The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his137/contrast.lzh/CONTRAST.TXT

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THE:The doctrine of Christ - studies in contrasts  by Richard De Haan

   The Bible contains many statements that on the surface seem to fight
one another. It tells us to be both happy and sad, agressive and meek,
dependent and independent, peaceful and warlike.

   Why is this? Partly because the Bible equips us to respond in
different ways to ever-changing circumstances and needs. In
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, Solomon wrote:

   To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under
heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a
time to pluck...; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break
down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A
time to mourn, and a time to dance.

   Solomon went on to say, "(God) has made everything beautiful in its
time" (Eccl. 3:11). It's for good reason that the Bible encourages us
to break down and to build up, to laugh and to cry, to heal and to
kill. The challenge of spiritual maturity is to understand how to
respond to these contrasting truths.

   RBC senior research editor Herb Vander Lugt has written this booklet
to show how contrasting bibilical ideas contribute to a more complete
knowledge of the doctrine of Christ. It is our prayer that through
these pages you will gain a better understanding of the life-changing
truths of the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27).

   THE RESURRECTION IS A MATTER OF : REASON / FAITH

   Many well-educated Christian leaders set forth in great detail the
historical and logical evidence for Christ's resurrection, believing
that it has great apologetic value. But other Christian scholars,
equally convinced that Jesus conquered death, see little value in this
evidence. They insist that we must accept the biblical teaching about
Christ's resurrection by faith alone. Which view is correct? Can both
be right?

   The Resurrection is a Matter of Reason

   1. Christ's resurrection is a well-supported, historical event
reported by contemporaries of Christ and is preserved as a matter of
historical record in thousands of good manuscript copies (see Luke
1:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:3-8).

   2. The changed lives of the apostles is a powerful evidence of their
belief that Jesus truly conquered death (Acts 2:14-40; 3:11-4:21; cp.
John 18:15-18, 25-27).

   3. The church was founded in the first century on the message of the
resurrection (Acts 2:22-36; 3:13-15; 4:8-10).

   4. Sunday, the day of our Lord's resurrection, replaced the Jewish
Sabbath as the day of worship well before AD 100 (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor.
16:2).

   5. Paul used logic to argue that the ressurection of Christ from the
dead is essential to Christianity. He said that without it the gospel
message would be a lie, he would be a liar, and Christians would be
deceived and without hope (1 Cor. 15:12-19).

   The Resurrection is a Matter of Faith

   1. Historical events by their very nature cannot be
laboratory-tested and therefore cannot be viewed as scientifically
provable.

   2. The resurrection of a dead person is so contrary to scientific
laws that believing in it, no matter how great the historical evidence,
requires a step of faith.

   3. Faith, which God demands as the condition for salvation, requires
trusting what the Word of God says about that which cannot be seen
(Rom. 8:24, 25; Heb 11:1,6).

   Explanation

   In Peter's sermon to the assembled Jews just 50 days after Christ's
resurrection, he could declare that all the apostles were witnesses to
the fact that they saw their resurrected Savior. Luke, the author of
Acts, reported these words and went to great lengths to make sure that
he was giving an accurate report of what happened (Luke 1:1-4; Acts
1:1-3). Even liberal scholars believe that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians
only 35 years after the resurrection. And in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 he
could affirm the historicity of the resurrection of Christ without fear
of rebuttal, because many people who had seen the resurrected Christ
were still alive and could testify that they had seen Him. This is
first-hand testimony to the fact of the resurrection, the kind of
evidence that is acceptable in a court of law today.

   This historical evidence possesses real value. It shows us that God
does not expect us to take a blind, irrational leap of faith. However,
we must realize that all this evidence and logic does not provide
scientific proof. The non-Christian is not forced to believe in the
resurrection in the same way he must believe in something that is
proven through laboratory evidence.

   The New Testament writers, though affirming the fact of the
resurrection, also emphasized the need for faith. Paul declared that
our hope involves fiath. If it were an expectation based on scientific
proof, it would no longer be hope (Rom. 8:24, 25). Moreover, the writer
of Hebrews, though affirming the historical validity of the gospel,
declared that we take a step of faith when we believe in God (11:6).

   We do not face a problem of choosing between belief and reason. Nor
is it a matter of using reason as far as it will take us and then
taking a leap of faith. Rather it is using our minds and exercising
faith at the same time.

