Framework Systematic Theology - 02 - Doctrine of Jesus Christ - His Deity

(This video is not meant to be sacrireligious. It was created to show how people can stereotypically fall into thinking about Jesus. Do we forget He is fully God along with His full humanity?)

In the last lesson, we looked at the storyline of Jesus Christ. It was about how we can understand Him throughout Scripture - from before the beginning of time through the time of future eternity. Why are we starting out with Jesus when looking into doctrines, and why are we looking so deeply into who He is? As people who are all about glorifying our great God, we must understand that Jesus is the glory of God (Philippians 2:11). So who IS (not “was”) Jesus?

Let’s first look at what the Deity of Jesus Christ means: Jesus as fully God. We have to remember that everyone has a view on this. Right now, if you realize it or not, you have thoughts on whether or not Jesus has always been fully God, if Jesus is fully God today, and if Jesus will always be fully God. All throughout history people have had views on this, such as:
Ebionism – People who believe this say that Jesus was a regular man who was born but chosen by God to become His Son at His baptism. The Spirit of God left this man near His death. This might sound crazy that people would believe that, but there is a man named Jose Luis today who believes He is now the “Christ” as the Spirit has entered him to be God’s Son. YouTube him!
Aryanism – People who believe this say that Jesus is not God because he is God’s Son who He created to be His firstborn over all creation. Jehovah’s Witnesses do hold to this thought today. When I meet other “Christians” throughout life, I normally love to ask them their thoughts on who Jesus is. I’ve gotten many answers saying that there is no way that Jesus is fully God and that God would never want Jesus to be worshipped because only God should be worshipped. The view of Aryanism is all over the place in many different people from bad teaching!

Are we crazy for thinking that God has a Son fully divine as He is? Are we the only ones who think this? Actually, Jesus claimed Himself to be God (John 10:30). Of course any yahoo can claim that, so what did others say about Him? Those who walked, talked, and lived with Him claimed His Deity as well (John 1:1). Again, any lunatic can claim that for himself and brainwash his followers to do this same. Did He actually display divine attributes? Yes! In the New Testament, Jesus displayed the divine attributes we normally think of: omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. But He also portrayed other important divine attributes: eternal existence, ability to forgive sins, faultless holiness, loving, just, etc.

Yet this article isn’t just to teach you that Jesus is fully God, but it is also to teach you that Jesus is the fullest physical revelation and fulfillment of who God was showing Himself to be all throughout the OT. God is creating and ruling by speaking in the OT. In John 1:1-14 Jesus is specifically called the Word of God. God is teaching and calling for living the way of wisdom in the OT such as in Proverbs. In the NT, Jesus is called both the Way (John 14:6), and the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:30). As God is claiming Himself to be LORD in the OT, Jesus is constantly referred to as Lord in the NT (Philippians 2:10-11). God reveals Himself to Moses and His people in the OT as the “I AM”, and Jesus makes the same claim for Himself (John 8:58). Lastly, the greatest promise God gave to His OT people is that He would bless them with His presence. In Matthew 1:23, the author says that the angels’ proclamation took place to fulfill the OT prophecy that Jesus would be called “Emmanuel” meaning: “God is with us.” God is speaking of Himself in the OT to point us to His glory in the NT – His Son Jesus Christ.

What I want to leave with you is that Jesus is the difference maker. As we speak with friends and family about bringing meaning into their lives, we must be faithful to share the person and work of Jesus Christ for God to make a difference in their lives. Churches aren’t making a difference when they don’t point their people to Jesus Christ. So many people want to say that all religions are worshipping the same God but just from different angles. No! The glory of God is Jesus Christ and anyone who doesn’t believe in Christ isn’t a child of God the Father, rather they are a child of the Devil (2 Corinthians 4:1-6, John 8:42). Jesus is fully God.

