Jesus is the one and only Son of God.
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. This is significant because it enabled Christ to be born without a sinful nature, as the rest of mankind is.
Matthew 1:18
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.”
Key term-
incarnation: the fact that God became flesh and took on the form of a man in the person of Christ
He possessed all of the attributes of God and yet was fully man, God in human flesh. The fact that Jesus was God is absolutely essential to understanding Who He actually is. Yet the marvelous thing is that He was also God in the form and likeness of man. Somehow, He was fully God and fully man at the same time.
Colossians 2:9
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”
Philippians 2:6-7
“Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
Jesus was the only person ever to walk this earth and to die having never sinned. He was tempted in all areas and yet was without sin.
Hebrews 4:15
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
Thus only He could be the perfect sacrifice to God. We could never be holy, but He was holy. He suffered and died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for sin.
Hebrews 10:12
“But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.”
Key terms-
justification- the person who puts His faith in the sacrifice of Christ is declared righteous before God
Romans 5:9
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
imputation- the sin that was on our account is credited to Christ’s account, thus making Him guilty and having to bear the wrath of God on the cross; we are credited with the righteousness of Christ by faith, making it possible for us to be declared holy
2 Corinthians 5:21
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
He rose from the dead on the third day and ascended into heaven to be at the Father’s right hand.
Key terms-
Resurrection- the truth that Jesus rose from the dead in bodily form and appeared to the disciples and many others
Matthew 28:6
“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”
Ascension- the reality that Jesus was taken upward to heaven to be with the Father
Acts 1:9
“And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”
He presently intercedes for mankind on behalf of the Father.
Romans 8:34
“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
He will return soon to judge the world and rule.
Revelation 19:11-16
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’”
He will judge believers on the basis of their faithfulness and stewardship.
2 Corinthians 5:10
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (see also 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
Unbelievers, however, will face the Great White Throne judgment at which point their names will not be found in the book of life, and they will be cast into the lake of fire. Jesus as Judge is a key theme in the Scripture, and it is due to His obedience (Philippians 2:9-11).
Revelation 20:11-15
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
The Good News