   F. F. Bruce points out that believing in the resurrected Christ,
though involving our thought processes, is at heart a moral decision.
Certainty comes when the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirit (Rom.
8:16, 17).

   Resolution

   We can be encouraged by the solit evidence that supports the
historicity of Christ's resurrection. Yet belief in it calls for the
exercise of faith--a reasonable faith to be sure but faith nonetheless.

   Application

   * We should be able to give those to whom we witness good evidence
for our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 3:15).

   * Because we cannot prove the resurrection by empirical evidence, we
must urge poeple to take a reasonable step of faith.

   * We must walk in obedience and continual dependence on the Holy
Spirit so that we can enjoy the certainty of faith that comes through
His inner witness (Rom. 8:16, 17).

   CHRIST CAME TO: LIVE FOR US / DIE FOR US

   Popular books and movies about Christ tend to emphasize His
exemplary life, but they portray His death as untimely and unfortunate.

   In sharp contrast, many conservative Christians say very little
about Christ's life and teachings. Instead they focus primarily on the
cross and the empty tomb. Whis is it: Did Christ come to live for us,
or did He come to die for us?

   Christ Came to Live for Us.

   1. By living as God among men, He showed us what God is like (John
14:9).

   2. By living out the human experience, He showed us how God wants us
to live (1 John 2:6).

   3. By living an unembittered, unretaliating, uncomplaining life even
in the face of suffering and death, He showed us how to endure the
problems of life (1 Pet. 2:21-23).

   4. By living a perfect life, He was qualified to be our Savior (Heb.
5:8, 9).

   5. By living obediently in the face of temptation, He showed us how
to overcome evil (Matt. 4:1-11; Heb. 2:18; 4:15).

   Christ Came to Die for Us.

   1. His death on the cross was predicted in the Old Testament as His
central mission (Ps. 22; Is. 52:13-15; Is. 53).

   2. His death on the cross was the means by which He became our
Savior, fulfilling the message of the angel to the virgin Mary (Matt.
1:21; Heb. 2:14, 15).

   3. His death on the cross was announced by John the Baptist at the
beginning of His ministry when John declared, "Behold! The Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

   4. His impending death on the cross was in His mind from the very
beginning of His public ministry as "the hour" for which He had come
into this world (John 2:19-22; 10:11, 17, 18; 12:23,27; 13:1; 16:32;
17:1).

   5. His death on the cross was just as necessary for the salvation of
sinners as the death of a seed is to produce a plant (John 12:24,
32,33).

   Explanation

   Yes, Jesus Christ lived for us. He did so for a little more than 30
years to reveal God and to show us how to live. He told Philip that all
who had observed Him had seen the Father (Joh 14:9). John gives us the
standard for our lives, saying that we should "walk as He walked" (1
John 2:6). And Peter told us that Jesus showed us how to suffer unjust
treatment (1 Pet. 2:21).

   However, it is also true that He came to die for us. At the very
beginning of Christ's ministry, John the Baptist referred to Him as the
"Lamb of God"--an allusion to His coming death as a Lamb. The Old
Testament writers predicted His death as a sacrifice for sinners (Ps.
22; Is. 52, 53). Jesus declared Himself to be the good Shepherd who
would give His life for the sheep. And Paul announced the reason for
His death: "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:3); that is, to pay
the penalty we all deserve at the hand of a holy God (Rom. 6:23).

   Resolution

   As you can see, the Bible teaches that Christ came both to live for
us and to die for us. Neither His life without His death nor His death
without His life would be adequate for our complete salvation.

   Application

   * We must recognice that our salvation is entirely a gift of God,
earned for us by the substitutionary life and death of Jesus Christ.

   * We must earnestly seek to follow the example of Jesus Christ,
being satisfied with nothing less than a perfect life.

   * We must view our good conduct as a means of glorifying God and
expressing our thanks to Him, but never as a means of contributing to
our salvation.

   CHRIST CAME TO BRING: PEACE / DIVISION

   An elderly American citizen who emigrated from the Ukraine as a
young man tells how he experienced severe conflict with his parents,
relatives, and acquaintances when he became a Christian.

