doeth, there also doeth the Son in the same manner."

D. Christ Was Sent By The Father.

John 8:29, "And he that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 17:8 as well.)

E. Christ Was Under The Father's Authority.

John 10:18, "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. This commandment have I received of my Father."

F. Christ Received Authority From The Father.

John 13:3, "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God"

G. Christ Received His Message From The Father.

John 178, "For I have given unto them the

words which thou gavest me...."

H. Christ's Kingdom Was Appointed By God.

Luke 2229, "And I appoint unto you a kingdom,

as my Father hath appointed unto me,"

I. Christ Will Deliver His Kingdom To The Father.

1 Corinthians 15:24, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power."

In closing I would like to share some thoughts with you.

REDEEMED

The God of all eternity, the God that designed the stars. The God that looked down to observe one lost sinner that observed the magnitude of His creation.

The Christ of eternity, the Christ that created the stars. The Christ that came down to save one lost sinner that observed the magnitude of His love.

The Spirit of eternity, the Spirit that placed the stars, the Spirit that came down to indwell one lost sinner that succumbed to the wonder of His leading.

The sinner of hell, the sinner that deserves nothing. The sinner that rises to dwell in the heavens of the God that sacrificed all for his redeeming.

1. His deity guarantees all that He said is going to come to pass. All that He prophesied, as well as all that He promised.

2. If He told us to go with the Gospel, why don't we? He is one person that we ought not disobey.

THE DEITY OF CHRIST

HANDOUT

The deity of Christ is paramount in our study of the Lord.

If Not God? What Then?

I. HIS NAMES PROVE HIS DEITY

A. The Word: John 1:1

B. Son Of God: Matthew 8:29; Luke 1:35; John 5:18; 19:7; 1 John 5:20.

C. Lord: Luke 2:11; Acts 10:36; Philippians 2:10,11.

D. Holy One:

E. God: John 20:28

II. HIS WORKS PROVE HIS DEITY

A. Creation: Colossians 1:16; John 1:3,10

B. Preservation: Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3

C. Forgiveness: Mark 2:5; Colossians 3:13

D. Answers Prayer: John 14:14

E. Resurrection: John 5:21;

F. Judging: John 5:22; 5:27; Acts 10:42

III. HIS ATTRIBUTES PROVE HIS DEITY

A. Eternal:

He was before John. John 1:1

He was before Abraham. John 8:58

He was before creation. John 17:5,24

He was before birth. Micah 5:2; (see Hebrews 1:11; Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 1:11 as well.)

B. Self-Existence:

C. Immutability: Hebrews 13:8;

D. Omnipresence: Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:20

E. Omniscience:

He knew the time and manner of His exit from this life: Matthew 16:21; John 12:33

He knew who would betray Him: John 6:66-71

He knew the character and certain end of the age: Matthew 24:21-28

He knew the Father: Matthew 11:27

He knows all there is to know — all things: Colossians 2:3, "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. John 16:30; 21:17

F. Omnipotence: Philippians 3:20,21

G. Holiness: Acts 3:14; Luke 1:35

H. Righteousness: 1 John 2:1

I. Love:

IV. WORSHIP OF CHRIST PROVES HIS DEITY

A. He Accepted The Worship Of Men: Matthew 15:25; John 9:35-39

B. He Deserves Worship: John 5:23

C. God Calls For Him To Be Worshiped: Hebrews 1:6

V. CHRIST AND WRITERS OF SCRIPTURE CLAIMED

HE WAS DEITY AND EQUAL WITH GOD

John 5:18, John 10:30, John 14:7, John 17:5, Matthew 26:63-64, John 12:45, Philippians 2:6a, Colossians 2:9

VI. HIS PERFECT LIFE DEMANDED DEITY

VII. HIS DEATH DEMANDS DEITY

VIII. HIS VOLUNTARY SUBORDINATION

TO THE FATHER SHOWS HIS DEITY

A. Christ Stated That The Father Was Greater. John 14:28

B. The Lord Is Begotten Of The Father. John 3:16

C. Christ Was Dependant Upon The Father. John 5:19

D. Christ Was Sent By The Father. John 8:29

E. Christ Was Under The Father's Authority. John. 10:18

F. Christ Received Authority From The Father. John. 13:3

G. Christ Received His Message From The Father. John. 17:8

H. Christ's Kingdom Was Appointed By God. Luke 22:29

I. Christ Will Deliver His Kingdom To The Father. 1 Corinthians 15:24

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why is it important to know that Christ was totally God?

