Deity of Christ and Christological Concepts

Deity of Christ at Nicea

• Primary Focus: Discussion on Jesus and his deity.

  • Key Statement: "Jesus is God."

• Titles of Jesus:

  • Referred to as the Son of God.

  • Also known as the Son of Man.

    • Clarification: The title "Son of Man" does not imply humanity but rather has a divine context.

    • Reference: Daniel chapter seven mentions this title in relation to coming in clouds with angels.

• Common Misconceptions:

  • Some believe Son of Man refers strictly to humanity, but this is incorrect.

• Historical Context:

  • The early church faced challenges regarding Jesus' deity, with some heretics denying his humanity.

  • Notably, Thomas was the first to confess Jesus as God, indicating early worship of Christ.

  • Scriptural Reference: 1 John 4 discusses heretics who denied the humanity of Christ, labeled as antichrists.

Early Church Heresies and Councils

• Councils Discussed:

  • Council of Nicea: Addressed the nature of Jesus Christ.

  • Ephesus (431 AD): Discussed Nestorianism, which split the understanding of Christ's humanity and divinity.

  • Chalcedon (451 AD): Focused on the unity of Christ’s two natures, divine and human.

    • Important to remember that Ephesus dealt with Jesus' humanity, while Chalcedon confirmed the hypostatic union.

Key Terms in Christology

• Four Terms starting with 'I':

  • Immortality:

    • Definition: God cannot die; therefore, if Jesus died, his death implies he was in the flesh, a necessary sacrifice.

  • Impeccability:

    • Definition: Jesus could not sin, making him faultless.

    • Key Point: "He who knew no sin became sin for us" (substitutionary sacrifice).

  • Immutability:

    • Definition: Jesus does not change, emphasizing the reliability of God's character.

  • Impassibility:

    • Definition: God does not suffer; however, Jesus, being human, did experience suffering.

Christological Heresies

• Heretics Who Denied Human Nature:

  • Ebonism/Hebronites: Argued Jesus was not fully God.

  • Docetism: Proposed Jesus appeared divine but was not fully human.

  • Arianism: Claimed Jesus was created by God, not eternal.

  • Apollinarianism: Belief that Jesus had a divine mind but was not fully human.

  • Nestorianism: Proposed two separate natures in Christ, leading to confusion in understanding.

  • Eutychianism: Merged both natures into one, suggesting a blended existence.

The Hypostatic Union

• The technical term describes the coexistence of both divine and human nature in one person, Jesus Christ.

Kynosis and the Nature of Jesus

• Kynosis: The Greek term meaning "to empty."

  • Reference to Philippians 2 regarding what Jesus gave up to assume a human form.

• Adoptionism: A heresy claiming Jesus became the Son of God through his baptism.

Views of Other Religions on Jesus

• Hinduism: Views Jesus as an Avatar, a divine descent.

• Buddhism: Sees Jesus as an Enlightened One.

• Islam: Considers Jesus a notable prophet, the second to Muhammad, but not divine.

• Judaism: Generally views Jesus as a rabbi or false messiah, denying deity.

• Mormonism: Believes Jesus was once a man who became a god.

• Jehovah's Witnesses: Teach Jesus was the first act of creation but not divine.

Holy Spirit in Other Religions

• Jews: May understand the Holy Spirit as the voice of God but don’t acknowledge the Trinity.

• Hinduism: Sees the spirit as an impersonal force uniting all.

• Buddhism: Focuses on the mind, incorporating ideas of spirits in mindfulness practices.

• Islam: Consider the spirit as a messenger, akin to angelic messages.

• Deism: Holds that God is inactive following creation, and the spirit is not at work today.

• Oneness Pentecostals: Believe in One God and see the spirit as a mode of baptism.

Work of the Holy Spirit

• Functions Identified:

  • Incoming: The spirit’s arrival at the believer’s acceptance of Christ.

  • Indwelling: The spirit’s permanent presence in believers, affirming their connection to Christ.

  • Infilling: Represents the empowerment and control of believers by the Holy Spirit.

  • Interceding: The spirit helps believers pray and intercedes on their behalf.

Scriptural References for Study

• Key Verses for Holy Spirit:

  • John 3:5 - Being born of the spirit.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:13 - On unity in the body through one spirit.

  • Ephesians 1:13 - Assurance of salvation through the sealing of the Holy Spirit.

  • Galatians 5:22 - The fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, and more.

  • 1 John 4:4 - Encouragement regarding the victory believers have through the Spirit.

Notice on Exam Preparation

• Review PowerPoint notes especially on heresies and attributes of Christ and the Holy Spirit, as they will likely be heavily tested.

• Study the contrasting views of religions and cults regarding Jesus and the Holy Spirit for comprehensive understanding.