Who is Jesus Christ?
How can we know, love, and worship the Lord Jesus Christ unless we really know and understand Who He was–as the Magi from the east did! Was Jesus a good man? He is more than that. The Bible says He “did no sin” (1 Peter 2:22.) Was he a great teacher? He is more than that. Officers sent to arrest Him returned to the chief priests and Pharisees and said, “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46.) Today, just as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did, many cults and even ministers and professors in religious schools deny the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, the reconciliation of God and man through Christ’s death on the cross for our sins, and His physical resurrection from the grave. So it’s important that we know who Jesus Christ is and what He came to earth to do. This can help us not only to be sound in faith, but also to be witnesses to those who have gone astray. The Bible tells us these truths:
Christ Always Existed
John 1:1 says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among men. In Revelation 1:8 John quoted the Lord Himself: “I am the Alpha and Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” In Isaiah, written some 700 years before Christ’s coming, we find essentially the same statement: “This is what the Lord says–Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God” (Isaiah. 44:6.)
The Prophet Micah foretold the birthplace of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to be Bethlehem, and then added that He was the One whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting (5:2.) The Apostle Paul wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17.) John also testified that “through him all things were made and without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3.)
Jesus Christ is both man and God
Christ’s birth by a woman was first predicted in Genesis 3:15. Matthew 1 gives His genealogy from Abraham and quotes Isaiah 7:14: “‘Behold, the virgin will be with child, and will give birth to a Son, and they will call him ‘Immanuel’ which means ‘God with us’.” Isaiah later wrote again of this miraculous birth: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6.) Look at the titles that belong to that Holy Child born to the virgin Mary! When the Angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary about this child she would give birth to, she exclaimed, “How will this be since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34) Gabriel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most high will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (v. 35.)So Jesus Christ is the only child ever born of God and of a woman (John 3:18)–without the help of a man. Thus, He is both God and man.
Later, when Joseph learned Mary was pregnant, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream to explain to him the miraculous conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Matthew says these things fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy concerning a virgin giving birth to a son, and that this child would be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:18-23.)
Jesus Christ came to die for our sins
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Isaiah predicted that Christ would be pierced for our transgressions…afflicted…led as a lamb to the slaughter (53:5.) Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” His coming to earth to die for our sins was God’s plan before He made man.
Jesus Christ is the future King
A thousand years before Christ, the psalmist prophesied His second coming in judgment, power, and glory to take His throne as King: “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom” (Psalm 45:6). Hebrews 1:8 quotes this prophecy, saying that God the Father said it to God the Son.
God said through Isaiah, “I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior” (43:11); and “Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock” (44:8.) The only way we can understand these truths is to accept by faith the teaching of the Godhead made up of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)–one God in essence, yet three Persons.
Here is a simple formula to remember where the key scripture verses are to back up these teachings concerning Christ: Isaiah 7, 9, and 53; the first chapters of John, Ephesians, Colossians, Hebrews, and Revelation; and the 3:16s in John, 1 Timothy, and 1 John. Most people will admit that Jesus Christ was a truly good man. If He is that, then He certainly is no liar! He Himself claimed to be God and the Son of God. On the basis of that claim, He was crucified (John 8:58; 19:7.)
Imagine what great love the Son of God has for us, to come to die such a painful ignominious death on the cross to save us! Have you yet realized that He did that for you? Have you believed that He died to pay the penalty for your sins? He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). If you will believe that he died for your sins, then He will come and fellowship with you, as He promised.
Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
Is this the life for you?
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.
Further study:
Take the online study “Who is Jesus?”
Jesus lives in me….and in you if you are a believer. We all tend to search for Him in books, in sermons, in other people, even in scripture. Scripture points us to Jesus and shows us how to believe in Him. Once we do this, He lives in us. Find that place where he dwells, that room in your heart that belongs to Him alone and start from there. In our Bible study this morning, our pastor told us there is another room in our heart that is the place where the flesh dwells. This is the place where we are in control, our jobs, our families, our wants and desires live. We need to be able to look at that room and see it as it really is. How does it look to God? We need to know if this room takes precedent over the room where God dwells. He cannot live with sin. So we need to be able to leave this room with all its sin, and live in the room where God dwells. Let him control our families, our flesh, our jobs, our wants and desires. It is a process. As we are able to give up self, we find more and more of Jesus. Blessings and prayers for your journey.
Thank you Patti for helping me understand about the Body of Christ the Church!
I need Prayer that Christ help me grow and help me with my Attuide and help me in my thoughts and my health .
Please keep me in pray everyone!
