No 31

(Christology)

This doctrine, as the word itself indicates, deals with all the aspects of the life of Jesus Christ. Of course in this short study we will barely scratch the surface as to the implications of how Jesus Christ has had an effect on humanity. There are literally thousands of sermons, books and papers that have been written on this foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. No one has affected humanity more than the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of Christology has many sub-doctrines such as: His incarnation, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension and one that we do not hear about to often – His Kenosis. The word is a theological term that means Christ’s voluntary renunciation of His divine nature in becoming man. The word is derived from the Greek “kenoûn” – to empty. Oswald Chambers described kenosis as follows “The doctrine of the Kenosis is clear first to our heart, not to our head; it is a spiritual fact, not a thought-out fact. When a man’s heart is right with God the mysterious utterances of the Bible are spirit and life to him. Spiritual truth is discernible only to a pure heart, not to a keen intellect. It is not a question of profundity of intellect, but of purity of heart.” (Bringing Sons unto Glory, copy write 1944).

The Bible talks about this doctrine in Paul’s epistle to the Philippians “Have this in mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. . .” (Phil 2:5-7). Many commentators have attempted to describe exactly what Jesus Christ emptied Himself of but they have all fallen short because through the Gospels, Jesus described Himself as an unique being “…and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son…” (Matt 11:27). So, if we are to associate ourselves with this unique Being, we must be ready to do what He did – “21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:” (1 Peter 2:21-23).