Who is Jesus? Some people say He was a prophet like any other prophet…a man who represented God. Some say He is just one of many religious leaders who started a religion. Some people even say He is an alien who came in peace to show us a better way. Jesus Christ is none of those things. He is, was, and always will be God. If someone who’s searching for answers would come to you and ask about Jesus, could you give an informed answer? This is an important question and one that every Christian needs to know the answer to.

The simple answer is that He is God. It’s very important that you understand this truth. It’s so important that Jesus once directly asked His disciples who people said He was. They had answers just like we hear today. Then He made it personal.

“And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ” (Mark 8:29).

At that time, Peter had the right words, but didn’t really understand. Do you really understand who Jesus is, or do you just repeat what someone told you?

Through His earthly mother Mary, Jesus was fully human and made it possible for Him to qualify as our kinsman. Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit, but she was just a human woman. Because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, He was fully God and His blood was untainted by Adam’s sin. That means only His blood, which He shed on the cross, takes away our sin. He is our Creator and our Kinsman Redeemer.

Some lost souls would have us believe that Jesus is the brother of Satan or that Jesus is really Michael the archangel. Those are lies. Don’t be confused by nicely dressed people who knock on your door and try to confuse you. If you know the Biblical truth, then you won’t be deceived.

It may be difficult for a new believer to understand the importance of Jesus being fully human and fully God, but it’s the foundational truth to the Christian faith. Blood sacrifice was always a sin offering, but only pagans who worshipped demons sacrificed humans…quite often it was babies who were sacrificed. When God Almighty instituted His Law, only the blood of an animal was shed as a cover for sin, never human blood. That offering could never take the sin away, but it was only a temporary covering.

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

Spilling blood is ugly, but so is sin. When Jesus was crucified, the torture was horrendous. He knew what He would face when He stepped into His creation to offer His own blood to atone for our sin. Only His blood could take sin away and lift the curse of death and He shed it willingly.

“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

There’s no other way for us to be forgiven of our sin except through faith in the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. He freely offered Himself, but that free gift has to be accepted in order for us to find salvation through Him.

Many naysayers say that if Jesus was God He would have declared it. This is an issue of understanding. When He walked the shores of Galilee, He hadn’t come to force people to believe, but to reveal the agape love of God. He wasn’t a warrior who would destroy the enemy in the way the Jewish people had hoped. The enemy was destroyed at the cross. Jesus will return as the longed-for Warrior, but that event is still future. Jesus did, in fact, make it clear that He was God. When a Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Him asking questions, Jesus told him.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

That’s such a beloved verse, but too often it’s quoted without really understanding what Jesus said. He declared His divinity to Nicodemus, who became a believer. Later He declared the truth to another group of Pharisees when He told them that He existed before Abraham and that they needed to believe in His deity in order to find eternal life. Those Pharisees thought they knew and served God, but the dialog they had with Jesus revealed that they were truly ignorant of God’s truth. Their ignorance would keep them from eternal life.

“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).

Jesus asserted that He was God in the flesh and that He was the one who spoke to Moses from the burning bush.

“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:14).

The Pharisees knew that Jesus had declared “I AM GOD,” and quite an argument followed.

“Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (John 8:59).

Stoning was the penalty for blasphemy, and they understood Jesus had declared Himself to be God. John records many instances when Jesus declared that He was God in the flesh.

“…I am the bread of life…” (John 6:35). “… I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12). “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…” (John 10:9). “I am the good shepherd…” (John 10:11). “I am the resurrection, and the life…” (John 11:25).  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “…I am the vine, ye are the branches…” (John 15:5).

It’s so important to study Scripture in order to understand what you profess. Just reading the words of Scripture will be a great comfort, but studying will help you know why you believe.

The men who first followed Jesus struggled to understand who He was. They were Jewish men who weren’t scholars. They were fishermen and tax collectors who had been told what to believe by the teachers of the day. They knew that the Messiah would come, but they had to learn a deeper truth. The Messiah was walking with them!

