The Person of Christ
I. True Man.
The antiquated docetic heresy must be rejected if we are to accept the words of Scripture about Jesus in a literal way. He did not just "seem to be" human. Jesus was born of a woman (Gen. 14:4), subject to His mother and legal father (Lk. 2:51) and He grew and matured into a young man (Lk. 2:52). Furthermore, he was subject to human hunger (Matt. 4:2), thirst (Jn 4:7), weariness (Jn 4:6) and emotions (Jn. l1:35; cf. Mk 3:5).
II. True God.
As Docetism dies under the literal acceptance of Scripture pertaining to Jesus, so does the ancient yet still troublesome heresy of Arianism. Jesus is shown to be truly God by several scriptural evidences. First, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matt. 1:1 8,23: cf. Is. 7:14; Lk. 1:27-35).
I do not agree with some that the virgin birth, while important, is not essential (partly because only two of the gospels mention it and none of the letters of Paul mention it (cf. Gen. 14:4)- an argument from silence which more likely indicates an unquestioned acceptance of the event). Further evidence is seen in Jesus' own claim to divinity. He asserted Himself to be great "I am" (Jn. 8:58) and said that He was equal with God (Jn. 5:18). He submitted that to see, know, believe and receive Him was to see, know, believe and receive the Father (Jn. 12:45; 8:19; 12:44; Mk. 9:37). In line with this was Jesus' action in forgiving sin (Mk. 2:5-7), in receiving worship (Matt. 14:33; 28:17; cf. Ex. 20:1-4), in commanding obedience (Jn. 14:15) and in requesting His disciples pray His name (Jn. l4:13). Jesus' own disciples also claimed He was God (Jn. 20:28; 2 Pet. 1:1).
Substantiation of the above claims is seen in Christ's impeccable life (I Pet. 1:19; Heb. 4:15; I Jn. 2:1; cf. Lk. 23:4,47) ("a peccable Nature, yet an impeccable Person"'- Edersheim, p.48); His miracles (Mt. 11:4-5: Jn. 9:16); and culminates in His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matt. 28:6; I Cor. 15:20). Without this final validation, our finest faith is futile (I Cor 15:17).
III. The Work of Christ
A. Revelation of the Father.
Jesus has shown us the Father (Jn. l4:8-9; Lk. 10:22). Being the "image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15) and "bearing the very stamp of His nature" (Heb l:3) He has revealed what God is like. Both the holiness and love of the Father are seen in the gospel narratives of Christ's life and teaching (Mt. 11:20 ff.; 14:14). He has also shown us what God requires. Through His sinless life and His exhortations for moral perfection He caused even His own disciples to ask, "Then who can be saved?" (Lk. 18:26). That was just the point He wanted to make.
B. Salvation of Men.
"Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures" (I Cor 15:3). His death on the cross was substitutionary. "He Himself bore sin in His body on the tree (I Pet. 2:24). The atonement which His death produced is sufficient for all (Jn. l2:32; Rom. 5:18; cf. I Pet. 3:18) and it is efficient in all who believe (I Tim. 4:10). Having propitiated the Father by His sacrifice for sin, and being validated in that work by the Father's raising Him from the dead (Eph. 1:19,20), in fulfillment of OT prophecy (Ps. 16:10; cf. Acts 2:27) and His own (Jn. 2:19), Christ ascended into Heaven and "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Acts 1:9; Heb 1:3). He now makes continual intercession for the saints before the Father (Heb. 7:25; cf. Is. 53:12).
Bibliography:
Letter to Pope Urban II on the Incarnation of the Word. Anselm
Why God Became Man. Anselm
Have We Outmoded Chalcedon? J. Theodore Mueller
Jesus the Man. Leon Morris
The Deity of Christ. F.F. Bruse and William J. Martin
The Paradox of the Incarnation. Donal Baillie
The Significance of Jesus' Resurrection. Wolfhart Pannenberg
Scriptural Proof for the Sinless Humanity of Christ. Louis Berkhof
Our Lord's Virgin Birth. C.F. H. Henry
The Virgin Birth of Christ. Edward J. Carnell
The Protestant Views of the Atonement. Horace Bushnell