   He had grown up in the state church but turned to atheism because of
the hypocrisy of the clergy. When he began to proclaim his unbelief
zealously, his family was disturbed, but they didn't oppose him.

   One day, however, his atheism was challenged by a Christian. After a
few weeks of daily meetings, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal
Savior. He went home that evening to tell his parents what had
happened, thinking that they would be glad. Much to his surprise, his
father became so angry that he struck him on the head and ordered him
to leave the house.

   His family and acquaintances turned against him and his employer
fired him. Strangely, they preferred atheism to a vibrant faith in
Christ. He did odd jobs and continued to be persecuted until he found a
way to escape to America.

   This man's Christianity caused conflict and division in his
relationships. Is this what Jesus promised? Didn't He come to bring
peace?

   Christ Came to Bring Peace

   1. Zacharias, before Christ's birth, prophesied that the Messiah
would "guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78, 79).

   2. Christ laid the basis for peace between God and us through His
death on the cross (Rom. 5:1; Col 1:20).

   3. Christ gives those who trust Him an inner peace far beyond
anything the world can offer (John 14:27).

   4. Christ calls on us to follow His example--to be peacemakers
(Matt. 5:9), to turn the other cheek (Matt. 5:39), and to love our
enemies (Matt. 5:44).

   Christ Came to Bring Division

   1. Christ often brings a "sword" instead of "peace" into family
relationships, causing those who reject Him to hate those who believe
in Him (Matt. 10:34-36).

   2. Christ said that those who followed Him would be hated by the
world because the world hated Him, and because His followers would not
belong to the world (John 15:18, 19; 17:14).

   3. Christ divides people into two groups--those who receive Him and
those who do not (John 1:11-13).

   4. Christ will bring about an eternal separation of those who
believe in Him from those who do not believe (John 5:28, 29).

   Explanation

   By his atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ paid the price for sin
and made it possible for sinners to be at peace with a holy God (Col.
1:19, 20). Jesus also gives believers who are trusting in Him the peace
of God (John 14:27). This inner peace of God is the absence of
spiritual unrest and the assurance of His loving presence in the midst
of all circumstances.

   Yes, Jesus also said, "I did not come to bring peace but a sword"
(Matt. 10:34). He then specified that belief in Him would divide family
relationships (v.35) and even create enemies of family members (v.36).
People who reject Christ often hate those who accept Him because they
are offended by their testimony and conduct (John 17:14).

   Resolution

   Jesus Christ made it possible for us to be at peace with God and to
have the inner peace of God. But following Him puts us at odds with
those who reject Christ's rule over their lives, causing division and
conflict.

   Application

   * We should be thankful for the inner peace God gives us and do our
best to promote a peaceful relationship between ourselves and
others--both saved and unsaved.

   * We must not expect complete freedom from conflict with the
unspiritual or unsaved. A close walk with the Lord puts us at odds with
those who are disobedient and rebellious.

   * We must be willing to endure hatred and pray for those who
persecute us (Matt. 5:44).

   JESUS CHRIST WAS: EQUAL TO THE FATHER / LESS THAN THE FATHER

   The old man was respectful toward the young woman who was telling
him about her faith in Christ. He knew quite a bit about the Bible and
viewed Jesus as more than a great teacher. But he said, "I can't
believe that He is God. There can be only one truly supreme Being. Even
Jesus said that He wasn't as great as His Father."

   The young woman was quite unprepared for this response. She had
always believed in Jesus' deity and equality with the Father. But now
she was confronted with the fact that some Bible passages affirm His
equality with the Father while other seem to treat Him as less.

   Jesus Christ was Equal to the Father

   1. He is eternal, like the Father. He is called "Everlasting Father"
(Is. 9:6), and the unchanging "I AM" (John 8:58).

   2. He is called God, like the Father (John 1:1; 20:28; Titus 2:13;
Heb. 1:8).

   3. He is referred to as Lord, like the Father (Joel 2:32; Rom.
10:13; Heb. 1:10-12).

   4. He is portrayed as the Creator of all things, like the Father
(Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:10; cp. Gen 1:1, 26).

   5. He declared Himself to be the Son of God, using a term that His
contemporaries understood as a claim to equality with the Father (John
5:18).

