Fully divine and fully human; eternal Son; Savior, Lord, and Redeemer
Free Will Baptists affirm the full deity and full humanity of Jesus Christ. Christ is the eternal Son of God, coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Spirit. At the same time, he became truly human, assuming a complete human nature: body, soul, and spirit. The two natures (divine and human) are united in one person without confusion or separation, consistent with the Chalcedonian definition affirmed by the broader Christian tradition.
Christ's divinity is emphasized as essential to his redemptive work: it is the Son of God who died for sinners, making his death of infinite value and efficacy. His humanity is equally affirmed: he lived a sinless life, experienced genuine temptation and suffering, and underwent a real death. His resurrection is understood as a literal, bodily event, the foundation of Christian hope and the assurance of the believers' own resurrection.
Christ is confessed as Lord, Savior, and Redeemer. He ascended to heaven, where he intercedes for believers with the Father. The Treatise of the Faith affirms Christ's present exaltation and his role as the mediator between God and humanity. Free Will Baptists emphasize the personal relationship between the believer and Christ, made possible through his sacrifice and mediation.
Key Distinctions
- Natures formula:
- Christ as mediator and intercessor; personal relationship emphasized
- Conciliar affiliation:
- Council of Chalcedon (451) affirmed
Scripture References
Sources
- Treatise of the Faith (NAFWB doctrinal standard)
- Free Will Baptist hymnal and liturgical materials