In the Defense of our Faith # 6
“The Doctrine of Jesus Christ”
Philippians 2:5-11
Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor
When churches adopt a secular marketing strategy to increase their attendance, they modify the terminology the Bible uses to describe the Triune Godhead, which, in effect, cheapens God’s grace.
- This, in turn, leads to a shallow faith, which may be high on emotion but low on discipleship, and treats God as a spiritual genie rather than the holy, sovereign God that He is.
- The church has done the same to God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Rather than learning to define and describe them in the terms the Holy Spirit guided the men to use when they wrote the Scriptures, the church has dumbed down those doctrinal terms to fit with the culturally acceptable terms. But not only are they unholy, many of them are vulgar, and border on blasphemy.
- In the Westminster Confession of Faith, the doctrine of Christ:
- Proclaims the deity as well as the humanity of Jesus, which allowed Him to serve as the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins of all those who will believe in Him, and receive Him as their Savior and Lord.
- Proclaims Jesus as the source of the believer’s spiritual life and the only reason for man’s existence.
- Proclaims Him as the author and finisher of our faith. To be saved is to live in Christ, and to have Christ living His life through us.
The doctrines of salvation, from our election to our sanctification, and the blessed hope of our glorification, are centered in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- In John 15:5-8, Jesus said: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so, you will be My disciples.”
- The word “abide” is translated from the Greek word “meno”, which means to “remain, stay, or dwell in Christ.” To “abide in Christ” means to live in constant fellowship with Him and to rely upon Him for every decision of life. We “draw” our spiritual life from our relationship with the Lord Jesus, and He produces the “fruit” through us – attitudes and actions that honor God.
- Therefore, to disregard the doctrine of Christ by neglect or intention is to insult the One who died to save us from our sins.
- To deny the deity of Christ by refusing His authority over our lives is to deny Him as our Prophet, Priest, and King.
The Greek word for Lord is “Kurious,” which means “one with superior authority.”
- The English equivalent of the word Lord is “Master,” a title of respect and honor with is given to those in positions of power.
- When the Bible translators found the English word to describe the One to whom all respect and honor were due, the One to whom God gave all power in heaven and in earth, they gave it to Jesus of Nazareth. They said He is to be called “Lord,” “Master,” the same as “Jehovah God,” “Adonai,” “the Supreme One.”
1. The Deity of Jesus – Philippians 2:5 -6 – “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”
- “Being” – Jesus was a living, breathing human being.
- “Form” – Jesus’ manner of life was an exact expression of God.
- “Equal” – Jesus was equal in nature, position, power, and authority with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
- John 10:30 – Jesus said, “I and the Father are One.”
- John 14:9 – Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.
- Hebrews 1:3 – Jesus is the “exact likeness of God’s substance.”
- Colossians 2:9 – In Jesus, “dwell all the fullness of deity in bodily form.”
- More than 300 specific Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- He would be born of a Virgin – Isaiah 6:14
- He would be born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:2
- He would be born into the tribe of Judah – Genesis 49:10
- He would live in Galilee – Isaiah 9:1
- He would work mighty miracles – Isaiah 35:5-6
- He would teach in parables – Psalm 78:2
- He would enter Jerusalem on a donkey – Zechariah 9:9
- He would be betrayed by a friend – Psalm 41:9
- He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver – Zechariah 11:12
- He would be accused by false witnesses – Psalm 35:11
- He would be wounded and bruised – Isaiah 53:55
- His hands and His feet would be pierced – Psalm 22:16
- He would be crucified with sinful men – Isaiah 53:12
- His garments would be torn apart, and lots would be cast for them by the soldiers – Psalm 22:16
- None of His bones would be broken – Psalm 34:20
- His side would be pierced – Zechariah 12:10
- He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb – Isaiah 53:9
- He would rise from the dead – Psalm 16:10
- In Matthew 11, John the Baptist sent one of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus answered him by pointing to the mighty miracles He had performed.
- Matthew 28:6 – the angel said, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
2. The Humanity of Jesus – Philippians 2:7-8 – “He took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man!”
- Jesus was not only God of very God, He was also man of very man, with one exception – He was without sin, and no other human being has ever been able to even claim to conquer that!
- “Took” – adopted the lifestyle of a servant.
- “Made” – adopted the lifestyle of a man.
- “Appearance.” – revealed Himself to others as just another man.
- While the Son of God, the Second of the Triune Godhead, was on the earth as Jesus of Nazareth, He VEILED His deity by His own voluntary non-use of His divine attributes – He was still God of very God, but He was on this earth as man of very man.
The Son of God appeared on the earth in human form many times.
- Genesis 3:8 – He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
- Genesis 18:1 – He appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre.
- Genesis 32:24 – He wrestled with Jacob all night.
- Exodus 3:2 – He appeared to Moses in the burning bush.
- Exodus 13:21 – He appeared as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
- Exodus 14:19 – He went before the camp of Israel, and then behind it.
- Joshua 5:13 – He was the man Joshua saw with a sword in His hand.
- Daniel 3:23-25 – He was the fourth man in the fire.
- Luke 2 – He was Mary’s baby boy lying in the manger.
- Luke 23:46 – He was the one who cried out from the cross, “It is finished. Father, into Your hands, I commend My Spirit.”
3. The Lordship of Jesus – Philippians 2:9-11 – “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name.”
- In Romans 1:4, Paul said Jesus was declared to be the very Son of God because of His resurrection, for if Christ was not raised from the dead, He died in vain, and we worship Him in vain, and we are still dead in our trespasses and sins.
- God highly exalted Jesus by giving Him a name that is above every name. Jesus was to be called LORD, and having conquered sin, death, and the grave He was to be called LORD OF ALL AND OVER ALL!
- In Acts 2:32, Peter said: “This Jesus, God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God…God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
- God highly exalted Jesus by giving Him total sovereignty over everyone on the earth, and one day, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ really was who He claimed to be and that He did what He was sent to do.
- But there is a difference in the eternal destiny of those who are forced to confess Him as Lord on that day, and those who willingly confess Him as Lord today.
- Those who willingly bow before Him as Lord today will receive His gift of eternal salvation.
- Those who are forced to bow before Him on that day will receive the judgment of God, which is eternal condemnation.
What difference would it make in your life today if you just said, “Jesus, I want You to be the Lord of every area of my life.”
