As a Matter of Fact
WHO IS JESUS?
At times Christianity can be confusing. When you start to read the Bible there can be names of people and places you have never heard before. There will be words that have little to no meaning outside of the world of faith, and then even more confusingly, words that you may know, but in the context of Christianity they might have even greater depth of meaning. Knowing that, it can at times be overwhelming. Word on the Street is going to go back to the basics to tackle common questions. These are questions that are not only integral for the curious and new believer, but they are critical for the long time Christian. They are truths that you never move beyond.
Who is Jesus? No individual has ever had more written and said about them than Jesus Christ. From the time when Jesus walked this earth until today, His identity has sparked momentous debate. Some have said that He was a liar and possessed by demons. Still others called Him insane and even identified Him as a blasphemer against God. Others, though, said He was a good teacher and maybe even a prophet. He has also been known as Lord and God. People desire to create their own version of Jesus. They attempt to twist His identity into being exactly what they want to believe rather than face the consequences of reality.
With all of these opinions out there, we need to make sure our view of this carpenter from Nazareth comes from the truth of the Bible. The entire Bible is full of the truth of Jesus. Here are five essential characteristics of Jesus’ identity straight from Scripture.
No individual has ever had more written and said about them than Jesus Christ.
- Jesus is the son of God “Suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ “ (Matthew 3:17 NKJV).
- Jesus is the Exact Image of God “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15 NKJV).
- Jesus is God “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9 NKJV).
- Jesus is the Savior “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 NKJV).
- Jesus is Lord “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11 NKJV).
Those facts mean next to nothing if they end at your intellectual understanding and fall short of your life application. Knowing Jesus is a savior is of no use if you don’t let Him save you. Consenting that Jesus is Lord matters very little if you don’t actually do what He says. Jesus is the One who should be held in highest regard. He is the Father to listen to with absolute obedience. He who we should follow wherever He leads.
In the end, people’s opinions of Jesus don’t change who Jesus is. Jesus is exactly who He and Scripture says that He is. You can either believe it or not. You can choose to turn to Him as your only hope for salvation and then submit to Him as your Lord, or you can deny the reality of who He is. However, don’t be quick to dismiss the issue or to assume you already know the real Jesus. Your very life depends on who Jesus is to you.