The doctrine of Christ, which is Article 2 of our Articles of Faith of Original FWB states that: “We believe that there is one Lord Jesus Christ” who is the only Son of God, born of a virgin, and was God in the flesh. I believe one good source of scripture that supports this fact of Him being God’s equal can be found in the book of Philippians 2:6, 8. Verse 6 says that “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Earlier in the Gospel of John 10:30, Jesus testified simply that He and His Father were one. John 1:1 states that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Only for the Apostle John to say later on in John 14 that: “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” This confirms our belief that Jesus is equal with God and was “God in the flesh.”
Then our article on page 35 of the Articles of Faith states that he was also “truly man.” In Philippians 2:8, scripture says he was “found in fashion as a man” or in the “appearance of a man.” Jesus, being God, put on the robe of flesh that he might crucify it and the lusts thereof so that through him we can have victory over the sinful flesh. Only for him to rise again so that through his resurrection, we might live again eternally even though we must die. As Hebrews 9:27 states that “It is appointed unto man once to die; after this the judgment.”
So now that we have established this we go further in our “Doctrine of Christ” that states that God freely sent Christ into this world to accomplish just those things that were discussed. This belief is found in John 3:16, where Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that He gave (freely) His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” This is the love God had toward us all. Love gives! No one has ever proven this fact better than God when He gave us the gift of His son Jesus Christ.
Our next part states that Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all. No, Jesus was not murdered. He laid down His life is what He said in John 10:18, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again.” Jesus finally states in this passage that power was given Him from His Father, which we see that power in the Great Commission in Matthew 28, where Jesus said that “All power is given me in heaven and in earth.” And through that power, as is written in our “Doctrine of Christ,” where it states that He “tasted death for everyone.” As written in Hebrews 2:9, “that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Praise God for His grace in tasting death that we may have forgiveness of sins, and for rising again that we may have life and have it more abundantly!
As we see this plan, how that God sent Jesus in the form of a man out of His great love for us; to be crucified, raised on the third day, and forty days later would ascend to heaven, where we look for Him again when He returns one day. Acts 1:11 states: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Jesus will not return in another manner, but by way of the sky as He ascended!
Finally, our Doctrine of Christ states when He does return, He will return to judge the living and the dead. This can be referenced by 2 Timothy 4:1, where Paul says: “The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing.”
Yes, these are parts of verses that reference our beliefs. However, they are sound as our “little white book” is derived from the mighty book, The Bible!
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