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Who Is Jesus?
Who is Jesus should not be our first question, but who is Jesus to me? Your relationship with Jesus is the most important, without question. How you relate to Jesus and who you understand Him to be will determine how you relate to the world in which we live.
As for me, the question is answered!
I believe in Jesus as my Savior. Knowing Him has changed me and my goals in life. Although, like many people, when I went forward and confessed my faith that He was the Son of God and that He died for my sins, I did not make Him Lord of my life.
I still lived for myself and not God. It even looked like my sisters might be right in saying I would end up in prison or worse. God had a lot to do to get me to focus on Him, and what He wanted me to do with the life He gave me.
Worldly goals influence everything we do and think. For example, the world teaches us that physical positions or possessions are what count toward happiness. The world shows us all kinds of wonderful things and tells us that if we have them, we will be happy.
At first, I believed all the lies that the world offered.
However, I tried to do right.
I did all that the church asked me to do. When I was fourteen, I started teaching Sunday School, and by the time I was seventeen, I was preaching the evening services at my small church.
All I was doing was right with those in the church. However, I still had not committed my heart and soul to God. No one talked to me about following Jesus because it looked like I was.
Some people would call me a religious nut while I was only playing the part.
Even when I went on a mission trip with my brother, who was in Bible College to be a minister, I still had not given my life to God.
I was like the lost young ruler.
Luke recounts an event in the ministry of Jesus where a rich young ruler came to him and asked an important question found in Luke 18:18b NKJV, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, obey God’s laws and the young man responded that he had always followed them. He was religious and believed in God, but he knew something was missing.
Most of us who claim to be Christians would say that we also had tried to do all the right things. I certainly would. However, I still lacked one more thing.
In Luke 18:22 NKJV we find So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
What is that One thing?
It is hard for us to be totally committed. On the other hand, we love the idea of being right with God. We want people to see us as Christians.
Jesus was not being hard on the young ruler, but He made it clear that God requires total commitment. God will not accept second place in our lives.
Going to church, walking down the aisle, teaching a class, or preaching will not buy your way into Heaven. Making Jesus Lord of your life is a part of accepting Him as your personal Savior.
You must be fully committed.
You can’t just say you love Jesus.
In. John 14:15 NKJV Jesus makes it clear when He says, 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments”.
God never indicates He wants to be second place in either the Old or New Testaments. On the contrary, our Creator requires that we place Him first.
Coming part way to the cross is not acceptable. Even performing miracles in His name will not bring salvation. He makes this clear when He tells those who make such claims that He never knew them.
Mat 7:22-23 NKJV says, 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Lawlessness is failing to surrender all of your life to Jesus and put Him first.
So who is this Jesus?
You should always be able to tell others who Jesus is and how He changed your life. If your life has not changed, you are not following Jesus.
After reading this article, you should be able to answer the question of who Jesus is and hopefully how He has saved you.
To answer the question we must go back to Genesis 1:1 NKJV, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” As we study Genesis we find that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit as one created all things.
Seeing Jesus from this angle, we can better understand His actions while on this earth. Everything He did relates to what He does for us individually and who He is.
Jesus is more than our Savior.
He is the Creator, Teacher/Preacher of truth, One who warns us about the eternal cost of rejecting God’s plan. He is the loving Savior who offered Himself as payment for our sins. He is all these things but we must not forget He is also the coming Judge of those who do not accept Him.
For us to understand who Jesus is, we need to look at the complete picture.
First, Jesus is the Creator.
The Apostle John clarifies who Jesus is. From the beginning, he wants us to understand that Jesus created all things. John says in John 1:1-3 NKJV, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
We should all memorize these three verses. Read them one more time.
As you study God’s Word you will see Christ in creation throughout, from Genesis to Revelation.
Jesus says this about Himself.
Jesus answers Philip in John 14:9-11 NKJV: 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
So Jesus is, first of all, our Creator. He is God just like the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Prophets identify Jesus as the Messiah.
The prophet Micah tells us where Jesus was to be born. Micah 5:2 NKJV, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” The Ruler in Israel refers to Jesus.
