JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is arguably the most famous person to ever live and is held by many to be the greatest moral teacher. Yet, those who follow him, as well as Jesus Himself, claim He is much more than that. They say He is King of Kings, the Lord of Lords and the Savior of the world.

Scripture does teach us that Jesus Christ is a man, but not only man. Jesus was and always has been God. He is the God-man. This unique union is critical to His mission of living a sinless life, dying a satisfactory death and being raised to life again. To be our substitute and take our punishment, He must be man. To bear the full weight of the wrath of God for every sin for all who would believe, He must be God. God, the Son, became man so we might be sons and daughters of God.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Similarly, Jesus is no doubt a teacher unlike any other. Yet, this merely scratches the surface of how unique and important His teachings are. In order to reduce Jesus to the great moralist, His more difficult and offensive truths must be ignored. But these are what mankind needs most - Truth. Ultimately, Jesus’ teaching reveal our need for forgiveness of sin, in order that we might know the joy of eternal life with Him instead of the eternal punishment we deserve as sinners. His moral teachings first show us how impossibly high God’s moral standard is - perfect obedience from the heart.

Then, His teachings instruct us to acknowledge and turn from (repent of) our sin. Next, He teaches us to believe (as in, trust) that we are forgiven, because of His perfect obedience to the Law and sacrificial death on the cross. Finally, He commands us to follow Him as Savior and Lord of our lives until He returns and brings us to be with Him for eternity.

“…Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

The Gospel is the heart of the Christian message. It is called “the Gospel of God” and Jesus Christ is the central figure. Translated literally, “gospel” means “good news.” The Gospel is the good news that God did for us what we could not do for ourselves! He saved us, graciously reconciling us to Himself by faith in Jesus Christ’s sinless life on our behalf, His satisfactory death in our place, and His victorious resurrection which conquered death and promises eternal life.

The Gospel is God’s great story of redemption a people and the world for Himself, to Himself, for His eternal glory and our eternal good.

Biblical support: John 1:1-14; 8:58-59; 10:33; 20:28, Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1