WHO IS JESUS?

by Jim Dearman

 

Who is Jesus?  Since He came into this world, there have been those who have asked, “Who is this man?  Is He just a man, or is He the Son of God and the Saviour of the world?”  From the Scriptures we may see that Jesus is, indeed, the Christ, the Son of the living God.

In the first place, Jesus is referred to as “God” in the Bible.  The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 9:6, 7, called him “the mighty God In John 1:1-3, 14, Jesus is called “the Word” which became flesh and dwelled among men.  In Hebrews 1:8 we read, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” In John 3:16, Jesus is called the “only begotten Son” of God sent to save the world from sin.  Yes, Jesus is Divine, according to the Scriptures.  He is referred to as God, as the living Word, and as the only begotten Son of God.  He is the Christ, not just a good man or a great teacher.

In the second place, Jesus showed that He is God.  Who but God has the power to create?  Yet, in John 1:1-3, we read that all things were created through Jesus Christ.  Who is to be worshipped but God?  Scriptures such as Matthew 4:10, Revelation 19:10, and Revelation 22:9, show that men are to worship God.  But Jesus accepted the worship of men while on earth (Matthew 8:2; 9:18).  Therefore, Jesus is God.  He is eternal.  He is not a created being. He is the author of creation.  He is the living Word through whom all things were created.

The epistle to the Colossians sets forth the dignity and the Divinity of Christ (Colossians 1:13-20).  Also in Philippians 2:9-11, Paul wrote, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him [Christ] and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things In heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father Thus, Jesus Christ is more than an angel and He is more than a prophet.  Jesus Christ is Divinity.  He is the only begotten Son of the heavenly Father.

Who has the right to forgive sins?  God has the right to forgive sins; yet, while on earth, Jesus had the power to forgive sins and to heal miraculously (Mark 2:1- 12).  Only God can forgive sins.  Therefore, since Jesus forgave sins while on earth.  Jesus is Divine.

Jesus is also spoken of as equal with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit.  In Genesis 1:26 we read, “And God said, Let us make man in our Image, after our likeness..  Those present were God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit—the Godhead.  God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit worked together in these mighty acts of creating the world (Genesis 1: 1, 2).

Finally, we note that Jesus was one with the Father.  In John 10:30, we read, “I and my Father are one  These are the words of Jesus describing His relationship to the Father.  They are one in nature, purpose, and teaching. Philip once said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” Jesus answered, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?  He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?” (John 14:8, 9)  Yes Jesus was one with His Father.  In Philippians chapter 2, there is a statement which shows that Jesus was one with God.  “Let this mind be In you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made In the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

What has been said of Jesus here is true of no other person who has ever lived.  Just as the centurion declared, as he stood before the cross of Christ and watched the Son of God crucified for the sins of the world, “Truly, this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54).  He is the Son of God!  He is not mere man!  He is not a created being!  He is not as one of the angels!  He is above the angels!  He is the only begotten Son of God!

The entire epistle to the Hebrews points out the contrast between the old Law of Moses and the New Covenant of Christ.  It also exalts Jesus above all. The epistle begins: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (Hebrews 1:1-4).

It is clear that Jesus Christ is above all others; that He, even now, is at the right hand of God, as our great High Priest, as King over His spiritual kingdom, the church.  It is also clear that through obedience to His gospel, we may be made citizens of that spiritual kingdom, His body over which He is Head.  Then, by continuing to live faithfully in His body, we may one day spend eternity with Him.  To be members of His church, the body of the saved, we must come to God through Jesus, believing in Christ as the only begotten Son of God (John 8:24).  We must then repent of our sins; that is, change our minds and then change our lives, turning away from sin (Luke 13:3).  Then we must confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and be buried in baptism for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 8:36-39).  It is then that we are cleansed by the blood of Christ, and added by the Lord to the church of Christ, which was purchased with His precious blood (Acts 2:41, 47; 20:28).

 

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