The Doctrine of Christ

The Eternal Son of God and the Trinity

So we are going to continue with the study of the Morris Corner Church doctrinal statement. And before we get into it, we talk a lot about having the right gospel, right? But in order to have the right gospel, you have to have the right Jesus.

So it's very important we know, not just saying the name of Jesus, but who is he? So we're going to talk about his person and work, his nature, his human nature, divine nature, one of the most important topics there is.

So let's open in prayer. Marcus, would you open us? So last week we looked at the doctrine of the Godhead or the Trinity. This week we're going to be looking at our church statement of faith about the person and work of Christ.

So I didn't print anything out because it figured easier just to put it on the screen. Can everybody see this? I'll read it and you can take a look at that. So while the Trinity is one God in three persons, the second member of the Godhead, Jesus Christ, is one person but with two natures, the human nature and the divine nature.

So let's begin by turning to the gospel of John chapter one. And as you're turning there, I'll just read the first part of this statement on the person and work of Christ. So this is the Morris Corner Church doctrinal statement, section C, part one.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful men.

And then we have these two scriptural references, John 1 verses 1, 2, and 14, and then Luke 135. So the first part of this statement is the eternal nature of the Son of God. I think we looked at John 1, 1 through 3 last week talking about the deity of Christ, but we want to focus on his eternal nature.

So the Son of God is eternal because there's a lot of people that do not believe that. John 1, 1 and 2 and 14 says, in the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

Verse 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. Again, this is one of the most clear statements anywhere in the scripture regarding the deity of Christ.

So clear is it that the Jehovah's Witnesses who deny the deity of Christ had to come out with their own Bible translation to tamper with this verse, saying that, well, Jesus is a God, but he's not. He's not God.

So that's how clear this verse is. It kind of strikes fear in the heart of the cults. But notice in the doctoral statement, it says that we believe Jesus is the eternal Son of God. Okay, the eternal Son of God.

The term Son of God means what? What is that a reference to?

That he was the only begotten God means that he was the only, or you could even say biological, of God.

Sure. So the term or the title Son of God is meant to convey his deity. We lose track of that, I think, because we say, well, I'm a child of God. You're a son of God. We're all sons of God or Christians are sons and daughters of God.

But Jesus, as Marcus said, he is the only begotten. So Jesus, or the Son of God, Jesus the man came into existence. His human body came into existence at a certain point in time. We all understand that he was born as a human being, but the Son of God is eternal.

The Son of God never came into existence in a moment in time. Let's look up a few verses, Acts 13, 33 and 34, and then Hebrews 1, 5 and 6. Again, we're talking about the eternal nature of the Son, the Son of God.

Jim, you had your hand up.

Well, I wanted to see if you could answer the question because it's out there. Some believe that he was created. So how is that different from being the Son of?

Right. We just as you just defined it. Right. Yeah. The cult groups believe that Jesus was created. He's a created being. That's, as we said last week, that's a heresy. Jesus is eternally the Son of God.

So you're saying how? What's the specific question?

What would differentiate between the two, being created and eternal?

Well, the fact that he's eternal. Marcus? He's uncreated, so he's eternal. I mean, that's the difference, right? So if Jesus is not eternal, then he is, you know, down here. He's a step below. Okay, because we can infer that the angels are created, but they're eternal.

The angels are not eternal. We're eternal. The only thing, the only being that is eternal is God himself. Right. The angels are created. The creation, the heavens and the earth are created. Satan and the demons are angels, fallen angels.

Everything is created but God himself. So if Jesus is not God, if he, if the Son of God is not eternally God, he would be in the same category as everybody else. So that that's the big, that's the big difference.

Now there is a heresy known as adoptionism. This is the idea that Jesus in a moment in time, at some point he became divine, that he became the Son of God. The common idea is that he became the Son of God at his baptism.

I used to work with a guy who was part of a sect. I won't name the church because it's just very minor. They really don't have much influence. But, uh, he believed, he told me that Jesus was not always the Son of God.

He became the Son of God at his baptism. You say, well, that's a fringe idea. People don't, people don't really believe that. Well, uh, the most famous pastor in America, Joel Osteen, uh, his wife, Victoria, who was the co-pastor of Lakewood church.

She taught from the pulpit that Jesus was a man who became the Son of God, or he became divine at his baptism. So you can't say that this isn't out there. This isn't an issue that we're contending with because many people have taught this and continue to teach it.

