Systematic Theology, Chapter 26 (part 2)

We have just looked at the humanity of Christ, and now will look at the Deity of Christ. 

The word God (Theos), which is usually reserved for God alone, is used to refer to Jesus Christ several times. 

The word Lord (Kyrios) is also used of Christ.  (See Grudem's book for all the details). 

Other claims to deity include: 

when Jesus says, 

"before Abraham was, I am." 

"I am the Alpha and the Omega...the beginning and the end."  

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word WAS God." 

The phrases "son of man," and "son of God," had significant meaning in their contexts. 

Jesus possessed attributes of deity:

Omnipotence (stilled the storm with his words, changed water to wine, etc)

Eternity (when he speaks of his existence throughout time)

Omniscience (knowing people's thoughts)

Omnipresence (not during his lifetime, but he says, "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.)

Sovereignty (ability to forgive sins)

Immortality (inability to die finally) Christ does die, but has an active role in his own resurrection!  "I will raise it up." "I have the power to lay it (Jesus life) down and I have the power to take it again." 

Worthy to be worshiped, something due only to God alone. 

Did Jesus give up some of his divine attributes while on earth?  Grudem argues that Jesus changed his roles and status, but his essential attributes as a part of the deity remained while he lived on earth.  Jesus gave up his status and privilege. So, Jesus is fully divine. 

In 1977, a group of recognized church leaders in England published the book,"the Myth of God Icarnate,"  which makes some foundational assumptions. 

1. The bible is NOT an absolute divine authority for us today

2. Christianity is evolving and changing over time.

We see a dividing point here.  Either we believe in Christs full deity and the authority of scripture, or else we begin on a slippery slope of being able to deny everything in scripture as we choose. 

Here are three other historical views of the person of Christ that are inadequate.

1. Apollinarianism.  Christ had only a human body, his mind/spirit were divine.  (rejected in AD 362)

2. Nestorianism. Divine and human Jesus were two separate persons! (condemned in the 400's AD)

3. Monophysitism (Eutychianism).  Jesus divine and human nature are separate, yet combine to create a new third type of nature. (Denied, because in this case Christ cannot be truly God nor truly man.)

451 AD, the Chalcedonian definition was made, and is a standard, orthodox definition.  

"....truly God and truly man, consubstantial with the Father according to the God head....to be acknowledged in two natures, indivisibly, inseparably, the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one person..."

We are able to point to aspects of the human nature and the divine nature with no problem between them.  For example, Jesus lay sleeping in the boat when the storm hit.  He was tired, YET he showed omnipotence by stilling the storm.  Tired yet all powerful!

To say that we cannot understand it is appropriate humility. To say that it is not possible seems more like intellectual arrogance. 

In general, what happens to either aspect of Jesus can be said of him as a whole.  Thus can Paul say, "they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."  The divinity of Christ cannot die, yet as a whole and in his human nature, Christ did die. 

This topic is the most amazing miracle in the whole Bible; that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal son of God could become man and join himself to a human nature forever....what a miracle and mystery. 

Next time, chapter 27, the Atonement. 

Systematic Theology, Chapter 26

The Person of Christ, how is Jesus fully God and fully man in one person?

He WAS fully God and fully man in one person, and WILL be so forever.

Starting with his humanity:
1. Christ is born of a virgin; conceived in the womb of his mother Mary by a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, without a human father.   This shows us that salvation must come from the Lord, a virgin birth is an impossibility for man.  It unites humanity and deity in a perfect way.

Being born of a virgin allows Christ to have true humanity without inherited sin.  The angel Gabriel even pronounces to Mary, "therefore the child to be born will be called holy."

2.  Jesus had human weaknesses and limitations.
A human body, the need to grow up.  He became tired, thirsted, hungered, he eventually died.

Jesus also rose from the dead in a physical human body, which had been made perfect. He ascended into heaven with that body, to show a continuity between his existence in a physical body.

