Part 1: Who is the God of the Bible?
Part 2: Jesus, God in the Flesh
Part 3: Jesus, God in the flesh, or a mere man?
Part 4: Jesus the Redeemer
Part 5: Prophet, Priest, King
Part 1: Who is the God of the Bible?
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith;
Examine yourselves!
(2 Corinthians 13:5)
Searching, learning, looking, struggling; is that the world we live in? Searching for satisfaction and purpose; learning new things and expanding knowledge at an ever increasing rate; looking everywhere for peace; struggling with the emptiness that seems to be at the end of every path that the world has to offer. Like a butterfly, the empty heart flits from flower to flower only to find that the nectar is sweet at first, but gone in an instant. Should we wonder at the high rate of drug addiction, alcoholism, divorce, suicides, etc.?
For a godless world those frustrations and empty pursuits are inevitable according to the Bible. But what about folks who say that they are Christians who read God’s Word and attend church? Perhaps the reason for all this frustration among professing Christians is that the god they think they worship and look to is not the God of the Bible. Certainly the god that is spoken of by media personalities and many religious books no more resembles the God of the Bible than a lit match resembles the glory and brightness of the noonday sun.
But, what is being set forth as truth in the average church? Is the God of the Bible being proclaimed from the pulpit and in Bible studies? The answer to that question has eternal consequences. As C.S. Lewis said, “One road leads home, and a thousand roads lead into the wilderness.” Christ is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE; all other pursuits will leave a deeper and darker emptiness than the one proceeding. Be certain that you are worshipping the God of the Bible. The Scriptures command that we seek Him, seek His wisdom, worship only Him.
This five part series, One Road Home, A Thousand Into the Wilderness, will pose several questions that must be Biblically answered and believed, so that we can have assurance that we are worshipping the one true God. When we leave this life and step into the presence of Christ and eternity, no one wants to hear those awful words from His lips, “Depart from Me, I never knew you!”
There is only one true God and He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ; all other objects of worship are false gods and idols. Look to Christ alone, –the incarnate God of the Bible.
“The revelation of God in the holy Scriptures gives us the written description by which all other assertions about God must be measured.” —Ravi Zacharius
Part 2: Jesus, God in the Flesh
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith;
Examine yourselves!
(2 Corinthians 13:5)
In part 1 of this series, One Road Home, the following statement was made:
Several questions must be Biblically answered and believed, so that we can have assurance that we are worshipping the one true God. When we leave this life and step into the presence of Christ and eternity, no one wants to hear those awful words from His lips, “Depart from Me, I never knew you!”
The scripture that is quoted above was written to the church, not to the world. So, let’s test ourselves; let’s compare what we say we believe about Christ Jesus to what the Word of God says. Christ Himself posed the question to the religious leaders of His day and to His own disciples. (see Matt. 16 and Matt. 22). WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHRIST?
Now, YOU answer that same question; then, compare your answer to what God’s Word says. Is Jesus God or just another man? Is He God incarnate, the God-Man? Scripture declares that Christ Jesus is God in the flesh.
The prophecy of Isaiah was declared to be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. ““Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” (Matt. 1:22-23)
John begins his gospel account establishing this same fact. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1; 14).
We must be right on this point, or we will be wrong everywhere else. If Jesus is not the God-man, then His claims were false and His promises of no comfort. A wrong path may look or feel good until those walking on it end up lost in a wilderness. Our opinions and feelings are no guide or basis for truth. What does the Bible say? Who is Jesus Christ? Only He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE.
“The revelation of God in the holy Scriptures gives us the written description by which all other assertions about God must be measured.” —Ravi Zacharius
Part 3: Jesus, God in the flesh, or a mere man?
He said to them, “Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15)
Who is Jesus? That’s a question that has eternal weight. As stated previously, if we are wrong on the identity of Christ, we will be wrong on everything else. Let’s stay with this before we proceed any further. I want to ask one more question related to His identity, namely, what do you think of Christ as Creator? The biblical answer to this question will clearly settle the question as to whether Jesus Christ is God or merely man.
Who created the world? Could a mere man create the world? Most likely your answer would be NO, for only God could create the world and you would be correct. Now, consider again John’s opening chapter, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3) Note carefully that all things were made (created) by the person here described and He “was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word Was God.”
Now think carefully at what is written in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” So, according to the Bible who is Jesus Christ? Clearly, Scripture states in these verses that He is God in the flesh, the Creator who created all things, and without Him nothing was created.
