Who is Jesus?
Jesus is the only (Begotten) son of the True & Living God.
Jesus is the Full & Complete expression of God the Father in human form!
It seems very fitting that this important and amazing subject should begin with a statement from Jesus himself that indicates with no shadow of doubt; who he is. This is the same self aware proclamation that God (the Father) made to Moses when asked in Exodus 3:13 (“Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, what is His name? Then what shall I say to them?”)
John 8: 58 (“Jesus said to them; truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was “I am.”)
Whether we decided to challenge the person of Jesus (his existence in the flesh), or take issue with his deity; any investigation into his life, teachings and acts will only lead to one conclusion; Jesus is God, who has revealed Himself in human form! He is fully God and fully human! His coming to the world was brought about for our benefit; to make a way for reconciliation between us and a God against who we have committed immeasurable sin.
The historical account of Jesus’ influence on the earth and all that is in the sight of humans begins with a rather profound fact; the very calendar that marks time for the entire human race was set into motion by the birth of Jesus Christ. This occurred before his time here on earth and is true for all races, nations, religion’s, languages and peoples. There have been many efforts in our post-modern world to alter this fact; however they are weak and feeble… BC (before Christ) has been modified to BCE (before common enlightenment); even with modification of this God ordained plan, “common enlightenment” still refers to a known event. What is meant by “enlightenment”? The revelation of Jesus Christ is the enlightenment of the truth of God; this is that the God of Israel is the one true & living God and the birth of Jesus is the very stamp in history the sets in motion Gods’ provision for the restoration of all things to Himself…this is the enlightenment that Jesus is Gods’ messiah. The teaching to all people translated accurately reveals Gods’ decree that the creation was made to be perfect in harmony under His authority, love and grace. Anything less than this is stealing from God… stealing His glory, sovereignty and excellent plan for that which He has made.
Jesus is the provision of God to bring about the redemption of the world.
Jesus is the full and exact image of God the Father in every way.
Hebrews 1; speaks to the person of Jesus Christ in ways that negate all the secular claims against him. God foretold his birth as that of a son to whom all authority in creation was given and indeed through whom the entire universe was created. The upheld creation relies upon Jesus to continue to exist and this is an ongoing event. It is the love of Jesus Christ that opens the door to an everlasting life in the presence of our God and Father. Jesus’ purpose is always to glorify God in perfect obedience to His will. If it is right and just that God should have an element of Himself that is in complete submission and obedience (Jesus); how much more should humans that are undeserved recipients of this life submit to Gods’ will?
John 1: 1 ~ 18 (NRSV)
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before Me.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Jesus existence is revealed in the Old Testament both in prophecy (the future foretold by God) and in his personal manifestation. He has been present in our history each and every time God called upon him to step in on our behalf. Jesus has not only created (with God the Father) all that is, he also has made intervention so that we would not derail the most precious gift of all time; Life! God has planned for our release from the curse of our own sin and the constant degradation of the earth we live in caused by that very sin. Without the willing and loving sacrifice of Jesus himself, the entire earth and all living things that exist would gradually die away to the corruption that plagues us in this physical life. Every effort of human beings to cure disease, correct the pollutions with which we have destroyed our world, and eliminate the wars and murders we commit against one another are destined to failure because of an indelible stain that we brought about by rebelling against the God who loves us.
Jesus (God the son) has at tremendous cost to himself, in pain and suffering (in the loss of his life) stepped in once again to save us from ourselves.
It can be very challenging to accept these teachings for an unbelieving and faithless people… it becomes even more impossible when we proclaim our own wisdom and authority independent from God in our lives. We would never for a moment tolerate from our own children the kind of insolent and prideful behavior we as people commit more and more against God as time moves forward. When Jesus came across the self exalting attitudes of many of the people he encountered while here on his mission to humanity, his response was quick and decisive; he showed himself to be completely aware of their heart condition and then reflected their own sin back upon them. Their condemnation was as sure as the rebellious spirit in which they lived their lives; without fear of God. Concurrently when Jesus encountered a person who did not deny their fallen and destitute condition, he inevitably healed and forgave them, revealing to them the very nature of the true love of God (now their own heavenly Father). Jesus came to reveal God to us, he came to show us our own deprived condition, and lastly he came to stand in our place for sins that he in no way ever committed.
When all is said and done the one major adjustment we need in our thinking comes down to a simple question; can we bring about our own righteousness and become free from sinful living.
Jesus answer to this kind of thinking is offered in Luke 18: 26 ~ 27 (NRSV)
26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 He replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.”
Jesus Christ is the true embodiment of the Love of God, and for that we must be eternally thankful.
I hope and pray that you will accept this gracious gift as I have… and it is free for all who chose to believe!
(April 25, 2016)