Framework Systematic Theology 04 - Doctrine of Jesus Christ - His Offices

(Discernment from the Spirit of God is prompting me for a disclaimer here (haha)! Please understand that I realize this opening video is very controversial. In no way do I mean it to minimize the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ. A youth ministry put this video together as an example of how people today stereotype Jesus' life on earth. I'm using it for both humor, but also as a wake-up call for us to view Jesus rightly! Also, the picture I placed on here is our fill-out sheet (filled in for you), and the weekly quiz I give to my students. If you are brave enough, take the quiz, email me for the answers, and I'll respond. Sounds like fun. Just click the picture to enlarge it. Disclaimer closed.)

What happens when people just sit around? The majority of the time what happens is storytelling. We enjoy recounting stories from our lives with others, and we also love hearing the stories of what others have gone through. God has created us that way in His image. As for the Bible, God is not giving us a bunch of ideas and then illustrating them with stories. Rather, God is architecting and narrating the storyline of all history (His story), and then interpreting that storyline with concepts. As we are seeking to understand who Jesus Christ was, is, and will be; and what He has done, is doing, and will do…it is easiest and most biblical to understand all of this in story. We are about to take a look at the offices of Jesus Christ. The offices of Jesus Christ wrap up who He is, what He does, and how He fulfills the narrative of all OT history (2 Kings 23:2). So let us take a look at Jesus Christ as The Prophet, The Priest, and The King.

First, Jesus Christ is The Prophet. Notice I didn’t just say that Jesus was a prophet but He is The Prophet. Personally, I think it would rock to live in the OT times and to hear the prophets speak for God. The prophets of the OT were literally God’s “mouthpieces” as God would speak His Word through them to His people. It would be so awesome to sit before a man who has literally heard from God a Word to communicate to me and to fellow followers of God. I think it is very important to understand that the office of prophet is closed today to all humans except for one Man. For those who may call themselves a prophet whether preachers, teachers, pastors, evangelists, etc…they are either mistaken, deceived, or deceivers. Even from the very first book of the Bible, God told Moses that there would be one final prophet to come to whom everyone would listen (Deuteronomy 18:15). That prophet finally came and eternally fulfilled the office of prophet as He replaced every prophet who existed throughout history. Jesus is The Prophet of God whom we listen to by going to the Word of God and realizing that every word of Scripture is ultimately coming with the authority of the Word Himself, Jesus Christ. Believe Him!

Second, Jesus Christ is The Priest. Like prophets, there were many priests throughout the OT, and the priests had many functions. The functions of the priests included making sacrifices for individuals, entering into the tabernacle, and praying for the people. How sweet would it be to lay our eyes on a man called by God to make sacrifices for all your sins and to watch them be washed away as a symbol of a greater sacrifice to come? No matter what people may tell you, the office of priest does not continue today except in one Man. In fact, our eternal priest is the final High Priest which means He can enter the Most Holy Places, and He can make a sacrifice for all the people. His sacrifice is one and done. Jesus is our ultimate High Priests that wipes away the need for any other priests today. His one-perfect sacrifice is enough for our forgiveness. He alone brings us to God. He is constantly interceding for us before the Father. In fact, Jesus as our High Priest isn’t even in the lineage of OT priests who were in the tribe of Levi. Our High Priest was in the order of Melchizedek. Why was Melchizedek the priest who pre-pictured God’s Christ to come? It is because he was both priest and king (Genesis 14:18).

Third, Jesus Christ is The King. There were many, many kings throughout the OT. Some were good, many were bad, some were righteous, many were unrighteous, some were respected, and many were untrustworthy. I’m afraid that as we think of the kingly office in the OT, we may see it as a big mistake. The people asked for a king, God warned them, and then allowed Saul to become king. Was God’s plan to have a king for his people? Yes! God had already told Abraham that kings would be a blessed part of his descendants (Genesis 17:6). Having a human king is good and part of God’s eternal plan because God had already purposed the kingship of His people to be passed on and fulfilled in His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the final King who rules over God’s people in perfect justice, wisdom, righteousness, love, etc. And I can’t wait for the day of glorification when I will be like Him and serve Him perfectly!