Who is Jesus?
(Part 1 of a 3-part series)
Part 2 of 3 "Who is Jesus"
Part 3 of 3 "Who is Jesus"

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:13-16, KJV)

One Bible commentary on this passage of scripture notes the following concerning Peter’s confession:

“Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God: a short, but a very full confession of faith, containing the following articles: as that there is a God, that there is but one God; that he is the living God, has life in himself, is the fountain of life to others, and by this is distinguishable from the idols of the Gentiles: that Jesus is the Christ, the Christ of God, the true Messiah, that was promised by God, prophesied of by all the prophets, from the beginning of the world, and expected by the people of God: a character that includes all his offices, of prophet, priest, and king, to which he is anointed by God; and that this Messiah was not a mere man, but a divine person, the Son of God; not by creation, as angels and men are, nor by adoption, as saints, nor by office, as magistrates, but by nature, being his own Son, his proper Son, the only begotten of the Father, of the same nature with him, being one with him, and equal to him. This confession, as it is uniform, and all of a piece, and consistent with itself, and is what all the disciples of Christ agreed in, so it greatly exceeds the most that can be made of the different sentiments of the people put together.”[1] (Emphases mine)

The Gospel of John captures the following interchange between Jesus and one of His disciples:

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  Jesus saith unto him, 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, Shew us the Father?”  (John 14:5-9, KJV)

This scripture, along with others like Hebrews 1:3, which speaks of Jesus as being the “express image” of the heavenly Father’s person, leads me to the conclusion that Jesus was drawing a doctrinal “line in the sand” when He told Phillip “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Emphases mine)

Notwithstanding our ecclesiastical or liturgical differences, Christians believe that Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity (John 1: 1-3).  As God the Son, he has always existed and was NEVER created.  We believe him to be 100% God and 100% man.  His character as God is not contaminated by or mixed with his person as a man.

We further believe Jesus to be co-equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.  Christians believe that in becoming a man, he was begotten through the miracle of a virgin birth, and no man had anything to do with this conception.  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary.  He is the ONLY way to the Father, salvation, and eternal life.

He died on a cross according to God’s plan in a sacrificial act that serves as the full and complete payment for our sins.  While contrasting the annual entrance of the high priest into the Holy of holies with the singular act of Jesus’ sacrificial death, the writer to the Hebrews stated, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:12)

He rose from the dead in a literal, physical resurrection three days later, and he is spiritually and physically immortal; more than 500 witnesses saw him in a 40-day period following his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6) along with his own disciples, who were so certain and energized by their belief in his resurrection as to eventually suffer miserly deaths in defense of it (who in history ever, knowing it to be such, suffered and died defending a lie?)

Though he returned to heaven (the ascension), Christians believe Jesus will come physically and visibly back to the earth to establish God’s kingdom and to judge the world at the end of the age of the church, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20b)

Until the next time . . .

Pastor Mike

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Prayer:
Father in heaven, we claim the promise and assurances in your word to us that, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16,KJV) Help us by the power of your Holy Spirit to cling to and obey your divine instructions that help us to rightly know and serve you.  Help us Oh Holy Father to remember that we are not our own, and we have been bought with a price.  In the precious name of Jesus our Lord, we pray.  Amen

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pastor-mike@comcast.net