January 30, 2022

DOCTRINE: GOD THE SON

January 30, 2022

Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Have you noticed people today seem unable to think logically, interpret facts correctly, or understand clearly what they read or hear? Can you give recent examples?

Last Sunday we began a new series on the basic Doctrines of Christianity. We listened as Matt Willmington described the Doctrine of the Trinity in the First Person of God the Father. Today we continue the Trinity, looking at the Second Person of the Trinity, God the Son, Jesus Christ. There are more than 500 prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the coming of a Messiah, and Jesus fulfilled a number that defies possibility. Therefore, to read Old Testament predictions of what was expected of the Messiah means also going to the NT to see Jesus’ fulfillment. For instance, in Luke 7:19-21, we read Jesus answer John the Baptist as whether He was the Messiah. Later, in John 7:31, the crowds watched Jesus, as He, in evidence of His Messianic authority, stood in front of them, fulfilling Isaiah 42:6-8.

Focal Passage: Colossians 1:15-20

GOD THE SON

The Son of the Past

“We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity. Eternally begotten from the Father, He is God. He was conceived by the virgin Mary through a miracle of the Holy Spirit. He lives forever as perfect God and perfect Man, two distinct natures inseparably united in one person.”*

  • Read Colossians 1:15-16. Where did we first see Jesus Christ introduced in the Bible? What was the title usually given to Him in the Pre-incarnate Old Testament appearances? Name some of the times He appeared to OT saints.
  • Read John 1:1-3. What are some of the conclusions we can draw from these verses? Read Rev. 22:13. What did Jesus say of Himself in this verse?
  • Read John 4:25-26. Jesus made a factual statement here. Given His compassion, integrity, and actions, why would anyone delay accepting His salvation?
  • Read John 1:10-14, 6:38, and 10:27-30. Why did Jesus say He had come to the earth?

The Son of the Present

“We affirm that Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice by the appointment of the Father. He fulfilled the demands of God by His obedient life, died on the cross in full substitution and payment for the sins of all, was buried, and on the third day, He arose physically from the dead and ascended into Heaven where He now intercedes for all believers.”*    

  • Before we look in the Scriptures, what are some of the things you know Jesus is doing at this present time?
  • Read Col. 1:17-18. Does Jesus act today in the lives of believers? What are some examples?
  • Did you include these: To give salvation (John 10:10); To prepare a place for us (John 14:2); To give believers spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:10-14); To offer encouragement to His followers (Heb. 4:14-16); To make high priestly prayers on our behalf (Rom. 8:34); To send the promise of the Father (John 16); To care for His churches (Rev. 1:10-3:22); To work through His people (John 14:12); To wait to return as King of Kings (Heb. 10:12)?

The Son of the Eternal

“We affirm that the return of Christ for all believers is imminent. It will be followed by

seven years of great tribulation and then the coming of Christ to establish His earthly

kingdom for a thousand years. The unsaved will then be raised and judged according to

their works and separated forever from God in hell. The saved, having been raised, will

live forever in heaven with fellowship with God.”*

  • Read Col. 1:19-20. Besides being Holy, what are some of the other attributes of God the Father that keep Him from looking upon anything evil? When man was created, could Adam have taken a stand against Satan when he and Eve were tempted? How has that sin affected all of mankind?
  • What chance would we have to be in fellowship with God, without a mediator? Read 1 Tim. 2:5. Is it any wonder that one would be condemned to hell if he scorns the very reason the Son of God came to earth to die for us?

 

Close

It is clear that modern generations, raised to spend much of their time on technological games, social media, or mindless television and movies, would have a difficult time thinking through the irony of assessing the secular and ecclesiastical information concerning Jesus Christ. They can accept that He was someone who truly lived in history, did many incredible miracles, taught with authority, yet they discount His claim of being the Son of God and the foretold Jewish Messiah. It boggles one’s mind that they accept all that He said and did as being highly moral and erudite, yet assume Him a liar when He claimed to be God Incarnate.

What about you? Do you long for sweet fellowship with God the Father, free from sins and habits that seem to plague your existence? Do you have a broken heart when you sin, and confess it immediately? Perhaps those things that are the “weights that so easily beset us” could be the things God allows in our lives over and over until we get so sick of them we finally are willing to “lay them aside” (Heb. 12:1). Pray continually for a heart like His, and for eyes that see life from His perspective.

 

* Doctrinal Statement, Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA.

 

 

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