   6. He stated His equality with the Father: "I and My Father are one"
(John 10:30-39).

   7. he revealed an authority that made Him equal to the Father when
He forgave sins (Matt. 9:1-8).

   Jesus Christ was Less than the Father

   1. Jesus declared, "My Father is greater than I" (John 14:28).

   2. Jesus grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52); the Father has always knows
everything (Ps. 147:5).

   3. Jesus became tired (John 4:6); the Father never grows weary (Is.
40:28-31).

   4. Jesus said He didn't know the day nor the hour of His return; the
Father did (Matt. 24:36).

   5. Jesus said, "I can of Myself do nothing". (John 5:30), affirming
His dependence on the Father.

   6. Jesus often felt the need to pray to His Father (Matt. 14:23;
26:36; Luke 6:12; John 14:16).

   7. Jesus subjected Himself to His Father's will (Matt. 26:39; Heb.
10:5-7).

   8. Jesus' right to judge mankind was given to Him by the Father
(John 5:22, 23).

   Explanation

   The Bible strongly affirms Christ's essential equality with the
Father. John 1:1 explicitly declares, "The Word was God." To be God, He
had to be without any limitations--eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing,
everywhere present. Moreover, Jesus identified Himself as the great "I
AM" of Exodus 3:14, declaring that He had existed from all eternity
before Abraham came into being (John 8:58). The writer of Hebrews
identified Him as God, whose "throne is forever and ever" (Heb. 1:8).
Logic demands that all three persons in the Trinity be co-equal and
co-eternal.

   While on earth in His humanity, however, Jesus "grew in wisdom"
(Luke 2:52), expressed His dependence on the Father (John 5:30), and
declared His Father to be greater than He (John 14:28). He said these
things because, in becomming a human being, He had voluntarily let go
of the rights, powers, and honors that were His as God. He did this so
that He could be completely human--enduring temptation, suffering, and
even dying a painful and shameful death. He so fully identified with us
that He actually depended on the Holy Spirit to perform miracles (Matt.
12:28) and offered Himself as a sacrifice on Calvery through the
"eternal Spirit" (Heb. 9:14). But all the while He remained God.

   In heaven today, Jesus Christ possesses a glorified human body (Acts
1:9-11; 2:29-33; Heb. 10:12, 13). He is still God and man in one person
(Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:1-12). However, He is no longer in the state of
humiliation, as He was when He lived on earth. In His body He can be in
only one place at one time, but in the unity of the Trinity with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, He is present everywhere (Matt. 28:19, 20).

   Resolution

   Since Jesus is God, He is equal to the Father. But in becoming a
member of the human family, He temporarily laid aside the independent
exercise of His divine rights and powers.

   Application

   * We must honor Jesus Christ as God, recognizing that He is equal
with the Father.

   * We must humbly asknowledge the great mystery that the eternal
second person of the Trinity lives in a glorified human body.

   * We can rejoice in the assurance that though we will always be
finite creatures, we will someday receive glorified bodies and be like
Jesus (1 John 3:1-3).

   CHRIST IS: FIRSTBORN / ETERNAL

   Susan, a churchgoing young mother, had been taught to believe that
Jesus Christ is God. But two members of a large religious group going
from house to house challenged her concept of Jesus Christ. "The Bible
says that He is the firstborn over all creation", they stated. "How
then can He be God if He is not eternal?" They also pointed out that
the Bible calls Jesus "the only begotten Son". Susan was perplexed. She
didn't know what to say.

   Christ is Firstborn and Begotten

   1. He became God's Son on a certain day (Ps. 2:7).

   2. He is the firstborn of a large family with many brothers and
sisters (Rom. 8:29).

   3. He has the position of the oldest son in a family (Col. 1:15).

   4. He is "the only begotten Son" (John 1:14, 18; 3:16,17; 1 John
4:9). Christ is Eternal

   1. Isaiah gave Him the name "Everlasting Father" (Is. 9:6).

   2. Micah prophesied that the origins of the coming Messiah would be
rooted in eternity (Mic. 5:2).

   3. Jesus claimed to have existed from eternity as the second person
of the Trinity. In Isaiah 9:6, He is given the name "Everlasting
Father", which means that He is an eternal being. Micah 5:2 declares
that "His goings" (that is, His origin) reach back through all time
into eternity.

