The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Philip H. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Research on the Lordship of Christ
Dr. Wayne Grudem said in his book Systematic Theology that "we may summarize the Biblical teaching about the person of Christ as follows: Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in one person, and will be forever." At the very heart of Christianity is the person of Christ – and several questions surround the nature of this man. Many question both His deity and humanity, and the role that He should play in our lives. There are a variety of different opinions on Him; some see Jesus as just another good moral teacher while others believe Him to be the savior of the world. It is my belief, based upon an examination of scripture, that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God who rightly deserves our utmost worship.
Some people attest to the Docetic heresy which asserts that Jesus Christ was not human but rather a divine spirit who took on the appearance of man while not truly becoming one. Scripture refutes this claim in John 1:14a when it says, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." The Word referenced in this verse is Jesus, who came to earth as a man and was a perfect sacrifice. Jesus got tired, needed food and water, felt pain, and got sick just like you and I – He had all the characteristics of humanity. The importance of Jesus' humanity rests in the fact that in order to be a perfect substitutionary atonement for His people Jesus had to be human. Through Adam, sin spread to all; through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, eternal life has come. (Romans 5)
Just as important as Jesus' humanity is His deity – without being divine Christ could not have lived a perfect life that was need to fulfill the law. Instead, He would simply be a good moral teacher. Going back to scripture we see that Jesus Christ is declared fully divine, an "exact representation" of God. (Hebrews 1:3) and one with the Father God. (John 10:30) Not only do we see direct biblical evidence that affirms the deity of Christ but we see Jesus exhibiting attributes of the deity throughout the Bible. Perhaps one of the most convincing signs of Jesus' deity is evidenced through the miracles he performed. Healing the blind, raising the dead, and curing countless diseases are just several of the many miracles recorded. Jesus also had the ability to forgive sins, an ability that only God has. When He forgave the sins of the woman who anointed his feet, the Pharisees were astounded because they knew the statement Jesus was making when he did this. It is clear that the scripture affirms and reaffirms the absolute deity of Jesus.
Because of Christ's deity, humanity, and His perfect life and death in order to redeem His people, He is worthy of our utmost praise and love. Jesus was the perfect example of the Christian life, and as His followers, we are called to conform our sinful heart to what He has lived out. (1 Peter 1) Christ, being fully God and fully man, deserves ultimate preeminence in our lives.