2. How might you need to know this information in the future, as you go out into the world to witness to others?

3. If Christ is totally God and He gave us Matthew 18:18-20, what should your response be to Him?

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

Winifred Kirkland once spoke of the fact that we often miss knowing Christ because of His familiarity. We think we know all there is to know of Him so we don't consider him as we ought.

"In talking about Jesus Christ our Lord many fundamentalists seem to lift Him to super human plateaus where we see only a dim and hazy image, while in reality the Scriptures depict Him as a patient, loving, and enduring figure to be held as a pattern for our Christian lives.

"In many places throughout the Gospels we see Christ as a very patient person. His disciples were constantly giving Him reason to despair, yet He always explained and re-explained each thing until it was clear in their minds. The Pharisees were often trying to lead Christ into a corner where they would have surely pounced upon Him, yet He always was in control. The high point of the patience portrayed by the Son of Man was at His trial. People were beating Him, mocking Him, and spitting on Him, yet never once did He lose His temper.

"The love this man poured out upon the nations of the earth was immeasurable, and not universally accepted. He gave His life on the cross as the payment for all mankind's sin, yet not all have returned His love, and as a result many will spend eternity without that love.

"Christ's physical endurance amazes many people. This man was up very early in the morning praying, spent all day with the crowds about Him, teaching and healing, and continued His work into the night. Many today think they've done a big day's work if they put in eight hours. The type of life that Christ submitted Himself to requires a real commitment to the job to be done.

"The total of just these three brief points, His patience, His love, and His commitment, show that Jesus Christ was truly a great and

dynamic human being, which in no way detracts from the fact that He was God walking among us."1

Why is it important for Christ to be Human? Since we have seen that He was Deity what difference does humanity make? As Almighty God He was able to care for the sin of the world. He was able to do all that man could not. He satisfied God's requirements for atonement. What difference does His humanity make?

1. He can't be our example if He is God only. God, an infinite being cannot really set a followable example for finite man. We would be incapable of following that example.

2. He could not pay for man's sin if he were not locked into humanity in some manner. The requirement is for man to die. If Christ was to take upon Himself the penalty he must be man.

3. He could not defeat the devil evidently without this step according to Hebrews 2:14.

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST DECLARED

I. HE HAD A HUMAN BIRTH

He Was Born Of A Woman. He was born of Mary according to the Gospels and Galatians 4:4. He was born of a virgin as well. We will cover this in more detail in the incarnation. (Matthew 1:18-2:12, Luke 1:30-38; 2:1-20) Evans has a paragraph that would be good for consideration if there is any doubt in the mind as to the validity of the virgin birth. See footnote 4.

II. HE HAD HUMAN TERMS APPLIED TO HIM

He Was Called The Son Of David: Matthew 1:1, Matthew 12:23, Matthew 15:22. To be a true son of David, He would have to have been of the seed of David, and human.

He Was Called The Son Of Abraham: Matthew 1:1. The same applies here as in the previous comment.

He Was Born Of The Seed Of David: Romans 1:3. This passage adds proof to the previous two points. The thought of seed indicates a physical relationship.

He Was A Descendent Of Adam: Luke 3:23-38 shows the genealogy tracing back to Adam. This is another proof of the physical, human aspect of Christ's nature.

This Fulfilled A Promise To: Eve, Genesis 3:15 and Ahaz, Isaiah 7:14. Again this strong physical, human link to man is seen.

Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua: He had a human name as well as physical descendency.

He Was Called A Carpenter: Mark 6:3 Along with his human name, descendency we see that He was involved in a physical occupation, that of a carpenter. If only God why would He need to subject Himself to such things. Indeed, if only God, why go through the process of birth, growing, learning, and the other mundane things of human life?

He Was Called A Man: 1 Timothy 2:5 The apostle Paul was quite in error if this Jesus were only God.

He Was Flesh And Blood: Hebrews 2:14 To be flesh and blood, is to be human. We have no other creature on earth that has flesh and blood that are not animal or human. With all of the characteristics of a human, then He must have been human.

