The Deity and Humanity of Christ
Since the early centuries of the church, there has been a great debate concerning the deity and the humanity of Jesus Christ. How can a man be both human and divine? How can a man have two natures? Throughout history, there have been those who focus on one nature or the other without seriously trying to reconcile the two. Scripture, however, tells us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and lived for thirty-three years as a man.
As we will see, faith in both the deity and the humanity of Christ is necessary to being a Christian. Both are part of the gospel message of the New Testament.
In the fourth century, the Arian heresy arose within the church. The followers of Arius questioned the full deity of Jesus Christ. They were willing to admit that he was the Son of God, but they could not accept the fact that he was equal with God the Father. Significant gains against this heresy were made at the Council of Nicea in 325AD. The statement issued at that Council stated that Jesus is begotten, not made, and that, in his divine nature, he is of the same essence (homo ousios) with the Father. The declaration was that the Son is not similar to Deity. He is Deity.
The deity of Jesus Christ can be seen in Scripture with his preexistence with God (John 1:1-3), his being called Lord (Philippians 2:9-11; Mark 2:28; John 20:28; and James 2:1) and his authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:1-12). Also, Paul writes that “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:19).
On the flipside of the heretical coin, some questioned the human nature of Jesus. Docetism (from the Greek word dokeo “to seem”), was a heresy which taught that Jesus did not have a real physical body or a human nature. According to docetism, he only seemed to have a body, but was actually some sort of phantom. According to John, any who believe such teachings are the Antichrist (2 John 1:7).
Another early heresy was monophysitism (from the Greek monos “one” and physis “nature”). This heresy taught that Jesus had only one nature, and it was neither truly divine nor truly human, but a mixture of the two.
It is essential to Christian doctrine that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second Person of the Trinity, became a real human being and lived on earth. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451AD, a declaration was issued which stated that Jesus exists “in two natures without confusion, change, division, or separation.”
Twentieth-century theologian, R.J. Rushdoony put it this way. “In the incarnation, God the Son became very man of very man as well as continuing as very God of very God. Thus, both parties to God’s covenant with man are now represented in the one person of Jesus Christ. He is both the offended Lord of the covenant, the gracious King who in grace and mercy enters into covenant with man, and yet He is also the son of Mary and a member of the offending covenant partner, so that He is the Judge, and also the Judged, the Kinsman-redeemer and the one in whose person all the elect members of God’s covenant are to be redeemed” (Rushdoony, Systematic Theology, Vol. I, p. 392).
One important characteristic of Jesus is the fact that, although living on earth as a man, he was sinless. This sinlessness is important, because by it he was the “lamb without blemish” (1 Peter 1:19) who died to atone for the sins of all God’s people. Just as the Passover lamb had to be without spot or blemish (Exodus 12:5), so the ultimate sacrifice for our sins had to be clean. Both Paul and Peter write of this: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21), and “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).
Closely associated with both his humanity and his sinlessness is the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin. Thus he fulfilled the first promise of a Redeemer: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). But, because his was a virgin birth, he was not a son of Adam. He was not born with a sin nature.
The earthly ministry of Jesus is clearly marked by three important events. His ministry began with his baptism by John. There he identified himself with his people. And, as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, he was anointed for service, thus he bore the title Christ which means ”the Anointed One.” His work was completed as he died an atonement for sin on the cross. And, his ministry on earth ended with his ascension back to the right hand of God the Father. It was at his ascension that Jesus entered his glory and took his seat as Judge and High Priest. And, it was from that sit of authority that he poured out the Holy Spirit upon his church.
The reason for Jesus coming to earth was to act as a mediator between God and man. Scripture describes us as being at enmity with God after the Fall. But Paul says that we have been justified and reconciled (Romans 5:10-11); and, that is the work of the Mediator.
Jesus Christ as Mediator
In biblical terms, human beings are described as being at enmity against God. We rebel, revolt, and refuse to obey the law of God. As a result, God’s wrath is upon us. For this catastrophic situation to be changed, it is necessary that we become reconciled to God. This is the work or redemption and salvation, which we will look at next.
Theologians often speak of the threefold office of Christ. Christ is our prophet, priest, and king. As a prophet, Jesus reveals the will of God to us. As a priest, he offered himself as an atoning sacrifice, he acts as our Mediator, and intercedes for us. As a king, he rules and defends us and conquers all his enemies.
Essential #4
Due to the fall of our original parents – Adam and Eve – into sin, we are in need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead. As the Son of God he is divine. Yet, as a man he came to earth and lived among his people, to save them from their sins. He fulfilled the three Old Testament offices of prophet, priest, and king. As God and man he accomplished a work on the cross which atoned for our sins, and which provides salvation for us.
