JESUS, OUR GREAT SAVIOUR

God did not reject or abandon humankind because of his sin. Rather God immediately began the process that would redeem and restore man. God promised that one day the head of serpent (Satan) would be crushed by the seed of the women. (Genesis 3:15) This verse has been called the "first gospel," as it gives the first good news of the coming of Jesus Christ, man's saviour. He then shed the blood of an animal and clothed the nakedness of Adam and Eve. This began a long practice of animal sacrifice for sins which we read about in the Old Testament. However, the Bible tells us that none of those many sacrifices were really able to take away sin. (Hebrews 10:3,4) They all looked forward to the coming of the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the whole world. (John 1:29) That Lamb of God was Jesus, God's only Son who would come to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, and give his life to pay the penalty for man's sins.

"For just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam] the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man [Jesus] the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)

As the new representative man, Jesus became the Second Adam.

A. Jesus before Bethlehem

Jesus is not a mythical character, but a historical person. Much of the world still celebrates his unique birth in Bethlehem of Judea. However, his birth in Bethlehem was not his beginning. In fact he had no beginning. He was with the eternal Father in the beginning. (John 1:1) "For by him all things were created. ...He is before all things." (Colossians 1:16,17) Jesus the Son is one of the persons of the eternal Trinity.

The Fall of Man did not take God by surprise. Even before they were created he knew that Adam and Eve would rebel against his will and disobey his command. Yet he had made "plans" for man's redemption; a plan that would involve the death of his son. In the mind of God, Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)

B. The Incarnation of Jesus

However, if Jesus were to be slain it would be necessary for him to have a body, because as the second person of the Trinity he is only spirit without any body.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.... Then I said, 'Here I am...I have come to do your will, O God' ....And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5,7,10)

This historical event of God the Son also becoming man is called the incarnation - literally putting on flesh. The Apostle John says, "The Word [Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling among us." (John 1:14) Though in nature equal with God, the Apostle Paul says he took "the very nature of a servant," was "made in human likeness," and was "found in appearance as a man." This Jesus did in order to become "obedient to death - even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8) Jesus did not only assume a human body, taking only the outward form of a man, but became a human being, having a full human nature. What could be more amazing than the Creator himself becoming one of his creation?

In this amazing act of becoming man, however, it is important to understand that Jesus did not give up being God. Remember that God is unchangeable so it would be impossible for the Son to stop being God. Thus even in the incarnation Jesus retained all the attributes of deity. However, it seems he surrendered the independent exercise of some of the divine attributes while he was here on earth. (John 8:28,29) He acted in response to the Father's will and the Spirit's direction. Before examining the two natures of Jesus - human and divine - let us briefly look at the reasons for the incarnation.

Reasons for Christ's Incarnation

The Bible gives us several reasons for the incarnation of Christ.

1. The incarnation fulfills God's promises of a redeemer. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Romans 15:8,9) Jesus is the long promised Jewish messiah. God did not forget his promises; at just the right time he sent his son. (Galatians 4:4)
2. Jesus came to reveal the Father (John 1:18, 14:9) - the invisible God became visible in the person of Jesus. All the wonderful qualities of deity were expressed in human terms that we can understand.
3. Jesus could understand what it was like to be human. As omniscient God he already knew everything about humanity. But in the incarnation God actually experiences being human. Jesus wanted to be made like his human brothers so he could be a merciful and faithful high priest. (Hebrews 2:17; 4:15)
4. Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil. (Matthew 12:22-29; John 12:31; I John 3:8) Satan comes to humanity as a thief who steals, kills, and destroys; Jesus comes as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:10,11)
5. Jesus provides an example of a human life lived with God's approval. (Matthew 11:29; II Corinthians 3:18; I Peter 2:21; I John 2:6) The first Adam provided a wrong model; the second Adam provided a perfect model. When we look at the life of Jesus we see righteousness and goodness exemplified in the various ordinary activities of life. It is one thing to read of a holy, loving, and just God; it is another thing to see such virtues lived out in daily human life.
6. Jesus came to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself on the cross. (Mark 10:45; John 1:29; II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:9; I John 3:5) This is the main reason for the incarnation. If Jesus did not become human he could not have borne our sins and be crucified in our place. He came to earth as a man for the explicit purpose of seeking and saving the lost." (Luke 19:10)