III. HE HAD HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

He Was One Of The Early Home Schoolers: Luke 2:40,

"And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him."

He Matured As Other Humans Mature: Luke 2:52, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

He Was Taught But Probably Not In Schools: There is a possibility that he had some teaching in the synagogue. Luke 4:16 shows that he could read in the synagogue. John 7:15 mentions that the Jews marveled at his knowledge.

He Visited The Temple: Luke 2:41,46,47 tells us that he visited in a big way and shocked a few teachers.

He Knew The Scriptures: Luke 4:17 tells us that he had a working knowledge of the Scriptures. Enough of a knowledge to find a certain passage in Isaiah

"And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet, Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,"

Matthew 4:4 and the context are the testing in the wilderness and it shows that he had a good understanding of the Scripture.

His knowledge of the Scriptures may well have come from a combination of three things, His teaching from His parents, His own personal study and His communion with the Heavenly Father.

IV. HE HAD ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HUMAN NATURE

He Had A Human Body: Hebrews 10:5 mentions his body. Hebrews 10:10 tells us that we are sanctified by the offering of His body. "By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Matthew 26:12 tells of Jesus body being anointed. John 2:21, "But he spoke of the temple of his body." Hebrews 2:14 mentions he had flesh and blood.

He Had A Human Body After The Resurrection: His body was human, even though it was glorified. Luke 24:39, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

He Had A Soul: Matthew 26:38 Indeed it sorrowed. John 12:27, Act. 2:27,31.

He Had A Spirit: Mark 2:8, "And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, why reason ye these things in your hearts." Mark 8:12, Luke 23:46, John 13:21.

Since it has been shown that He had a human body, a human soul, and a human spirit, then He must have been human.

V. HE HAD THE INFIRMITIES OF THE HUMAN BODY

He Became Tired: John 4:6,

"Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied with

his journey, sat by the well; and it was about the sixth hour."

He became tired and weary, just as we.

He Became Hungry: Matthew 4:2,

"And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was

afterward hungry." (Also Matthew 2118)

He Became Thirsty: John 19:28,

"After this Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished,

that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst."

He Slept: Matthew 8:24,

"And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that

the boat was covered with the waves; but he was asleep."

He Was Tempted: Hebrews 2:18, "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted." Hebrews 4:15.

He Was Limited In Knowledge: Mark 13:32,

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels

who are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."

Mark 11:13 tells of Him approaching a fig tree with leaves to see if there was fruit on it. Mark 5:30-34 mentions the woman that touched his garment. He asked who touched his clothes. Some might suggest that this was a rhetorical question or that he wanted her to identify herself and that He really knew who it was. John 11:34 relates that Christ asked where they had laid Lazarus when He came to raise him. "And said, Where have ye laid him...."

Since all of these be human traits, it seems very logical to assume that He too was human.

VI. HE WAS KNOWN AS A MAN

He Was Called A Man By Himself: John 8:40, "But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth...." If He were less than a man, then He is a liar.

He Was Called A Man By John The Baptist: John 1:30,

"This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is

preferred before me; for he was before me."

John was related to Him, indeed, possibly grew up playing with Him. Surely He would know if He were human or not.

He Was Called A Man By Peter: Acts 2:22,

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which

God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know;"

He Was Called A Man By Paul: Acts 13:38,

"Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through

this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins;" 1 Corinthians 15:21, 1 Corinthians 15:47, Philippians 2:8.

He Was Known As A Man: John 7:27, "Nevertheless, we know this man...." John 10:33.

He Was Known As A Jew: John 4:9,

"Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? For

the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans."

He Was Thought To Be Older Than He Was: John 8:57 (around 30 at this time.)

"Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

He Was Accused Of Blasphemy For Calling Himself Other Than Man: John 10:33,

"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."

If the Jews did this they were assured in their own minds that He was a man.

He Had The Appearance Of A Man Post-Resurrection: John 20:15 relates that Mary took Him for a gardener. John 21:4,5 tells that the disciples didn't know who He was when He was standing on the shore.

He Appeared In Human Form In Glory: 1 Timothy 2:5,

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus,"

He Will Come In The Same Form: Matthew 16:27,28; 25:31 mentions his coming again, and Acts 1:10-11 mentions that He will come as He went. The disciples saw him go in bodily form.