Take a look at another passage, “He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God…For by Him all things were created, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16, 17)
If He is the Creator and Sustainer of all that is, as the Bible clearly teaches, then He is the Sovereign Ruler and only Savior. He is God in the flesh and is to be honored, worshiped, obeyed, and loved. And, we need to bow to the truths concerning His identity: All judgment is given to this Jesus who is God in the flesh (John 5:22); Authority over all flesh has been given to this Jesus, to give eternal life to all that the Father has given to the Son. (John 17: 2).
What you think of this Christ who is both Creator and Sustainer of all that is will determine where you spend eternity.
“St. John makes the denial of the incarnation of the Son of God the criterion of Antichrist, and consequently the belief in this truth the test of Christianity.” –Phillip Schaff
Part 4: Jesus the Redeemer
He said to them, “What do you think about the Christ?
(Matthew 22:42)
We celebrate Christmas using all the right words, and phrases. We follow all the old traditions associated with the birth of Our Lord, but has it really dawned on us what really took place when Jesus the Christ was born into this world through the womb of the Virgin? Has it really penetrated our minds that God invaded this world in the person of His Son Jesus Christ on a redemptive mission? Did He come to redeem His people from their sins? What does God’s Word say?
So, the question for you is; “What do you think of Christ as Redeemer?” On His redemptive mission, —
- Did He fulfill all the law’s demands as the substitute for sinners?
- Did He go to a cruel cross and take upon Himself the penalty for the sins of His chosen people?
- Did He suffer the full penalty for the sins of those people?
- Is His suffering, obedience, and atonement enough to satisfy the law’s demands and complete salvation, or is there something more to be added?
- Did He by His obedient life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the very throne of God actually make reconciliation for sinners?
- Is His righteousness enough to satisfy the law on behalf of His elect?
Jesus said, “It is finished.” What do you say? What do you think of Christ as Redeemer? Is He enough?
“The corruption of our nature by the fall and our recovery through Jesus Christ are the two leading truths in the Christian religion”. –William Romaine
Part 5: Prophet, Priest, King
He said to them, “What do you think about the Christ?
(Matthew 22:42)
Jesus came to this world on a mission; he was sent by the Father to save His people from their sins. He came filling three offices in order to accomplish the mission He was commissioned to accomplish – He came bearing the offices of Prophet, Priest and King.
“The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers – it is to him you shall listen.” (Deut. 18:15)
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)
“I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:6)
As Prophet, Jesus has several responsibilities which were represented by the Old Testament prophets. The prophets of old admonished, warned, directed, encouraged, interceded, taught and counseled the people. They brought the word of God to the people of God and called for a response.
As Priest, although there were several functions of a priest in the Old Testament, I will briefly mention only two which relate to Jesus as our Great High Priest, namely, His acceptable sacrifice and His present intercession for His people. The eternal and only acceptable and atoning sacrifice for guilty sinners was accomplished on Calvary’s Cross by our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. You may ask, why was such a sacrifice necessary? Why did Jesus have to die such an ignominious death? The answer is encapsulated in the nature of God who is holy and the nature of sin which is rebellion against our holy God. Sin is antagonistic to the very nature of God and rouses His holy wrath. Sin must be punished and Jesus took that punishment on the Cross.
As King, He rules in all the universe including the hearts of men. However, as Charles Spurgeon said about men, “They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear upon the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth.” So, whether or not men accept His sovereign kingship, —
He is sustaining and managing this universe and all of its inhabitants from His throne in Glory.
He is the One who grants salvation or withholds it;
He is the One who someday will grant your last breath;
He is the One whom you will meet in judgement and give account for your life for “Not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22).
“Christ being sent officially, implies that He was responsible for the discharge of the office He had accepted; therefore all that can be done for us by a priest He will do, all that can be done for us by a prophet He will accomplish, all that can be done for us by a king we may depend upon being done.” – Marcus Rainsford.
We can be assured that He has, is, and will fulfill all His assigned responsibilities as our Prophet, Priest and King. So, what is your opinion of Jesus in His person, as Creator, as Redeemer, as Prophet, Priest and King? Your answer will determine where your soul will spend all of eternity.
“Christianity asserts that every individual human being is going to live forever, and this must be either true or false. Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years, but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live forever.” C.S. Lewis