Where do they get this idea that Jesus became God or that he became the Son of God? It's from a misunderstanding of these two verses. All right. Who has Acts 13, 33 and 34?

That God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that he raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm. You are my son today, I have begotten you. As for the fact that he raised him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, he has spoken this way.

I will give you the holy and sure blessing of David.

All right. So you, you hear that phrase. You are my son today. I have begotten you. That's where they're getting this. They're not understanding what's being said. So Acts 13, 33 and 34, there is this quotation from Psalm chapter two, verse seven.

Now who has Hebrews one, five and six?

Did somebody look that up? Okay. And there you see that phrase again. You are my son today. I have begotten you.

That seems to be going on the surface. It seems to be going against this idea that Jesus Christ is the eternal son of God. Well, is he eternal or, you know, today I have begotten you, which is it? All right.

So again, this is a quote from Psalm chapter two, verse seven. You are my son today. I have begotten you. So this is just another reason why we need to take every verse in context. I know I've said that probably more than any other statement that I keep repeating context.

What's it all about? Context, context, context. You can't just hear something that sounds like this, and I'm just going to run with it. So we need to understand what's being said in these verses, Marcus.

And even more than its context, all of scripture, right? The context of the whole of the book and the whole of scripture. So this verse is not saying that Jesus became the son of God in a moment in time.

And actually, if you look at the context, Acts 13 is referring. These are referring to two separate moments in time, because Acts 13 refers to Jesus's resurrection. Hebrews one refers to his birth. So these are events, you know, 33 years apart.

The God is saying you are my son today. I have begotten you. So what is this verse really saying then? It's not saying that Jesus became the son of God. It's a statement about the unique relationship between the father and the son, as it was already touched on.

Jesus is God's only begotten. He shares his. What was the term you used? Not DNA. Yeah, he's of the same biological nature. Probably not the best term, but we understand what what's being said. Jesus and the father are of the same nature.

They're equal with one another. If Jesus is a created being, or if he became God at some point again, he's in that other category of the creation. Jesus is God. He's always been God. Jesus is equal with God, the father.

You say, well, isn't there a verse where Jesus acknowledges the father is greater than I? Right. In their relationship, the father is greater. So take this as an example. Me and my dad are equals in that we're both human beings.

We are both equal with one another. But in our relationship with one another, he's the father and I'm the son. So he's superior in our relationship. So the same way with Jesus and God, the father, they are equal with one another.

But in their relationship, the father, the father is greater. But Jesus has always been, always been eternally the son of God.

Okay, yes.

Right, right. Well, what we can say for sure is God is not speaking about a specific day that Jesus became the son. Because again, Acts 33 refers to his resurrection. Hebrews one refers to his birth. So Jesus, that's not the point of the passage that Jesus became the son.

He has always eternally been the son. It's more of a statement on the nature. Yes.

What's your best definition for the word begotten?

Begat.

So and so begat. So and so begat. So and so. So and so was the father of so and so.

Yes.

Tony.

Begotten. I have you. Glory as of the one who loves him who is.

Okay.

All right.

Good enough.

What it doesn't mean is it doesn't mean created. That's what it doesn't mean. Now, again, Jesus, the man. In his human nature, the human being came into existence at a certain point in time. There's no question about that.

But his eternal divine nature, he's always been. And I think we can prove that from the Old Testament that the son of God is spoken of in the Old Testament scripture. So Jesus is the only begotten. God only has one son.

Right.

God only has one son. We are sons and daughters of God through adoption.

Amen.

Romans 8 15 says that Christians have received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba father. So we have been adopted into the family of God. God only has one true son in that sense. And that's Christ.

So the son of God has existed throughout all eternity. He did not become the son of God in Matthew chapter one. We see a hint here in Proverbs 30 verse four. I'll get your question or statement in one second.

Proverbs 30 verse four. Who has ascended into heaven or descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? Who's it talking about?

There's only one. I was talking about the Lord, right? It's talking about God. What is his name? And what is his son's name? If you know clearly talking about God and then the author of Proverbs or Solomon says, God, what's his son's name?

If you know today, we know we know the name of the son of God is Jesus. So point is you see a hint about God having a son, even in the Old Testament. So this isn't something completely new. I saw two hands, Marcus and then Larry.

