The Fundamentals Of The Christian Faith
 

Lesson 10

Jesus Christ, His States of Humiliation and Exaltation


"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But mad Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." - Philippians 2, 5-7.

 Though the human nature of Christ was at all times the same essentially, Christ was not at all times in the same state.  According to His human nature He was up to His human nature He was up to a certain period of time in the state of humiliation, and from a certain time in the state of exaltation.

1. What was Christ's state of humiliation?

 "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." - 2 Corintians 8, 9.
 Christ's state of humiliation includes the time from His conception to His resurrection from the dead, during which He refrained from the full and constant use of His divine power, majesty, glory and other attributes.

2. Why did Christ refrain from the constant use of His full divine majesty?

 In order to complete the work of redemption through His suffereing and death in our behalf.
 If He had always and fully used His divine majesty, He could not have become our Substitute and have suffered and died in our behalf.

3. What are the stages of Christ's humiliation?
 The stages of Christ's humiliation were His conception, birth, suffereing, death, and burial.

A
The conception of Christ

"The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God . . . And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unot me according to Thy word.  And the angel departed from her." - Saint Luke 1:35, 38.

B
The birth of Christ

 "She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." - Saint Luke 2, 7.
 The birth of Christ, the God-man, was a truly natural birth in great poverty.  It occurred at a time and place predicted by the prophets.  Christ, true God and man, was made under the law in the form of a servant and in the likeness of man, that men might be made the children of God.

C
The suffering of Christ

 "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." - 1 Saint Peter 3, 18.
 "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." - Isaiah 53, 4.
 The suffering of Christ, the God-man, was a real suffereing of body and soul, in obedience to the Father's will, that He might make atonement for our sins and earn for us eternal joy.

D
The death of Christ

 "He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken.  And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth." - Isaiah 53, 8-9.
 "When Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost." - Saint Luke 23, 46.
 The death of Christ, the God-man, a shameful death on the cross, was a violent separation of body and soul.  However, the personal union of God and man in Christ remained.  His body and soul continued the persoonal union with the divine nature of the Son of God.

E
The burial of Christ

 Christ's body was laid in Joseph's sepulchre, while His ousl was in Paradise.  This confirmed the fact of His death and its continuance to the third day.  During this time, however, corruption did not touch His body.

4. What is the state of Christ's exaltation?

 "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior," - Acts 5, 31.
 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name." - Philippians 2, 9.
 The state of Christ's exaltation is that state in which Christ according to His human nature laid aside the weakness of His flesh and took up full and constant use of His divine attributes.

5. What are the stages of Christ's exaltation?
 They are His descent into hell; His resurrection; His ascent into heaven ; His sitting at the right hand of God, and His coming again to judge the quick and the dead.

A
Christ's descent into hell

 "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison." - 1 Saint Peter 3, 18-19.
 The Scriptures teach that Christ, having been made alive, descended into hell, not to suffer, but to proclaim His victory over His enemies.

B
Christ's Resurrection

 "He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him." - Saint Mark 16,6.
 "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." - 1 Corinthians 15, 14- 17.
 On the third day, Christ vicotriously arose from the grave and showed Himself alive to His disciples.

C
Christ's Ascension into heaven

 "It came to pass, whild He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." - Saint Luke 24, 51.
 "And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight." - Acts 1, 9.
 The Scriptures teach that Christ, according to His human nature, withdrew His visible presence from His disciples and entered into the glory of His father as our forerunner.

D
Christ's sitting at the right hand of God

 "He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church." - Ephesians 1, 20-22.
 Christ also according to His human nautre rules and fills all things with divine power and majesty.

E
Christ's coming to judgment

 On the last day, which is appointed by God, but unknown to men, Christ will return visibly and in glory, and judge the world in righteousness by His Word.

6. Why is Christ's Resurrection from the dead so important and comforting?

 It proves definitely and beyond doubt:
 a. that Christ in the Son of God.
 "He was declared to be the Son if God wuth power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." - Romans 1, 4.

 b. that His doctrine is the truth.
 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." - Saint John 2, 19.

 c. that He has accomplished our salvation.
 "He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." - Romans 4, 25.

 d. that all believers shall rise again to eternal life.
 "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in Me, thought he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." - Saint John 11, 25-26.

Test Paper - Lesson 10

1. Tell in your own words what is meant by Christ's state of humiliation. ......................................
.....................................................................................................................................................

2. Complete the following Bible passage: "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ................
......................................................................................................................................................
2 Corinthians 8, 9.

3. Why did Christ refrain from the constant use of His full divine majesty? ....................................
......................................................................................................................................................

4. Name any three events in Christ's life which took place in His humiliation.
a. ..................................................................................................................................................
b. ..................................................................................................................................................
c. ..................................................................................................................................................

5. Complete the following Bible passage: "Surely He hath borne ...................................................
..............................................................................................................................." - Isaiah 53, 4

6. Explain in your own words what is meant by Christ's state of exaltation. ..................................
......................................................................................................................................................

7. Name any two events in Christ's life which took place in His state of exaltation.
a. ..................................................................................................................................................
b. ..................................................................................................................................................

8. Complete the following Bible passage: "I am the ........................................ and the ................:
................................................................,..................................................................................,..
........................................................................" - Saint John 11, 25

9. Give two reasons why Christ's resurrection is so important to Christian doctrine.
a. ..................................................................................................................................................
b. ..................................................................................................................................................

10. Please check the correct statement(s). The Bible clearly teaches that:
a. On the last day Christ will come again.
b. The date of the last day is given in the Bible.
c. The purpose of Christ's coming is to judge the world.

Make every effort to fill in the answers from memory.  If you are not sure of certain answers, you may look them up in the lesson.  Your paper will be graded according to the following standard: 10 correct: perfect; 9 correct: excellent; 8 correct: very good; 7 correct: good.