Project – The Person and Work of Jesus Christ: Implications for Christian Faith and Practice in Contemporary Society

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Jesus Christ occupies the central position in the Christian faith. Christianity is not simply a system of moral teachings, religious practices, or philosophical ideas; it is fundamentally centred on the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament presents Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Son of God, the Word who became flesh, the Saviour of humanity, the Lord of the Church, and the one through whom God has reconciled humanity to Himself (Matthew 1:21; John 1:1–18; Colossians 1:15–20; Hebrews 1:1–4). Consequently, an understanding of the Christian faith and its implications for human life must begin with a proper understanding of who Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished through His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and continuing ministry.

The theological study of the person and work of Christ is generally referred to as Christology. Christology seeks to understand the identity, nature, mission, ministry, death, resurrection, exaltation, and continuing significance of Jesus Christ. At its heart is the Christian confession that Jesus Christ is both truly divine and truly human. The Gospel of John declares that “the Word was God” and that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). Similarly, Paul describes Christ as existing in the form of God while taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient to death (Philippians 2:6–8). These passages form part of the biblical foundation for the Christian understanding of the incarnation.

The incarnation represents one of the central claims of Christianity: that the eternal Son of God entered human history and assumed human nature. The incarnation is therefore not merely a theological doctrine concerning Christ’s origin; it has profound implications for how Christians understand God, humanity, salvation, suffering, relationships, ethics, and human dignity. Gandolfo (2014) argues that contemporary Christology needs to recover the significance of Christ’s genuine human embodiment because the incarnation demonstrates God’s identification with vulnerable human existence. She notes that reflecting on Christ’s humanity can have implications for peace and engagement with a vulnerable and violent world.

The doctrine of the incarnation also establishes an important connection between Christian theology and Christian practice. If Jesus Christ is truly God who became human, then His life provides Christians with a concrete revelation of God’s character. Jesus reveals God’s love, compassion, holiness, justice, mercy, humility, and concern for humanity. John 14:9 records Jesus’ statement, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Colossians 1:15 similarly describes Christ as “the image of the invisible God.” Thus, Christology is not merely theoretical. What Christians believe about Jesus influences how they understand God and how they are expected to live.

The humanity of Jesus is equally important. The New Testament presents Jesus as genuinely human: He was born, grew, experienced hunger and thirst, became tired, wept, suffered, was tempted, and ultimately died (Matthew 4:2; Mark 4:38; John 4:6; 11:35; 19:30). Hebrews 4:15 emphasizes that Christ was tempted in every way as human beings are, yet without sin. His genuine humanity means that the Christian understanding of salvation is connected to God’s identification with human existence. McGrath (2022) argues that reflection on incarnation must take seriously the historical and affective dimensions of Christ’s embodied existence, emphasizing the importance of place, history, and human experience in contemporary Christology.

At the same time, Christianity confesses the full divinity of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John identifies Jesus with the eternal Word who was with God and was God (John 1:1). Thomas addresses the risen Christ as “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), while Paul describes Christ as the one in whom “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” dwells (Colossians 2:9). Hebrews 1:3 describes Him as the exact representation of God’s being. The confession of Christ’s divinity is therefore fundamental to orthodox Christian faith.

The significance of holding together Christ’s divinity and humanity cannot be overstated. If Jesus were merely a human teacher, Christianity would be reduced to following the example of an extraordinary religious figure. If He were divine without genuinely sharing human existence, His identification with humanity and His representative role in salvation would be seriously undermined. Christian theology therefore maintains that Jesus Christ is one person who possesses both divine and human natures. This understanding became particularly important in the development of orthodox Christian Christology and continues to shape Christian faith and practice.

The person of Christ is inseparable from His work. Jesus did not merely come to reveal God; He came to accomplish salvation. The angel’s announcement in Matthew 1:21 identifies His mission: “He will save His people from their sins.” The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as giving His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), while Paul declares that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” and that He was raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). The death and resurrection of Christ therefore constitute the centre of the Christian proclamation.

The death of Jesus on the cross is understood in the New Testament as a decisive act of redemption and reconciliation. Through His death, Christ dealt with the problem of sin and opened the way for humanity to be reconciled to God (Romans 3:21–26; 5:8–11; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21). Christian theology has developed several complementary ways of understanding the significance of Christ’s death, including substitution, sacrifice, victory over evil, reconciliation, and demonstration of divine love. Whatever model is emphasized, the cross remains indispensable to Christian faith.

