The person and work of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully divine, through whom all things were made (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:16). In the incarnation, He took to Himself a true human nature, born of a virgin, becoming truly man without ceasing to be truly God. He is one person with two natures — a mystery essential to our salvation.

Only one who is truly God could bear the infinite weight of sin; only one who is truly man could stand in the place of men. Diminish either nature, and the Gospel collapses.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory.” — John 1:14

Jesus lived the perfect, sinless life we failed to live, fully obeying the Father (Hebrews 4:15). Then, at the cross, He died as a substitute — bearing the penalty of sin in the place of sinners, satisfying the justice of God, so that guilty people could be forgiven without God ceasing to be just. This is the heart of His saving work.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The sinless One took our guilt; His righteousness is credited to all who trust Him.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” — 1 Peter 2:24

On the third day Jesus rose bodily from the grave — God’s public vindication that the payment was accepted and death defeated (Romans 1:4). He ascended to the Father’s right hand, where He now reigns and intercedes for His people, and from where He will return in glory to judge the living and the dead.

The resurrection is not a footnote but the hinge of the faith: because He lives, those who trust Him will live also. The crucified Savior is the reigning Lord.

“Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” — Romans 6:9