Importance of the Doctrine of the Deity of Christ

Introduction and Review of the Series

0:00 Our study in the Word of God this morning is a continuation of a series entitled, Here We Stand.

0:13 The intent of this series is to give a broad overview of what we confess as a congregation the Word of God to teach. What do we believe concerning God, man, sin, grace, the church? Well, these are some of the questions to which we will address ourselves in the continuation of this series. We are presently considering the third category under the general heading, Here We Stand.

0:48 we've looked at the scriptures the book we believe and obey the second category the God whom we worship and confess and are presently concerned with what will be the major subdivision the salvation we receive and proclaim in the three previous studies under this main subdivision the salvation we receive and proclaim we've considered the objects of this salvation. When we open up the Scriptures which we believe to be the inspired Word of the living God and discover that the work of God in salvation is its great theme we ask the question upon whom or upon what

1:34 does this salvation terminate? And the answer of the Scriptures is that the primary object of this great work of salvation is man and the secondary object is the earth itself. The object of this salvation is man, man made in the image of God, man fallen in Adam, man ruined in sin. But not all men in general, but the object is a certain number of men in particular, elect sinners out of every kindred, tribe and tongue and nation.

Transition to the Central Figure in Salvation

2:12 So much for that very, very brief review. We come this morning to the second major category under the great heading of the salvation we receive and proclaim. Having considered the objects of this salvation, we now move to the central figure in this salvation. Now the scriptures everywhere teach that the salvation of God is indeed the salvation of God.

2:41 That is, it is Trinitarian salvation. The purpose of the Father is involved in the salvation of elect sinners. The work of Christ the Son is involved in the matter of salvation and the ministry of God the Holy Spirit so that salvation is Trinitarian through and through if we take the Scripture seriously. However, there is a centrality afforded to the second person of the Godhead in the work of salvation that is not given to the Father or to the Spirit.

3:18 And it is proper then to conceive of this salvation which we receive and proclaim as having a central figure or central personage. You will remember that from the first announcement of this salvation, This fact is made plain. Genesis 3.15 is the first intimation of God's work of salvation.

3:44 God says, I will put enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. And God promises that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent. In other words, salvation was to have as its central figure, this one who would come by way of the woman. That is the incarnate God, the Word made flesh.

4:10 And then as the prophetic pointers gather momentum through the Old Testament, and we have the promise of the seed of Abraham, through whom salvation would come to the nations, and we have Isaiah's prophecies concerning the servant of Jehovah, and we have Jeremiah's prophecies concerning the branch and the Lord our righteousness, All of the prophetic pointers continually assert this great truth that there is to be a central personage in this great work of salvation. And then what is intimated by gathering and ever clarifying pointers in prophetic utterance in the Old Testament comes to us in explicit language at the conception of Christ.

4:57 You remember in Matthew chapter 1 that the angel said to Mary and Joseph, Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. And so the central personage is announced as the Savior. And then that became the very consciousness of the early church, so that in one of the cryptic little sayings that was common currency among the people of God, You have the language of 1 Timothy 1.15.

5:30 This is a saying worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am cheap. Now I mention all of that simply to underscore in a very brief way that it is proper to think of the salvation of the Bible in terms of its central figure. and that central figure is none other than God incarnate, the second person of the triune Godhead who takes to himself true humanity and becomes identified as the Lord Jesus Christ. Now in the light of this, the fact that he is the central figure, we should not be surprised to discover

6:17 that the person and work of Christ are the nerve centers of biblical Christianity and the touchstone of all truth. Almost every ancient heresy was an attack upon a fundamental aspect of either the person or the work of the central figure, the Lord Jesus. Almost every current modern heresy is an attack upon some fundamental aspect of the person or work of the central figure, the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:57 Therefore, it behooves us as we come to consider the central figure to be absolutely clear concerning that which we believe the Scriptures to teach and to say without any equivocation, here we stand in our understanding of the teaching of the Word of God concerning this central figure. Our study over the next few weeks will follow three basic lines of thought. We shall consider, first of all, the mystery of His person. Secondly, the majesty of His offices.

The Mystery of His Person Introduced

7:32 And thirdly, the perfection or the efficacy of His work. All of these lines of thought converging on the central figure in our salvation, our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. First of all then, we begin this morning to address ourselves to the mystery of his person. And I use the word the mystery of his person because it is a biblical word and is introduced in that great statement in 1 Timothy 3 and verse 16.