The resurrection is equally central. Christianity does not proclaim a dead religious founder but the crucified and risen Lord. Paul makes the importance of the resurrection explicit when he states that if Christ has not been raised, Christian preaching and faith are futile (1 Corinthians 15:14–19). The resurrection confirms Christ’s victory over death and provides the foundation for Christian hope concerning resurrection and eternal life.

Contemporary scholarship continues to recognize the theological importance of the resurrection. Thiel (2025), in his examination of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection, engages major modern theological approaches to the resurrection and emphasizes the continuing significance of the question of the resurrection’s historical reality within Christian theology. The resurrection therefore cannot be treated merely as an inspirational story. For Christianity, it constitutes a foundational claim upon which the faith’s understanding of Jesus, salvation, hope, and future resurrection depends.

The ascension of Christ represents another significant dimension of His work. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven and was exalted at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9–11; Ephesians 1:20–23). His ascension demonstrates that His earthly ministry was not the end of His activity. The risen Christ continues to exercise lordship over the Church and is presented in the New Testament as interceding for believers (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). The ascension therefore provides the theological foundation for Christian confidence in Christ’s continuing reign.

Jesus’ work also includes the establishment and formation of His Church. During His earthly ministry, Jesus called disciples and instructed them to participate in His mission (Matthew 4:19; 28:18–20). After His resurrection, He commissioned His followers to make disciples of all nations. Christian faith is therefore intended to produce a community of disciples whose lives reflect the teaching and character of Christ.

The concept of discipleship is particularly important for contemporary Christian practice. Jesus did not simply invite people to believe certain doctrines about Him; He called them to follow Him. In Luke 9:23, He instructed those who would follow Him to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. Christian faith therefore involves commitment, obedience, sacrifice, and transformation. To claim Christ while refusing His teachings creates a contradiction between Christian confession and Christian practice.

The teachings of Jesus provide a comprehensive ethical vision. He taught love for God and neighbour (Matthew 22:37–40), forgiveness (Matthew 6:14–15), humility (Matthew 20:25–28), truthfulness (Matthew 5:33–37), concern for the poor and marginalized (Luke 4:18–19; 14:12–14), reconciliation (Matthew 5:23–24), sexual purity (Matthew 5:27–30), generosity (Matthew 6:1–4), and love for enemies (Matthew 5:43–48). Consequently, the person and work of Christ have direct implications for Christian ethical behaviour.

This ethical dimension is particularly relevant in contemporary society. Christians live in an environment characterized by rapid social change, technological development, economic pressures, political polarization, religious pluralism, individualism, materialism, and changing moral values. These conditions create challenges concerning how Christians should understand and apply the teachings of Jesus. Christology therefore needs to move beyond theoretical reflection toward practical implications for Christian conduct.

The African and Nigerian contexts make this issue particularly significant. Christianity has become deeply embedded in African religious and social life, yet African Christians continue to interpret Jesus in relation to concrete social and existential needs. Ogunlana and Akano (2022) observe that Christology in contemporary African Christianity cannot easily be separated into purely ontological and functional categories because African Christians often understand Jesus in relation to existential challenges. Their study notes that contemporary African circumstances can push Christians toward functional understandings of Christ as one who meets practical needs, while orthodox Christology remains concerned with who Christ is in His being.

This tension raises important questions about how Jesus is understood in contemporary Christianity. Jesus may be presented as Saviour, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Miracle Worker, King, Prophet, Teacher, Friend, or Lord. While several of these descriptions have biblical foundations, there is a danger when one aspect of Christ’s identity is emphasized at the expense of others. A Christology focused exclusively on material provision may obscure Christ’s call to repentance and discipleship. A Christology focused only on miracles may minimize the cross and Christian sacrifice. A Christology focused solely on personal prosperity may fail to address Jesus’ teaching on generosity, justice, humility, and concern for others.

Research among Nigerian Christian youth demonstrates that contemporary understandings of Jesus are also influenced by cultural and social contexts. Uwaegbute (2022) examines modern Christological titles used among Christian youth in Enugu State and finds that these expressions reflect attempts to interpret Jesus within contemporary youth language and changing African contexts. This illustrates the dynamic nature of Christological expression and the importance of ensuring that contemporary expressions remain grounded in the biblical identity and mission of Jesus Christ.

Another important dimension of Christ’s work is His concern for human dignity and vulnerable people. Jesus consistently demonstrated compassion toward the poor, sick, socially excluded, marginalized, and oppressed. He touched lepers, welcomed children, interacted with socially marginalized people, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and defended those who were vulnerable (Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 10:13–16; Luke 7:11–17; John 4:1–42). His ministry demonstrates that Christian faith cannot be detached from concern for human beings.

