The Second Person of the Godhead:

The Lord Jesus Christ

John 1:1 tells us who Jesus was before His human birth. He “was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14, “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” He became man, born of a woman, conceived in her of the Holy Ghost – Mt. 1:20.

Peter informs us that this was no afterthought, but planed before time. A Divine counsel was held. “Him (the Son of God) being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” Acts. 2:23. “Whom God hath set forth (foreordained) to be a propitiation (atoning sacrifice) through faith in his blood” Rom. 3:25. Our redemption was foreordained before man was even created. The second Person of the Godhead had to be willing to become man to accomplish that work of man’s redemption.

I Pet. 1:18-20, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” Read II Tim. 1:1 and Titus 1:2. “According as he (God) hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children (or the placing of sons) by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” The wealth of God’s blessing to man was His choice before the creation of man. God purposed a new creation in Christ before He saw the old creation in Adam. The Son of God delighted Himself by faith, in bringing many sons whom He should afterward bring to glory. In eternity past Christ was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him” – Prov. 8:30.

This choice does not mean God rejected some and selected others independently of their will. God chose no one in the old creation (the first Adam). He chose a new creation in Christ. All who would become that new creation by faith in Jesus, the “whosoever” of John 3:16. Man’s wealth and enjoyment in Christ is because “God so loved.” He chose away back yonder, before the world’s sick-spell by Satan’s intervention. Praise God! He close us “in Him,” in Christ, to be “holy and without blame before Him.” Can man be blameless? Not if the believer yields to the old creation. If we yield to the Christ life we  received at our spiritual birth, that life cannot sin – Romans 6.

Christ has three distinct offices: Prophet, Priest and King.
As Prophet: Peter declared in Acts 3:22 that Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of Deut. 18:15 that God would raise up a greater Prophet than Moses. The Gospels record Jesus prophetic ministry from His baptism to the Cross. Prophecy means to utter by Divine inspiration. Jesus declared the Father, gave spiritual instruction, foretold future events, etc. John the beloved disciple said of Jesus, there are so many other things which He did, that if they should be written, every one, he supposed that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

As Priest: Christ’s priesthood began at the Cross. He is the Aaron of the New Testament. The book of Hebrews especially describes this office. How did it begin? By Jesus offering Himself on the Cross. His priesthood will never end. In all things He was made like man, except He had no sin in Him. He took on Him flesh and blood and was tempted and tried severely. He was criticized and persecuted by the self-righteous. He was in jeopardy every day and finally nailed to the cross, being counted sin for us. With the crucifixion, His prophetic ministry ceased and His High Priestly ministry began. He showed infinite mercy to us sinners in being faithful unto death, making full atonement for our sins. By His blood our sins were covered and God’s holy government was satisfied, the penalty was paid. Read Eph. 1:7 & Jn. 5:24. His atoning work done, He is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, our High Priest– Mk. 16:10; Heb. 3:1; 4:14-16. He is in the presence of God in our behalf. All our blessings and victories are dependent upon Him. He is able – Heb. 2:18. We have a Representative in heaven, a Mediator, a Go-between; we have access to the throne of grace and are accepted because God sees us through the wounds of His Son – I Jn. 2:1. He is our High Priest now and for eternity – Heb. 5:5-6. His entrance as the forerunner into heaven is the guarantee of our entrance both now and future – Heb. 6:20. He is able to save to the uttermost (all-complete, absolutely, all-entirely) forevermore – Heb. 7:25 & Eph. 3:20.

As King: That office begins when he comes back and will reign as God almighty for 1,000 years. The wise men searched for the King of the Jews (Mt. 2:2). When He later entered Jerusalem presenting Himself as their King (Mt. 21:5), He was rejected and crucified just a few days following. Pilate put this title on the cross – “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews” (written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin) - Jn. 19:19-20. “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; I Tim. 6:15. When the allied evil powers make war upon the Lamb (Rev. 17:14), “the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. Rev. 19:11-16, “…heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns…he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him…And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

After Christ Millennial reign, He will eternally be in subjection to His Father – I Cor. 15:24-28.

Earlene Davis