Humanity of Christ

The Bible teaches the full humanity of Jesus Christ. He did not look like a man or act like a man, but was a human as you and I. The biblical evidence of his humanity include the following:

• He had a human birth. (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:30) The uniqueness of his conception, a virgin overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, should not take away from the truth of his normal human birth, born of a woman. (Galatians 4:4) He was recognized as a true human descendant of Abraham, David and others. (Matthew 1:1; Romans 1:3)
• Jesus had a normal human development. There are some writings that give fanciful stories of his boyhood years. The Bible presents no such accounts, but simply that "the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him." (Luke 2:40) He likely grew up helping his earthly father's carpenter work. There is nothing that indicates his development was due to his deity, but rather the normal principles of human growth.
• Jesus exhibits all the essential aspects of human nature. He had a real human body. (Matthew 26:12; John 2:21; Hebrews 2:14, 16:5,10) He had a soul/spirit that was human. (Matthew26:38; Mark 2:8; Luke 23:46; John 12:27) The Gospels also provide numerous examples of his expressions of intellect, emotions, and will. He debated with lawyers, cried with the hurting, and chose courses of actions.
• Jesus also experienced the normal trials and experiences of humanity. (Matthew 4:2; 9:24; John 4:6) There were occasions when he was tempted, hungry, weary, thirsty, etc. - his life experiences were normal human experiences.
• Jesus was readily recognized as a normal Jewish man. (John 4:9) In scripture he is repeatedly called a man by others such as John the Baptist, Paul, and Peter. (John 1:28; Acts 2:22; 13:38) Likewise Jesus referred to himself as a man. (John 8:40)

Thus Jesus was fully human. The only distinction between him and us is that he was totally without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) However, keep in mind that Adam was both human and without sin prior to the Fall. Thus sin is not an essential mark of humanity, rather sin is foreign to God's intention for humanity.

Deity of Christ

The claim of Scripture is that Jesus is more than a prophet, wise philosopher, or religious leader; he is eternal God. Biblical indications of his deity include the following:

• The attributes of deity are ascribed to him. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 18:20; John 3:13; 8:58; 16:30; Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 1:8) Those qualities which comprise God's nature are ascribed to Jesus. One who is only a man cannot be eternal, omniscient, infinite, omnipotent, etc.
• The rights and privileges associated with deity are granted to him. (Matthew 9:2,6; Luke 7:47; John 20:25,28) Jesus accepts worship, forgives sins, gives the Spirit, raises the dead, executes final judgment, and sits with God on his throne. He calls men to sacrifice and service for his sake. (Luke 14:25-33) Were he not God, all these things would be considered blasphemy.
• The offices of deity are claimed of him. (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16,17; Hebrews 1:10) Jesus is said to be both the creator and sustainer of all things. He is called the King of Kings. Jesus is included equally with the Father and the Spirit in both the formula of Christian baptism (Matthew 18:19) and the common Apostolic Benediction (II Corinthians 13:14)
• Various names given to Jesus imply deity. (Matthew 1:22,23; 7:21,22; 9:6; John 10:36; John 8:33-59; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11) He is called the Christ, equivalent of the Old Testament term Messiah. Joseph was told to call him Jesus because he would be the Saviour (the mark of God). He was to be called Immanuel, meaning God with us. Often he was called the 'Son of God'. And his favourite title for himself was 'Son of Man'. The Old Testament use of this title was associated with the Messiah. Another of his favourite self descriptions was "I am," the name God had used of himself in the Old Testament. (Exodus 3:14) Likewise the Greek term kurios often used to translate the Hebrew word Yahweh meaning LORD is a common designation for Jesus. (John 20:28)
• Things said about God in the Old Testament are said about Jesus in the New Testament. For example, in the Old Testament God is acknowledged to be the Creator; in the New Testament Jesus is clearly called the creator of all things. (Genesis 1:1; Psalms 102:24- 27; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16,17; Hebrews 1:10-12) And again in the Old Testament Jesus is presented as the Saviour of the world. (Acts 4:12; 16:31)
• He is directly called God repeatedly. (Isaiah 9:6; John1:1, 18; 20:28; Romans 8:9,10; 9:5; Philippians 2:6; I Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; II Peter 1:1; I John 5:20)
• The Apostle Paul tells us "in Christ all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form." (Colossians 2:9)
• Jesus claimed that he and his Father were one (nature) and that those who had seen him had seen the Father. (John 10:30-33; 14:8-11)

