Why Jesus Christ Is the Center
See why the person and work of Jesus Christ stand at the center of doctrine, salvation, worship, and Christian hope.
- The Bible directs faith to Christ
- His identity and saving work belong together
- Deep doctrine should clarify the gospel
The Bible directs faith to Christ
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John says his Gospel was written so people might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life through His name. The identity of Jesus is therefore not detached from salvation.
Christology begins with identity, not merely chronology. A student must ask whether the text places Christ on the Creator side or the creature side of the biblical distinction, and whether the passage speaks of existence before Bethlehem.
Do not hurry past the wording of the passages above. Identify what the text explicitly says about Christ, what it assumes, and what conclusions would go beyond the text. Doctrine grows stronger when observation comes before conclusion.
His identity and saving work belong together
Acts does not present Jesus as one spiritual option among many. Salvation is in no other. This does not mean a sinner must pass a theology examination before being saved; it means saving faith rests on the true Jesus revealed in Scripture.
This point should be tested against more than one passage. A true doctrine will not require us to silence clear texts in order to protect a favorite explanation. Compare the witnesses below and ask what all of them require you to affirm at the same time.
- John 1:1-18
- John 5:18-29
- John 8:24-58
- John 20:24-31
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
- Colossians 1:12-20
- Hebrews 1:1-14
Deep doctrine should clarify the gospel
Studying Christ should deepen worship, sharpen gospel clarity, and protect the church from substitutes for the biblical Jesus. This course keeps asking two questions: Who is He, and what has He done?
Christian doctrine stands or falls with the biblical Jesus Christ: the eternal Son who became man, died for our sins, rose again, reigns, and saves every believer.
Now distinguish source, observation, and conclusion. The source is the biblical text. Observation states what the text actually says. Conclusion draws doctrine from the combined witness of Scripture. Keeping those steps distinct helps prevent both careless proof-texting and speculative theology.
- How would you prove “the bible directs faith to christ” from an open Bible rather than from a slogan?
- What error appears if someone accepts “his identity and saving work belong together” but ignores the other passages in this lesson?
- How does this lesson change the way you explain who Jesus Christ is or what He has done?
Work the Scriptures
Read the principal passages again in their surrounding context, then compare these references:
- John 1:1-18
- John 5:18-29
- John 8:24-58
- John 20:24-31
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
- Colossians 1:12-20
- Hebrews 1:1-14
- Write the strongest direct statement about Christ in each passage.
- Mark whether the text is speaking about His deity, humanity, identity, office, saving work, resurrection/exaltation, or saving promise.
- Write one conclusion that requires all of the passages to remain true at once.
- Write one common misunderstanding this group of passages corrects.
Explain it from the Bible
In two or three minutes, explain this lesson to another believer without using the lesson title as your proof. Open the Bible, read the decisive verses, state the doctrine in plain language, and answer one likely objection.
Christian doctrine stands or falls with the biblical Jesus Christ: the eternal Son who became man, died for our sins, rose again, reigns, and saves every believer.
The Word Was God
8 min