John 1:1-4, Hebrews 1:8, Matthew 14:33, Colossians 1:16, Matthew 28:19, Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Mark 2:5-11
Summary: Our study in basic biblical doctrine continues as we devote our attention to the Supreme Subject of each book of the New Testament and the fulfillment of the promises of God written in the Old Testament, none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, our Great God, King, and Savior
Christianity is the life of the Son of God made living in man. Jesus Christ is the Supreme Subject of each New Testament book and the fulfillment of every promise and prophecy of God proclaimed in the Old Testament. He existed before all creation and came into creation to live as one of us, showing that He is and will always be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all time, the victor over death, hell, and the grave.
Throughout the entirety of the New Testament, His disciples and those who wrote the Gospels, letters, and histories that tell of His life and work declared without compromise or apology that Jesus Christ was and is both God and man. His Divine nature was presented in passages such as Matthew 14:33, 28:18-20; Mark 2:5-11; John 1:1-4, 17:5, 20:28-31; Acts 4:12; Colossians 1:16, and Hebrews 1:8.
Scripture also testifies that Jesus was human, with normal parents (Matthew 2:11; Luke 1:26-38), although Matthew and Luke point out that Joseph was the foster father of Jesus and that God was His true Father. He was subject to the infirmities of human nature yet was without sin. He got hungry, thirsty, tired, and showed deep emotion such as tears over the death of His friend Lazarus, and underwent times of temptation (Matthew 4:2; John 4:6, 11:35, 19:28; Hebrews 4:15).
It was John, the last apostle, who wrote of this dual nature of Jesus Christ as a defense against the heretical teachings that were growing at the end of the first century, which denied either Jesus’ Divinity or humanity (1 John 1:1-10). Other passages showing Jesus’ humanity include Genesis 3:15; Matthew 24:45; Mark 6:3; Luke 3:28; John 7:1-5; Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 2:5, and Hebrews 2:9-18.
A core teaching of the Scriptures and an essential truth concerning the Lord Jesus centers on His conception and birth. As the Perfect Sacrifice for our sins, He had to be born without a sin nature that originated and spread down through history from Adam (Romans 3:10-18, 5:12-21). The Savior had to be born without the input of an earthly father and the natural procreative process. Jesus was the product of the Divine intervention of God the Holy Spirit and the willing servant of the Lord, a virgin girl named Mary (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38), the “Seed of the woman” that had been prophesied by God Himself after the fall of Adam and Eve into sin.
God’s promise of redemption was given to them and to all people who seek reconciliation with Him. God gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16) so that we do not have to suffer in sins and bear the unpayable price we cannot bear in our fallen condition. None of this would be a reality if Jesus had been born as everyone else, a man conceived in sin, unable to pay for His own sins, much less our own.
The Virgin conception and birth identify the Lord Jesus as the Promised Messiah, a miracle that validated His message of redemption and carried on by His apostles and all who believe upon Him. It is only as God in the flesh that Jesus could be our perfect sacrifice for sin (Luke 1:35).
The Virgin conception is a portrait of the role we play in salvation, which is NOTHING. Joseph had no hand in the process, and he was accepting of his part to rear the Son of God as his own. Mary was passive, accepting God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). Neither holiness nor salvation can be brought about by our own self-efforts, plans, ideas, or ideals. Anyone rejecting the Virgin conception ends up rejecting the Divine nature of the Lord Jesus, the idea of salvation in general, and renders the Christian faith and the entirety of Scripture as unnecessary, irrelevant, and non-essential, and the story of Jesus would have been forgotten to history.
The centerpiece of the New Testament is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is recorded more than 120 times. Representative passages include Isaiah 53:12; John11:23-24; Romans 5:6-11, 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 2 Corinthians 3:15; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 2:9, and Revelation 5:9.
Jesus’ death was vicarious (Matthew 20:28). He was our substitute, taking our place upon the cross (2 Corinthians 5:2). He was made sin for the sinner. By faith in Him, the sinner is made righteous by the righteousness of God. His death was natural, with His spirit separating from His body (John 19:31-37). But it was also unnatural in that — since He was sinless (1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5), knowing no sin, doing no sin, and having no sin before He could die like a man — He had to be “sin for us.” Therefore, He died an unnatural death. God in the flesh DIED – FOR US.
