CHRISTOLOGY (THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST)

STUDY THIRTEEN:

There is no other religion that is built on the person and works of its founder except Christianity.

Without Christ, Christianity will be void because He is the core, the essence, the pillar and the heart.

He was the origin and will be the fulfillment of its hopes.

PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

Jesus Christ did not come to earth unannounced; He came in the ―fullness of time. Galatians 4:4. All the prophecies concerning Him were fulfilled exactly as prophesied:

1. Christ would come out of Judah. Genesis 49:10, Luke 1:31-33.
2. Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2, Luke 2:4-7.
3. He would be born by a virgin. Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18, 22-23.
4. John the Baptist would be His forerunner. Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3.

THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST

In accordance with the promise of God, in Isaiah 7:14, Christ was born by the Virgin Mary. This miraculous conception was necessary because God required a sinless blood to cleanse the sin of mankind. By this birth, Christ did not inherit the sin nature and so, He was able to atone for the sin of mankind. The mystery of the virgin birth is to believed and accepted.

THE PURPOSE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

1. To reveal God to mankind. John 1:18
2. To bridge the gap between man and God. I Timothy 2:5
3. To save men. Hebrews 2:14-16
4. To rescue the whole creation. Romans 8:19-22

THE DEITY OF CHRIST

No one who accepts the Bible as the infallible word of God will doubt the deity of Christ. Jesus claimed the Deity Himself in John 10:30 and this was the main reason He was crucified. John 19:7.

Scriptural Proofs of the Deity of Christ

1. God has come to live with us. Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14
2. Christ is identified by divine names. Isaiah 9:6-7, John 10:30
3. The personal name JEHOVAH (I AM) belongs to both God and Christ. Exodus 3:14, John 10:5-8.
4. Jesus forgave sins. Mark 2:5, 7.
5. He claimed equality with the Father. Matthew 28: 18-19, II Corinthians 13:14.
6. He claimed omnipresence. Matthew 18:20, Omnipotence Luke 8:24 and Omniscience Mark 11:2-6.
7. The fact of His resurrection. Romans 1:4; 6:4.

THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

In order to be the Saviour, Jesus had to not only be divine but also a true man. He was like us in every respect except sinful nature. If He were not fully human, He could not have represented us on the cross and He could not be the High Priest who comforts and strengthens us. Hebrews 2:16-18.

Scriptural Proofs of His Humanity

1. Jesus had human ancestry Luke 2:7, I John 4:3.
2. He was subject to the law of human development Luke 2:40.
3. He was subject to human instinct such as:

i.      Hunger. Matthew 4:2, 21:18;

ii.     Weeping. John 11:35;

iii.    Sleeping. Matthew 8:24;

iv.    Prayer. Matthew 14:23;

v.    Anger. Mark.3:5;

vi.    Death Hebrews 9:27-28.

Gabriel Ajibade