C. Historical Views of Christ's Person

In early church history there were diverse views concerning the nature of Jesus' person. They included:

• Ebionite View - that Jesus was only human, but a very godly man.
• Gnostic View - denied the reality of Christ's human body because they believed matter to be evil.
• Arian View - that Jesus was human and in some sense divine, though less than fully God. He was a created being who was pre-existent but not eternal.
• Apollinarian View - Jesus had a real human body, an animate soul, but not a rational human spirit/mind. The Divine Logos took the place of the human spirit.
• Nestorian View - denied the true union between Christ's human and divine natures. Thus Jesus was considered two distinct persons, a human person and a divine person, in one body.
• Eutychian View - Christ was only one person with one mixed nature, neither fully human, nor divine.

Religious leaders from across the church world, holding various views came together at Nicea to study in depth what the Scriptures taught about the deity of Christ. On July 4, 325 the Council of Nicea affirmed that the Bible taught the full deity of Christ.

Unity of Christ's Two Natures

It was widely accepted that Jesus was both human and divine. However, even after the Council of Nicea affirmed the full deity of Christ, the controversy continued over the relationship between his human and divine natures. Finally another ecumenical church council was called at Chalcedon to again thoroughly study the Scripture to see what they taught about Christ's two natures. In 451 the Council of Chalcedon affirmed the following:

• Jesus is only one person, not two.
• He has two natures, one human and one divine.
• Both natures are true and complete.
• The two natures are organically and indissolubly united.
• No third nature is formed by the uniting of the two natures.

Jesus is a divine person who added a human nature, not a human person who added a divine nature. Though from eternity he has existed as God, at a point in human history he became the God-man and will remain such forever. For Jesus to be the Saviour of humankind, it was necessary that he be both fully God and fully man. Man had sinned; only man could pay the penalty. Only God could make the sacrifice to atone for the sins of the whole world.

D. Death of Jesus

The death of Jesus is foretold in the Old Testament, both in types and symbols and specific prophecies. All the blood sacrifices looked forward to the highest atoning sacrifice. (Psalms 16:8-10; 22:1-18; 41:9-11; Isaiah 53:1-6; Daniel 9:26; Zechariah 11:12,13) His death was the main reason for the incarnation. (Mark 10:45; John 17:27; Hebrews 2:9-26; I John 3:5) For this purpose he came to earth. The incarnation was a means to an end.

The importance of Jesus' death is seen in the prominence given in the New Testament. Nearly one in every fifty versus makes reference to it. The final three days of Jesus' earthly life leading up to the cross consume about twenty percent of the whole gospel narrative. The Apostle Paul tells us Christ's death is the theme of the Gospel. (I Corinthians 15:1-4) Without the death of Jesus there would be no salvation for humankind. (John 3:14,15;12:24; Romans 3:23-26) Since his death is so important, it is important that we understand its meaning. The Bible tells us of the amazing event of God dying on a cross, and it also explains its life and death significance for all people everywhere.

Inadequate Views of Christ's Death

Interpretations of the meaning and purpose of the death of Jesus have sometimes been wrong or inadequate. I will briefly explain some of the more common ones.

• The Accident View - as the name implies, Christ's death was accidental and has no meaning or benefit for anyone else. It was unfortunate because Jesus was a good man, but there was no value for others. This view totally ignores the many prophecies of his death and Christ's stated purpose of coming to die for mankind's sin.
• The Example View - Jesus was a champion of the poor, of justice, of social concerns and other good causes. Others opposed his views to the point of death. Jesus was a martyr, willing to die for what he believed to be right and good. The value of Christ' death was the example he provided for standing up for worthy causes. However, his death has no meaning for the forgiveness of our sins.
• The Moral Influence View - the cross is the climax to a life lived to demonstrate God's love. Jesus came to live among us and share in our human experiences, even the experience of death. Such condescension on the part of God demonstrates his great love for us. Men recognize God's love and repent of their sin and live for him. Certainly the cross testifies of God's love, but God loved us before Christ ever came to earth. His death was more than just identifying with human experience. He was dying for all humanity.
• The Governmental View - the death of Jesus demonstrates how much God hates sin. Seeing God's terrible hatred of sin, men repent and serve God. Indeed, God does hate sin, however, this view does not see the death of Jesus as dying for our sins. Rather the death of Jesus impacts man rather than God. If man would have repented, God would have granted forgiveness without Christ needing to die.
• The Ransom View - after the Fall, the Devil holds control over sinful mankind. He holds sinful man ransom, demanding a price for our freedom. He determined that the ransom price must be the death of God's Son. We could only be freed from Satan's grasp if this ransom was paid to him. He thought he could hold Jesus in the grave. The Bible does speak of Christ's death as a ransom, but it is not paid to Satan. God owes nothing to him.

