Doctrine, Part 2: The Person and Work of Jesus

Jesus is God the Father’s one and only begotten -or unique-Son (John 3:16) and is equal and One with God the Father (John 1:1-3) and with God the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), thus existing forever and possessing all of the attributes of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus became man without ceasing to be God (John 1:14-18; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29; Hebrews 2:8-10), was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20), and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25) to save mankind from their sins (John 3:16-17).

In order for Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for man’s sin (Romans 3:24-26); He sympathized with our weakness’’, was tempted in every way just as we are (Hebrews 4:15), and carried our burdens (Galatians 6:2) all without sinning against God the Father (Hebrews 4:15). He truly lived the life that we could not live (Romans 3:23).

Jesus revealed Himself to man with miracles (John 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26) and revolutionary teaching (Matthew 5). He invited people to be a part of the Kingdom He was establishing on earth (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 12:28) by following Him (Matthew 4:18-20).

Jesus secured our redemption from sin and death by dying an undeserved death (Luke 23:15)- that we deserved to die (Romans 6:23)- on a cross (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19; Romans 5).

Once again; He lived a perfect human life, but when He willingly took on our punishment of death (Hebrews 12:2) on the cross, the Bible says that Jesus literally became sin –our sin- so that He could impart to us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Those sins that we are responsible for, and the laws we are not able to keep were nailed to the cross with Christ (Colossians 2:13-15).

Theologians call this act The Great Exchange; meaning ‘my sin for His righteousness’. In the Bible this is called justification (Romans 3:24; Romans 5:9). Justification is: to be legally acquitted from wrongdoing. Justification is God forgiving us of our sins through Jesus, so when we put our faith in Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross for us (more on that later in Salvation), God would see us as righteous just as Jesus was righteous in His living, because He took upon Himself the punishment for our sins.

Jesus legally took on our punishment so that we would not have to face it ourselves. The particular act of Jesus taking on our punishment is also known as propitiation (Romans 3:25). To propitiate is to conciliate (an offended power); or to appease. This means that the just wrath of God toward our sin and the punishment thereof was poured out, not on us, but on Jesus (Isaiah 53:10).

These acts: Jesus becoming sin; and Him becoming a propitiation for our sins were so horrible that most theologians believe- as do I-  that God the Father actually had to turn His face away from Jesus while He suffered on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

Jesus was buried in a tomb (Matthew 27:60) and resurrected from the dead three days after His death (Matthew 28:1-15). By raising from dead: Jesus proved that he was the promised Messiah (Psalm 16:10; Acts13:33-35), fulfilled promises that He had made (Matthew 12:38-40; John 2:18-22), proved that he was without sin (Acts 2:23-25), and conquered sin and death for eternity (Romans 5; Romans 6:10; Romans 8:2; Hebrews 2-14; James 5:20; 1 Peter 3:18).

Jesus’ death and resurrection assures those who are saved (more on that to come in Salvation) that they will spend eternity with God and will one day be physically resurrected from the dead to live forever(Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:7-9; Mark 12:25-26; Luke 20:36; John 11:24-26; Acts 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, etc…).

After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead He spent forty days on earth; appearing to many people (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:6), then ascended into heaven to the right hand of God the Father  (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-10) as our High Priest  (the entire book of Hebrews);who acts as our intercessor, representative, and advocate (Romans 8:34;  and, once again, the entire book of Hebrews).

Jesus will return imminently (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21:10-36; Revelation 22:12 and 20) to the earth to judge the living and the dead (Romans 14:9; 1 Peter 4:5; 1 Timothy 4:1). He will then reign as King forever and ever (1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Revelations 15:3; Revelations 19:16).

One Responseto “Doctrine, Part 2: The Person and Work of Jesus”

1. Bo Lane says:

   June 4, 2008 at 4:27 pm

   What?!?!

   All that and no mention of Jesus being your homeboy?