He Appeared In His Bodily Form In Power: Matthew 26:64,65,

"...Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

He Will Judge The World As A Man: Acts. 17:31,

"Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; concerning which he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."

If He were not a man, then He was one of the great tricksters of all time. He fooled people from, close friends to acquaintances, from uneducated to highly educated, and from low class to high class. Such an accomplishment, if He were not human, was nothing short of trickery and falsehood.

VII. HE DISPLAYED THE EMOTIONS OF A HUMAN

I will list some references and the emotion/emotions that are mentioned.

Matthew 26:36-44 tells of His being depressed, His sorrow, His weakness of the flesh, and most likely disappointment in his disciples.

Mark 3:5, "And when he had looked round about on them with anger...." (He is angry with the jews because they were waiting to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.)

Luke 10:21 tells us that He "rejoiced in the Spirit".

Luke 22:44, "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly...." (This is the agony in the garden.)

John 11:35, "Jesus wept."

John 12:27 tells us that His soul was troubled.

John 13:21 — troubled in spirit.

John 13:23 — loved.

VIII. HE NEEDED SPIRITUAL HELP

He prayed: Mark 1:35,

"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went

out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Luke 22:44, "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly...."

The thought of needing help gives added meaning to the disciples going to sleep in the garden just before His arrest. How saddened He must have been when His best friends would not pray with or for him.

I have a number of times been in prayer meetings and asked for prayer for a real burden. The real burden usually came when no one prayed for my request. I wonder at times when a pastor asks for requests in a worship service, and people respond with real needs and hear him pray briefly for, "these requests of your people." Yes, God hears and He will probably answer, but there must be some disappointment.

He was empowered by the Holy Spirit: Acts. 10:38,

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

If Christ needed to be empowered then surely He must have been human.

IX. HE NEEDED TO BE A MAN

There is seldom reference to any need of His humanity, but it was a necessary requirement within God's overall plan. Paul mentions in I Corinthians 15:20-23.

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

Not only does this text declare Christ's humanity, but it points out the need of that humanity.

Without humanity, Christ could not provide the perfect life to sacrifice. Without humanity, Christ could not provide the sacrificial death on the cross. Without humanity, Christ could not provide the resurrection of the saints.

As man fell by representation in Adam, so man had to be represented by man in the plan of redemption.

It would seem that His humanity is of great necessity.

1. While teaching at a Bible Institute, we had a couple of days when high schoolers were invited on campus to encourage them to consider the school in their future plans. Friday after the event was winding down I had already wound down and was ready for crashing. I knew that this lesson had to be ready before Friday was over. I finally went back to the office and started. I came up with a dozen plans for not doing it so I could go crash. I forged on ahead step by step until I was at this point in the lesson.

I was very encouraged by the verses that told of what Christ did during His walk here on earth as man. He was tired and was up early etc. I could really relate to what I was reading and typing. I was encouraged to know that He kept going even when He was tired. It Encouraged Me Greatly. He indeed, should be our encouragement to go on when we are ready for a crash time.

"MAKE JESUS KING.

"When Queen Victoria had just ascended her throne she went, as is the custom of royalty, to hear The Messiah rendered. She had been instructed as to her conduct by those who knew and was told that she must not rise when the others stood at the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus. When that magnificent chorus was being sung and the singers were shouting, 'Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,' she sat with great difficulty. It seemed as if she would rise in spite of the custom of kings and queens, but finally when they came to that part of the chorus where with a shout they proclaim him King of kings suddenly the young queen rose and stood with bowed head, as if she would take her own crown from off her head and cast it at his feet. Let us make him King and every day be loyal to him. This is the secret of peace." J. Wilbur Chapman2

QUOTES THAT COUNT

Evans quotes two authors that are of interest as the humanity of Christ is introduced. You might read these if you have his book available to you. The quotes are from Sinclair Patterson and James Denney. (P 53)

FOOTNOTES

1. Derickson, Stanley L., Paper done for English Grammar and Composition, Western Bible Institute, 1-27-70

2. Stanley I. Stuber and Thomas Curtis Clark, "Treasury Of The Christian Faith", New York: Association Press, 1949, p 93.