Peter had said the words that Jesus was the Christ, but had been caught up in the emotion of the moment. He wasn’t grounded upon that truth yet. That grounding would come later after Jesus’ resurrection. The other disciples also struggled to understand the truth about Jesus. When the time drew near when Jesus would be crucified, He spoke earnestly with those men who followed Him. He told them about mansions that He was going to prepare for them and that He would return and receive them into eternity.

“And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:4).

Thomas was confused and asked how to know the way. Jesus told Him that He was the only way to eternal life. Then Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father and that would satisfy them.

“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father” (John 14:9).

It’s not wrong to ask questions…that’s how we get answers. Even those closest to Jesus had questions. They had Jesus right there with them, and asked Him directly what they wanted to know. Today when we have questions, we have resources. First, pray. Ask Jesus to show you the answers, then let the Holy Spirit lead you. Scripture holds the answers. There are many sound Bible teachers today who can help you find the truth, but beware of false teachers. When you are given an answer, be sure to compare it to Scripture. God’s word never changes, so always use Scripture as truth.

When John wrote his Gospel, he began by making it clear that Jesus was God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

The Word, of course, is Jesus. John is very clear that Jesus existed before any of creation, and in fact created everything. He’s also very clear that Jesus was God incarnate.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). 

John must have been in awe when he finally realized that he had spent time walking and talking with God. Jesus chose John to clearly reveal His deity, and also to dictate the Book of Revelation to. Because John understood who Jesus was, Jesus was able to reveal more truth to him. Four times in the Revelation, Jesus referred to Himself as the Alpha and Omega.

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).

In English we might say “A and Z” instead of Alpha and Omega. We know that there is nothing before the “A” and nothing after the “Z.” Jesus has always existed and will always exist. His death, burial, and resurrection give us the only way that we can live eternally with Him. That’s a gift from God Almighty, but He won’t force it upon anybody. You have the choice. Accept His gift and live eternally with Him, or reject that gift and spend eternity in the lake of fire. If you choose to accept His sacrifice as the atonement for your sin, then you need to get to know Him. Talk to Him, ask questions, and seek answers. Repent of your sin and begin living for Him rather than for yourself.

Who do you say that Jesus is? I say He is God and my Redeemer. I believe it and have trusted Him with my eternity. Have you?

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

 

“Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths” (Psalm 25:4).

When we meet Jesus and trust Him for the redemption of our soul, that encounter should be a life-changing encounter.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

True faith in Him secures our salvation, and works don’t make us any more saved. Works on earth done for the Glory of God do earn crowns in Heaven, and they also serve as a witness to others. If we desire to serve Jesus, He will teach us. It takes a lifetime of lessons to learn His ways, and applying the lessons He gives will mold us into more trusting followers who live by faith. If we are willing students, He’s a willing teacher.

Saul, also known as Paul, is an example. He was an angry man who hunted the Jewish converts to Christianity with vengeance.

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).

He met the Messiah while travelling to Damascus, and all that changed. His encounter with the risen Lord left him blind. For a man of action, that must have been frustrating. There’s no record of Paul encountering Jesus prior to the crucifixion, but he must have heard about the miracles. Paul had studied under the most revered rabbi of the day, Gamaliel, who had certainly known of Jesus’ ministry. When Peter and James disobeyed an order to stop preaching about Jesus, the Pharisees wanted to kill them. It was Gamaliel who was the voice of reason.

“And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39).

Gamaliel admonished his fellow Pharisees to have patience and allow this new faith to just die out on its own. It’s been over 2,000 years, and it hasn’t died out yet. The remnant may be few, but our faith is strong.

Like so many people, Saul had “book learning,” but he had no real knowledge. His first encounter with Jesus left him blind, and that’s when God’s teaching began.

“And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus” (Acts 9:8).

The gang of thugs Saul traveled with had no idea what had happened, so they led him to Damascus and abandoned him. Old friends may abandon you when you meet Jesus, but don’t allow that to hinder your new faith in Jesus. Move forward and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. God has bigger plans for you than continuing in sin; and if you learn His ways, you can be a witness to those whom you once called friends.

“And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink” (Acts 9:9). 