   Jesus declared, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I
AM" (John 8:58). The expression I AM indicates His timelessness and
identifies Him as the eternal, unchanging Yahweh of Exodus 3:14.

   The words begotten and firstborn do not deny Christ's eternal
existence. The declaration, "You are My Son; today I have begotten You"
(Ps. 2:7), is based on God's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:14.

   These words were spoken as a part of the coronation ritual for the
kings in the Davidic line. In the New Testament, they are linked to
Christ's right to rule--as evidenced by His resurrection (Acts 13:33,
34; Rom. 1:4; Heb. 1:5,8; 5:5).

   The expression only begotten in John 1:14 is the translation of the
Greek monogenes, from the root genes which means "kind" or "class". The
word begotten should not appear in the translation of this verse. Jesus
Christ is "in a class by Himself, " "the only one of His kind, "
"unique." He is unique in that He, though appearing in human form,
existed from all eternity.

   The expression firstborn in Colossians 1:15 (also Rom. 8:29 and Heb.
1:6) refers to His place of preeminence as the God-man. He possesses
and exercises the rights of a firstborn son.

   Resolution

   As the second person or the Trinity, Jesus Christ existed from
eternity, but His existence as a human being began when He was born of
Mary. The terms firstborn and only begotten relate to His God-man role
and status.

   Application

   * All who reject the absolute deity and full humanity of Jesus
Christ are distorting the message of the Bible.

   * All who believe on Jesus Christ as God-man and Savior should honor
Him and make Him their Lord.

   CHRIST PAID FOR OUR SINS / WE PRAY FOR OUR SINS

   Ralph, a wealthy Christian businessman, became romantically involved
with his secretary. He often took her to lunch and gave her expensive
presents. Mary enjoyed these favors, soothing her conscience by telling
herself that she was being unjustly cheated of the better life because
of the small salary her husband made as a Christian worker. Ignoring
the warnings of their church leaders, Ralph and Mary divorced their
mates and married each other.

   Within 2 years, Ralph developed physical problems. He cries when he
talks about what he did, and says he remembers the warning of a friend
who told him he would suffer consequences for his sin. But he had gone
ahead, confident that all the punishment for his sins had been paid for
by Christ.

   His new wife is also quite unhappy. The things money can buy don't
produce the pleasure she expected from them. She feels trapped - caring
for a sick man she doesn't really love.

   Are both of these people paying for their sin? If so, how does this
square with the idea that Jesus Christ paid for all of our sins on the
cross?

   Christ Paid For Our Sins

   1. Christ died to take away our sin (John 1:29) and to release us
from condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

   2. Christ's death is the basis on which our sins are paid for, once
and for all (Heb. 9:25-28; 10:10-18), and through which we are given a
completely new standing before God (Rom. 4:25).

   3. Christ's blood was shed so that our sins could be forgiven and
not held against us (Matt. 26:28; Rom. 3:21-26; 5:6-11).

   4. Christ's death makes it possible for us to stand before God as
"holy, and blameless" (Col. 1:21, 22).

   We Pay For Our Sins

   1. Moses paid for his sin of anger and disobedience by being
forbidden to enter the Promised Land (Deut. 32:48-52; 34:1-12).

   2. The Bible warns both believers and unbelievers that sin has bad
consequences (Gal. 6:7, 8).

   3. Careless observance of the Lord's Supper was the cause for
sickness and death among the believers in Corinth (1 Cor. 11:27-30).

   4. People who have been forgiven through faith in Christ will still
stand before Him for judgement (2 Cor. 5:10).

   Explanation

   The full penalty for all our sins has been paid by Christ. Hebrews
9:27, 28 tells us that just as Christ was once sacrificed to bear the
sins of many (all who trust Him), He will return to complete the
salvation of those who look for Him. Paul, in Colossians 1:20-22,
declared that Christ amde peace between sinners and God through His
death on the cross. This truth is reiterated throughout the Scriptures.

   Christ met the full requirements of God's just anger against sin.
Therefore, God can forgive and accept us without violating His holy
nature. At the moment we place our faith in Christ, God as our Judge
declares us righteous and accepts us into His family. The forgiveness
of 1 John 1:9 relates to our new relationship with God. As our Father,
He removes our daily sins so that they will not be barriers to our
fellowship with Him.