8:06 1 Timothy 3 and verse 16. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness he who was manifested in the flesh or as some of the manuscripts have it God who was manifested in the flesh and the problem is that the abbreviated form of God in the original language is so much like the he who was manifested just a little stroke of the pen can make the difference between the abbreviated form of theos and the hos he who was manifested but you see there is no appreciable difference. The mystery of godliness begins with the manifestation in the flesh

8:52 of the second person of the Godhead. And if he were simply another man, there is no mystery involved. The mystery is involved in this impenetrable, in this amazing reality that the one manifested in the flesh is truly God. So that he who was manifested is true God and now takes to himself true humanity.

9:19 Now to think our way through this profound aspect of our faith, the mystery of his person, we shall address ourselves this morning to the importance of this doctrine and then a simple statement of the doctrine. If we have time we shall begin to consider the biblical basis of the doctrine and then surely next week we conclude that third line of thought and then the practical implications and demands of this doctrine Well first of all then how important is this doctrine concerning the mystery of Christ personally? How important is it for you to have clear, definitive understanding of who Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, really is? Is this a concern that ought to occupy theologians alone?

Importance 1: Individual Salvation Depends on Right Confession

10:09 Or is it something that every boy, every girl, every man, every woman in this building ought to grapple with, and to grapple with, if necessary, hard and long, until you come to some deep and intelligent convictions concerning the question, Who is the Redeemer? Well, I would bring to you, first of all, the teaching of the Word of God that the salvation of each individual depends on a right confession and identity of who Christ is. How important is the doctrine of the person of the Redeemer? The answer of the Scriptures is, it is as important as your soul's eternal salvation

10:55 to have wrong views of the person of the Redeemer makes saving faith a moral impossibility. Turn please to the 20th chapter of John. In John chapter 20, the apostle gives to us a statement concerning the purpose for which he wrote his gospel.

11:25 John 20, verses 30 and 31.

11:30 Many other signs, therefore, did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that ye may believe that Jesus, that is, the man Jesus of Nazareth, is the Christ, which refers to his official office and function, the anointed one, that is, the promised Messiah. The Greek word Christ being the equivalent, the parallel of the Hebrew Messiah. These are written that ye may believe, number one, you may believe rightly concerning his position and his work.

12:10 That Jesus is the Christ. But secondly, the Son of God. Which has reference not so much to his position and his function, but the identity of his person. These are written that ye may believe rightly concerning his position and function, and believe rightly concerning the identity of his person, and that believing, believing what?

12:42 Believing rightly concerning these two things, ye may have life in his name. and John uses the word name in the Hebrew context. The name is revelatory of character and function and position. Now notice what he says.

13:03 When does a sinner receive life? He receives life by believing in the revelation God has made in his Son. But is it simply believing anything about Jesus of Nazareth? No, no.

13:20 It is believing precisely what John has been demonstrating, that Jesus of Nazareth is to be identified as to his function and position as nothing less than the long-promised Messiah, the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent, the one who is called by Isaiah, the everlasting father, the prince of peace, the servant of Jehovah, believing concerning his person and his position and function that he is Messiah, believing nothing less concerning his person that he is Son of God, which again does not in any way point to derivation of essence. My Son, as it were, is derived from me and is called my Son.

14:09 No, no. The term Son of God, as we shall see in the book of John, is among other things an ascription of sharing in the very essence, the divine essence, equality with God himself. Now no sinner then receives life through Jesus Christ, who does not recognize that Jesus is indeed the Christ of God, the Son of the living God. But right views then concerning his person are essential to our own salvation.

14:48 Listen to the words of the Savior himself in John chapter 8.

14:54 Lest some say, well, this was the enthusiastic statement of a follower who got carried away with his estimation of and love for Christ. But certainly Christ would not make such claims for himself. Is that so? Listen to his own words.

15:13 John chapter 8 and verse 24. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins, for except ye believe that I am. And you'll notice the he is in italics in the 1901 edition and in any reputable edition. It's not there in the original.

15:35 Jesus says, except ye believe that I am. And he uses an expression which would immediately identify himself with the self-existent Jehovah of the Old Testament. And he says, except ye believe that I am, ye shall die in your sins. In other words, he says, unless you discover the reality of the identity of my person, that I am Jehovah manifested in flesh, and unless you believe that, the consequences will be the non-forgiveness of sin.