This has significant implications for contemporary Christian social responsibility. If Christians understand Jesus as Lord, then they are called to imitate His concern for others. Christian faith should therefore influence how believers respond to poverty, injustice, discrimination, corruption, violence, abuse, family breakdown, unemployment, and other social challenges. The Christian response to society should be shaped by the character and teaching of Christ.

The incarnation also has implications for Christian attitudes toward the physical world. Christ’s assumption of human flesh demonstrates the importance of embodied human existence within Christian theology. Gregersen (2015) argues that the concept of “deep incarnation” can help Christian theology engage questions concerning material existence, creation, scientific cosmology, and global religious pluralism. This perspective suggests that Christology can contribute to contemporary conversations about humanity’s relationship with the created order.

Christology has also been connected with ecological ethics. May (2022) discusses cosmic Christology and its potential contribution to addressing environmental crisis, while also warning that overly abstract cosmic approaches can lose sight of historical and social justice concerns. This indicates that contemporary reflection on Christ must maintain both cosmic and historical dimensions: Christ is Lord of creation, but He is also the Jesus who entered human history, lived among people, suffered, died, and rose again.

The work of Christ also provides the basis for Christian hope. Contemporary society is characterized by uncertainty concerning the future. War, economic instability, disease, environmental crises, insecurity, social conflict, and personal suffering can generate fear and hopelessness. Christianity responds to these realities with the hope founded upon the resurrection and promised return of Christ (John 14:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Revelation 21:1–5). Christian hope is therefore not merely optimism but confidence rooted in the person and work of the risen Christ.

The lordship of Christ further provides an important foundation for Christian identity. Paul declares that God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him “the name which is above every name” so that every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9–11). Christian identity is therefore fundamentally Christ-centred. Believers are called to live under the authority of Christ rather than allowing cultural trends, political ideologies, social media, material desires, or personal preferences to become the ultimate determinants of their lives.

The implications are especially important in an age characterized by pluralism. Contemporary Christians encounter many competing claims about truth, morality, spirituality, identity, and human fulfilment. Christianity’s response is not simply to provide another lifestyle option but to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and the definitive revelation of God. At the same time, Christians are called to engage society with humility, wisdom, truth, love, and respect.

The person and work of Jesus Christ therefore provide a comprehensive framework for Christian faith and practice. His incarnation reveals God’s identification with humanity; His teachings provide ethical guidance; His miracles demonstrate the kingdom of God; His death provides the basis for redemption; His resurrection establishes Christian hope; His ascension affirms His continuing lordship; His commission establishes the Church’s mission; and His promised return provides eschatological hope.

The central challenge for contemporary Christianity is consequently not merely whether Christians profess belief in Jesus but whether their understanding of Jesus produces corresponding Christian practice. There can be a gap between confessing Jesus as Lord and living according to His teachings. Such a gap may manifest itself in materialism, religious hypocrisy, intolerance, corruption, abuse of power, lack of compassion, unforgiveness, dishonesty, or indifference toward social injustice.

Therefore, the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ remains both theologically necessary and practically relevant. Contemporary Christians need a Christology that is biblically grounded, theologically coherent, and practically transformative. Such an understanding should enable Christians to recognize who Jesus is, understand what He accomplished, and apply His teachings and example to the challenges of contemporary society.

It is against this background that this study examines the person and work of Jesus Christ and their implications for Christian faith and practice in contemporary society. The study seeks to explore the biblical and theological understanding of Christ, examine His major works, and determine how His person and work should shape Christian belief, ethics, discipleship, social responsibility, and everyday practice in the contemporary world.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Jesus Christ is at the centre of Christianity, yet the way Jesus is understood and represented in contemporary Christian society raises significant theological and practical concerns. Although Christians generally confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour, there appears to be considerable diversity in the practical understanding of His person, mission, teachings, and expectations for His followers.

One major problem is the tendency to reduce Jesus Christ to a provider of personal needs. In many contemporary Christian settings, Jesus is frequently presented primarily as the one who provides financial prosperity, healing, promotion, breakthrough, protection, and other material benefits. Although the Bible presents Jesus as compassionate and attentive to human needs, a reduction of Christ to a provider of earthly benefits can obscure His broader mission of salvation, repentance, discipleship, holiness, reconciliation, and service.

Ogunlana and Akano (2022) identify a similar concern in contemporary African Christianity, arguing that existential challenges can encourage African Christians to emphasize functional understandings of Christ. They nevertheless affirm that Christology must remain central to orthodox Christian faith. The problem, therefore, is not that Christians recognize Jesus as one who meets human needs, but that an exclusively functional Christology can overshadow the biblical question of who Jesus is and what He demands from His followers.