3. Evans "The narrative of the virgin birth need not stagger us. The abundance of historical evidence in its favor should lead to its acceptance. All the manuscripts in all the ancient versions contain the record of it. All the traditions of the early church recognize it. Mention of it is made in the earliest of all the creeds: the Apostles' Creed. If the doctrine of the virgin birth is rejected it must be on purely subjective grounds. If one denies the possibility of the supernatural in the experience of human life, it is, of course, easy for him to deny this doctrine. To one who believes that Jesus was human only it would seem comparatively easy to deny the

supernatural birth on purely subjective grounds. The preconceptions of thinkers to a great degree determine their views. It would seem that such a wonderful life as that lived by Christ, having as it did such a wonderful finish in the resurrection and ascension, might, indeed should, have a wonderful and extraordinary entrance into the world. The fact that the virgin birth is attested by the Scriptures, by tradition, by creeds, and that it is in perfect harmony with all the other facts of that wonderful life should be sufficient attestation of its truth." Evans mentions "THE VIRGIN BIRTH", by James Orr, D.D. as a good book for further study. Taken from: "THE GREAT DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE"; Evans, William; Copyright 1974, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago; Moody Press. Used by permission. p 54

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

I. HE HAD A HUMAN BIRTH

Born Of Woman: Galatians 4:4

Virgin Birth: Matthew 1:18-2:12, Luke 1:30-38; 2:1-20

II. HE HAD HUMAN TERMS APPLIED TO HIM

Son Of David: Matthew 1:1, Matthew 12:23, Matthew 15:22

Son Of Abraham: Matthew 1:1

Born Of The Seed Of David: Romans 1:3

Descendent Of Adam: Luke 3:23-38

This Fulfilled A Promise To: Eve Genesis 3:15, Ahaz Isaiah 7:14

Jesus Is The Greek Form Of The Hebrew Name Joshua:

Carpenter: Mark 6:3

Man: 1 Timothy 2:5

Flesh And Blood: Hebrews 2:14

III. HE HAD HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

He Was An Early Home Schooler: Luke 2:40, Luke 2:52, Luke 4:16, John 7:15.

He Visited The Temple: Luke 2:41,46,47

He Knew Scripture: Luke 4:17, Matthew 4:4

IV. HE HAD ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HUMAN NATURE

He Had A Human Body: Hebrews 10:5, Hebrews 10:10, Matthew 26:12, John 2:21, Hebrews 2:14.

Even After The Resurrection He Had A Human Body — Glorified. Luke 24:39

He Had A Soul: Matthew 26:38, John 12:27, Act. 2:27,31

He Had A Spirit: Mark 2:8, Mark 8:12, Luke 23:46, John 13:21

V. HE HAD THE INFIRMITIES THE HUMAN BODY

He Was Tired: John 4:6

He Was Hungry: Matthew 4:2, Matthew 21:18

He Was Thirsty: John 19:28

He Slept: Matthew 8:24

He Was Tempted: Hebrews 2:18, Hebrews 4:15

He Was Limited In Knowledge: Mark 13:32, Mark 11:13, Mark 5:3034, John 11:34

VI. HE WAS KNOWN AS A MAN

He Was Called A Man By Himself: John 8:40

He Was Called A Man By John The Baptist: John 1:30

He Was Called A Man By Peter: Acts 2:22

He Was Called A Man By Paul: Acts 13:38; 1 Corinthians 15:21; 1 Corinthians 15:47; Philippians 2:8

He Was Known As A Man: John 7:27; John 10:33

He Was Known As A Jew: John 4:9

He Was Thought To Be Older Than He Was: John 8:57

He Was Accused Of Blasphemy For Calling Himself Other Than Man: John 10:33

He Had The Appearance Of A Man Post-Resurrection: John 20:15; John 21:4,5

He Appeared In Human Form In Glory: 1 Timothy 2:5; Matthew 16:27,28; 25:31

He Appeared In His Bodily Form In Power: Matthew 26:64,65

He Will Judge The World As A Man: Acts. 17:31

VII. HE DISPLAYED THE EMOTIONS OF A HUMAN

Matthew 26:36-44, Mark 3:5, Luke 10:21, Luke 22:44, John 11:35, John 12:27, John 13:21, John 13:23

VIII. HE NEEDED SPIRITUAL HELP

He Prayed: Mark 1:35, Luke 22:44

He Was Empowered By The Holy Spirit: Acts. 10:38

THE INCARNATION

Incarnation comes from a Latin term meaning enfleshment. In our study it is the enfleshment of God. It is God made manifest in human flesh.