Oh, more on the thing, because I was until fairly recently. I think I have a clearer grasp now. And I think it could be described that it is a medical, physical, reproductive type of event. What other word did I use?

It's a physical.

Larry, what was the scripture passage for only begotten son?

Well, I mean, John 316 is the most well known, right? There are others. If anyone has any anything about this, go ahead and raise your hand. Otherwise, we're we're moving on. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

God has one son. We become sons of God through adoption. Remember John 1, 11 and 12. Those who believe he gave them the right or the power to be called the sons of God.

The Incarnation, the Virgin Birth, and Original Sin

All right.

So going back to the doctrinal statement, it says, we believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal son of God, he became man. OK, so the second member of the Trinity becomes a man. This is called the incarnation.

That Jesus became a man without ceasing to be God. Some people have misunderstood Philippians chapter two. That passage has been called the the kenosis. How many of you are familiar with the term kenosis?

Some again have taught the error that Jesus emptied himself of his deity. That's not true. God cannot cease from becoming God. What Jesus did was he emptied himself of his divine privileges. OK, so Jesus was God, but veiled in human flesh.

Philippians 2, 5 through 7 says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. In other words, Jesus is equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men.

So Jesus has always been God. When he walked the earth, his divinity was hidden, right? It was veiled in human flesh. And then you remember in Matthew 17 on the Mount of Transfiguration, what happened?

He let the glory kind of break through and they saw him for who he really, really was. But Jesus has eternally been the son of God. OK, any? Yes.

A little more on this kenosis. Without ceasing to be God, when he became man, he was still omnipotent. He proved that he was powerful over sin and death and storms and everything. So he's still omnipotent.

He was still omniscient. He knew what people were thinking.

But he did set aside some of the divine privileges. He did set aside, in the human nature, some of his attributes.

Let me get to the third one.

Well, hey, you do that to me all the time.

As in his omnipresence, either he did have the ability to move from place to place, because he went from one town to another town.

Yeah.

In a very short amount of time. So he was either power walking for many miles. And I could believe that he could do it. But I don't think all the disciples could have kept up with him. So that's my thing.

Do you think that he did give up his omnipresence? That's the only thing I can think of that he might have given up.

Well, his omniscience, he set aside because he said there's one thing he didn't know. He didn't know the day or the hour of his return. Jesus, the human being, was not everywhere all at once. Although there was that one time they were in the boat and immediately they were at the other side.

So there's like this warp where they're here and then here. There's a lot of complexity between the human nature and the divine nature, how the two are perfectly joined together and what theologians call the hypostatic union.

So, you know, we're not going that deep this morning. And quite frankly, I don't know that I understand it all. You know, a man needs to know his limitations. So I don't want to be one of these preachers that just kind of goes with it and ends up making stuff up.

There's a lot about God I don't understand. What's important is that I believe it. I believe he's the son of God. He's eternally the son of God. OK, section C part one continues. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that he might reveal God and redeemed redeemed sinful men.

All right. Let's look at Luke chapter one, verse 35. One thing that sets Jesus apart from everybody else. A lot of things that he was sinless. OK, so he's born of a human mother. So what about this question of original sin?

We've all heard this this term original sin. Well, the virgin birth was necessary for many reasons. Obviously, if Joseph or some other man was Jesus's father, he's not really any different than we are.

So in order for Jesus to be the son of God, God, the father actually has to be his father. Right. Luke one thirty five. The angel answered and said to her, said to Mary, the Holy Spirit will come upon you in the power of the highest will overshadow you.

Also, that holy one who is to be born will be called the son of God. So Jesus received his humanity from who?

Mary, right?

No.

OK, so his humanity comes from Mary. We all agree with that. Jesus received his divinity from from God. OK, so because Jesus did not have a human father, somehow he avoided the whole issue of original sin.

Now, I I don't go as far as some people do with this idea of of original sin. But if that's true, if it was necessary for for Jesus to have God as his father to avoid original sin, it would seem to me that many people believe or it would be the case that original sin is passed through the father and not the mother.

Adam was the federal head of the human race. Even though Eve ate the fruit first, the Bible says that sin came into the human race through Adam. Of course, Eve was deceived, but Adam was held responsible, correct?