Meaning of Christ's Death

The above views, though inadequate, do emphasize certain truths: there is no greater love than Christ's laying down his life; God hates sin because of his holiness and what harm it brings to us; Jesus does champion good and justice and wants us to do the same; Jesus did give his life on the cross as a ransom for the many. However, the Bible tells us specific things about the meaning of Christ's death as it relates to man's sinfulness.

• Christ's death was a substitute for our own death. (Romans 5:8; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:24; 3:18) Jesus did not die on the cross for his own sins (he was sinless), but for ours. Jesus dies for us in three ways:
  • He died for us in the sense of "because of" or "on account" of us. (Romans 4:25) Because we sinned it was necessary for him to die.
  • He died for us in the sense of "instead of" us, or in "place of" us. Since we sinned, we should have died. But he died in our stead; he was crucified in our place.
  • He died for us in the sense of "on behalf of" us or to the "benefit of" us. His death for us brought us great benefit, bringing us from death to life. (Romans 6:13) "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him...." (Isaiah 53:5)
• Christ's death was a satisfaction. (Romans 3:19-28) It satisfied the justice of God which demanded that the soul that sins must die. His death satisfied the penalty for our sins. It also satisfied the law of God. The law of God holds no threat over us. (Romans 6:14)
• Christ's death atoned for our sin. (Romans 3:25; I John 2:2; 4:10) The idea of atonement is to cover our sin. "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven and whose sins are covered." (Psalms 32:1) As far as the east is from the west, that is how far God has removed our sins. (Psalms 103:12)
• Christ's death brought us forgiveness. (I John 1:9) Our sin left us with a debt that we could not pay. All of God's laws that we had broken pointed out our guilt. But Jesus paid it all and God forgave us. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to his cross. (Colossians 2:13,14) God could justly forgive us because the penalty had been paid.
• Christ's death appeased God's wrath. (Romans 3:25) As was stated, God hates sin. He is not a vengeful God, but a holy God. The one who sins falls under God's wrath. (Romans 1:18) On the cross the wrath of God toward sin was poured out upon Jesus instead of Us. Because of Jesus' death, God is not angry with us.
• The death of Jesus reconciled us to God. (Romans 5:11; II Corinthians 5:18-21) Sin separates man from God. Enmity replaces friendship. (James 4:4; Romans 8:7) Because of our sin we would try to hide from God and could not approach him. A great gulf separated us. On the cross Jesus bridged that gulf and reconciled us to God. Because of Jesus we are back in the favour of God. "...when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son...." (Romans 5:10)
• The death of Christ ransomed us from sin. (Matthew 20:18) Jesus "....died as a ransom to set us free from the sins committed...." (Hebrews 9:15) He bought us with his own blood, the price of our redemption. (I Peter 1:18,19) However, the ransom was not paid to Satan. Anselm, one of the church fathers, said, "God owed nothing to the Devil but punishment...whatever was demanded of man, he owed to God, not to the Devil." In Christ, God's love and mercy ransomed us from God's holy justice.

Though the Bible assures us of all these wonderful things Jesus has done for us on the cross, there is no way that our minds can fully comprehend what it meant for God himself to die for us. Our hearts can only respond in the words of the hymn:

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my All.