What love can we ever hope to imitate in that fashion?
Jesus’ death was the product of the foreknowledge of God Almighty and was no accident or unforeseen tragedy on Jesus’ part (1 Corinthians 2:7-9). God’s plan of salvation was in place before the whole of creation was ever formed. Jesus’ death was supernatural (John 10:17-18). He laid His life down on HIS TERMS and raised Himself up again on the third day as He promised (John 2:19). Only God in human form could do this act of compassion, sacrifice, and confirm the success of His redemptive mission by coming back to life (Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-49; John 20, 21).
The doctrine of the Resurrection and redemptive mission of the Lord Jesus Christ was the doctrine of every one of His disciples who were eyewitnesses of His victory over death, hell, and the grave (2 Peter 1:16-21). It is the faith of every true believer, the courage of every martyr, and the theme of every Biblical sermon, teaching, and the power of every evangelistic proclamation worldwide.
He gave “infallible proofs” of His resurrection (Acts 1:3). His post-resurrection appearances are recorded in Matthew 28:5-10; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:13-31, 34, 36-43, John 20:11-18, 24-29, 21:1-23, and 1 Corinthians 15:6-7.
Contemporary historians and Christian apologists such as Drs. Gary Habermas, William Lane Craig, Norman Geisler, J. Warner Wallace, and Josh McDowell write in their books about the proofs for Jesus’ resurrection from both biblical and non-biblical Roman and Jewish sources, some of which were openly hostile to the person and claims of Jesus. Archaeological studies and excavations by noted scholars such as Dr. Randall Price, along with the work of organizations such as the Associates for Biblical Research, have given historical credibility to the biblical accounts of Jesus’ life and times. Manuscript research is also a key in determining the accuracy of the biblical accounts by scholars such as Dr. Daniel Wallace and the late Drs. Bruce Metzger and F.F. Bruce, all of whom have written massive volumes on the New Testament documents.
The Lord Jesus promised His followers that He would return to this world at the appointed time to gather His elect and judge the wicked once and for all. The Second Coming of Christ is mentioned over 300 times in the New Testament and described as the Day of the LORD (1 Thessalonians 5:2), that Day (2 Thessalonians 1:10), and the Last Day (John 12:48). The purpose of His Second Coming is to fulfill His word (John 14:1-3), receive His own (Matthew 24:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), to destroy death (1 Corinthians 15:25-26), reward His people (Matthew 16:27), and judge the world (Matthew 25: 32-46).
The time of His arrival is unknown (Matthew 24:27-36) but will come when the Gospel is presented to the entire world (Matthew 24:14) and after the ascension and time of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3). The days prior to His return will be as wicked as were the days of Noah before the flood (Matthew 24:37-47). This tells me personally that He is on His way much quicker than many people care to know or expect. He will arrive in the clouds (Matthew 24:30), as flaming fire (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8), like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3), and in His majestic glory (Matthew 25:31).
In the meantime, we need to be about His business (Luke 19:13-48), to look for His arrival (1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 2:13), to always be ready (Matthew 24:42-51), and to be praying for His soon return (Revelation 22:20). He is coming back to receive His church in the rapture (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15;51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10), then at His Second Coming at the end of the tribulation to judge the nations and save His people Israel (Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 11:25-26). He will be seated upon the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:31-53) to establish righteousness once and for all (Hebrews 1:8; Revelation 20:11-25).
If you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, now is the accepted time to do so (2 Corinthians 6:2). Life is a vapor, and you do not know the time of your demise (Luke 12:13-21; James 4:13-17). I urge you not to put this off as time is running out, and Jesus could arrive at any time for His church. Surrender your life to Him today.
Please go to my website listed below and watch the videos dealing with the importance of getting right with God through Jesus Christ. You will face Him one day, either as Savior or Judge (John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 9:27). Get this settled NOW!
My YouTube broadcasts titled “The Reality City Review” will be posted on Facebook, GETTR, Parler, and on my website when completed. My main area of discussion will be on the basics of the Christian faith but will also deal with prophetic issues and other topics as the Lord impresses upon me to handle.