Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20010701.htm

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY (ORGANIZED BIBLE KNOWLEDGE)
Part VI: Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation)
A. The Person Of The Savior
  1. Introduction
    1. A number of the world's religions claim to offer man's solution, or salvation that the human race needs. Each claims that its leader or object of adoration is qualified to lead the way to the solution.
    2. What is unique about the Christian faith is that its Leader, Jesus claimed himself to embody the Way, the Truth and the Life for our needs, John 14:6. All other religions fail to assert this much of their leaders.
    3. How Jesus is so qualified to be our Redeemer is worth a study as follows:
  2. The Person Of The Savior (I am indebted to Chafer's, Systematic Theology, vol. III, Soteriology).
    1. Jesus Christ is perfectly qualified to be man's Savior from sin:
      1. Through the incarnation, when God the Son took on humanity, He became qualified to be the Mediator between God the Father and every man, 1 Timothy 2:5-6.
      2. Jesus Christ was sinless, qualified to be the Perfect Offering to atone God's wrath against man's sin:
        1. Through the virgin birth, Jesus was conceived so as not to inherit a sin nature, Luke 1:35.
        2. Through living a fully righteous life, He qualified to be man's Sin Bearer, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
        3. Because Christ's human and divine natures were always in harmony with the Father's will as both natures adhered to a single will in Christ, Jesus was impeccable: He could not sin! (John 6:38)
      3. Jesus Christ is identified in His Sonship with the human race and with God to qualify as our Mediator:
        1. He is the Son of God as God's Gift to humanity in the process of salvation, John 3:16.
        2. He is the Son of Man, a term picturing His true humanity and qualification to die for man's sin in man's place, John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:45-47; Matthew 20:28.
        3. Jesus is the Son of David, a term uniquely tied to the Hebrew people, and is thus uniquely qualified to salvage the Kingdom of Israel in God's program through the atonement, Luke 1:32-33.
        4. Jesus is the Son of Abraham, a term equipping Him to broaden God's fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant to bless "all the families of the earth" and salvage Gentiles, cf. Mtt. 1:1; Gen. 12:1-3.
      4. Jesus Christ is identified with His Spiritual Offices to be the Perfect Savior:
        1. As Prophet (Deut. 18:15, 18-19), He is the Ultimate Communicator to man from God, John 1:18.
        2. As Priest (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7:21-22) He performed ultimate service in man's behalf before God: (a) Christ was able to offer the perfect sacrifice to present to the Father for man's expiation from sin, Hebrews 9:25-26. (b) He is thus able to continue as man's High Priest for practical daily cleansing and sustenance in Christian living, Hebrews 10:19-22; 4:14-16.
        3. As King, He is equipped to overcome the failures and sins of David's line and kingdom, Isa. 9:6-7.
    2. Jesus Christ is perfectly positioned to be man's Savior:
      1. As the Preincarnate Christ, He is the eternal God (Micah 5:2; John 1:1) who is capable of saving man against all obstacles to the contrary.
      2. As the Incarnate Christ, He is able to mediate perfectly between the Father and men, John 1:1, 14.
      3. As the Crucified Christ Who tied together at His crucifixion all things in heaven and in earth, He is capable of solving all of the universe's problems, Colossians 1:19-20.
      4. As the Risen Christ, this glorified, conquering Lord is able to save to the uttermost those who come to Him for help, Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 7:25.
      5. As the Enthroned Christ, He is totally sovereign and able to work all things, Revelation 1:13-18.
      6. As the Returning Christ, He is the Almighty Judge of all, Jude :14-15.
      7. As the Eternally Reigning Christ, He provides salvation security for the redeemed, 1 Cor. 15:24-58.
Lesson: Jesus Christ is our All-Sufficient Savior for all the needs of fallen man!

Application: Christian maturity is measured by how far we go in looking to the PERSON and WORK of Jesus Christ to meet our every need, 1 John 1:1-3; 2:13a, 14a, cf. John G. Mitchell, Fellowship: Three Letters from John, p. 64-65) As Mitchell wrote, "The great yearning of the heart of God is that His people may be absolutely, perfectly satisfied with the Savior." (Ibid., p. 65) Let us look to Christ!