The Doctrine of Christ

 

I. The Person of Christ and Historical Heresies The entire substance and strength of the Christian faith centers entirely on Jesus Christ; without Him, the religion collapses. Maintaining a delicate orthodox balance regarding His person requires rejecting historical heresies:

• Ebionites: Denied His divine nature, viewing Him as a mere man.

• Gnostics: Denied the full humanity of Jesus.

• Arians: Claimed Christ was a created being and did not pre-exist.

• Apollinarians: Argued Christ had a human body and soul, but the eternal Son replaced the rational human spirit, denying His complete human nature.

• Nestorians: Denied the real union of the divine and human, proposing a dual personality.

• Eutychians: Suggested Christ had only one blended nature and will, rendering Him a third, hybrid being.

The orthodox position was crystallized in the Creed of the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), declaring Jesus Christ perfect in humanity and truly God, possessing a reasonable soul and body, manifested in two indivisible and inseparable natures without confusion or conversion.

II. The Dual Natures: Deity and Humanity

Scripture robustly defends both natures of Christ:

• The Deity of Christ: Christ is explicitly given divine names, including "God" (John 1:1; Heb 1:8; Rom 9:5; Titus 2:13) and "Lord," a title reserved for Deity (Acts 4:33; Luke 2:11). When Christ claimed the unique title "Son of God," the High Priest accused Him of blasphemy precisely because it equated Him with God (Math 26:61-63). Furthermore, divine worship is ascribed to Him by men and commanded of angels (John 5:23-24; Heb 1:6). He possesses divine attributes such as pre-existence (John 8:58; Col 1:16,17), immutability (Heb 13:8), omnipotence (Math 28:18), omniscience (John 16:30), and omnipresence (Math 18:20). He fulfills divine offices, including Creator (John 1:3), forgiver of sins (Mk 2:5-10), and Judge of all men (John 5:22).

• The Humanity of Christ: Jesus experienced a human birth (Math 1:18-23), possessed a human ancestry through the seed of David (Rom 1:3; Luke 3:23-28), and was given human titles such as the "son of man". He possessed a completely human nature, comprising a human spirit (Lk 23:46), a soul with a mind, will, and emotions (Math 26:38), and a physical body of flesh and bone (1 John 1:1-2). He grew as a child, suffered limitations, and ultimately endured human death.

III. The Work of Christ: Atonement and Resurrection Christianity is not an ethical system, but a history of redemption centered on Christ's death and bodily resurrection. Christ’s death, mentioned 175 times in the New Testament, is scripturally defined as:

• A Ransom: The payment of His own blood to deliver humanity (Math 20:28; 1 Tim 2:6).

• A Propitiation: A covering that overlooks the penitent sinner, satisfying divine wrath (Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2; Heb 2:17).

• A Reconciliation: Removing enmity between God and man (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:18-19).

• A Substitution: Christ bearing the sins of others and giving His life in their place (Isa 53:6; 1 Pet 2:24).

Theories minimizing His death to a mere accident, martyrdom, or a moral example are unscriptural. The redemptive work culminated in a literal, bodily resurrection, evidenced by the empty tomb, abandoned linen cloths, and physical appearances where He retained His wound points (Math 28:6; John 20:1-2; Rev 1:18)

References for The Doctrine of Christ

Primary Source

• Madurasinghe, Lakshman. CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE-Basic-reader-Prof.Lakshman-2015.pdf. Foundations of Christian Faith. 2015.

Historical & Theological References

• The Creed of the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD): The definitive orthodox formulation establishing the hypostatic union—Christ as perfectly human and truly divine, co-existing in two indivisible and inseparable natures.

• Historical Heresies: Ebionites, Gnostics, Arians, Apollinarians, Nestorians, and Eutychians are referenced as the primary heterodox frameworks that orthodox Christology opposes.

Primary Scriptural References

• The Deity of Christ: John 1:1, 3; Hebrews 1:6, 8; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Matthew 26:61-63; Acts 4:33; Luke 2:11; Revelation 1:17; John 5:22-24; Philippians 2:10; John 8:58; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 13:8; Colossians 2:9; Mark 2:5-10; Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:18; John 16:30.

• The Humanity of Christ: Matthew 1:18-23; Romans 1:3; Luke 3:23-28; Luke 23:46; Matthew 26:38; 1 John 1:1-2.

• The Work of Christ (Atonement): Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6 (Ransom); Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; Hebrews 2:17 (Propitiation); Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (Reconciliation); Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:24 (Substitution).

• The Resurrection: Matthew 28:6; John 20:1-2; Revelation 1:18