   Yes, Christ died for our sins. But Paul warned believers against
fooling themselves into thinking they can sin with impunity. He siad
that we will reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7).

   God may allow sin to work out its natural consequences - a broken
home, venereal disease, financial difficulty, a diseased liver - in the
life of a Christian. Furthermore, He will chasten us like an earthly
father does a disobedient child (Heb. 12:6).

   In some cases, for example, He will bring pain, distress, or even
physical death (1 Cor. 11:30-32) to a Christain who refuses to turn
away from a sinful lifestyle.

   Ultimately, He will deal with unconfessed and unforsaken sin at the
judgment seat of Christ. Every Christian will stand there to "receive
the things done in the body, ...whether good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10). But
this will not be punishment. Rather, it will be an evaluation of the
quality of our lives for the purpose of determining rewards.

   Resolution

   God as Judge views us a guiltless because Jesus Christ has paid the
full penalty for our sins. but as righteous Father He chastens us when
we are disobedient and lets us reap the natural consequences of our
transgressions.

   Application

   * When we as believers fall (through deliberate transgressions) or
fall (through weakness), we need not despair and think we will be
condemned to hell. Christ Jesus paid the complete price for all our
sins -- past, present, and future.

   * We mock God and will reap sad consequences if we presume on His
grace by living sinful lifestyles (see Gal 6:7, 8).

   * We must always bear in mind that Christ knows our every thought,
hears our every word, and observes our every deed, and that the quality
of our lives will be evaluated at the judgement seat of Christ (2 Cor.
5:10).

   JESUS CHRIST: IS / IS NOT GOD'S ONLY SON

   Jesus Christ is the only Son of God. This has been the teaching of
Christians down through the centuries. "Not so, " say many people. "The
Bible often refers to angels and people as the sons of God." Some point
to Paul's statement in Acts 17:28 where he, speaking to pagan
philosophers, approvingly quoted one of their own writers who said,
"For we are also His offspring." Since angels and people are called
sons of God, how can it be said that Jesus Christ is the only Son of
God?

   Jesus Christ is God's Only Son

   1. He is specifically referred to as the "only " Son (John 1:18,
3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9).

   2. He is unique in His sonship in that He alone is the Son who is
the "brightness" of God's glory, the "express image" of God's person,
the One who is "upholding all things", the One who has "purged our
sins", and "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb.
1:1-3).

   3. He is distinguished from the prophets in that God, who once
revealed Himself through them, has now "spoken to us by His Son" (Heb.
1:1, 2).

   4. He is distinguished from the angels in that He is the Son who is
called "God", He is credited with the creation of all things, and He is
said to be everalstingly the same (Heb. 1:5-14). Jesus Christ is not
God's Only Son

   1. Angels are called "sons of God" (Job 1:6; 2:1).

   2. The Israelites as individuals are designeated "the sons of the
living God" (Hos. 1:10) and collectively as "My son" (Hos. 11:1).

   3. We have been taught to pray, "Our Father in heaven" (Matt. 6:9),
indicating that we are His children.

   4. We are born into God's family and therefore are called His
children (1 John 3:1, 2,10; 5:1,2).

   5. We are adopted as sons of God, co-heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom.
8:14-16; Gal. 4:4-7).

   6. We are assured that Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call us
brothers (Heb. 2:10, 11).

   Explanation

   Passages like John 1:18, 3:16,18; and 1 John 4:9, which refer to
Jesus as the "only begotten Son", emphasize His uniqueness. The Greek
word translated "only begotten" is better translated "unique Son" or
"one and only Son". Moreover, in Hebrews 1:1-3 the author points out
that Jesus Christ's sonship is different from that of all creatures,
even angels. He is the perfect reflection of God, something that cannot
be said of any created being. Our Lord's sonship is therefore
absolutely unique.

   In Job 1:6, angelic beings are referred to as the "sons of God".
They are the sons of God because they were created by God with the
capacity to know Him and choose to obey or disobey Him. In 1 John 3:2,
believers are called "children of God", an applicable term because we
who have placed our trust in Christ have been born into the family of
God. Like angels, we were created as "sons of God", but we lost our
family relationship through sin. Through faith in Christ we have
received a new birth, which makes us members of God's redeemed family.

