What's the Most Important Thing About Jesus Christ?

Charles C. Ryrie teaches on the doctrine and implications of Jesus' dual nature at the 1981 President's Fellowship.

Pop Quiz Question

• Question: "What is the most important thing about Jesus Christ?"
• Possible answers considered: His death, resurrection, or second coming
• All answers provided were incorrect

The Identity of Jesus

• The most important thing about Jesus is who He is, not just what He did
• If Jesus isn't who He claimed to be, His actions lose meaning

Jesus as Both God and Man

• Jesus is fully God and fully man, an almost incomprehensible concept
• He had all the attributes of God, though some were veiled during His time on earth

Jesus as a Perfect Man

• Jesus was a perfect man, which is also difficult to grasp
• Examples given to illustrate the rarity of a perfect man

Importance of Jesus’ Dual Nature

• Jesus being both God and man is essential for salvation
• Only as a man could Jesus die; only as God could His death atone for the sins of the world

Paul’s Explanation in Romans

• The Gospel centers around the unique identity of Jesus
• He was both a descendant of David (human) and proven to be the Son of God by His resurrection

The Significance of Jesus’ Temptations

• Jesus’ temptations were unique to His identity as both God and man
• While His tests were specific to Him, they reflect the same areas of human temptation

Jesus as Our Sympathetic High Priest

• Jesus can sympathize with human weaknesses because He was fully man and was tempted
• His unique position as God and man allows Him to provide supernatural help

Jesus as an Example for How to Live

• Jesus serves as a model for routine godliness and daily faithfulness
• His humanity provides an example, and His divinity empowers believers to follow Him

Power in Jesus’ Example and Life

• If Jesus were only man, His example would lack power; if He were only God, we would lack an example
• His dual nature enables believers to live godly lives

Conclusion

• Dr. Ryrie reaffirms that the most important thing about Jesus is who He is: the God-man
• The Gospel and the power of salvation rest on His identity as both God and man

*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.