Articles of Faith What Nazarenes Believe Session 2

Article of Faith 2: Jesus Christ

Agree or Disagree? There was nothing special about the birth of Jesus. Jesus was a human, just like you and me. Jesus never sinned. Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the world. Jesus rose from the dead. Right now, Jesus is in heaven. It doesn’t really matter what you believe about Jesus; only that you believe He existed and make an effort to follow His teachings.

Gandhi—He was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement in India. He believed in the opposition of oppression through non-violent civil disobedience. His life and teachings have been the inspiration for civil rights movements across the world. Muhammad—The founder of Islam and is considered by Muslims as the last messenger and prophet of Allah. Today there are 1.4 billion Muslims worldwide who follow his teachings. Jesus Christ—Christians believe that He is the Messiah whose coming was foretold in the Old Testament, and that He died on a cross for our sins and was raised from the dead. Does it matter what we believe about someone? What about someone in whom we place our trust and faith? What sets Jesus Christ apart from all others who have ever lived?

We believe in Jesus Christ, The Second Person of the Triune Godhead; that He was eternally one with the Father. 1 John 1:1-3 What does this say about Jesus?

That He became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in one Person very God and very man, the God-man. Matthew 1:20-25 What does this say about Jesus?

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that He truly arose from the dead and took again His body, together with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us. Romans 8:3, What does this say about Jesus?

Philippians 2:5-11 What does this say about Jesus?

Does having a biblical belief about Jesus really matter? If so, why? What is the danger of believing something other than what the Bible says about Jesus? How does what we believe about Jesus affect our daily lives?

He has always existed as part of the Trinity, God the Son. He was born of a virgin and lived on earth fully human and fully divine. He died on a cross for the sins of humankind. God raised Him from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is in intercession for us.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:5-11, NIV