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Who Is Jesus?
Around 30 AD a man who claimed to be God was nailed to a wooden cross. His proclamation was that the laying down of his life and subsequent resurrection is part of His [God's] plan to redeem lost souls like you and I, who were born physically alive, but spiritually separated from God [Himself]. Separation because we are all born with the seed of sin [Adams seed] our "sin nature". Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man [Adam] sin [sin nature] entered into the world, and [spiritual] death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.
Jesus claimed that after his death by [His Power] the power of God his body would be raised from death and he would sit in authority over the power of death for mankind and give eternal life to those who believe upon him. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten [Uniquely Born] son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. On the cross, all the sins of the world were imputed [accredited to] him and his death was a sacrifice, sufficient payment for all sin, freely given by grace to all those who BELIEVE upon him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 He [God] made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. The wages [price] of sin is spiritual death...PAID IN FULL by Jesus Christ on the cross for those that believe by FAITH and simply accept this GRACE offering. According to the Bible, Heaven is not something you can pay for or earn. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. The world does not deny that Jesus Christ walked the earth. Our very calendar attest to his birth and life, and in many parts of the world men are persecuted for even mentioning His name because of what it means. The world is very divided over who this man called Christ Jesus claimed to be. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 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. Jesus Christ overcame spiritual and physical death for mankind and he offers each of us eternal life in himself. According to His Word, who you decide he is decides your eternal fate.
Religions of the world teach that you can and must earn your way into heaven. Jesus Christ taught that the only way to enter Heaven was through belief and acceptance of his payment on the cross for your sin. You must understand that no moral acts or rituals of legalistic man can solve the issue of sin in your life.
Who Is Jesus according to Jesus?
Jesus Christ stated, John 8:58 "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM" John 10:30 "I and the Father are one" John 14:9 "If you have seen me, then you have seen the Father" John 14:6 "No one comes to the father but through me".
John 6:30-40 "I
am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger,
and he who believes in Me will never thirst. "But I said to
you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. "All that
the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes
to Me I will certainly not cast out. "For I have come down
from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who
sent Me. "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all
that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it
up on the last day. "For this is the will of My
Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in
Him will have eternal life, and I Myself
will raise him up
on the last day."
After Jesus died on the cross, eight days had passed. John 20:26-29 26After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." 27Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." Paul Writes: Colossians 1, 15 & 19-20 (NAS)
15He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
19For it was the Father's good
pleasure for all the fullness to
dwell in Him,
20and through Him to
reconcile all things to Himself,
having made peace through the blood
of His cross; through Him, I say,
whether things on earth or things in
heaven.
God took on the image [Body Form] of man. We call Him Jesus Christ. The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua, a name found 27 times in the Hebrew Bible. Yeshua is short for Yehoshua (= Joshua), which means Yahweh is salvation. The word Christ means Messiah or Anointed both translated from the Hebrew word "Mashiyach", so where we see Christ, we could just as accurately say Jesus the Messiah or Jesus the Anointed or Anointed Savior.
If he was not God, then he perpetrated 100’s of lies, deceived with tricks and allowed himself to die a horrific death, all in the name of love, all while fulfilling 100’s of old testament, (Tannakh, Torah, Nevi’im, Kethuvim) Messianic prophesies about his very life and death on the cross (see Psalm 22).
He was not crucified because of anything he did wrong, he was crucified because of who he made the claimed to be! One with the Father, The Bread of Life, The Savior of Mankind, The Controller of Eternal Life, The Messiah, God in the Flesh.
Muhammad claimed to be a prophet of God. Jesus claimed TO BE GOD! When you say Jesus Christ, you are saying Anointed Savior or Messiah of Salvation. That is why there is such power in His Name.
Sorry Muhammad, you can't claim that Jesus or "Issa" as you call him was a great prophet or a messenger, yet deny the very words Christ Jesus [Anointed Savior] spoke. Jesus claimed to be God and was put to death because of his claim. Jesus stated, "No one comes to the father but through me". Jesus was either GOD or he was a liar. Jesus Christ stated, "I and the Father are one". He was not a great prophet or messenger. Islam argues that Christians made up the claim that Jesus stated that he was God. History is very clear on this subject. The very reason he was crucified was because of his claim to be God [The Prophesized Messiah], and the very reason he accepted the punishment of the cross was his great love for you and I and his desire to defeat death [price for sin] for each of us. The wages of sin is spiritual death. Their is more historical documentation of the authenticity of the Holy Bible than just about any Historical Book because it was quickly translated and spread throughout multiple cultures. If men wanted to change the original text, they would have had to track down 100's then quickly 1,000's of copies and change them all. The very men who walked with Jesus were put to death because they would not deny that Jesus Christ was God and that they saw him in His resurrected body. Who are you believing? What are you believing? Why are you believing it?
What you must understand is that no single issue, no single act you perform, nothing you ever learn or decide in your lifetime is as important as what you decide in regards to the question...Who Is Jesus?
Men through deception will always try to pervert the truth of Christ. It has always been Satan (The Accusers) plan to lead men away from God/Christ and the truth. Read the teachings and see who is speaking truth. See who is teaching Love, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Kindness, Goodness, Joy, Salvation and Peace.
Jesus came to pay the price for your sin once and for all, but you have to BELIEVE in him. You can not earn your way into heaven. You don't invite him into your heart. You study the word of the Holy Bible and seek the truth. When you BELIEVE, tell him you BELIEVE and confess that you are a sinner and that you believe he died and rose from the dead to pay the price for your sins so that you could be born again, washed clean from sin. Allow his grace and mercy to cover you. God's Plan for Salvation detailed in scripture. Seek his word and let the word of truth change your life.
After the cross, you will still have your sin nature, but you are righteous and born again not because of what or who you are, you are righteous and born again because of who He is, the great "I AM". The price was paid, simply believe, confess, accept and rejoice.
The pastor teacher study links at N2Jesus.com are a great place to start your study. R. B. Thieme Jr. @ www.rbthieme.org and Robert McLaughlin @ www.gbible.org offer FREE resource MP3's or Audio Tapes to help you get your daily bread. There are also online audio lessons available.
For nearly 2,000 years this journey of discovery has produced some of the greatest stories of human passion and triumph. To this day, the very name of Jesus Christ provokes emotions and divides mankind as he predicted. Those who BELIEVE and those who reject. No race, education level or social status factors into the equation. The decision is purely rooted in the hearts of all men and women.
Life itself seems to contain the crossroads that allow each of us the opportunity to make the decision. Often when we realize how fragile we are, in those moments when our selfish pride is humbled, when we realize that we are not existing by our own power and that each of our days are numbered. When we realize that life is about more than us. When we STOP. We are then confronted with what we must face. We are no accident. We have a conscious for a reason. We each long to know God and life's deepest questions.
All the questions were answered by the very one who created you. Isn’t it time you get to know him better and more importantly decide for yourself, Who Is Jesus.
E. Bobby Jones Who Is Jesus © n2jesus.org 3/31/09 Most recent Update
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