The Person of Jesus: God’s Most Precious Gift
Introduction
Learning about the person and the work of Christ is the central to Christianity. Because Christians are the followers of Christ. So it is very important to know and understand who Christ is. In order to begin the inquiry, we need to look at Jesus’ question about himself to his disciples. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi with his disciples near the brook of Banias, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16: 13, NIV) This question has risen countless of debates and controversies and schisms among the believers and others alike. Peter’s confession of Jesus “You are the Messiah, the Son of living God” (16: 14-16) earned him a crown of faith. However, Jesus told him that it was not he, but by Father in heaven has revealed to him. Another apostle named Thomas says, “You are my lord and my God.” (John 20: 28, NIV) Many of his disciple repeated Peter and Thomas’ confessions, yet it was not until they have seen the resurrection of Jesus, they were mere men. And his passion and suffering, death and resurrection and ascension fulfilled his mission and became the Messiah of the sinners. After the pouring of the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost, apostles became the herald of the gospel of Christ.
Jesus is a historical figure.
Christianity began with Jesus of Nazareth. He came to tell the Good News of God’s salvation and love by dying on the cross. So it is the Good News that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that every believer can put his or her on him. And this is the Good News. Today, if we ask a person, who is Jesus? They would reply that Jesus was a Jew, a son of carpenter, and Galilean, the founder of Christianity. These answers may not be wrong entirely, but they are only referring to his human-side. In Christology, that is study of the person and works of Christ, Christ is to be recognized in two natures i.e. humanity and divinity in one person, without confusion, without change, without division and without separation (This is a definition of the Council of Chalcedon of 451). There is a divine-side of Christ as well as indicated above.
The Deity of Christ
Jesus’ miraculous birth raises a question of its possibility. How can it be possible to be born in virgin? It is a supernatural event by itself. It is true that God literally became a man is quite hard to believe and imagine. But in that day, there were many legends and stories about god coming to people from heaven. So for people of Jesus’ time, it was not as hard as it seemed to be impossible. There is a story about Gautama Buddha coming of god to man, and god’s desire to be involved with humankind. (Erickson, 680) And there is a declaration of his divinity in the book of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God’ (1:1, NIV). Here we see two incidents of Christ as being supernaturally born and as the Word of God, he is God.
In many references, he is referred as the Son of God (Matt. 4:6; 8:29; 16: 16; Mk. 3:1). This affirmation makes Jesus as related with Godhead; and in fact, John 1:18, translates “only begotten Son, is more accurately translated as “only begotten God” (NRSV and NASB) (Plantinga, 233). I do agree with the more accurate translation. Because it portrays the Son more accurately.
Ministry of Christ
In books of Matthew and Luke we find Jesus' birth account, which is a supernatural event: Virgin birth from Mary. Thus follows his ministry both in Galilee and Judea about three years. His ministry was both filled with supernatural events and earthly activities: i. e. raising the dead; feeding of the five thousand persons without counting women and children; healing the demon possessed; and at the same time, he felt hungry and got tired. Yet his ministry always revolved around the helping and restore people's brokenness. Choosing his twelve disciples to send to the lost sheep of Israel and later to the ends of the earth was to save the lost and restore relationship back to God. Jesus came to fulfill God's plan of saving the lost. He did all this without committing any sins.
Cleansing of the temple represented his beginning of the judgment. Judgment began at the house of God, and it will eventually for everyone else. Jesus will come back to the earth as a judge. That is why it is important for the believers to spread the Good-news to the people. There will be a judgment for everyone.
Jesus is the coming Judge, because he paid the sins of the people on the cross. He came to die for our sins and iniquities. And this was God's way to show his love to world. John 3: 16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (NIV) Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Because all have sinned, and the wage of sin is death. The book of Romans 6: 23 says, "For the wage of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV). God placed all of our sins on his Son so that we can be saved through his Son's sacrifice. God has provided a way for the sinners to be saved and forgiven of their sins and iniquities. Rejecting his precious gift, which is his Son, is eternal punishment.
Everlasting life through God's Son
Trusting and obeying God's promise is the way to be saved. Ultimate God's love is to save the lost and welcome them back to him and enjoy him forever. The Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession notes that, "What is the chief end of man? Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." If we trust and believe God's promise, then we will be saved and have everlasting life in Christ Jesus.
Jesus, who loves sinners, has redeemed all of our sins. To receive God’s salvation, one must believe Jesus’ work on the cross and confess their sins. When one stands before God’s judgment, the question will not be which sins have they committed in the past, but God’s question is, did you believe that Jesus died on the cross as punishment for your sins? If the answer is yes, “I believe.” Then you will be saved from all pending punishments of sins. This becomes a standard of judgment.
Conclusion
God has already provided a way for the sinners how to be saved. He has sent his only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sinners. Whoever does not believe his Son will be judged and condemned. There is no other way to be saved except through God's Son, Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reference:
Matt. 16:13
Mk. 3:1
Lk. 5: 24
John 1:1, 3, 18; 8: 58; 3:3, 5, 30; 11: 25; 14: 6, 9
Acts 1: 9-11
Col. 1: 16
Heb. 1: 3
1Jn. 1: 8
Reference:
Berkhof, Louis. 1941. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids.
Calvin, John. 1960. Institutes of Christian Religion. In two Volumes. Trans. By Ford Lewis Battles. Philadelphia.
Erickson, Millard J. 1985. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids.
McGrath, Alister E. 2011. Christian Theology: An Introduction. Oxford.
Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, and Matthew D. Lundberg. 2010. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge.