16:15 and to die in sin in the language and thought patterns of the Bible is to die under the judgment and the anathema of God. How important then is this doctrine of the person of the Redeemer? It is important first of all because the salvation of every individual depends upon a right confession as to the identity of his person. One final text, and I shall only quote it in passing.

Importance 2: The Church Is Built on Right Confession

16:45 John 17, our Lord says, This is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. The essence of eternal life is coming to the experimental knowledge of the living God and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Secondly, this doctrine is important because the church of Christ is built upon the right confession concerning the identity of Christ. John and Matthew chapter 16.

17:22 It is not only important for the individual salvation of every sinner who is to be saved, but the church is built upon the right confession as to the identity of his person. Matthew 16 beginning with verse 13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi He asked of his disciples saying Who do men say that the Son of Man is? It's a question concerning identity What is the current talk concerning my identity? And they said Some say John the Baptist Some Elijah Others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? This is current opinion.

18:15 But now what is your confession concerning my person? Who say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ. Notice the same parallel as we have in John 20. Thou art the Christ, that's identity of position and function, now regarding his person, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

18:49 And I also say unto thee that thou art Peter. And then he doesn't say, And upon you will I build my church, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. What rock? The rock that is embodied in the confession of Peter, and the church is built upon Peter or anyone else, only so far as that individual joins in this confession without which no one is a part of the true and living church of Christ The confession being thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Here is the confession that Peter makes on behalf of the other apostles and disciples.

19:37 And our Lord responds to that confession and says the church which he builds is not constructed upon the wood, hay, and stubble of vague, undefined and undefinable notions about Jesus of Nazareth. No, no. That church which He is to build is to be constructed upon a definitive, clear confession as to the nature of His person. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

20:05 A truth which can only be known by the revelation of the Holy Spirit to the heart of a sinner. Ephesians 2.20 is an additional commentary upon this in which Paul describes the church as the living temple constructed by the living God but built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself the chief cornerstone. What Christ? The Christ of apostolic confession who is the son of the living God who is nothing less than God the Son.

Importance 3: The Gospel Cannot Be Proclaimed Without Right View of Christ

20:40 So you see how important is this doctrine? Individual salvation depends upon a right understanding of and confession to the person of Christ. The church is built upon a right understanding of and confession of the identity of Christ. Thirdly, this doctrine is important because the maintenance and proclamation of the biblical gospel depends upon a proper understanding and identity of his person.

21:09 Turn to Romans chapter 1. Would we be saved? We must know who Christ is. Would we be part of the true church that Christ builds? We must know who Christ is. Would we preserve and proclaim the biblical gospel? We must understand rightly who Christ is.

21:28 Romans chapter 1, beginning with verse 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. And now he's going to give us some of the salient points, the most essential ingredients of that gospel, which he promised afore through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. It is a gospel that has its top roots in the Old Testament.

21:54 concerning his Son. It's a gospel that focuses upon the Son of God who is what? He is first of all true man who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead even Jesus Christ our Lord through whom we receive grace and apostleship unto obedience of faith among all the nations for his namesake. What gospel, Paul, are you constrained and commissioned to proclaim among all the nations for his namesake?

22:33 He says it's the gospel that comes from God that is promised in the Old Testament Scriptures that focuses upon this unique person who is seed of David as to his humanity, who is son of God as to his deity. That is the essence of the gospel we preach. And so, you see, there can be no proclamation of, no fidelity to the biblical gospel, unless there is a proper understanding and identity of his person. And then, fourthly, this doctrine of the person of the Redeemer is important because it is the critical test of the genuineness of any professed work of the Spirit.

Importance 4: Test of the Genuineness of Any Work of the Spirit

23:16 It is the critical test of the genuineness of any professed work of the Spirit. Turn please to 1 John chapter 4.

23:30 In John's day, as in our day, there were many movements that claimed to be of the Spirit of God, that claimed to be a valid expression of the Christian faith and life. But John says we need to develop a sanctified skepticism. Skepticism is not always sinful. John says in verse 1 of chapter 4 of his first epistle, Beloved, believe not every spirit.

24:01 Do not believe everything that claims to be a manifestation of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of Christ, but prove or test the spirits whether they are of God. And it's as though someone says, well, John, why do we need to do that? And his answer is, because many false prophets are gone out into the world, and they've been going ever since John's day, and they're going great guns in our day.

24:28 One of them talks on like a word machine for a half hour every single day over WOR, Garner Ted.