A second problem is the separation between Christian belief and Christian practice. Many Christians confess Jesus Christ as Lord but may not consistently demonstrate His teachings in their daily lives. Jesus taught love, forgiveness, humility, truthfulness, compassion, generosity, reconciliation, purity, and service. Yet contemporary Christian communities can experience problems such as conflict, intolerance, materialism, corruption, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of concern for vulnerable people.

This raises a fundamental question: If Jesus Christ is truly Lord of the Christian life, to what extent does His person and work influence the actual behaviour of contemporary Christians? The problem is therefore not merely doctrinal but practical.

A third problem concerns the inadequate understanding of the full identity of Christ. Some Christians emphasize His divinity while neglecting His humanity; others emphasize His humanity while minimizing His divine identity. Still others understand Jesus primarily through one functional title such as healer, deliverer, provider, miracle worker, or prophet. Such partial understandings can produce an incomplete Christology.

Gandolfo (2014) argues that contemporary Christological reflection can become overly concentrated on the adult Jesus and His public ministry while overlooking the theological significance of His vulnerable human existence. This highlights the need for a comprehensive understanding of Jesus that takes seriously both His divine identity and His genuine humanity.

A fourth problem is the influence of contemporary culture on how Jesus is presented. Christian youth and other believers encounter numerous representations of Jesus through social media, music, films, preaching, memes, online discussions, and popular religious culture. Uwaegbute (2022) demonstrates how Nigerian Christian youth employ contemporary Christological titles and expressions that reflect changing social and cultural contexts. Although contextualization can make Christian faith understandable to contemporary audiences, it also raises questions concerning whether cultural interpretations remain faithful to biblical Christology.

A fifth problem concerns the insufficient connection between Christology and Christian ethics. The person and work of Jesus have profound ethical implications, yet Christological teaching is sometimes treated as an abstract theological subject disconnected from daily Christian conduct. Jesus’ teachings on love, forgiveness, justice, humility, truth, generosity, and service should shape Christian behaviour. When Christology is disconnected from ethics, Christians may affirm orthodox beliefs about Jesus without allowing those beliefs to transform their lives.

A sixth problem is the inadequate understanding of the cross. In some contemporary Christian expressions, the emphasis on success, prosperity, victory, and personal achievement may overshadow the suffering and sacrificial dimensions of Christian discipleship. Yet Jesus explicitly called His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). The cross therefore challenges forms of Christianity that define discipleship solely in terms of personal comfort and material success.

A seventh problem concerns the place of the resurrection in contemporary Christian faith. Although the resurrection is central to apostolic Christianity, some Christians may treat it primarily as a symbolic message of hope without adequately considering its significance for Christian belief, ethics, mission, and future hope. Paul makes the resurrection foundational to Christian faith, teaching that without it Christian preaching and faith are futile (1 Corinthians 15:14). Thiel’s (2025) contemporary examination of resurrection historicity demonstrates that the nature and historical significance of Jesus’ resurrection remain important questions within modern theology.

An eighth problem relates to Christian social responsibility. If Jesus Christ is the Lord of creation and the Saviour of humanity, then His followers should demonstrate concern for human dignity, justice, peace, compassion, and the created world. However, there can be a disconnect between Christian worship and social responsibility. Christians may participate actively in church programmes while showing limited concern for poverty, injustice, corruption, violence, environmental degradation, and the suffering of vulnerable people.

The problem is therefore that the person and work of Jesus Christ may be widely affirmed at the level of Christian confession while their practical implications for contemporary Christian life remain insufficiently understood or applied. There is a need to examine whether contemporary Christians understand Jesus comprehensively as God incarnate, Saviour, Lord, Teacher, Messiah, risen Christ, and coming King, and whether this understanding influences their daily conduct.

The study consequently addresses the problem of the gap between Christological confession and Christian practice. It seeks to determine how an adequate understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ can shape Christian faith, discipleship, ethical behaviour, social responsibility, and engagement with contemporary society.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the person and work of Jesus Christ and their implications for Christian faith and practice in contemporary society.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. examine the biblical and theological understanding of the person of Jesus Christ;
2. examine the major works of Jesus Christ, including His incarnation, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection, ascension, and continuing lordship;
3. examine the implications of Christ’s person and work for Christian faith;
4. investigate the implications of Christ’s teachings and example for contemporary Christian practice;

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. What is the biblical and theological understanding of the person of Jesus Christ?
2. What are the major works of Jesus Christ and their significance for Christianity?
3. What implications does the person and work of Jesus Christ have for Christian faith?
4. How should the teachings and example of Jesus Christ influence contemporary Christian practice?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between understanding the person and work of Jesus Christ and the practice of the Christian faith in contemporary society.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to Christians, pastors, church leaders, theological educators, Bible schools, Christian youth workers, Christian organisations, and researchers.

