Christian Denominations 2024

Nature of Christ Blog 15

Works of Christ

Blog 15

The works of Christ were manifested not for His sake, but for our benefit.

He was born of the Holy spirit and the virgin Mary. However, when He was born on our earth, He gave us the second birth from the Holy Spirit, “Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1 :13).

Moreover, in His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Him, not because He needed the Holy Spirit, but to present the Holy Spirit to the human race. The Holy Spirit came upon Him because He was incarnate and served as a representative to all humans.

St. Cyril of Alexandria said, "He had no need of holy baptism, being wholly pure and spotless, and holy of the holy. Nor had He need of the Holy Ghost: for the Spirit That proceedeth from God the Father is of Him, and equal to Him in substance... It was necessary therefore that the Word of the Father, when He humbled Himself unto emptiness, and deigned to assume our likeness, should become for our sakes the pattern and way of every good work. For it follows, that He Who in every thing is first, must in this also set the example. In order therefore that we may learn both the power itself of holy baptism, and how much we gain by approaching so great a grace, He commences the work Himself; and, having been baptized, prays that you, my beloved, may learn that never-ceasing prayer is a thing most fitting for those who have once been counted worthy of holy baptism." https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2018/01/sermon-on-baptism-of-christ-st-cyril-of.html

Jesus died for the sake of every person in order to provide them with the gift of salvation.
"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death" (Hebrews 2:14),
He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb 9:26).

St. Athanasius stated, “He assumed a mortal body, that He might offer it as His own in place of all, and suffering for the sake of all.” [1]
The salvation of the human race depended on this union between the divinity and humanity as the redeemer must have the attributes of God as well as the attributes of man in order to die for the salvation of mankind.


[1] St. Athanasius, "On the Incarnation," http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/theology/incarnation_st_athanasius.pdf,34.

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