What Do Christians Believe About Jesus? Christology 101
What Do Christians Believe About Jesus?
This question is general. It is broader and simpler than the more superficial question: What do I believe about Jesus? At an individual level, this is a very important question for every human being to answer for themselves. However, we can be explicit about the general content of faith about Jesus that Christians hold to in general terms. Certainly, many individuals will vary from these things. However, deviating from the main core of belief is departing from the sphere that is acknowledged as “Christian” into something else like a cult or a faction.
So, what do Christians believe about Jesus? The Bible teaches that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. The second member of the blessed Trinity. That the Son of God became a man, born of a virgin. That He lived a perfect life, never sinning. Offering Himself up as the perfect sacrifice, dying on a Roman cross, under the wrath of God for the sin of the world. Making a way for man to be made right with God. Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day and is now highly exalted, seated at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus, as Lord and Savior, is waiting for the time appointed by God the Father to come back to gather His people to Himself and judge the world in righteousness.
What the Scriptures teach about Jesus is important for all to hear and understand. Let’s look to the Scriptures in greater detail to understand what they teach of Him.
Jesus as God
The man Christ Jesus is the very image of God.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:15-20, bold added)
While in His humbled state during the incarnation, the glory of Christ’s divinity was veiled in human flesh. The incarnation of Christ is the greatest miracle recorded in the Bible.
Though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. (Philippians 2:6)
Jesus claimed to be equal with God.
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal to God. (John 5:18, bold added)
Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man.
“I adjure You by the living God, tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so, But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64)
Many misunderstand this term: “Son of Man.” Some incorrectly assert that this is a claim of Jesus’ humanity. Actually, it is the opposite. The Son of Man that Jesus describes is the fulfillment of the prophecy seen in Daniel 7. This figure is of a human who walks up to the throne of God and receives from God something that God Himself has declared He will not share with anyone.
“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)
Jesus was, is, and always will be God. Many people stumble over the trinitarian nature of God. Even so, people failing to believe the testimony of Scripture does not change the reality that Jesus is God the Son, that He is co-eternal and co-equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus was before all things and by Him all things hold together.
For more on the deity and pre-existence of Jesus see our articles:
Jesus as Man
Just as the divinity of Christ cannot be diminished, we also must realize that Jesus was truly human.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25, bold added)
When the eternal Son of God took on flesh, he truly emptied Himself in the process of taking the form and likeness of humanity. This humbling is not small matter.
But emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7-8, bold added)
In order to be a Savior for humans and to die for our sin, He Himself truly came in the likeness of sinful flesh. The major difference is that Jesus never sinned in His flesh. He is the sinless Lamb of God.
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh. (Romans 8:3, bold added)
All of this may be difficult for humans to understand. Yet, God prophesied all of it in advance in the Scriptures. Because of this testimony, we could recognize Christ when He came in fulfillment of the Scriptures. Likewise, we can eagerly anticipate His promised return, because God is faithful and God always does what He says He will do.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: the Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4a)
Jesus, the eternal Son of God, humbled Himself. Being born in the likeness of sinful flesh although He Himself knew no sin. Jesus was fully man. He felt as a man, was hungry as a man is, was tempted as man is. Yet, unlike every other man, Jesus lived a sinless life.
He offered Himself up as a sacrifice, dying on a Roman cross. By His blood He purchased a people for Himself from every tribe, tongue, language, and people. On the third day He rose from the grave in fulfillment of the Scriptures, so that He would be the firstborn of the dead. The resurrection of Christ is proof from God that one day all will be resurrected.
Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)
For more information on Jesus’s humanity and the implications of the resurrection, see our articles:
Jesus Exalted
Christians should exalt Christ. We should, because God has already exalted His Son.
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tong confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, bold added)
Sometimes people get this wrong. I hear people talking about Jesus and urging unbelievers to “make Jesus Lord of their life.” However well-meaning this exhortation may be, it falls short of the biblical testimony. Christians should not be urging non-believers to take authority that isn’t theirs. To be clear, God has already made Jesus Lord of all. We don’t make Jesus Lord because that has already been granted Him by God the Father.
Instead, Christians ought to lovingly encourage all to acknowledge and submit to this truth: Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. (Hebrews 10:12)
In His patience, Jesus sits at the right hand of God on high. He will return to gather His people and bring recompense to all.
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. (Acts 2:36, bold added)
Jesus was highly exalted because of what He has done for God and for man. There is no one greater or higher than Jesus. He now is ruling and reigning as Lord over all. Waiting for the appointed day in which He will return to judge the world in righteousness.
For more information on the exaltation of Jesus, see our article Worship the Lamb Who is Worthy.
Eternal Judgment
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given to assurance to all by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31, bold added)
God has given proof that this is all true. It may not be what many believe. I myself did not believe it for much of my life. Yet, the proof remains and God is true. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, exalted to His rightful place, and coming again in glory.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16, bold added)
Just as the first coming of Christ was sure, we can be sure that He is coming again. The world will be judged in righteousness by Jesus according to the standard of perfection. Anyone who is found outside of Christ Jesus on the day of judgment will be cast into the lake of fire for all of eternity. Where all of God’s goodness, kindness, and grace will be removed. Leaving only His anger, wrath, and fury to be poured out on them.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)
Don’t wait to be reconciled to God. Today is the day of salvation! Call on His mercy and receive the gift of everlasting life through grace by faith in Jesus.
Related Questions
What do Christians believe about God? The Bible teaches that God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). Scripture reveals that God is a Trinity, one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Throughout Christian history Trinitarianism has been the orthodox view. All deviations have been deemed heretical and contrary to the genuine Christian faith.
What were they called before they were called Christians? In Acts 11:19-26 followers of Jesus were first called Christians. Before this they were considered another sect of Judaism, called “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9). Eventually, the Romans determined that those of “the Way” were different enough from Judaism that they should considered as a separate religion.