Learning about the person and the work of Christ is the central to Christianity. Because Christians are the followers of Christ. So it is very important to know and understand who Christ is. In order to begin the inquiry, we need to look at Jesus’ question about himself to his disciples. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi with his disciples near the brook of Banias, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16: 13, NIV) This question has risen countless of debates and controversies and schisms among the believers and others alike. Peter’s confession of Jesus “You are the Messiah, the Son of living God” (16: 14-16) earned him a crown of faith. However, Jesus told him that it was not he, but by Father in heaven has revealed to him. Another apostle named Thomas says, “You are my lord and my God.” (John 20: 28, NIV) Many of his disciple repeated Peter and Thomas’ confessions, yet it was not until they have seen the resurrection of Jesus, they were mere men. And his passion and suffering, death and resurrection and ascension fulfilled his mission and became the Messiah of the sinners. After the pouring of the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost, apostles became the herald of the gospel of Christ.
Jesus is a historical figure.
Christianity began with Jesus of Nazareth. He came to tell the Good News of God’s salvation and love by dying on the cross. So it is the Good News that Jesus Christ died on the cross so that every believer can put his or her on him. And this is the Good News. Today, if we ask a person, who is Jesus? They would reply that Jesus was a Jew, a son of carpenter, and Galilean, the founder of Christianity. These answers may not be wrong entirely, but they are only referring to his human-side. In Christology, that is study of the person and works of Christ, Christ is to be recognized in two natures i.e. humanity and divinity in one person, without confusion, without change, without division and without separation (This is a definition of the Council of Chalcedon of 451). There is a divine-side of Christ as well as indicated above.
The Deity of Christ
Jesus’ miraculous birth raises a question of its possibility. How can it be possible to be born in virgin? It is a supernatural event by itself. It is true that God literally became a man is quite hard to believe and imagine. But in that day, there were many legends and stories about god coming to people from heaven. So for people of Jesus’ time, it was not as hard as it seemed to be impossible. There is a story about Gautama Buddha coming of god to man, and god’s desire to be involved with humankind. (Erickson, 680) And there is a declaration of his divinity in the book of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God’ (1:1, NIV). Here we see two incidents of Christ as being supernaturally born and as the Word of God, he is God.
In many references, he is referred as the Son of God (Matt. 4:6; 8:29; 16: 16; Mk. 3:1). This affirmation makes Jesus as related with Godhead; and in fact, John 1:18, translates “only begotten Son, is more accurately translated as “only begotten God” (NRSV and NASB) (Plantinga, 233). I do agree with the more accurate translation. Because it portrays the Son more accurately.
Ministry of Christ
In books of Matthew and Luke we find Jesus' birth account, which is a supernatural event: Virgin birth from Mary. Thus follows his ministry both in Galilee and Judea about three years. His ministry was both filled with supernatural events and earthly activities: i. e. raising the dead; feeding of the five thousand persons without counting women and children; healing the demon possessed; and at the same time, he felt hungry and got tired. Yet his ministry always revolved around the helping and restore people's brokenness. Choosing his twelve disciples to send to the lost sheep of Israel and later to the ends of the earth was to save the lost and restore relationship back to God. Jesus came to fulfill God's plan of saving the lost. He did all this without committing any sins.
Cleansing of the temple represented his beginning of the judgment. Judgment began at the house of God, and it will eventually for everyone else. Jesus will come back to the earth as a judge. That is why it is important for the believers to spread the Good-news to the people. There will be a judgment for everyone.
Jesus is the coming Judge, because he paid the sins of the people on the cross. He came to die for our sins and iniquities. And this was God's way to show his love to world. John 3: 16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (NIV) Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Because all have sinned, and the wage of sin is death. The book of Romans 6: 23 says, "For the wage of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV). God placed all of our sins on his Son so that we can be saved through his Son's sacrifice. God has provided a way for the sinners to be saved and forgiven of their sins and iniquities. Rejecting his precious gift, which is his Son, is eternal punishment.
Everlasting life through God's Son
Trusting and obeying God's promise is the way to be saved. Ultimate God's love is to save the lost and welcome them back to him and enjoy him forever. The Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession notes that, "What is the chief end of man? Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." If we trust and believe God's promise, then we will be saved and have everlasting life in Christ Jesus.
Jesus, who loves sinners, has redeemed all of our sins. To receive God’s salvation, one must believe Jesus’ work on the cross and confess their sins. When one stands before God’s judgment, the question will not be which sins have they committed in the past, but God’s question is, did you believe that Jesus died on the cross as punishment for your sins? If the answer is yes, “I believe.” Then you will be saved from all pending punishments of sins. This becomes a standard of judgment.
Conclusion
God has already provided a way for the sinners how to be saved. He has sent his only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sinners. Whoever does not believe his Son will be judged and condemned. There is no other way to be saved except through God's Son, Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reference:
Matt. 16:13
Mk. 3:1
Lk. 5: 24
John 1:1, 3, 18; 8: 58; 3:3, 5, 30; 11: 25; 14: 6, 9
Acts 1: 9-11
Col. 1: 16
Heb. 1: 3
1Jn. 1: 8
Reference:
Berkhof, Louis. 1941. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids.
Calvin, John. 1960. Institutes of Christian Religion. In two Volumes. Trans. By Ford Lewis Battles. Philadelphia.
Erickson, Millard J. 1985. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids.
McGrath, Alister E. 2011. Christian Theology: An Introduction. Oxford.
Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, and Matthew D. Lundberg. 2010. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge.