God the Son, Student Workbook, SW10

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G O D T H E S O N

own personal discipleship, but also as they lead others to maturity. Listed below are some of these critical ideas and truths. The general purpose for Jesus’ coming to earth was to reveal to us the glory of God the Father in his person, as well as to redeem humankind from the penalty and power of sin and Satan. The Scriptures teach the full and certain humanity of Jesus of Nazareth, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the woman, the Virgin Mary. Two prominent historical errors that contested Jesus’ humanity were put forth and refuted in the early Church councils. Nestorianism , the doctrine that Christ was two distinct persons , and Eutychianism , the doctrine that Christ has one blended nature were rejected as heresies because of their rejection of the full humanity of Jesus. The Councils of Nicea (325) and Chalcedon (381) settled these questions, affirming that Jesus was fully God and fully human . The early councils also refuted and rejected other key errors associated with misreading Jesus’ humanity: Docetism which asserted that Jesus was not human and Apollinarianism which asserted that Jesus was not fully human . The doctrine of the humanity of Christ is filled with many important practical implications of the unity of Jesus’ divine and human nature. Being like us in every way yet without sin , Jesus as our high priest can empathize with our needs and represent us before God. As our Second Adam, we will be conformed to his glorious body in the time of glorification to come. Jesus of Nazareth entered the world as a member of Israel, as the Baptized One who identified with the plight and peril of the sinners he came to save. In the person of Jesus, the long awaited Kingdom of God has been manifested. In his person, the Kingdom of God has come. Jesus is therefore the Proclaimer of the Kingdom of God, reasserting God’s right to rule over creation, showing through his person, miracles, healings, and exorcisms the signs of the Kingdom present in his own person on earth. In fulfillment of the OT prophecy, Jesus is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh. From the public announcement of his public ministry and throughout his encounters in life, Jesus revealed himself as the expected Servant of Yahweh who would proclaim good news to the poor, do justice among God’s people, and ultimately, give his life as a substituionary sacrifice for the sins of the people.

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