The prophet Isaiah tells us how He will be born. Isaiah 7:14 NKJV says, Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Seven hundred years before Jesus is born Isaiah tells us about John who would prepare the way for Jesus. Isaiah 40:3 NKJV says we will hear a voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.”
Throughout the Old Testament, we see Christ In Prophecy. His work is defined. We are told that He is to be born in Bethlehem of a virgin precisely 700 years after a specific historical event. You can follow the above link to learn more details.
Understand that Jesus was God’s plan from the beginning. He knew we would not be able to live a righteous life. So God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit had a plan for us.
Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection were all in the mind of God from the very beginning.
Note that even the coming of John, “one crying in the wilderness” was prophesied.
God sent John to call the people to repentance and prepare the way for Jesus. John was the one crying in the wilderness of which Isaiah spoke.
John 1:15 NKJV says, 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
The Holy Spirit revealed to John the Baptist who Jesus was. Jesus was not just a man whom God had blessed. Instead, Jesus had existed from the beginning and was now walking among them.
The Apostle John says it this way in John 1:16-18 NKJV 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
God the Father testifies who Jesus is.
When John baptized Jesus and Jesus came up out of the water, God testified as it says in Matthew.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17 NKJV
God said, “This is My beloved Son.”
Let’s look at what we have learned so far.
God’s prophets told of His coming 700 years before He was born.
John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the One who existed before him.
When Jesus was baptized God declared from Heaven, ”This is my beloved Son.”
We must see Jesus as a Teacher/Preacher when considering Who is Jesus.
The first four books of the Bible, the Gospels, give us many examples of Jesus’ teaching. He taught by both word and action. He both obeyed and taught God’s Laws.
Large crowds came to hear Him. Many came to be healed, but even more came to learn more of God’s Law presented with authority and deeper meanings. He taught in parables so they could remember.
Wherever He went, He performed miracles and taught. One time He got into a boat so He could speak to the multitude on the shore.
Jesus taught on the Sabbaths, as we read in Luke 4:31. He also taught in the synagogues, as we read in Mark 6:2.
His most famous teaching is The Sermon On The Mount in Matthew 5,6,7. In these teachings, He explains many of God’s laws in detail.
I have presented His teachings in much greater detail in Christ in Ministry. There are three articles just on His teachings.
Each year of His ministry reveals more about Him as He journeys toward the crucifixion.
Many were amazed at Jesus’ teachings because He taught with authority.
There were many religious leaders in Israel. The multitudes had been raised on their teachings about God’s Law. Jesus’ teaching was different because it was His Law that He taught.
31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. Luke 4:31 NKJV
He taught all the time, on the hillside, by the lake, in the synagogue, or on the street. Jesus even taught one on one.
Christ wanted everyone to know that God’s Kingdom was near at hand. Jesus wanted them to know that something extraordinary would be fulfilled in their time. God’s long-promised Messiah was here, and He would usher in the Kingdom.
Jesus was a Teacher and commanded His followers to teach.
If we accept who Jesus is and make Him Lord of our lives He calls us to teach. We may not preach as He did, but we will certainly tell others about what He did for us.
We will teach about God’s Kingdom and how we are to follow Jesus instead of the world.
Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, Amen.
This is His command!
Who is Jesus – He is the One who warns us.
He warned those hearing Him that they must make changes in their lives to be acceptable to God. Sin brought death, and the Law is God’s definition of sin. These laws God gave to them would not change, and it was a sin when they decided to do things their way.
John 8:34 NKJV reads, 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” Slavery was common. Everyone understood what it meant to be a slave. You no longer had control over your life. Your owner controlled your life.
Scripture makes it clear that we are all sinners and must repent and turn to God. Even though Jesus died for our sins we still must follow Him.
Jesus paid the price for our sins but He gave us free will so we can choose to accept or reject Him.
Jesus says in Luke 13:3-5 NKJV, 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Jesus warns those who will listen to repent, or they will perish. He is still warning us today.
Who is Jesus? He came to be our Savior.
The Old Testament prophets tell us about a coming Savior, One who will turn us from our sins.
