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Who is Jesus? Why It’s
Important to Know!
Who is Jesus, and why is it important for us to know? We live in an age of
religious pluralism and moral relativism. The popular spiritual philosophy,
especially after the events of September 11th, is that all religious belief
systems, as long as heart-felt, are equal. Pick one and follow it sincerely, and
you’ll get to Heaven. That’s what the world believes, but Jesus teaches
otherwise. Therefore, we need to examine who Jesus is by looking at some of the
questions people frequently ask about Him. The answers are found in the
Bible, the historical evidence people have trusted for over 2000 years.
Who is Jesus? He Was 100%
Man
According to John 1:14, Jesus
became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Why is His humanity so
important? In Hebrews 4:15, Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are.
As such, Jesus can sympathize with our weakness as humans. What can we learn
from the way Jesus handled temptation? According to 1 John 3:5, Jesus came
to earth in human form so that He could die a physical death and take away
our sins. How would we all be affected, if we had no potential for escape
from our sins?
Jesus is the key to membership in God’s
family. When He stooped to our level by becoming a man, He made it possible for
us to relate to Him and for God to relate to us through Him.
Who is Jesus? He Was 100%
God
Who is Jesus, and how was it possible that Christ’s human body held the whole
deity and glory of God?
According to John 1:1-3, Jesus
existed from the beginning. From the beginning, Jesus was with God, and
Jesus was God. Here, the Bible establishes the inseparable nature of Jesus
and the God of the Universe. The following verses provide further evidence
that Jesus is 100% God:
Highlights of Christ's Time on Earth & the verses:
·
Miracles: Luke 7:22
· Eyewitnesses to His perfect life: Matthew 16:13-17
·
Fulfillment of Prophecy: Matthew 13:14, Luke 24:44
· Jesus' own identification/claim: John 10:30-38, Matthew 16:13-
17, Mark 14:61-64
· Claims of Christ's followers: Hebrews 1:8, Colossians 1:16, John
12:40 (quoting Isaiah 6:1-10)
·
Resurrection: Luke 24:39, Mark 8:31, Acts 17:32
Jesus is the key to membership in God’s
family. When He established His deity by rising from the grave, He made it
possible for us to have forgiveness from sin and a renewed relationship with
God.
Who is Jesus? He is the Way
to Heaven
Who is Jesus, and why is He the only path to salvation?
In John 14:6, Jesus declares: “I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.” Why is it important to know that NO other religious leaders
throughout history have ever made these claims? According to Ephesians
2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one
can boast.” How does this contrast with other world religions which are
based on “works” versus faith in Jesus and the resurrection? If we can’t
build a relationship with God by doing good deeds or repeating rituals, what
must we do? Acts 4:12 is clear, “Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Christianity: Simple Truth
Christianity rises to the top when you earnestly investigate the other theories,
philosophies, movements and religions of the world. Yes, as hard as it is to
hear in our pluralistic world community, Christianity is different than all the
others. That may sound terribly dogmatic and narrow-minded, but the simple truth
is that Christianity is the only true religion.
Christianity: Why Believe It’s the Only Way
Christianity is not based upon evidence...but it is backed by evidence.
Obviously anyone could “claim” to be God. The difference with Jesus is that His
life completely backed those claims. Check out the history, check out the claims
– it’s an absolutely phenomenal study.
A primary focus for your study is that Jesus fulfilled over 300
messianic prophecies written in the Old Testament scriptures. With the
discovery of the
Dead Sea Scrolls and the reliability of the
Septuagint version of the Old Testament, both of which have been proven
to exist prior to the time Jesus walked on the earth, you can be assured that
these prophecies were not “conspired” after-the-fact. They were truly fulfilled
by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Examine the probability of one man fulfilling just
a handful of the most specific prophecies, and you’ll be amazed. “And He
[Jesus] said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was
yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law
of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.” Luke 24:44
Another focus for your study is to understand what Jesus said and did as a
historical figure. No legitimate scholars today will deny that Jesus lived about
2,000 years ago, was a great teacher and doer of good works, and that he was
crucified on a Roman cross for the crime of blasphemy among the Jews. The only
dispute is whether Jesus rose from the dead three days after his
crucifixion and that He was, in fact, God incarnate. This is where
everyone must test the evidence for the
resurrection, examine their hearts, and make a decision about who Jesus
really was.
