Great Bible Doctrines
Lesson No. 3: The Doctrine of Christ

Date: April 24 and May 15, 2002, Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Class
Speaker: John Phillis

We want to look at the Person and the Work of Jesus Christ. On one occasion, Jesus asked this question to a group of Pharisees: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” Matthew 22, verse 42. That was a very important question. It was an important question on that occasion, when Jesus asked it, even of those who were His detractors. It certainly is an important question for us to consider today. What do you, what do I, think about the Christ? What do we know about Who He is, or Whose Son He is? The answer to this question is vital to what we believe. This is the very fact—the very foundation—upon which Christianity is built and upon which we, as Christians, must build our faith. One must confess faith in Christ in order to be saved, 1 John 4:15 [“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.”]; Romans 10, verses 9 and 10 [“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”].

Also, the church is built upon the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He is Deity—that He is Divine, Matthew 16:13-20 [“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.”

Jesus’ authority over the church today rests upon this doctrinal Truth, Matthew 28, verses 18-20 [“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”].

So “who and what Jesus Christ IS” is the question at hand. It can be best seen by looking at the Person of Christ, and by considering His works. First of all, let’s consider the DEITY of Christ. The Deity of Jesus can be seen in seven states of His existence, which include His existence both in Heaven, as well as on the earth.

First, His pre-incarnate state in Heaven, the “logos” state: Jesus came from God and is God, not something created to reveal God, John 1:1-14; Philippians 2:6-7. (We’ll talk more about the “logos” state later).

Second, the incarnate Lord, as the Man, Jesus, John 1:14 [“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and Truth.”].

Third, His death on the cross, Mark 15:24 [“And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.”].

Fourth, His resurrection, as the resurrected Lord, Acts 2:32, 36 [“This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses…Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”].

Fifth, as One Who ascended to heaven and Who is even now at God’s right hand, Acts 2:33 [“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”].

Sixth, as reigning King of His kingdom, that being the church, Colossians 1:18 [“And He is the head of the body, the church, Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”]; 1 Timothy 6:15 [“which He will manifest in His Own time, He Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords…”].

And then, seventh, as the returning Lord at the end of time, 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 16 [“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus…For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”].

It will be within the context of these seven states of existence that we will explore this subject and will look at the Person and the work of Jesus Christ.