BASIC DOCTRINE II
Lesson 1. The Doctrine Of Christ:
Introduction To And Heresies Concerning The Person of Christ

(Audio Clip)

I. INTRODUCTION

Scripture reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who always existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and who by His incarnation took upon Himself the form of man and became the God-Man. In the one person of Christ, there are two natures, human and divine, each in its completeness and integrity. They are distinguishable but indivisible, so that He is fully man and fully God. It is this sinless union of the divine and human natures which qualifies Him to be the only sacrificial mediator between God and man.

A. Is it possible to have the wrong Jesus? why? YES. SOME PREACH ANOTHER JESUS. See 2 Corinthians 11:1-4.

B. It is important to know who Jesus is. "What think ye of Christ? [Messiah] whose son is he?" (Mat. 22:42).

1. The Son of God.
2. The Son of MAN .

C. It is important to know how to respond to Jesus. "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? (Mat. 27:22).

D. There are three logical conclusions as to who Jesus is:

1. He was a liar. He deceived the people.
2. He was a LUNATIC. He really thought he was God.
3. He was Lord. He really was whom He claimed to be.
Why can't Jesus be just a good man and a good teacher? HE IS LORD OF THE UNIVERSE. HE IS GOD.

II. HERESIES CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST

A. Ebionites. Jesus was the Jewish Messiah but was only a man. They denied His divine nature.

B. Gnostics. They denied the reality of Jesus' human body. They made a distinction between the man Jesus and the Christ.

C. Arians. They denied that Jesus was fully God, co-equal with God from eternity past. They claimed that Jesus was the first and highest being God created. Jesus is a god but not the God. Who are some modern Arians? JEHOVAH WITNESSES

D. Apollinarians. They denied that Jesus was fully human. Jesus had a human body but not a human soul and spirit. Jesus Christ was two persons.

E. Nestorians. They denied the union of the two natures of Christ. Jesus Christ was God dwelling in a man.

F. Eutychians. They denied that Christ had two natures. His nature was a unique mixture of the human and divine.

G. Monophysites. They also denied that Christ had two natures in that He had only a divine will.

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