CHRISTOLOGY? WHAT'S THAT?
Christology is the study of Christ - his nature, his purpose, and more. Theology lays the foundation for God, His nature, and His plan involving redemption for human beings and restoration of a fallen creation. It also tells us some important things about God such as … He is personal, loving, transcendent, active in His creation, all-powerful, ever-present, and all-knowing. But without Christology, there is no Christianity. Jesus is at the center of the Christian faith. Our relationship to Christ is tied to our human condition, redemption, and salvation.
Despite isolated criticism to the contrary, one key aspect of Christ that we must agree on is that he actually existed as a historical person. This means he was not a legend, myth, or fictional hero. He really lived in the first century and the New Testament contains the fullest, most reliable record of his life and ministry. It's also important that we understand his nature. Christ claimed divinity. But Jesus also has a human nature, which leads to another important part of Christology. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He is not fifty percent God and fifty percent man or some other strange hybrid. Attempting to fully understand Christ's divine and human natures is challenging.
Jesus came with a specific mission, established by God. Jesus came to die for the sins of humanity. This is known as the atonement. Jesus claimed to be the only way for individuals to be redeemed, when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus did not come to preach a "feel good" message, but the reality of human sin and the radical measures God takes on behalf of our redemption. He calls us to repent and follow him. In our day Christians make up all kinds of things to believe about Jesus, but most important is … Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15) Our individual answer is of eternal importance. The claims of Christ are not a matter of taste and are not meant to make individuals comfortable. Instead, they are matters of truth, designed to make us uncomfortable in the realization that we are fallen beings in need of serious redemption. Who do you say Jesus is? Christology helps us find the right answer and, by doing so, changes our lives for the better and, in turn, allows us to change the world for the glory of God.