We believe that Jesus Christ as God (John 1:1; Rom 9:5; Phil 2:6; Tit 2:13; Heb 1:8; 2 Pet 1:1; 1 John 5:20) preexisted His incarnation (John 1:1,15,30; 3:17; 31; 8:58; 17:5; Phil 2:6,7; Col 1:17) as the eternal Son of the Father (John 1:15; Rom 8:3,9; 2 John 3; Heb 1:8) who together with the Holy Spirit constitute the tri-unity of God (Matt 3:16-17; 29:19). With respect to essence, Christ is equal with the Father and the Spirit (John 14:10). With respect to function, Christ is subordinate to the Father (John 14:26) and over the Spirit (John 8:58).
At a time decreed by the Father (Gal 4:4), the Son assumed humanity (John 1:14; Phil 2:6,7) through the virgin birth (Matt 1:18-24) yet without sin (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15). Christ became man without relinquishing any aspect of deity (John 8:58). He never ceased to be fully God. In the kenosis Christ voluntarily relinquished the independent use of His divine attributes in order to submit Himself to the will of the Father (John 8:28,29; 12:49; Phil 2:8; Heb 5:8; 10:7) and the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:28; Luke 4:14 ).
Christ is both God and man (John 8:40; Acts 2:22; Rom 5:15; 1 Cor 15:21; 1 Tim 2:5) in one impeccable (cannot sin) person (John 8:18, 58; 16:7). In Christ, there exists a permanent (Rom 9:5; Heb 4:14-15; 7:24) hypostatic union of the divine and human natures without confusion (Rom 1:3,4; 9:5) in one person without division (Acts 20:28; Phil 2:5-11).
Christ provided a necessary blood atonement (Heb 9:22) for the sin of all mankind (1 Pet 3:18) through His vicarious death on the cross (1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 Pet 3:18; Rom 5:18) by which He satisfied in full the ethical demands of a holy God (Heb 2:2, 10, 17; Gal 3:13; Rom 1:32; 3:25,26). His sacrifice is sufficient for the sins of the whole world (John 1:29; 6:51; 1 Tim 2:6; 1 John 2:2) and available for the whole world (John3:16; 7:37; Titus 2:11) but efficient only for the elect (1 Tim 4:10; Rom 5:17).
The atonement for the elect provides expiation of guilt (Heb 9:26; Exod 34:7; Num 14:18), redeems from the guilt and bondage of sin (Rom 3:24; John 8:34), propitiates the wrath of God (1 John 2:2; Rom 1:18), reconciles the believer to God (Rom 5:11b) and God to the believer (Isa 59:2; Rom 5:10; Col 1:21; Ehp 4:18; 1 Sam 29:4).