And I'm not dogmatic about this, but it would seem in that sense that original sin, if that's that whole system and understanding is correct, original sin would then be passed through the father. Here's here's what I'm driving at, because if it's passed through humans in general, why couldn't Jesus?

Receive original sin from his mother. I mean, she was a human being. Why? Why wouldn't he be a sinner? My position on original sin is it's not a reference to the first sin ever committed. It's a it's a reference to the effects of the first sin.

So we're all under the curse living in this world. So original sin refers to the effects, the sin nature. Did Jesus have the sin nature? After all, he was born of of a woman. Did Jesus have the sin nature?

OK, so we know Jesus was sinless. And we believe, or some would say he doesn't have the stain of original sin, or we would say he does not have the sin nature. How is that possible? If he received full humanity from from his mother, Larry, I was just going to say.

If if the sin was passed on by the father or the sin nature comes through the father, how could Mary be without? Because she was born her father. So she's half her father and mother. So the sin nature would be in there because of her father.

It seems to me in this system that men are held responsible in a way that women are not. Right.

Marcus.

I think Mark refers to himself as the son of man over and over and over. Only accentuating his humanity, but taken taken out of context. Again, the context of all of scripture. That's why you do have to go all the way back to, you know, Isaiah nine, six and so forth.

So I've sort of opened up a can of worms now. So let me let me say this. Jesus, we know, was different. He was truly man, truly God. Great is the mystery of godliness. Paul says that God was manifest in the flesh.

Now, this is all worth mentioning because there is a very widespread. And I said some things that I'm not even quite sure I agree with about original sin. But I bring it up because it's very widespread.

This whole idea that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that Jesus, in order to avoid original sin. They demand that Mary, therefore, must be sinless.

Right.

That's what the Roman Church teaches. You've all heard of the phrase, the immaculate conception. Who wants to define the immaculate conception in one sentence? What does it refer to?

She was sinless.

Who? Mary. Right.

Yeah.

This is what a lot of people don't don't understand. They think the immaculate conception refers to the virgin birth. It doesn't. It refers to the Roman Catholic view that Mary was born sinless. And they say she had to have been sinless to give birth to a perfect, sinless child.

That that is false. We reject the idea that Mary was sinless. In the Magnificat and Luke chapter one, Mary calls God her savior. Sinful people or sinless people do not need a savior. And then this idea that she is a perpetual virgin implies that sexual relations are sinful.

Even though God's the one who created that. And it was God who ordained marriage. So there's just a lot of weird things that might come up. And we just may need to make sure we are biblical. Rome has even gone as far as to say that Mary was a virgin during birth.

That Jesus did not even come through the birth canal. Because that would do damage to her perfection. So this is really all a way to deify. What's the end result of this? To deify Mary. That she ends up becoming like a God, a goddess, basically.

So let me just simplify it for us. Jesus was different. He was sinless. He did not have the sinful nature because God was his father. Whatever else we brought up and it kind of adds to the confusion. He did not have the sin nature because God was his father.

We all agree with that, right? Okay, we don't need to go off course into these weird teachings about original sin. Which leads to Mary being sinless and all the rest. Alright, let's move on to the next section here.

This is the second statement. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross. As a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice. And that our justification is made sure by his literal, physical resurrection from the dead.

And then it gives some scripture references. So let's look up some of these. Romans 3, 24 and 25. We'll start with that.

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as the propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance, God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.

Okay, so Jesus redeemed us through his death. Because his death was a propitiation. Meaning that it appeased God the Father's wrath. Or we might say he satisfied God's justice in wrath against sin. Isaiah 53 says that it pleased the Lord to bruise him.

So it pleased God the Father to bruise his son. And it continues, he has put him to grief when you make his soul an offering for sin. That's Isaiah 53, 10. Isaiah 53, 4 and 5 says, surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

Yet we esteem him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. Was Jesus smitten by the devil? No, he was smitten by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement for our peace was upon him. And by his stripes we are healed. This is a very unpopular doctrine among most liberal mainline Protestant groups. In the 20th century especially, they found the idea of the Father punishing the Son as just being completely offensive.

They find the wrath of God to be offensive in general. There was one local Baptist church, they're not Baptist anymore. But the pastor actually said from the pulpit. This was a church that everybody considered evangelical 5 years ago, 10 years ago.

The pastor said from the pulpit, a God that would punish his son on the cross. Or a God that would pour out his wrath upon his own son. That is more like Zeus than the God of the Bible. This is the whole nature of the gospel.