Jesus said that He alone was the way to the Father (John 14:6), that He alone
revealed the Father (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22). Christians do not go around
saying Christianity is the only way because they are arrogant, stupid or
judgmental. They do so because, based on the evidence, they believe what Jesus
said. Christians believe in Jesus, who claimed to be God (John 8:58; Exodus
3:14), who forgave sins (Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; 7:48), and who rose from the dead
(Luke 24:24-29; John 2:19f). Jesus said that He was the only way.
Jesus is unique. He was either telling the truth, He was crazy, or He was a
liar. But since everyone agrees that Jesus was a “good man,” how then could He
be both good and crazy, or good and a liar? He must have been telling the truth.
He is the only way.
Buddha didn't rise from the dead, nor did Confucius or Zoroaster. Muhammad
didn't fulfill detailed prophecy. Alexander the Great didn't raise the dead or
heal the sick. And though there is far less reliable information written about
these “religious” leaders, they are believed in and followed by millions.
Christianity: Not Religion – A Relationship
Christianity is not really a religion; it is a relationship with God. It is
trusting in Jesus and what He did on the cross for you (1 Corinthians 15:1-4),
not on what you can do for yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christianity is not about
ornate buildings, flamboyant preachers, or traditional rituals. Christianity is
about truly accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Become a Christian Today!
How do I become a Christian? Once you have asked all your questions, weighed all
the evidence, and tested all the arguments, you will ultimately be confronted
with the basic question Jesus asked his own disciples in Matthew 16:15:
‘But who do you say that I am?’
Simon Peter replied:
‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
What is your reply?
If you have come to the same conclusion as Simon Peter, you are a few steps away
from having a personal relationship with our loving God. It is our sincere hope
and prayer that each of you reach this conclusion, for we know that true
happiness, joy and peace only come when we recognize our purpose for existing
and yield our wills to our Creator. As you will see, Christianity is not based
on a religious building, formula or ritual, it’s a matter of what you truly
believe in your heart.
Become a Christian: Step
through the Gospel
First, you can be sure that God loves you unconditionally and desires to have a
personal relationship with you.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
(John 3:16).
Second, you need to admit your sinful nature to God, because this is what
separates all of us from Him.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans
3:23).
Third, you should stop trying to please God through your own efforts, and
realize that salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is a gift that none of
us deserves.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
Finally, you just need to step in and truly accept God’s gift -- His Son, Jesus
Christ.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children
of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).
So, now you know the basic steps to become a Christian. As a result, if you
desire God’s gift of eternal life and fellowship with Him, you are as close as a
sincere act of faith.
Jesus says,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me.” (John 14:6).
Jesus also says,
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens
the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
(Revelation 3:20).
Receiving Jesus is a matter of truly asking Him to come into your life, to
forgive your sins, and to become your Lord and Savior. It’s not merely an
intellectual undertaking, but rather, an act of sincere faith and heart-felt
will.
If you want to receive Jesus now, and accept His gift of salvation, it's a
matter of believing in Jesus Christ, repenting of your sins, and turning the
rest of your life over to Him. This is not a ritual based on specific words, but
rather, a prayerful guideline for your sincere step of faith.
“Father, I know that I have
broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry,
and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please
forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus
Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears
my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign
in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me
obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I
pray, Amen.”
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38)
If you decided to become a Christian today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a
way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.
- Get
baptized as commanded by Christ.
- Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
- Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of
time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word.
Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
- Seek fellowship with other Christians. Develop a group of Christian
friends to answer your questions and support you.
- Find a local church where you can worship God.
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