— When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Extent of Christ' Death

For whom did Christ die? Since he was sinless, it may be easily understood that he could give his life in exchange for another. But to believe that this one person, Jesus, dying on a cross could save the whole world may seem hard to fathom. However, that is what the Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches. For example:

• "This is my blood...which is poured out for the many...." (Mark 14:24)
• "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
• "...one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men...." (I Timothy 2:5,6)
• "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced one died for all...." (II Corinthians 5:14)
• "But we see Jesus...he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (Hebrews 2:9)
• "He is the atoning Sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but for the sins of the whole world." (I John 2:2)

This provision for universal salvation through faith in the death of Jesus is for all generations. When he "had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." (Hebrews 10:12) Although Jesus died for the whole world, not all are automatically saved. Each must believe in him and receive him as their personal Saviour (John 1:12); and be personally reconciled to God. (II Corinthians 5:21) All who appropriate Christ's death for themselves are saved. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)

Though Christ died for all, not everyone will call on his name for salvation. Some will harden their hearts, refuse to believe, and reject his love. However, this in no way reduces the power to save in the sacrifice of Jesus. God has made provision for all through the death of his Son. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (I Corinthians 1:18)

E. Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus made extraordinary claims. He claimed that he was the Son of God; that through his death all may be saved; that he would be raised from the dead. All three claims are linked together. The Apostle Paul says that Jesus "was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead." (Romans 1:4) The resurrection of Jesus is the grand evidence that his sacrifice on the cross for our sins was accepted by God. (Romans 4:25) Paul argues in I Corinthians 15, that if Christ is not risen then our preaching is in vain, our faith is in vain, we are still in our sins, and those who died believing in Jesus are lost. But let there be no uncertainty: "Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." (I Corinthians 15:20) The resurrection of Jesus is the central doctrine of Christianity.

Nature of Christ's Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus is no myth or legend. It is not some kind of a "spiritual" resurrection that leaves Christ's body in death. The resurrection of Jesus was a bodily resurrection. It could be seen and touched. Jesus invited his disciples to eat with him after the resurrection and invited them to handle him, saying a spirit doesn't have flesh and bone as he had. Yet, though raised with the same body as he had in death, it was a changed body. It no longer had some of its former limitations and it would never die again. (John 20:19) "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever." (Revelation 1:18)

Evidences for Christ's Resurrection

The Bible gives testimony of many who saw Jesus after his resurrection-individuals, small groups, as many as 500 people at one time. These were not fleeting glimpses that may have been mistaken. They spoke with him, ate with him, and touched him. (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20, 21; Acts 1; I Corinthians 15:3-8) His post-resurrection encounters with them were not brief or short lived. "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3) He was seen by both men and women and in various locations.

Change took place among Jesus' followers after the resurrection. Though almost all were Jews, they changed their day of worship from the Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday. This became known as the Lord's Day as it commemorated his resurrection. Prior to Jesus' resurrection his disciples were fearful and uncertain, hiding behind locked doors. (John 20:19) After the resurrection they were going everywhere proclaiming with boldness:

"This man [Jesus] was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead...." (Acts 2:23,24)

Now his followers were willing to lay down their lives for him, knowing he has power over even death. For they had seen him alive!

The greatest evidence for Christ's resurrection is the empty tomb. The stone was rolled away from the tomb, the grave clothes remained, but the body was gone. Over the years many have tried to explain away the empty tomb with suggestions such as they stole the body, or they went to the wrong tomb. Their speculative theories are harder to believe than the truth: Jesus arose from the dead!

I serve a risen Saviour, he's in the world today,
I know that he is living, whatever men may say.
I see his life of love, I hear his truthful voice
And just the time I need him, he's always near.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus Lives today!!

F. Ascension and Exaltation

Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended back into heaven, as his disciples watched. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee, 'They said, why do you stand looking up into the sky. This same Jesus, Who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.' (Acts 1:10,11)

Jesus has gone to heaven so that the Holy Spirit might come to us. (John 16:7) He has also gone to prepare a place for us and has promised to return for us. (John 14:2,3) Though bodily he is in heaven, he comes to us by means of the Holy Spirit. When we gather in his name, he is in the midst of us. (Matthew 18:20) And he has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Having completed his mission on earth, he returned to heaven to again share its glory with the Father. (John 17:5) Because of his obedience in going to the cross, God has exalted him to the highest place and given him a name above all others. All in heaven and earth are to bow before him and confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord." (Philippians 2:9-11) As our great Saviour, he is loved and worshipped by the millions all around the world who know him.