Reflections on the Release of "The Word Made Flesh: The Ligonier Statement on Christology"

Someday the entire earth will resound with one singular confession: “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil 2:11). This short sentence is a creed, a concise statement of belief. This statement declares what we believe about Christ.

Getting the doctrine of the person and work of Christ right is absolutely essential to the church and it is essential to preaching. The church is defined by the gospel and the gospel is defined by the person and work of Christ. Paul makes it rather clear, we are to preach Christ. This raises a significant question: Who is the Christ we preach?

From the very moments that Christ lived on earth questions of His identity were raised. Who do you say that I am was a question that even Jesus put to the disciples. And from those early days of the church a variety of answers were put forth. Some said He was a mere man. Some denied that He was a man at all. In fact, before we even leave the pages of the New Testament we see false ideas about who Jesus is. We see denials of His humanity. We see denials of His divinity.

The early church responded to these false teachings by writing creeds. The Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon responded to heresies by pointing out errors and directing the church to biblically faithful environs.

As the stream of church history continued to flow we find at the time of the Reformation a need to be clear on the work of Christ. The Reformers were very clear that the work of Christ is best understood in the expression of justification by faith alone, and that necessitates imputation. Christ takes our sin from us and gives us His righteousness.

In our own day we find challenges to both the person and work of Christ. Consequently, we need to affirm anew the biblical teaching on who Christ is and what He did. We find challenges to the long held doctrines of justification by faith, to substitutionary atonement, and to the doctrine of imputation. Additionally, we find muddle-headed thinking regarding the person of Christ. In times of confusion and in times of capitulation we need clarity and we need conviction.

As the early church fathers and the reformers responded to the challenges of their day, we need to respond to the challenges of our day. To that end, Ligonier Ministries has released “The Word Made Flesh: The Ligonier Statement on Christology.” Of this statement, R. C. Sproul says:

I believe this statement is one of the most crucial resources Ligonier Ministries has ever produced. It was created through significant planning, collaboration, and communication with numerous scholars and pastors. Building on the great confessions of faith, we offer the Ligonier Statement on Christology to the church out of a desire to help people regain clarity regarding the person and work of Christ.

The statement is accompanied by twenty-five articles of affirmation and denial. You can find the full document at ChristologyStatement.com. This statement is intended to serve the church. We also intend to serve the global church. On that site you’ll find the Statement in numerous translations, including Arabic.

In the university town of Oxford stands the Martyrs’ Monument, commemorating the sacrifice made by a number of Britain’s Reformers such as Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, and Hugh Latimer. The monument has an inscription that speaks of these martyrs as having yielded their bodies to be burned, bearing witness to the sacred truths which they affirmed and maintained against the errors of the church of Rome, and rejoicing that to them it was given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake.

In our own day, many Christians around the world suffer, even some to the point of martyrdom, for their faith in Christ. Yet, much of the church in the Western world and especially in America has enjoyed religious freedom. How long that lasts might be in question. This generation or the generations to come might very well be called to suffer for believing in Christ. It would be unwise to be unprepared, and it is also unwise to leave the next generation unprepared. Indeed, these truths regarding the person and work of Christ are worthy of believing, affirming, maintaining, and suffering for.

There was a moment in the earthly life of Christ when the crowds had all abandoned Him, and He was left with His band of disciples. He asked them if they were going to leave too. Peter spoke up for the group: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68–69). Some time later, one of the Twelve had his doubts. Jesus had been crucified and buried. There was testimony of His resurrection, but Thomas doubted. Then Jesus appeared to Thomas. He touched the wounds of Christ, the wounds He endured for our sins. Thomas confessed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

So we believe. So we confess.

To read the Ligonier Statement on Christology, click here.