In this series of posts we have studied the one body (the Church), the one Spirit (the Holy Spirit), and the one hope of our calling. Now we will discuss the One Lord – Jesus Christ. All who are truly born again have one Lord, and He is the true Jesus of the Bible. There are a lot of counterfeit Jesus figures out there. Who is the true Jesus?
Like the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus is God. He is infinite. A blog post can only offer a glance at the person and work of Jesus. I pray this short summary helps answer the question, “Who is the true Jesus of the Bible?”
He is truly God. He is our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). He is one with the Father (John 10:30). In the beginning He was, He was with God, and He was God (John 1:1-2). He is the One through whom all things have been created, visible and invisible. All things have been created by Him and for Him (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-20). He is the second Person of the Trinity, God the Son (John 20:30-31).
He became truly man, being born of a virgin. Galatians 4:4-5 says, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” He became a human to redeem His own. “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.” (John 1:14)
He did not cease being God. Jesus is God the Son, and He remained so when He became human. Jesus’ message is quite clear that He is God. Statements in the Gospel of John make this clear “I and the Father are One” (John 10:30). “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am’” (John 8:58). Jesus was saying that He is the I AM (see also John 6:35, 41, 48, 8:12, 14:6). He is the Lord of the Old Testament (Exodus 3:13-14). He is eternal God. He is the eternal Son of God.
He lived the perfect life that God demands, but we cannot live. God demands perfection. None of us can meet that standard. We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Yet, Jesus came and fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). He always pleased the Father in absolutely every way. At Jesus’ baptism the Father said from heaven, “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This statement was also made by the Father at the Transfiguration in Matthew 17:5: “This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” God the Father says that Jesus, God the Son in human flesh, is always totally and completely pleasing to Him in every way. As the Lord said through the author of Hebrews, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
He died the death we deserve to die. We all deserve to die and go to hell. We deserve to be separated from God forever in torment. We deserve His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is what everyone deserves. Jesus did not deserve to die, because He never sinned and had no sin nature. Yet, Jesus died. He died a substitutionary death. He died in the place of His own, paying the penalty that we deserve for sin. He had our sin credited to Himself and died for our sins. So, the sin debt is paid for all believers.
He came back to life again. He was raised from the dead on the third day! Jesus Christ is alive! He was raised from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:24-25). He was raised so that we my be declared right with God. The Psalmist prophesied this in Psalm 16:10: “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” In Acts 13:35, Paul quoted Psalm 16:10 in reference to the resurrection. God’s holy One, Jesus Christ, did not see decay. He came back to life again on the third day.
He ascended into heaven. He returned to heaven to the Father’s right hand, where He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:9). He is at the Father’s right hand working in His people to fulfill His great commission to make followers of Jesus in all the nations (Acts 7:57; Ephesians 1:20).
He is the head of the church, our Life-source and Leader (Ephesians 1:22-23). He is in charge of the church, and He gives us life. Believers in Jesus are truly in Him. We are united to Him in a true and living union. He is the head of His body, the church.
He is coming again. He said in John 14:1-3 that He would go and prepare a place for us. He did that in His death and resurrection. He said He will also come again. He will come again and take us to be with Him forever. This is spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15, Titus 2:11-14. He is coming again. This is the Blessed Hope for which we expectantly wait.
He shall reign forever and ever. “And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14). Some of the final words of the Bible say, “And Jesus Himself said, ‘Surely, I am coming soon.’” And we echo John the Apostle, “AMEN! Come Lord Jesus!”
Do you know Him? If you don’t, you are separated from God because of your sin. You will be separated from Him forever unless you obey His command to turn to Him and trust in Him. Jesus Christ has died for sinners. Look to Him! Trust that He died for you. Trust that the Jesus of the Bible has died in your place for your sin. Trust in Him alone to save you. I beg you to let go of whatever is holding you back and find life in Jesus Christ. Look to Him and be saved for there is no other name under heaven that saves.
If you do know Him, worship Him with me today! There is only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Bill Whittington
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