In Theology, the Incarnation speaks to that act of servanthood by which the Second Person of the Trinity stepped into the flow of mankind as man, taking upon Himself all that man is and limiting Himself to function within mankind's parameters.

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 incarnation is carried in both Matthew and Luke's account of the life of our Lord.

This coming to mankind of man's God was not without its own set of unique circumstances. God could not just appear as man, for He needed to be entirely man which required of God that He experience all that there is to be experienced by man.

This presented a minor problem, how can God be born of man? There needed to be a Fatherhood from God and a motherhood by woman. This unique combination produced not only the God-man Jesus Christ, but it also produced a man with no sin nature which was also a prerequisite.

One of the hallmark doctrines of Christianity, one of the fundamentals if you will, is the virgin birth. Both Matthew and Luke mention the virgin birth. Matthew 1:18, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When, as his mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." Luke 1:26,27,34 ("...a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph....")

Both are quite clear on the fact that Joseph was not the father of Jesus. Matthew 1:20,

"...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 Spirit."

Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered, and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

In Matthew's genealogy he uses the term begat all the way through, but does not use it in relation to Joseph. This would seem to be a significant omission.

Without the virgin birth there are a few problems:

a. You have to call the Bible and God a liar, for the Scriptures plainly declare the virgin birth.

b. You have to see Christ, the incarnate God, as a being that takes over a human being that has a fallen nature. If this human, taken over by a God has a fallen nature, then for the God to live a perfect life He must force the human, against his will, to live that perfect life. The ramifications of this are great.

I. THE PURPOSE OF THE INCARNATION

Ryrie details the purpose of the incarnation in one of his books. I would like to quote his outline and then adapt it for our discussion.

"...to reveal God to men...to provide an example for living...to provide a sacrifice for sin...to destroy the works of the devil...to enable Him to be a merciful and faithful High Priest...to fulfill the promise of a son to sit on the throne of David forever...."1

A. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DECLARING HIMSELF TO MAN

Often I have introduced my children to groups of people and I often add, You won't know them long before you know where they got their humor. Often the child takes on the characteristics of the parent, so even in humans we can see that if you know the son you can know something of the father.

This same aspect is true of God the Father and God the Son, only in even a more real sense. The Son is the Father and the Father is the Son. They

are of the same nature and of the same character. They are one. The "Father" and "Son" distinctions speak of differences of person and of position, but say nothing of differences of nature. They are truly one, and if we know one we know the other. If we are to know about God we need to study His Son and His life while on earth. We need to look at his characteristics, mannerisms, and way of life and then we will know something of The Father. Christ Himself declared that if a person knew Him, then the person also knew God the Father.

B. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF GIVING US

AN EXAMPLE TO LIVE BY

We know enough of the maturing of children to know that they often take a model to pattern themselves after. Even in adulthood we often pattern ourselves after our heroes. God knowing His creatures, desired to give them a model that was WORTH emulating. Many of our models are so very flawed, yet we pattern ourselves after them.

God desires that we pattern our lives after the life of Christ the man that lived the perfect life. Indeed the outworking of this concept is seen in a familiar text that we normally don't tie with this thought. "Be ye holy for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16. If we follow Peters admonition we will naturally pattern ourselves after the Lord.

As we take Christ as our model we take not only the man Jesus as our model, but we take as our model the God of the universe. (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6)

We all know what instruction books are, don't we? You know, those books that we get with the modern conveniences that tell us how to run things. They often include instructions of assembly that appear to have been written as practice for a Greek class.

Well, in a sense God wanted us to have an instruction manual for life. The Lord Jesus came to show us how it was done. The sad part of it is, there aren't to many today that read their perfectly lived instruction manual. We are to walk as He walked.

How do you relate to that today? Do you walk as Christ walked, following all the laws of man perfectly, being righteous at all times, always

having a proper reaction to people even when they are being nasty to you? Wow. Some Example To Follow.

C. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING SALVATION TO MAN

Hebrews 10:1-10 tells of the one perfect sacrifice that was made by Christ.