He had a human soul and emotions. "Now is my soul troubled." "He was troubled in spirit."  He marveled, he wept with sorrow, he learned obedience.  Yet in all this he never once sinned.

"In every respect he has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

People near him saw him only as a man.  Jesus did a lot of miracles, yet when he approached his hometown, the people said, "where did this man get his wisdom and these mighty works?  Isnt this the carpenter's son?"

He was human, yet without sin.  When he says, "I am the light of the world,"  he points to pefect truthfulness and moral purity.  He says of his Father, "I am always doing what is pleasing to him." (we cannot say the same of our relationship with God!)

Was it possible for Jesus to sin? as a human, it is in his nature to be able to sin, but since he has a divine nature, we know that God cannot be tempted.  They somehow work in unity.
If Jesus had sinned, then he would cease to be God.  Yet his temptations were very real.
He stood fast to the end and triumphed over temptations, and in this way felt the full weight of these temptations.

Why was it necessary for Jesus to be fully human?
1. He was our representative, and obeyed where we and Adam disobeyed.
2. to be a substitute sacrifice.  Only by becoming one of us could he be an acceptable substitute for our sins and its punishment.
3. The one mediator between God and men.
4. Man was made to rule over creation, and only through Jesus is this put to right again.  "given all authority over heaven and earth..."
5. to be our example and pattern in life.
6. To be a pattern for our redeemed bodies.
7. To sympathise as high priest.  He has gone through the same temptations as we and knows what it is like.

Jesus will be a man forever. In his resurrection body, he ate, and had flesh and bones. And it is promised that he will come back in the same way we saw him go into heaven.  Fully God and fully man, yet one person, forever.

Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology Chapter 25.

The Covenants between God and man.

Throughout history, God has had a “you do this, I’ll respond with this,” relationship with man, and that is solidified through covenants.  By definition, “A covenant is an unchangeable, divinely imposed legal agreement between God and man that stipulates the conditions of their relationship.”

Both parties are active, but because it is divinely imposed, man cannot negotiate or change the terms of the agreement.  Covenants never change, but they may be superseded or replaced by another covenant.

At the heart of all covenants is this one, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Even Adam and Eve can be said to live in the first covenant relationship, “you obey and I will bless you in the garden.”

Other covenants usually have an outward sign attached to them, such as circumcision, baptism, the Lord’s supper.  God was not forced to make a covenant, and indeed he made no such covenant with the animals he created, but shows his love for his people when he enters into covenant with them.

The covenant with Adam is still in force with us today, in the sense that perfect obedience leads to life, and “the wages of sin is death.”

Another covenant is called the covenant of Redemption.  In this covenant, the trinity agrees that the son will become man, be our representative, pay our penalty for our sin.

Many scriptures point to how the Father prepares a chosen people for the son, sends the son as a representative, prepares a body, accepts him, gives his all authority, etc.

The son agrees to become man, and become obedient, even to death on a cross, and the Holy Spirit agrees to do the will of the Father and empower Christ to carry out his ministry on earth.

The next covenant is the covenant of Grace. God and man have an agreement, and in this case Christ acts as mediator to fulfill the conditions of the covenant.  The condition for man is faith in the redeemer.  The promise of blessing in the covenant was a promise of eternal life with God.  In the Old Testament, this was shown by the sign of continuing to observe festivals and ceremonial laws, and is now shown through participation in the Lord’s supper.

This covenant of grace was in place from the time of Abraham.  Galatians 3:8 says,” The scripture preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham…”

The “old covenant,” which is spoken of in the New Testament, points to the Mosaic law, which was a restraint and custodian pointing people to Christ.

So Old Testament people looked in faith to the promised Messiah as a step in their redemption.  The sacrificial lambs in the Mosaic covenant did not actually take away sins, but foreshadowed the bearing of sin by Christ.

What a joy to be part of the new covenant (and the other covenants) of God!