24:37 I don't know, someone must stand behind him with a bellows pumping air into him, that he can get as much wind out in such a stream, unending stream for 28 solid minutes. False prophets gone out into the world then? They go out into the world in our day. Now how are we to test them?

24:56 John, you've said, look, try the spirits, but by what measuring, Rob, shall we try them? Shall we take a feelometer and we'll go to this expression of the Christian faith and we see if we feel comfortable next to it and if the feel-o-meter checks out positive, then we know it's of God? That's what many people do. They say, well, I just know so-and-so must be a real Christian.

25:17 He must be a real servant of God, because when I'm around him, I just feel good. So they test the spirits by the feel-o-meter.

25:25 Is that how we're to test them? No, no. John says you don't use your feel-o-meter. It's not a subjective test.

25:32 Here's how you're to test them. Look. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God. every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God, this is the spirit of the Antichrist. In other words, John says the test is the person of Christ, the identity of his person. Now in John's day, the particular heresy that was let loose through the false teachers and prophets was a heresy that denied this aspect of the person of Christ, his true humanity.

26:11 It was a denial that he actually came in a true human form. So that's why John uses the very almost coarse word flesh. He has come in the flesh. There was true humanity.

26:23 Now when John said that, he did not mean true humanity at the expense of true deity. For in chapter 5 in verse 20, he actually says concerning Jesus Christ, this is the true God. but the point of attack at John's day by the false teachers was the reality of this dimension of Christ's person, true humanity. And you see, if he had no true humanity, there was no true life of obedience on behalf of sinners.

26:54 There was no true death upon the cross in the room instead of sinners. There was no true resurrection out of the dead in a physical, literal resurrection. There was no true literal ascension back into heaven. Now what kind of gospel do you have without the perfect obedience of Christ in life, without His death upon the cross in the room of sinners, without His literal resurrection from the dead, and His ascension to the right hand of the Father?

27:20 What kind of a gospel do you have now? You have a gospel that is as far from the apostolic gospel as night from day. And John says, unless the Spirit is right concerning the true humanity of Christ, It's the spirit of Antichrist. Oh, it may come talking about Jesus.

27:37 It may even say He's God. But you see, the spirit of error at this point was attacking His true humanity. And if John were living in our day when the spirit of error often attacks His true and proper divinity, John would have said, Hereby do you know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Everyone that confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh, but that that Jesus is something less than very God, the very God.

28:03 This is the spirit of Antichrist. For John acknowledges him, as I said in chapter 5 and verse 20, to be the true God and eternal life. And so the critical test of any professed work of the Spirit is this test. What think ye of Christ?

28:21 Now why is that so? Well, I believe the answer is given by our Lord Himself when He prophesies concerning the coming of the Spirit. You remember what he says again and again? It is the Spirit of truth who shall take the things of myself and shall reveal them unto you.

28:37 He shall testify of me. He shall not speak of himself. In other words, the crowning ministry of the Spirit is to make plain and powerful the truth concerning the person and work of Christ. And therefore, whenever the Spirit of truth is present in any religious movement, there will always be clear confession as to the person of Christ He is true God He is true man joined in the one person forever There will always be true confession concerning the work of Christ that it is His death upon the cross, His work of obedience, that satisfies all the demands of God on behalf of sinners.

29:22 And we are accepted before God on the grounds of the work of Christ, plus nothing. that work and its merits received by faith alone. Do you see now how critical then is the doctrine of the person of Christ? I know it's warm.

29:39 It's warmer up here. And I know we all get heavy when it's warm. And this hasn't been easy to follow. But oh, dear friend, if you value your soul, if you love the church of Christ, if you're concerned with truth, then grapple and grasp these great and fundamental issues.

29:57 This doctrine of the person of the Redeemer is tremendously important because the salvation of the individual soul depends upon a right view of Christ. The building of the church depends upon a right view of Christ. The propagation of the true gospel depends upon a right view of Christ. And the critical test of any professed work of the Spirit is a right view of Christ.

Personal Application: Who Is Jesus Christ to You?

30:25 now I believe in the light of the time we'll not press on to consider a simple statement of the doctrine I'd hope to do that and then begin to look at the scriptural data but I believe this has been enough this morning under the circumstances for you to wrestle with the great issue who is Jesus Christ and I do want to take a few concluding minutes to apply what we've covered thus far if as we've seen from John 20, 30 and 31 this is a matter of eternal life let me press the question upon your conscience this morning who is Jesus Christ to you?

31:09 who is Jesus Christ to you? now you notice I didn't say who is Jesus Christ to the historic Christian church? Well, he has always been God and Savior.