Man was unable to save himself from the quagmire that he inserted himself into, so the Lord God was the only hope for man in his lost state. If God had not interceded there would have been no saving man from his lostness. God needed to become the sacrifice that could die for the sins of man, because nothing on this earth was worthy and righteous enough to pay the penalty. Since God cannot die, there was but one thing for God to do and that was to become man. As man He could die and provide the way of salvation for all of mankind.

Within this idea is the fact that He provided eternal life to man. John 6:51, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is may flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 10:10, "...I am come that they might have life...."

From what John mentions, it is hard to determine how anyone of any faith, or of any belief, could think that they can do anything to gain their own salvation. Christ came that we might have life. Without Christ there is no life and we need to know that, believe that, teach that, and preach that.

D. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING HIS VICTORY OVER SATAN

Getting even is one of the hallmarks of lost mankind and it is feared of many Christians as well. We want to lash out when someone does something mean or says something nasty.

This is not the case in God's dealings with the Devil. He was not looking to get even with Satan for his actions in the garden of Eden, nor was He trying to get even for the multiplied millions of things that he has done through time.

God was simply preparing the way for the removal of all fallen angelic beings. Their judgment is set according to Revelation 19 and 20, and their final end will be in the Lake of Fire. This judgment is set and sure, yet God has postponed the execution of that judgment for a time. In the end when Christ is bringing together all that needs to come together, the Devil will be delivered to his final, eternal domain. 1 John 3:8,

"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from

the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,

that he might destroy the works of the devil."

The devil had to be conquered on his own turf. He is the god of this world and needed to be met in the world of man. Christ was victorious.

Ryrie tries to make the point that this victory was had in His incarnation. I'm not sure that this is the case. The incarnation does not seem to be anything that would cause victory. What could have occurred in the birth of a child that would hinder a spirit being involved in an angelic conflict? The birth itself had no power, nor authority to accomplish anything other than to set the stage for the work of Christ on the cross. The cross and resurrection proved that the devil no longer held death over man's head.

E. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING A HIGH PRIEST FOR MAN

Under the law the believer was to approach God only through the priest and the sacrificial system. The priestly system was to give the path for man to God.

In our own age this is a heavenly path. We don't have to wait till the tabernacle opens at 8:00 a.m., we can go directly to the high priest that is sitting beside the Father and He will intercede on our behalf. We can study of Christ's ministry in this capacity in Hebrews five.

Not only is He our High Priest, but he is able to be sympathetic to our situation as He intercedes, for He too was in the flesh, to know and feel. Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 2:17-18 also. In a sense God came to be man partly to know what it was like to live as man from the inside out.

F. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING AN

EVERLASTING KING FOR ISRAEL

Luke 1:31-33 in the announcement of Christ's conception to Mary this was prophesied. "...and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: (32b) "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (33)

To have an everlasting king, God had to provide in some manner, for the fulfillment of that concept. Man is only an everlasting being through the work of Christ. There is no man, even believing man, which can fulfill the promises of the Old Testament prophets concerning the great things that this king of Israel is going to do.

G. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING A PROPER JUDGE

Again, man is not capable of filling the job that God needed done. Not only did God need a perfect sacrifice, a perfect king for Israel, but he also needs a perfect judge so that none in the end can cry foul, or unfair. They will see that the judge is Christ Himself, and they will know that their judgment is sure, just, and deserved. John 5:22,27,

"For as the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son;" "And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

H. GOD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING A HEAD FOR THE CHURCH

This concept is not easily grasped when one is trying to organize a church. Just how do you go about making Christ the head of an organization when He isn't there to occupy a chair of the board. Naturally, the concept is that of His guidance through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Word and prayer.

In jest someone suggested that it is great that God provided a head for the church, for had He not, we would have had as many heads as members and nothing would be done. Christ is the head, the brains, the motivation, the leadership, and the help of the church, and yet so many times we make our

decisions based on our own desires and comforts, rather than seek out what the Head of the church might have in mind.

Ephesians 1:19-23 shows Christ being placed over all including the church. This specifically is in relation to the resurrection, but is a result of the incarnation.

II. CHANGES WROUGHT BY THE INCARNATION

A. CHRIST CAME FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH TO DWELL.

I have a friend that was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He is probably about the only good friend that I have ever had outside my own family. I didn't understand him for several years. He was very strange and standoffish. My other friends could not stand to be around him. I often tried to figure him out, but finally stopped and accepted him as he was.

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