In truth, we’re all blind when we come to Jesus. Our first encounter with Him will show us just how blind we have been. Past prejudice and mocking of Him will turn to understanding of just how precious salvation through Jesus Christ is as the scales fall off of our eyes and we see Him in a new light. Even though we don’t understand everything, our encounter with Jesus should begin to change us. From that moment, we should desire to learn His ways. “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths” (Psalm 25:4) should be the desire of every Christian.

Saul’s idea of Christians was that they were blasphemers who opposed the Jewish Law established by God, and thus needed to be put to death. There are people today who have misconceptions about Christians. Muslims are required to do what they can to destroy us because we won’t worship their false god. The loony left also desires to destroy Christianity because Biblical moral values stand in the way of their pagan decadence. Gay pride parades turn into orgies, but if you try to help these people out of their sin, you are the lawbreaker.

Though Saul had been highly educated, once he met Jesus his real education began. He had to wait, which was a lesson in itself. His personality was such that he desired to jump right in with both feet and start serving Christ, but first he had to be shown the ways of the Living God. His blindness gave him time to think. He could do nothing; so, for three days, he was left to consider what had happened.

I often wonder what went through his mind during that time. Surely, he had heard of the blind men whom Jesus healed, but now his encounter left him blind. Did he think about his life and recognize his own sin? Most likely he prayed, but still there had to be some fear of what would happen to him. When God teaches lessons, they aren’t always easy. If we continue trying to live life on our own terms, we will miss the value of what God would have us to learn.

There were more lessons to be learned through that encounter than what Saul was being taught. Even people who’ve been Christians for many years have lessons to learn.

“And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord” (Acts 9:10).

Ananias was probably on the list to be arrested. He had no idea what Jesus would ask him to do, but he was willing. The details of God’s mission frightened him. He was to go to find Saul and heal his blindness. Could Jesus have healed Saul’s blindness without the help of Ananias? Yes, but He usually chooses to work through His followers. By stepping out in faith, we learn the lesson of trust. In this instance, Ananias wasn’t sure he had heard correctly. He knew who Saul was and the mission he was on, so he mentioned this detail to Jesus. It’s OK to ask questions, but we cannot allow questions to get in the way of obedience. Jesus assured him that Saul was chosen to serve Him.

“But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake” (Acts 9:15-16).

It’s a blessing to many generations that Ananias obeyed and went to Saul. The change in Saul, now known as Paul, was evident. Because Ananias stepped out in faith and Paul was willing to be taught, Paul’s mission work changed from hatred to one of love and spreading the Gospel. Because of his enthusiasm for serving Jesus, we have his Holy Spirit-inspired letters to teach us lessons.

Every day we have lessons to learn. Do you still hold on to the old friends you had before meeting Jesus? If so, are they stunting your growth in Jesus? On the day of Pentecost, Peter had given a Holy Spirit-inspired sermon, and thousands gave their lives to Jesus. They didn’t hang on to old habits, but embraced their salvation.

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

Was Ananias one who heard on that day? Whatever prompted his faith, we are shown evidence that he wasn’t stunted by old ways and sinful habits. His obedience to God led him to approach the man most feared by Christians. That obedience began a work by God that continues today.

Every one of us will have failures in our walk with Christ. That’s when we learn lessons. If you’ve been controlled by anger, learn to give that anger to Christ. Is your life ruled by lies and deceit? If so, you need to ask for forgiveness and learn the Christian way of truth. No matter what sin may stumble you, there is always forgiveness through Jesus, but you need to ask. If you don’t recognize your sin, then God is hampered in showing you His ways and teaching you lessons.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). That’s a blessed promise from God.

How do we learn the way to handle lessons from God? He has given us a precious gift. We have Scripture to guide us.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). 

The Bible contains lessons in life and how to react in a Godly way when we are tempted to sin. The book of Judges teaches us that if we don’t continue to follow God, we will continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over. Read the Psalms for lessons in overcoming fear, being broken over sin and repenting, and also singing praises to God. The book of Esther is a lesson in courage. The Gospels show us Jesus and how much He loves us. He shed His blood for our salvation. The New Testament letters give lessons in day-to-day Christian life. If you neglect studying your Bible, then you’re missing many lessons that God wants all of us to learn. Then, when a test of your faith comes along, you will fail. Allow God to show you His ways, and apply them to your life.

“Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:5).

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.