31:25 Who is Jesus Christ in the confessions of the church? He has always been acknowledged as true God and true man. My question is, who is Jesus Christ to you?

31:40 If I had the ability to work through all that you appear to be and all that you may have convinced others you are and could enter into that deepest inner chamber of your thoughts and affections, what place would Jesus Christ have in that inner chamber?

32:08 In that chamber where no one else can go but you and God, what place does Jesus Christ have? Is he there worshipped as nothing less than true God and true man? Is he trusted as the only Savior of sinners? Is he loved and honored and obeyed as the one worthy of all of your heart's allegiance and all of your life's devotion?

32:36 Is that what Jesus Christ in his person is to you? My friend, if not, listen.

32:44 you sit this morning under the wrath and frown of Almighty God.

32:54 Because you are not a believer. If you are not a believer, the Scripture says in John 3, 36, the wrath of God abides upon you. Not it shall come out there. It abides right now.

33:07 And the only way to come out from under the canopy of divine wrath and judgment is to come into Christ. but not into any old Christ, into the Christ of biblical revelation. The Christ who is Son of the living God, and as Son of the living God is God's only Messiah. The one who is our prophet to teach us, our priest to forgive us, and our king to rule over and to defend us.

33:34 And so I press the question upon your conscience this morning. Who is Jesus Christ to you? You children from Christian homes who have been catechized and instructed in Sunday school and you have had the gospel preached. I pressed the question upon your young conscience this morning.

33:51 Who is Jesus Christ to you?

33:56 Can you say with Thomas, he is my Lord and my God? John 20, 28. Oh, you can say he is mommy's Lord and mommy's God. He's daddy's Lord and daddy's God.

34:12 He's obviously the preacher's Lord and the preacher's God. But you see, children, until you can say, my Lord, my God, you're not a Christian.

34:23 I say to the many visitors who are among us this morning, I don't know what your background is. You may have come from a church where Christ is set forth in the glory of his person as God and man. Your heart may leap within you at the very mention of His name. Thank God it is so.

34:42 Then you have simply been confirmed, and I trust strengthened in your love to and commitment to Christ this morning. But listen, you may come from a religious background where the name Jesus is often heard, but who He is has not been proclaimed. Oh, my friend, may I press upon your conscience in love to your soul the question, what is Jesus Christ to you? Who is he to you?

35:10 Not to the person next to you. Who is he to you? Who is he to you?

35:19 May God grant that if you cannot say he is my Lord, he is my God. He is the one whom I worship. He is the one whom I trust. That you'll give yourself no rest or peace until you know Him.

35:34 For the Scripture says, This is life eternal, that they may know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. As we begin, standing as it were on the portals of this aspect of our study, having looked at our miserable condition as sinners, the objects of salvation, men, women, men, women, boys and girls, fallen in Adam, ruined by sin. God has said the circumstances are such that nothing less than the enfleshment of the second person of the Godhead will ever meet the need of poor helpless sinners. And if God has sent His dear Son, and if the Son has paid such a price

36:21 to procure redemption for sinners, and if the Son has been exalted to the right hand of the Father and now commands all men everywhere to repent and to believe the gospel, Do you see the horror? Do you see something of the ugliness of unbelief and impenitence? It is a despising not only of the work of Christ, but of the very person. The person who is God.

36:47 The person who is true man. May the Lord be pleased in the coming weeks. Ravish our hearts with a new sight of and appreciation for all of the glory that surrounds the head of him. who is our Lord and our God.

Closing Prayer

37:05 Let us pray.

37:15 Our Father, we thank You for the revelation in Your Word concerning Your dear Son. And we pray that as we come to this very vital, this critical area of biblical revelation, that you would help all of us to gird up the loins of our minds, that the spirit of error, the spirit of Antichrist, may be driven from every last corner of our thoughts. Where there are any erroneous views concerning the person of the Redeemer, that your word may correct those views, and that we may become well established in the great truth concerning the identity of our Savior.

38:04 Seal the word to our hearts. Probe the consciences of those to whom Christ is nothing but a word. O Lord, we ask that the question that has been pressed upon their consciences this morning may be with them and continue to haunt them until they fall at the feet of this one and say with Thomas, my Lord and my God, Father, our confidence is that you will bless your word. We look to you to do that, to seal it to our hearts, and further to be with us and bless us on this your day, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

38:47 Amen.

38:54 Thank you.