I believe that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is truly God and truly man. He is one eternal person who has always been and always will be (Rev. 22:13). Jesus is God the Son (Jn. 10:33-36) who existed before time began (Jn. 8:58) eternally dwelling with the Father and the Spirit in triune community (Jn. 1:1, 17:21). Jesus is co-equal and consubstantial with God the Father (Jn. 10:30) possessing all the attributes of deity such as omnipotence (Rev. 1:8) and immutability (Heb. 13:8). Through Him all things were made (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16) and by Him redemption is possible (Rev. 5:9). Jesus is worthy of worship (Jn. 9:38; Heb. 1:6) for He is truly God (Rom. 9:5, 10:13; Jn. 20:28; 1 Jn. 5:20).
I believe that at a point in history, Jesus became truly man. He was sent by the Father (Jn. 5:23) to lay aside His glory (Jn. 17:5) and dwell among us (Jn. 1:14), retaining His God-ness while taking on man-ness. The eternal Son of God (Jn. 1:1-3) become flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14) and changed His way of living (Phil. 2:6-7) to share in the human experience (Heb. 2:17). Eternal deity became temporal humanity as well, not giving up any of His divine attributes but voluntarily choosing not to use them. Jesus emptied Himself of His divine prerogatives (Heb. 2:7-9) to live in submission to the Father (Jn. 4:34) in full dependence upon the Spirit (Lk. 4:1,14; Acts 10:38). He did this to display God’s glory (Jn. 1:14), rescue sinners (Matt. 1:21), and model a truly human life (Heb. 2:17-18). Jesus is God with us (Matt. 1:22-23), the image of God (Col. 1:15; Jn. 14:9), the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5). In Him, the fullness of deity dwells bodily (Col. 2:9). Two natures—deity and humanity—are forever united in the person of Jesus Christ (Jn. 20:24-28).
I believe that in His incarnation, Jesus was miraculously conceived and born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-35). He grew up in a lower class family (Lk. 2:7, 22-24) and developed physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationally (Lk. 2:40,52). In true human form, Jesus experienced hunger (Matt. 4:2), thirst (Jn. 19:28), and exhaustion (Jn. 4:5-6). He expressed a full range of emotions such as love (Jn. 11:3,5), compassion (Lk. 7:13), joy (Lk. 10:21), grief (Jn. 11:35), anger (Mk. 10:14), and anguish (Lk. 22:44). Jesus was beset with weakness (Heb. 5:2), learned obedience (Heb. 5:8), and faced suffering (Heb. 2:10). Though He took on the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3) He did not have a sin nature (Heb. 7:26; 1 Jn. 3:5). Though He was tempted in every way (Heb. 2:18) He did not sin (1 Pet. 2:22; 2 Cor 5:12).
I believe that Jesus died (Mk. 15:37; Phil. 2:8), was buried (1 Cor 15:4), and rose bodily from the dead (Lk. 24:37-43). He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9) where He now reigns over all (Eph 1:20-21) interceding for His people (Rom. 8:34) as the unique God-man forevermore (Heb. 1:8). Having accomplished the mission of His first coming (Jn. 17:4), Jesus will one day come again (Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7, 22:7,12) to bring God’s great plan of redemption to its full and final culmination (Rev. 22:1-5).
I believe that Jesus is the prophet who reveals God, the priest who redeems man, and the king who rules over all. As the Ultimate Prophet, Jesus not only proclaims God’s word (Lk. 13:33), He is God’s Word (Jn. 1:14-18). God has spoken powerfully and clearly through His Son (Heb. 1:1-2). As the Great Priest, Jesus redeems mankind from sin (Heb. 9:11-15), reconciles them to God (2 Cor. 5:19), relates (Heb. 4:14-16), mediates (1 Tim. 2:5) and intercedes on their behalf (Heb. 7:25-27). Jesus doesn’t just offer the sacrifice, He is the sacrifice (Heb. 10:14). As the Anointed King, Jesus is seated in power (Eph. 1:20-21) ruling over creation in general (Col. 1:13) and God’s kingdom in particular (Lk. 17:21). One day God’s kingdom will come in full when Jesus returns physically (Acts 1:9-11) destroying God’s enemies finally and forever (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 20:7-15). At the return of Jesus every knee will bow in worship (Phil. 2:9-11) as His rule is fully realized (Rev. 11:15).
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