   In Galatians 3:26, Paul refers to Christians as "sons of God", a
title that designates our status as mature sons and daughters, co-heirs
with Jesus Christ. The apostle refers to our "adoption" (Rom. 8:15, 23;
Gal. 4:5), the act of God by which He gives us the rights and
privileges of full inheritance.

   Resolution

   Although every moral being is a son of God by virtue of being
created by Him, and believers become His sons and daughters as members
of His spiritual family, only Jesus Christ is the unique and eternal
Son as second person of the Trinity.

   Application

   * Since Jesus Christ as God's unique Son perfectly reflects the
Father, we as members of God's family should also seek to reflect His
character.

   * As the sons and daughters of God, brothers, and sisters of Jesus
Christ, we can go through life with the assurance of a glorious
eternity.

   CHRIST IS IN US / WE ARE IN CHRIST

   The Bible tells us that Christ is in those who believe in Him, but
it also says that believers are in Christ. This seems to be a
contradiction in terms. How can we be "in Christ" and at the same time
have Him living "in us"? In trying to resolve this difficulty, a
Christian cartoonist drew a picture of a mouse peeking out of one of
the holes in a piece of Swiss cheese saying, "I am in the cheese." The
picture showed this mouse with his sides bulging saying, "Now the
cheese is in me!"

   This characterization doesn't help solve the problem, though,
because the two positions are not chronological. One doesn't follow the
other. Christ in us and we in Christ occurs simultaneously. So how do
we resolve this conflict?

   Christ Is In Us

   1. Christ lives in us as the Father lives in the Son (John 17:21-23).

   2. Christ lives in our dying bodies, giving us a life that cannot
die (Rom. 8:10, 11).

   3. Christ lives in us to give us the power of His resurrection life
so that we may be able to overcome sin (Gal. 2:22).

   4. Christ lives in us and is completely at home there when we are
living a Spirit-filled life (Eph. 3:17).

   5. Christ lives in all His people and provides the source of their
hope (Col. 1:27).

   We Are In Christ

   1. Christ lives in us as the Father lives in the Son (John 17:21-23).

   2. Christ lives in our dying bodies, giving us a life that cannot
die (Rom 8:10, 11).

   3. Christ lives in us to give us the power of His resurrection life
so that we may be able to overcome sin (Gal. 2:20).

   4. Christ lives in us and is completely at home there when we are
living a Spirit-filled life (Eph. 3:17).

   5. Christ lives in all His people and provides the source of thei
hope (Col. 1:27).

   We Are In Christ

   1. Being in Christ guarantees our future bodily resurrection (1 Cor.
15:19-23; 1 Thess. 4:16).

   2. Being in Christ removes our guilt as members of the fallen race
and makes us members of the family of God (2 Cor. 1:21; 5:17).

   3. Being in Christ frees us from a law-system that cannot fully
reveal God or provide salvation (2 Cor. 3:14-18).

   4. Being in Christ is pictured in baptism, a ceremony that speaks of
our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection

   (Rom. 6:1-11; Gal. 3:27).

   5. Being in Christ entitles us to the present enjoyment of heavenly
possessions and experiences (Eph. 1:3).

   Explanation

   When Jesus said, "I in them, and You in Me" (John 17:23, He was
expressing the truth that He comes into those who trust Him and
establishes a relationship similar to that which has always existed
between the Father and the Son. Paul referred to this same truth in
both Galatians 2:20 and Colossians 1:27. When we believe in Jesus
Christ, He comes into our lives to transform us and assure us of our
ultimate glorification with Him in heaven. Thsi truth is life-changing
and comforting.

   Paul said that those who are in Christ will receive glorified
resurrection bodies (1 Cor. 15:20) when they are raised just before
living believers are translated at Christ's return (1 Thess. 4:16). He
was speaking of our legal position before God -- justified and
therefore members of God's family. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 5:17,
the person who is in Christ is a member of a new humanity -- redeemed
and under condemnation.

   Christ in us is related to His living in us to change us. This
practical holiness. Our being in Christ is related to our new standing.
This is positional holiness.

   Resolution

   When we receive Christ, He comes into our lives to completely
transform us on the inside. We are in Christ because God the Judge has
taken away our standing as guilty and has declared us guiltless and
accepted.