Thank you
Sincerely,
LIZ
By Jesus’s strips I am HEaled
Sadly I have to agree with your ideas. Not all people or all churches are like this, but we tend to point the finger at those that are doing wrong, instead of trying to understand and love them. Yes, the church is the body of Christ, and we all need to take an active part in it regardless of what others are doing. If a part of the local body is not working well, the whole body is sick. We are mad by Christ and for Him. Our main purpose should be to glorify Him. He told us – In as much as you do it to one of the least of these….you do it to me…so by loving our neighbors, or not…we are doing the same to Jesus. we should glorify Him in everything we do, say or even think.
Patti,
Great Questions !
Even being a Born Again Christian since 1997.
I feel seriously that I have to go back and start again and feel like i am new believer’s bible i am reading
i recevied it for any one that would like the book its at http://www.lifechurch.tv
the 2 question you had is about the churches
My experiences and Opinion, is this The CHURCHS has been MORE OF A BUSINESS THEN A REAL CHURCH.
Some people because a real church is us the BODY OF THE CHURCH AM I RIGHT?
PEOPLE SOME OR MOST are in CHURCH for DIFFERENT REASONS AND SOME WRONG REASONS
AND NOT THE REAL REASON WHICH IS FOR CHRIST? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT ?
PATTI?
God bless every one today
peace
Yes He does. Do we really love him with all our heart, mind, and strength, and do we love others as ourself? It was said of the early Christians…”behold, how they love one another.” Do people say this about our churches of today?
This is what i leave here with every one LUKE chapter 10 : 27 Esphesians Chapter 2 : 8 and 9 and 10
JESUS LOVES YOU ALL
Liz, you can’t delete your own comment but we can as site administrators.
Hi Liz. No, i don’t know how to delete them, but will try to find out. I’m very new at this. Prayers for peace and healing for you…
Hi, Patti,
No, Its not the same Elizabeth. My Family and Friends call me Liz.
I just wanted to let the other Elizabeth know she is not alone that I deal with this too.
I finished a Test educational pyscholgicol assessment that gave me more of a clear view what is happening that its not just major depresion and aniexty but intellual issue too.
How do I delete my comments on this site do you know Patti????
God Bless Every one here I leave with every one John 3 16 and 17
Thank you Patti for your E- mail
have a wonderful day in Peace
Good Evening Elizabeth. Have you read the articles at the beginning of this blog? It tells you a lot about Jesus. As you seek Him, you have to know who he is, and these will help you to understand that. Once you believe in Him, then you can get to know him better – develop a relationship with Him. Are both Elizabeth’s her the same one? I don’t think so. I am not qualified to deal with depression from a medical standpoint. I have had times of depression when I let the trials of life overwhelm me, but when I look to Jesus, he helps me put these things behind me. The past is something you cannot change. It is over, done and yet can haunt you and have a great effect on your life if you let it.
hi Elizabeth i am 35, i deal with Major depression and aniexty just like yourself in a day to day bases.
DearElizabeth: The fact that you are seeking is good. the Bible tells us that if we seek God with all our heart we will find him. You said that there were times in church that you enjoyed it very much. Focus on those times. Why did you enjoy it? Sadly there are a lot of people who are pretenders and gossips. they will have to answer for this when they meet Jesus. Sometimes we look for Jesus in ways that just do not happen…such as the parting of the red sea, the raising of Lazarus. We expect a “feeling” or “experience”. I find that Jesus is in little things every day. A smile when I am feeling down, finding my lost keys or purse, and e-mail from someone with just the words I need to hear, or picking up my bible, or a devotional, and there is the exact thing I am needing to hear. I wil be praying for you as you continue to search. Don’t give up. Keep in touch and let me know how it is going. I have been there, and many times over many years gave up, but I found that God was also searching for me, and it is an awesome thing…the peace, the assurance. Jesus said there would be times of trials, but He will help us through them. Blessings and prayers.
I will also pray with you my sister as i am a mentor for this ministry.
I pray Lord that You will show my sister Elizabeth a good church where You are taught and that she will return to You as her personal saviour.Amen
Elizabeth, thank you for your honesty. Let me pray for you right now:
Dear Lord, I pray for Elizabeth, that she would indeed get to know you more and more each day. Help her to lean hard on You and allow You to be Lord of her life. Amen
We offer online mentoring here on this site. Why not click on this link and ask for a mentor who will then be in touch with you be email?
I’m not sure if I’m doing this right. I will try anyway. I want to thank Kathryn for returning my request for prayer. I’m 27 yrs old and living most if my life suffering from depression and anxiety. Ive had lots of help but always found myself back to the same that I was. I been to church many times. There were some that I enjoyed so much and then there were the ones where you saw nothing but gossip and pretenders. These things made me feel like all this wasnt real. I stopped going to church for a while now. However I would love to get to know god and Jesus more. I will try more dnd more each day.