Individual Christians: The study will help believers develop a more comprehensive understanding of Jesus Christ. It will emphasize that Christian faith involves more than acknowledging Jesus as Saviour; it also involves recognizing Him as Lord and following His teachings.

Pastors and Church Leaders: The findings will help church leaders develop Christ-centred preaching, discipleship, and teaching programmes. The study may encourage leaders to present Jesus comprehensively rather than concentrating exclusively on miracles, prosperity, healing, or other functional aspects of His ministry.

Theological Educators: The study will contribute to the teaching of Christology by demonstrating the connection between the doctrine of Christ and practical Christian living. It will provide material for courses dealing with systematic theology, Christology, Christian ethics, discipleship, and contemporary theology.

Christian Youth: The study may help Christian young people evaluate contemporary representations of Jesus and distinguish biblical Christology from culturally constructed images of Christ. This is particularly relevant given the influence of social media and popular culture on contemporary religious identity.

Christian Organisations: The study may assist Christian organisations in developing programmes that connect evangelism and discipleship with social responsibility, compassion, justice, integrity, and service.

Contemporary Society: The study may demonstrate how the teachings and example of Jesus can contribute to values such as love, forgiveness, reconciliation, compassion, justice, humility, service, and respect for human dignity.

Researchers: The study will contribute to existing literature on Christology and provide a foundation for further research into the relationship between Christological beliefs and Christian behaviour in specific denominations, communities, and geographical contexts.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the person and work of Jesus Christ and their implications for Christian faith and practice in contemporary society.

The theological scope covers the identity of Jesus Christ, His divinity and humanity, incarnation, earthly ministry, teachings, miracles, suffering, crucifixion, death, resurrection, ascension, present lordship, and expected return.

The practical scope examines the implications of Christ’s person and work for Christian discipleship, worship, ethics, love, forgiveness, humility, service, social responsibility, Christian identity, and engagement with contemporary society.

The study does not attempt to provide an exhaustive treatment of every Christological controversy in Christian history. Rather, it concentrates on those aspects of Christology that have direct relevance to Christian faith and practical living in the contemporary context.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Jesus Christ: The central person of Christianity, confessed as the incarnate Son of God, Messiah, Saviour, Lord, and the one through whom God accomplishes salvation.

Person of Christ: The identity and nature of Jesus Christ, particularly the Christian confession that He is truly divine and truly human in one person.

Work of Christ: The saving and redemptive activities accomplished by Jesus Christ, including His incarnation, earthly ministry, teaching, miracles, sacrificial death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and continuing lordship.

Christology: The theological study of the person, nature, identity, mission, and work of Jesus Christ.

Incarnation: The Christian doctrine that the eternal Son or Word of God assumed human nature and became genuinely human in Jesus Christ (John 1:14).

Atonement: The work of Christ through which sin is dealt with and humanity is reconciled to God, particularly through Christ’s sacrificial death.

Resurrection: The bodily rising of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day following His crucifixion, constituting a foundational claim of Christian faith.

Christian Faith: Trust, belief, commitment, and allegiance to God revealed through Jesus Christ and expressed through Christian doctrine, worship, discipleship, and obedience.

Christian Practice: The practical expression of Christian faith through conduct, worship, discipleship, relationships, ethics, service, and engagement with society.

Contemporary Society: The present social, cultural, technological, economic, political, and religious environment within which Christians live and practise their faith.

Discipleship: The lifelong process of following Jesus Christ, learning His teachings, developing Christlike character, and participating in His mission.

1.9 Organisation of the Study

The study is organised into five chapters.

Chapter One presents the introduction, background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, hypothesis, significance of the study, scope of the study, operational definition of terms, and organisation of the study.

Chapter Two reviews relevant literature on the person and work of Jesus Christ, biblical Christology, incarnation, atonement, resurrection, ascension, lordship, discipleship, Christian ethics, and contemporary Christian practice.

Chapter Three presents the research methodology, including the research design, population, sample and sampling technique, research instrument, validity and reliability, method of data collection, and method of data analysis.

Chapter Four presents and analyses the data collected from respondents. It also answers the research questions and tests the stated hypothesis.

Chapter Five presents the summary of findings, conclusion, recommendations, contribution to knowledge, and suggestions for further studies.

Project – The Person and Work of Jesus Christ: Implications for Christian Faith and Practice in Contemporary Society