Who is Jesus Christ?
- R. Totten - (c) 2003
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In God's written word --the Bible-- we are taught that Jesus Christ is both God and man. --In Christ we meet God the Savior.
First of all, remember that the Bible clearly declares that there is only one true, almighty God (Isa. 37:20; Jn.5:44; 1Tim.1:17; Jude 1:25); and this one true God is invisible (Col. 1:15; 1Tim.1:17; 1Tim. 6:16). Similarly, Jesus declares that "God is spirit" (John 4:24), which is talking about God's makeup or nature, and this means that God is not physical or material, and therefore, a physical body is not part of God's essence or nature. -- God is an eternal being who never changes, and God has eternally existed with three personalities, called the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Mat. 28:19). These three are one God. The Bible identifies Jesus Christ as God the Son, calling him the "Son of God." He is eternally God, and is equal in power, glory and all divine attributes to God the Spirit, and also to God the Father (Phlp. 2:6; Jn. 5:18; ). All three divine "personalities" share the full being and nature of the one, true God.
The Son existed eternally as God before the world or anything in the universe was created (Jn. 1:1-4; 17:5; Heb. 1:8). At the time of creation ("in the beginning"), the Son of God was the creator of every single created thing (Jn. 1:1-4; Col. 1:16,17; Heb. 1:10). So, although "God the Son" is the creator of all things, he himself was not created and he had no beginning, but is eternal and infinite God.
Forever, God the Son was also all-knowing (Jn. 2:25: 16:15; 21:17); all-powerful (Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:17); unchanging (Heb. 13:8); and holy (Lk. 1:35).
. . . . [For more explanation about Christ's God-hood, read: https://carm.org/essential-doctrines-of-christianity ... and ...
. . . . http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/deity.htm]
Then --about 2000 years ago-- the invisible and eternal Son of God voluntarily took onto himself a real and complete human nature (Rom. 1:3), which included a human body with a real human mind (Jn. 1:14), so that the divine "person" of "God the Son" then had two distinct natures: divine and human. These two natures are not mixed together or altered, but remain truly distinct and complete. This taking of a human nature and body by God the Son is called the "incarnation," and this is what we celebrate at Christmas. The God-Man was named "Jesus." During his earthly life and ministry, however, the Son of God (in Jesus) self-limited his divine powers (as far as being fully manifested through his human nature and body) such as being all-knowing, all-powerful and immortal (Php. 2:5-8) ...but because he was fully and genuinely human, Jesus needed (for example) food, water, and rest. When Jesus was a little child he learned many things, such as walking and talking --however, his God-nature never "learned" anything, because God is all-knowing. Christ's human nature was mortal, but his divine nature remained immortal. His human nature was tempted to sin, but Jesus never did sin (Heb. 4:15) --while his divine nature was not tempted and could never be tempted by evil (Jas. 1:13).
. . . . [For more explanation of Christ's two natures, read: http://www.carm.org/doctrine/2natures.htm]
Finally, --because all mankind is dying in sin (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1)-- God the Son (Jesus) loved mankind so much that he voluntarily laid down his human life, dying on the cross to pay the death penalty for our sin (Rom. 6:23). Because we are also humans, He represented us on the cross. His human nature and body underwent death as a substitute in our place (Rom. 5:8). His death satisfies God's just requirement of a death penalty for our sin (Rom. 3:25). Then Jesus rose bodily from the dead, and this proved that he was who he claimed to be: Almighty God (Rom. 1:4).
However, his payment of dieing for our sin only applies to --and helps-- those of us who are sorry before God for our sin, and who sincerely turn from our sin, and trust and rely and believe in Jesus (Rom. 3:26), and have asked Jesus to come into our lives (1Jn. 5:12).
---So, what about you? -- To be saved from your sin, you must accept and receive him as your own personal Savior (Jn. 1:12), and surrender to him as your Lord and God and divine "Boss" (Heb. 5:9; 1Jn. 2:3; Lk. 6:6). -- He hears --and will not reject-- anyone who prays to him about this sincerely and in truth.