The eternal Son of God became truly human, but what does this mean? Hebrews 2:5-18 reveals that in the incarnation, Christ became like us in all things (both body and soul), endured temptation, and tasted death for His people. The incarnation was heaven’s answer to our call for divine intervention. God in flesh did come down from heaven to provide not mere temporary relief, but true eternal salvation. This passage reveals six features of Christ’s humanity: His debasement, death, body, brotherhood, fullness, and exaltation. In His humanity, Christ became one of us, even calling us brethren. He became human to become all that we were supposed to be, to save us from our plight, to empower us in our fight against sin, and to bring many sons to glory.
Hebrews 1:1-13, Christology: Jesus is God
In this opening message of our Christology series, we turn to the person and nature of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 presents a breathtaking vision of the deity of Christ: He is the heir of all things, the agent of creation, the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of God’s nature, the sustainer of the universe, the co-regent with God, and the one far superior to angels. These seven truths call us to behold Christ as truly God. As we consider His divine nature, we also reflect on what it means to know Him, worship Him, and listen to Him.
2 Peter 1:3-7, Theology Proper: The Attributes of God
In redemption, we are graciously enabled to partake of the divine nature (v4). This does not mean we become equal to God, but that we begin to reflect His character through godly living. But which aspects of God’s character are we to imitate? In this final study in theology proper, we explore the difference between God’s communicable attributes—those He enables us to reflect—and His incommunicable attributes, which belong to Him alone as the infinite Creator. Peter reminds us that this transformation is not self-produced, but flows from a true and living knowledge of God through Jesus Christ.
Acts 14:8-17, Theology Proper: The Unmoody God
Does God ever experience mood swings the way we do? If the Lord is immutable and cannot change, can anything in creation truly affect Him? In this study of divine impassibility, we consider what it means that God is “without passions,” why this truth is theologically necessary, firmly rooted in the language of Scripture, consistent with historic Christian faith, and deeply sanctifying for the believer, especially, with regard to our steadfastness and self-control. This doctrine also sheds light on why the incarnation was necessary for our salvation as well as the constancy of God’s love toward His elect and His hatred for sin.
Ps. 102:25-27, Theology Proper: The Unchanging God
The LORD God is immutable. This is the resounding testimony of Scripture. As for statements that the LORD changed His mind, relented, or was sorry, these are anthropomorphic and anthropopathic descriptions of God. The immaterial, invisible, and immutable God does not literally undergo such changes. All of this reveals that the LORD is truly the everlasting Rock, and we can (and must!) place our trust in Him. May we learn to depend on Him, pray biblically, and cling to Him as the anchor who keeps us, especially through the storms of life.
1 John 5:20-21, Theology Proper: The Only God
What can we know about God? Scripture teaches that He is the absolute Creator and the absolute Being—self-existent, self-sufficient, a se, and self-defining. He is simple and one, not composed of parts but wholly identical with His attributes; He is divinity itself. As such, He alone is the true God, and there can be no other.
Deut. 30:11-14, Bibliology: The Clarity of Scripture
As one preacher once put it: “The main things in Scripture are the plain things, and the plain things in Scripture are the main things.” This is indeed Scripture’s claim about itself, that the word of God is understandable in its gospel call to the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ and repentance from sin. But this is a very nuanced doctrine. Four such nuances are explored here: progress, study, Spirit, and limitation. May we all continually grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).
2 Tim. 3:14-4:5, Bibliology: The Sufficiency of Scripture
Scripture is sufficient for all the matters about which it speaks. This means the Bible is all we need to do all that God desires for us to do, i.e., what we must believe and how we are to live before God. No other source of special revelation for faith and life is needed in addition to the Bible. Whether it is for salvation, personal godliness, or the life and ministry of the church, Scripture is what God has chosen to give us and it is enough. Were we to ask what books make up these sufficient Scriptures, we heartily answer, the Old Testament Jesus affirmed and the New Testament Jesus authorized, these 39 and 27 books of the two testaments are the word of God, and no more.