The Doctrine of Christ
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Php. 2:9-11).
I believe that Jesus Christ is the second Person of the Trinity, the one and only Son of God (Jn. 1:14; 3:16; Lk. 3:22; Rom. 1:3-4), and the Savior of the world (Jn. 3:17; Ac. 4:10-12; 1 Tim. 1:15; 2 Tim. 1:10). He is coequal (Jn. 10:30; Php. 2:5-6) and co-eternal (Jn. 1:1; 17:5) with the Father, sharing the same essence and divine attributes in every way (Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3). He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, which has been created for Him (Jn. 1:10; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:10). He will one day rule all things eternally without opposition and will be recognized by every living creature as Lord and God when He judges every man (Jn. 5:22, 27; Php. 2:10-11; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 5:13).I believe that Jesus Christ accomplished God’s predetermined, eternal plan (Gal. 4:4; Rev. 13:8) to reveal God to mankind (Jn. 1:18; 14:9; Heb. 1:2) and to redeem the world (Lk. 19:10; Jn. 3:16; Gal. 4:5), fulfilling OT prophecy (Mt. 1:22-23). He was sent into the world to be conceived by the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin mother (Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:30-35; Gal. 4:4), without a human father (Mt. 1:16). He assumed a material body and human nature like every other human being (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 2:14; 10:5). The unique feature of his humanity was that his human nature was entirely sinless (Jn. 14:30; 1 Jn. 3:5), and he never sinned (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15). He perfectly possesses all attributes of deity (Tit. 2:13) and all attributes of humanity (1 Tim. 2:5), having two complete natures, human and divine, as One Person.I believe that Jesus Christ temporarily relinquished His right to the free exercise of all divine privileges and capabilities, submitting Himself to the will of the Father; He accepted the limitations of human existence (Lk. 2:40; 4:2; 22:44; Jn. 19:28; Heb. 5:8) in order that He might fully identify with every man and accomplish God’s redemptive purposes for mankind through death on the cross (Mt. 26:39-42; Jn. 17:9; Php. 2:7-8; Heb. 2:9-10). As a man, he served in conjunction with the filling of the Spirit (Lk. 4:1). In accordance with the Father’s will, He also displayed His divine nature on occasion, performing supernatural miracles that included raising the dead (Mt. 9:4; Mk. 4:39-41; Lk. 7:22; Jn. 18:6).I believe that the death of Christ on the cross provided infinite, sufficient atonement for the sins of all mankind, especially for those who would believe (Jn. 3:16; 1 Tim. 4:10; 2 Pt. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:2). This death satisfied God’s own wrath towards sin (Rom. 3:25-26; 1 Jn. 4:10), provided the means of reconciliation with a holy God (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18), and redeemed mankind from the bondage of sin by His shed blood as the payment in full for the penalty of sin (Mt. 20:28; Heb. 9:22; 1 Pt. 1:18-19), once for all (Heb. 10:10-12). He died as the only possible and legitimate substitute for mankind, the just for the unjust (Is. 52:4-6; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pt. 2:24; 3:18).I believe that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4), receiving His original material body, though in a glorified condition (Lk. 24:36-43; Col. 1:18). Many witnesses attested to His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:5-7), and many also witnessed His bodily ascension into heaven (Ac. 1:11) where He now sits exalted at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:3), serving as our Advocate (1 Jn. 2:1), High Priest (Heb. 4:14), Mediator (2 Tim. 2:5), and Intercessor (Heb. 7:25).
