Do you know Jesus?
Many people have heard of Jesus and 'know' of him but very few know him as their Lord and Savior. There are many ideas about who Jesus is. Some ideas about Jesus are that he was a great teacher, an interesting historical character, and the list goes on and on. But what and who does the Bible say Jesus was?
1. The Son of God:
a. Jhn 5:18 KJV - Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
b. Phl 2:5 KJV - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Phl 2:6 KJV - Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Phl 2:7 KJV - But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Phl 2:8 KJV - And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Phl 2:9 KJV - Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Phl 2:10 KJV - That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
Phl 2:11 KJV - And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2. Lived a sinless life:
a. 2Cr 5:21 KJV - For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
b. 1Pe 1:19 KJV - But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
3. Able to forgive sins:
a. Luk 5:20 KJV - And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Luk 5:21 KJV - And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
b. Luk 7:48 KJV - And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Luk 7:49 KJV - And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
4. Able to give everlasting life:
a. Jhn 6:47 KJV - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
b. Jhn 11:25 KJV - But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Jhn 11:26 KJV - And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
c. Jhn 10:28 KJV - And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
5. To be the ONLY way to God:
a. Jhn 14:6 KJV - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Whew! That's a lot of claims about Jesus from the Bible and this list is just a start. These claims are so bold that, as it has been said before, Jesus was either a liar or who he claims to be. If he where a liar why would he die for his claims even though he could have backtracked and not had to endure the cross! However, there is ample evidence that he was and is not a liar. Not only did he die on that cross but on the third day he arose again and was seen by many people:
a. 1Cr 15:3 KJV - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Cr 15:4 KJV - And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Cr 15:5 KJV - And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Cr 15:6 KJV - After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Cr 15:7 KJV - After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Cr 15:8 KJV - And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Let's look a little further. What does the Bible say about us!
All have sinned:
a. Rom 3:10 KJV - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
b. Rom 3:23 KJV - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Our righteousness (our goodness, works, human effort) is worthless:
a. Isa 64:6 KJV - But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our sin has a serious penalty:
a. Rom 5:12 KJV - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
b. Rom 6:23 KJV - For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
After death we will face judgement:
a. Hbr 9:27 KJV - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
b. 2Cr 5:10 KJV - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.
But wait! Christ paid the penalty for us:
a. Rom 5:8 KJV - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
b. Jhn 3:16 KJV - 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.
How can we take advantage of that, or claim it for our own?
a. Rom 10:9 KJV - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 KJV - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
b. Rom 10:13 KJV - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This leads us back to the question we started with, do you know Jesus? Is he your Lord and Savior? Knowing him is not like knowing facts and figures or historical knowledge. It is confessing him as Lord and Savior. Confess to God that you have sinned and fallen short of His bar of perfection which only Jesus met.
He will save you, he wants to save you:
a. 1Ti 2:3 KJV - For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 KJV - Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 KJV - For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 KJV - Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
But you have to ask! God has not made us like robots. He makes the offer to save us on his terms but we have to choose. Pray now, understanding that you are admitting your sin, you are turning from your life without Jesus, you are accepting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for you and you will follow Jesus in obedience as he gives you the grace to do so!
Pray, Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. Please forgive me for my sins. I accept your sacrifice on the cross on my behalf. Give me the grace to follow you obediently. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
If you just did that we'd love to hear from you! Or maybe you have questions. Call our number or contact us via the contact us section of the website. We will respond to you as soon as we can.
If you have just accepted Jesus as your Savior there are some things you need to do:
1. Seek out a local doctrinally sound church (one that teaches the Bible truthfully). We'd love to have you with us!
2. Be baptized in that church. Baptism is not required for salvation but it is an outward testimony of what has occurred in a believer's life. It is an identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
3. Attend church regularly. That's one of the ways God uses to help you grow as a Christian.
4. Read your Bible daily.
1. The Son of God:
a. Jhn 5:18 KJV - Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
b. Phl 2:5 KJV - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Phl 2:6 KJV - Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Phl 2:7 KJV - But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Phl 2:8 KJV - And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Phl 2:9 KJV - Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Phl 2:10 KJV - That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
Phl 2:11 KJV - And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2. Lived a sinless life:
a. 2Cr 5:21 KJV - For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
b. 1Pe 1:19 KJV - But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
3. Able to forgive sins:
a. Luk 5:20 KJV - And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Luk 5:21 KJV - And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
b. Luk 7:48 KJV - And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Luk 7:49 KJV - And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
4. Able to give everlasting life:
a. Jhn 6:47 KJV - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
b. Jhn 11:25 KJV - But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Jhn 11:26 KJV - And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
c. Jhn 10:28 KJV - And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
5. To be the ONLY way to God:
a. Jhn 14:6 KJV - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Whew! That's a lot of claims about Jesus from the Bible and this list is just a start. These claims are so bold that, as it has been said before, Jesus was either a liar or who he claims to be. If he where a liar why would he die for his claims even though he could have backtracked and not had to endure the cross! However, there is ample evidence that he was and is not a liar. Not only did he die on that cross but on the third day he arose again and was seen by many people:
a. 1Cr 15:3 KJV - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Cr 15:4 KJV - And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Cr 15:5 KJV - And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Cr 15:6 KJV - After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Cr 15:7 KJV - After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Cr 15:8 KJV - And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Let's look a little further. What does the Bible say about us!
All have sinned:
a. Rom 3:10 KJV - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
b. Rom 3:23 KJV - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Our righteousness (our goodness, works, human effort) is worthless:
a. Isa 64:6 KJV - But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our sin has a serious penalty:
a. Rom 5:12 KJV - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
b. Rom 6:23 KJV - For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
After death we will face judgement:
a. Hbr 9:27 KJV - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
b. 2Cr 5:10 KJV - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.
But wait! Christ paid the penalty for us:
a. Rom 5:8 KJV - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
b. Jhn 3:16 KJV - 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.
How can we take advantage of that, or claim it for our own?
a. Rom 10:9 KJV - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 KJV - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
b. Rom 10:13 KJV - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This leads us back to the question we started with, do you know Jesus? Is he your Lord and Savior? Knowing him is not like knowing facts and figures or historical knowledge. It is confessing him as Lord and Savior. Confess to God that you have sinned and fallen short of His bar of perfection which only Jesus met.
He will save you, he wants to save you:
a. 1Ti 2:3 KJV - For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 KJV - Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 KJV - For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 KJV - Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
But you have to ask! God has not made us like robots. He makes the offer to save us on his terms but we have to choose. Pray now, understanding that you are admitting your sin, you are turning from your life without Jesus, you are accepting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for you and you will follow Jesus in obedience as he gives you the grace to do so!
Pray, Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. Please forgive me for my sins. I accept your sacrifice on the cross on my behalf. Give me the grace to follow you obediently. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
If you just did that we'd love to hear from you! Or maybe you have questions. Call our number or contact us via the contact us section of the website. We will respond to you as soon as we can.
If you have just accepted Jesus as your Savior there are some things you need to do:
1. Seek out a local doctrinally sound church (one that teaches the Bible truthfully). We'd love to have you with us!
2. Be baptized in that church. Baptism is not required for salvation but it is an outward testimony of what has occurred in a believer's life. It is an identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
3. Attend church regularly. That's one of the ways God uses to help you grow as a Christian.
4. Read your Bible daily.