Matthew opens his gospel by telling in Matt 1:21 NKJV what the angel told Mary. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Jesus was criticized for eating with sinners. Mark 2:17 NJKV tells us, 17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Later, Luke tells about a time when Jesus had gone to eat with Zacchaeus, a tax collector. Jesus saw that Zacchaeus was interested in His message of the coming Kingdom and chose to eat with him.
Zacchaeus accepted Him, repented of his past, and offered to restore anything he may have overcharged.
It says in Luke 19:9-10 NKJV, 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
But what about those who do not follow Jesus?
Who is Jesus? He is the final Judge of all mankind.
Up to this point, we have studied about Jesus as He was while He was here on earth. We must realize, that He now sits in majesty at the right hand of God and is our Final Judge.
We do not want to be on the receiving end of His judgment. Those who have accepted Jesus as Savior and have faithfully followed Him will not be on the receiving end of His judgment.
John tells the vision of Jesus coming in Rev 19:11-12 NKJV, 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
After Jesus catches all believers up into heaven, He will judge everyone else as it says in Rev 20:13 NKJV . 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
Those whose names are in the Lamb’s Book Of Life will not face this Great White Throne Judgement. However, everyone else will have to give an account of their actions before the angels cast them into Hell.
Paul tells us in Rom 2:16 KNJV that God will judge all our secrets by Jesus Christ. Paul says 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
CONCLUSION:
The Scripture tells us who Jesus is beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. He is God the Son, Creator of all things, our Teacher and Savior. When God calls the End Times it will be Jesus who is our Judge.
Will Jesus be your Savior or your Judge?
Now is the time to accept who Jesus is and commit your life to Him. John 3:16 NKJV tells us, 16 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.
Acts 4:12 NKJV tells an important truth, 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
What this means to you is that Jesus will either be your Savior or your Judge.
If you accept Him as your Savior and follow Him He will not be your Judge. He will already have paid the price for your sin and rebellion against the laws of God on the cross.
God loves you and wants you saved. Jesus paid the price of your redemption. However, He gave you what we call ‘free will’. He will not force you to accept Him as your Lord.
Things you must know
God has, however, told us in His Word that none of us is without sin. Sin cannot dwell in the presence of God. Therefore, we cannot go to be with God in our sinful state. All have sinned. Not one of us lives without sin except for the Son of God. Jesus alone was sinless.
ALL HAVE SINNED
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:23 NKJV
No one has lived without sinning except for Jesus Himself. Without Jesus in our lives, we are all far from living in a way that would bring glory to God.
THERE IS A PRICE FOR SIN
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23 NKJV
Only Christ, Who lived the only perfect, sinless life could be our sacrifice. He died in our place for our sins. Jesus died on the cross for your sins. He paid the price.
However, it is still up to us to believe in Him as our Savior and to follow Him.
Believing and Confessing
Paul says in Romans 10:9-10 NKJV, 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Let’s read that again.
The belief that “at least I am being better than my neighbor” will not save you. No church membership will save you. No church attendance will save you.
Only believing in Jesus as the Risen Son of God and confessing Him as your Savior while repenting of your sins will save you. It was through His death for your sins that you are set free.
Repenting means that you are truly sorry for your sins and turn from them. Now and ever after you want to obey and follow Jesus and not live as you had been living. This is the new, meaningful, joyful life of a Christian.
Do You Want A New Life and Salvation?
If so, pray something like the following prayer in all sincerity:
The Sinner’s Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Risen Son of God and I humbly ask that You come into my life as Savior.
I believe that You died for my sins and I thank You with all my heart that You have done this for me.
My life is full of sin and I am unworthy, O God. Please forgive me through the death of Your Son Jesus on the cross. Thank You for Your forgiveness, and thank You for offering me new and eternal life.
I repent of my sins and turn from them. I want to obey and follow You all the days of my life and have a home in Heaven with You when my earthly life is over.
I thank You that You tell us that if I ask, You will also send Your Holy Spirit into my life to be my Comforter and Guide. Help me to listen to You and obey Your Word from now on.
I ask all these things in Jesus’ Name and praise You for loving me so much.
Amen.
Note: The following articles will tell you more about Jesus Christ. Just click on the title you are interested in, Christ In Creation, Christ In Prophecy, Christ In Ministry, Christ In Sacrifice, Christ In History, and Christ In Revelation.