Christ’s humanity and deity are seen in the way Jesus displayed a full set of human emotions, actions, and dilemmas while at the same time performing and speaking God’s truth.  This paradox, known as the “hypostatic union,” is what happened when the two natures came together.  At the same time, he was both fully God and fully human. 

Jesus was a distinct and authentic human being who walked on the earth with a body (Gal. 4:4). There is an abundance of historical evidence that a person named Jesus lived.  He had two human parents in Mary and Joseph, along with several brothers.  Jesus acted like all humans in that He had human characteristics, grew in wisdom and stature as He became older, ate, slept, grew tired, and showed a full spectrum of emotions.  The name (Jesus) was a common name in that day as well.  He was tempted like every human throughout His life, most notably for forty days in the desert by Satan.

            While fully human, Jesus was also fully God at the same time.  The gospel of John is clear that Jesus was God, descending from heaven and becoming flesh, making his dwelling among us (Jn. 1:14).  Jesus had to be fully God in order to avenge sin and reconcile humans to God.  The lordship of Christ is seen through His many attributes and actions, which only God has.  Jesus is eternal; He has always been and always will be (Jn. 1:1). He is omnipresence (Mat. 18:20) and omniscient (Jn. 16:30).  Jesus was also immutable, completely holy, self-existent, and given the names “Son of God,” “Lord,” and “God” in his life.

            The incarnation lies at the very foundation of the Christian faith.  The term describes Mary, who at the time was a virgin, she conceived by the Holy Spirit, a biological miracle, and gave birth to Jesus Christ.  The uniqueness of Jesus birth was a sign that he was both human and the long awaited Messiah.  Second, the virginal conception of Jesus in Mary points to Jesus’ holiness, deity, redemptive mission, and the reliability of prophecy.  The incarnation had to happen because humans are sinful and need a perfect sacrifice to make a payment for their sins (1 Tim. 1:15).  The incarnation is not a mythological story but a historical event and the beginning of Jesus as a human on this earth.  For any person to be a true Christian, he/she must accept as truth the incarnation because it is the basis of believing in who Jesus is (1 Jn. 4:2-3).  Christians recognize the Spirit of God by acknowledging that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. 

            The work of Jesus Christ is presented in scripture.  The gospel of John describes Jesus as the agent of creation and Hebrews 1:3 shows that Jesus is the sustainer of all things.  Most of all, the greatest work of Jesus Christ was his death on the cross and resurrection three days later. 

The atonement of Jesus is a subject that unifies both the Old and New Testament.  Since the fall of Adam, humans have struggled to be righteous before God.  In the Old Testament there was the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16).  However, this was a temporary sacrifice.  For humanity to come into a constant relationship with God there had to be a perfect sacrifice and an atoning blood.  This came in the life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

By love and out of his own initiative, God sent His own son to die on the cross and become each individual’s sacrifice (Jn. 6:39).  On the cross, Christ died both physically and spiritually.  Christ’s death was representative, substitutionary, and universal to all who believe in Him.  Christ died for everyone in the sense that it was sufficient for all (Jn. 3:16). However, because salvation is not universal and only comes to those that accept it (Acts 16:30-31), the atonement is only effectual for salvation for the elect.

            Without the resurrection, there is no Gospel, Christianity, church, or relationship with God.  The significance of Christ’s resurrection cannot be overestimated nor should anyone fail to note how important it was in the first preaching of the apostles in Acts.  When Jesus rose from the dead, hew was not just a spirit but body as well.  By God’s power, Jesus’ new body was incorruptible, spiritual, and glorious; His spiritual body was not limited like His crucified body was (1 Cor. 15:42). 

The significance of Christ’s resurrection is multifold.  Because Jesus rose from the dead, it shows he has power over death, and the message of the Kingdom He preached during His ministry has a purpose.  It also confirms the Father’s acceptance of who Jesus is.  Sinners though faith and belief in him are justified and made right with God.  Other significant results of the resurrection are a future believer’s resurrection, and a meaning for all of history.  Jesus assumed his new duties as victor over sin.