That Jesus died for us. That God made his soul an offering for sin. So it is completely offensive to all non-Christians. To us, this is how we're redeemed. This is the greatest message ever told. That Jesus took our place and God punished Jesus instead of us.

Because here's the thing. In God's system of justice, if Jesus isn't punished for our sin. He gets punished for our sin.

We do.

So if you ask these groups today. Why did Jesus have to die then? They might say that Jesus went to the cross as an example of love. I'm not so sure I understand what that means. If you remove the fact that he died as a sacrifice for sin.

How is that an example of love? I don't know. Unless they're trying to teach some sort of message of pacifism. That Jesus could have smoked his enemies. But instead he kind of laid down his life. Setting a pattern of non-violence or something.

That's the only thing that I can think of. And that might sound good to some people. It's not what the Bible teaches. That was not the purpose of Jesus' death on the cross. So what are we talking about?

The person of Christ. He is eternally God. The son of God is eternal. He was born of a virgin. He was both truly man and truly God. So we're talking about the person of Christ. And the work of Christ.

Dying on the cross for our sins. 1 Peter 2 verse 24. 1 Peter 2 verse 24. Says, who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree. That we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness. By whose stripes you were healed.

And that's a quote from what? Where is he quoting from? What did we just read? Isaiah 53. Alright, let's look up some more of these verses. Who would like to look up Ephesians 1 -7? I'm going to get a volunteer.

1 Peter 1, 3 and 5. Alright, well someone will look them up. So Peter understood the purpose of Christ's death. As he quotes from what we just read in Isaiah 53. Jesus bore our sins. He took the punishment we deserved.

According to God's perfect standard of righteousness. The soul that sins shall die. So Jesus is the substitute dying in our place. Therefore, because the penalty of sin has been carried out. The law and the penalty of sin no longer has any power over us.

If somebody goes and commits murder. And they're arrested. And they're put on trial. And they are given the death penalty. Which almost never happens anymore. But let's just say this happened. And they bring the criminal into the gas chamber.

Or the electric chamber. And they put him to death. And now his corpse is laying there. Can the state do anything else to him? Well let's put him to death again. Let's put him on trial again.

Well that would be pointless.

Well hang him. You can't put him to death again. You cannot try him. He's dead. The sentence has already been carried out. So when Jesus died on the cross. Because we are in Christ. He died in our place.

There's no more penalty. It's already been carried out. He died in Christ. So there's no more guilt or condemnation. Or anything that can be done to us for our sins. Because it's already been dealt with.

And then Jesus rise from the dead. Because he lives. If we're in him we shall what? We shall live also. So that's how the gospel works. And it's troubling to me. That the majority of people it seems in our area.

Who would call themselves Christians. Find this part of the gospel. Jesus dying in our place. To be just utterly offensive. And then they make statements that. It turns God into like a monster.

He's like.

Vengeful Zeus or something.

This is.

This is greatly disturbing. Okay any questions or comments.

Before we.

Go to the next verse. Okay who's got Ephesians 1 7.

Stacy.

In him we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins. In accordance with the riches of God's grace.

Okay.

And then the last verse. That we are justified through his literal. And physical resurrection from the dead. First Peter 1 3 and 5. Who would like to read that?

Jordan.

All praise to God. The father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy. That we have been born again. Because God raised Jesus Christ. From the dead. Now we live with great expectation. And we have a priceless inheritance.

Inheritance. That is kept in heaven for you. Pure and undefiled. Beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith. God is protecting you. By his power. Until you receive this salvation. Which is ready to be revealed.

On the last day for all to see. All right.

Very good.

Thank you. So let's move on to the final section. This is part three. It says we believe that the Lord Jesus Christ. Ascended to heaven. And is now exalted at the right hand of God. Where as our high priest.

He fulfills the ministry. Of representative intercessor. And advocate.

All right.

So we talked about the person of Christ. His divine nature. Eternally the son of God. Talked about the work of Christ. Usually the focus is him. Dying on the cross for our sin. And you remember when Jesus was on the cross.

When he say it is what?

Finished.

And you might get the idea. Okay he's all done. Everything he's going to do. He's already done. Well that work is finished. But Jesus you know he's still at work. The cross may have gotten you saved. How do you know you're going to stay saved?