   Application

   * The truth that we are in Christ is tremendously comforting,
assuring us that because we stand before God in Christ He does not see
us in our sin and guilt. Rather, He sees us as clothed in Christ's
perfect righteousness.

   * The truth that Christ is in us is motivation for holy living. It
gives us the desire and the enablement to defeat the world, the flesh,
and the devil.

   CHRIST IS: SERVANT / LORD

   In the past few years, a number of Christian books have been
published that emphasize the servanthood of Jesus Christ. They call
attention to the fact that Jesus came to establish a new order and to
model a new way of living -- serving one another. The authors usually
focus on John 13:1-11, which describes that moment in the upper room
when Jesus rose from supper, took a towel, and washed the disciples'
feet. These books depict the Lord Jesus as a servant and example for
all believers.

   Other teachers however, seem more concerned that we remember the
authority and lordship of Christ. They remind us that Jesus is not our
servant, but our God, our Lord, and our King. They concentrate on His
power as Creator and on His role as Judge. They emphasize not only His
sovereignty but also the lines of authority He has built into
governmental leaders, employers, pastors, husbands, and parents.

   So who is right? Where should our emphasis be -- on Christ's
servanthood or on His supreme authority as Lord?

   Christ is Servant

   1. Old Testament prophecies describe Christ as a coming servant (Is.
42:1; 52:13; 53:11; Zech. 3:8).

   2. Jesus referred to Himself as the One who came to serve (Luke
22:27), not to be served (Matt. 20:28).

   3. Paul indicated that Jesus adopted the role of a servant (Phil.
2:7).

   4. Jesus spoke of Himself as having the attitude of a servant, being
"gentle and lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:28, 29).

   Christ is Lord

   1. Jesus is referred to as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev.
19:16).

   2. When Thomas saw Jesus' wounds, he cried, "My Lord and My God!"
(John 20:28).

   3. In his Pentecost sermon, Peter told the Jews that Jesus was "both
Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).

   4. Jesus was referred to as Lord in prayer (Acts 7:59, 60; 1 Thess.
3:11; 2 Thess. 2:16; 3:16).

   Explanation

   Servanthood is one of the amazing qualities of Jesus Christ. He is
the suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 who bears our sins and
provides salvation to all who know Him. In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul
traces the journey of the Lord Jesus from His place of equality with
God to that of a servant who dies a humble death on the cross to His
eternal glorification and exaltation as the God-man, world Redeemer,
and King. In Luke 22:27 and Matthew 20:28, we find Jesus explaining His
lowly role, declaring that He came to serve, not to be served.

   Christ's servanthood, however, never caused Him to be less than God.
Thomas rightly confessed Him as "my Lord and my god" (John 20:28).
Peter, after depicting the fact that men were able to reject Jesus and
nail Him to a cross, declared Him to be exalted as "Lord and Christ"
(Acts 2:36). And in Revelation 19:16, Jesus appears as King of kings
and Lord of lords.

   We tend to have trouble mixing leadership and lordship with
servanthood. But that is because we have a different view of authority
than God has. We see it selfishly. He who is love sees servanthood as a
way of providing salvation for sinners. In fact, God revealed His
servant nature when He chose to create us as free moral agents, though
He knew we would rebel against Him and make necessary His becoming a
member of our humanity to save us from our sins.

   When we accept Christ's act of humble servanthood on our behalf, we
also place ourselves under His lordship. And what could be better than
having a Lord who uses His authority to help us!

   Resolution

   Jesus Christ, who as second person of the eternal Trinity enver
ceased to be Lord, voluntarily left heaven to become a member of the
human family and fill the role of servant, even to the point of being
crucified, to make possible our salvation from the penalty and power of
sin.

   Application

   * After the Lord Jesus had stooped to wash the feet of His
disciples, He said, "I have given you an example, that you should do as
I have done to you" (John 13:15).

   * When our Savior spoke of what He would endure as the object of the
hatred of wicked men, He gave this warning: "Remember... 'A servant is
not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also
persecute you" (John 15:20).

   * Jesus encouraged us to follow His example of servanthood by
saying, "For whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).

   --- Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version, (c)
1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

   "Studies in Contrast: The Doctrine of Christ" by Richard De Haan.
Copyright 1989 Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Used by
Permission.