West Side Church of Christ
What is Christianity?
Who is Jesus Christ ?
This very question is the basis of all that we believe. It is our ambition that all
should come to know who Jesus is. I say is, because He is alive.
Jesus is the Son of the Living God. In Matt. 16:13-17, Jesus asked
his disciples who the world says he is. "Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am (Matt. 16:13)?" Essentially most the world thought he was a prophet.
"And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets (Matt. 16:14)." There are many
today who feel he was nothing more than that. The problem with that theory
is that Jesus claimed to be more. Continue reading in Matt. 16. "He saith
unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said
unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven (Matt. 16:15-17)."
Because Christ called himself the Son of God, we must accept Christ was the
Son of God, or we must accept He was neither the Son of God nor was he a
prophet. By the Mosaic law, a true prophet speaks the truth.
Jesus is the Anointed One of God. The word Christ is not a last name. It
is a title. Christ means the anointed one of God. It is the English equivalent
of the Hebrew "Messiah." Christ was chosen before the foundations of the
earth to be God's chosen one on earth (I Pet. 1:19-20). Christ was chosen to
be a propitiation for our sins (I Pet. 1:19-20). He was chosen to be King over
the Kingdom (Acts 2:22-36). Because of this, "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)."
should come to know who Jesus is. I say is, because He is alive.
Jesus is the Son of the Living God. In Matt. 16:13-17, Jesus asked
his disciples who the world says he is. "Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am (Matt. 16:13)?" Essentially most the world thought he was a prophet.
"And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets (Matt. 16:14)." There are many
today who feel he was nothing more than that. The problem with that theory
is that Jesus claimed to be more. Continue reading in Matt. 16. "He saith
unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said
unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven (Matt. 16:15-17)."
Because Christ called himself the Son of God, we must accept Christ was the
Son of God, or we must accept He was neither the Son of God nor was he a
prophet. By the Mosaic law, a true prophet speaks the truth.
Jesus is the Anointed One of God. The word Christ is not a last name. It
is a title. Christ means the anointed one of God. It is the English equivalent
of the Hebrew "Messiah." Christ was chosen before the foundations of the
earth to be God's chosen one on earth (I Pet. 1:19-20). Christ was chosen to
be a propitiation for our sins (I Pet. 1:19-20). He was chosen to be King over
the Kingdom (Acts 2:22-36). Because of this, "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)."
Why did He die?
Most do not understand that God is both loving AND just. All that he does
must be looked at through this truth. Since God is just, punishment was
required because man sinned. Rom. 3:23 teaches us "all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God." There is not a single one of us, save Christ
Jesus that lives or has lived a perfect life. God has informed man since the
beginning that "the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)." In Gen. 2:17 reads,
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Upon eating the tree
God informed man he would now die (Gen. 3:19). In Gen. 6 God sent the
flood upon the earth to destroy the wickedness of man. The death is not just
a physical one though. And more importantly, a spiritual death await all who
continue in sin (Rev. 21:8). Since God is just, we all deserve this death.
However, God is also loving. He set up a plan to save man. The plan
required Jesus to pay the price for our sins (I Pet. 1:19). Jesus' act of love
was the greatest act of love man has ever witnessed. With His death, not only
did He proclaim God's love for man, but He proclaimed His own love for us.
From the cross he could have called a legion of angels to take remove
Himself from the cross. He could have stated we were not worth it. He could
have expressed resentment toward all man, since it was all of us that caused
His death. In stead, he says, "Father forgive them, for they know not what
they do (Luke 23:24)."
I promise you he did not die so that you can neglect what he has done (Heb.
2:3). I promise you he did not die so you can continue to sin (Rom. 6:1). He
is calling you out of darkness to enter into his marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9). Will
you answer His call?
When the Jews on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 were confronted with their
sins. When they were informed they were lost in darkness, they asked what
to do (Acts 2:37). Peter responded repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38).
Won't you do the same?
must be looked at through this truth. Since God is just, punishment was
required because man sinned. Rom. 3:23 teaches us "all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God." There is not a single one of us, save Christ
Jesus that lives or has lived a perfect life. God has informed man since the
beginning that "the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)." In Gen. 2:17 reads,
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Upon eating the tree
God informed man he would now die (Gen. 3:19). In Gen. 6 God sent the
flood upon the earth to destroy the wickedness of man. The death is not just
a physical one though. And more importantly, a spiritual death await all who
continue in sin (Rev. 21:8). Since God is just, we all deserve this death.
However, God is also loving. He set up a plan to save man. The plan
required Jesus to pay the price for our sins (I Pet. 1:19). Jesus' act of love
was the greatest act of love man has ever witnessed. With His death, not only
did He proclaim God's love for man, but He proclaimed His own love for us.
From the cross he could have called a legion of angels to take remove
Himself from the cross. He could have stated we were not worth it. He could
have expressed resentment toward all man, since it was all of us that caused
His death. In stead, he says, "Father forgive them, for they know not what
they do (Luke 23:24)."
I promise you he did not die so that you can neglect what he has done (Heb.
2:3). I promise you he did not die so you can continue to sin (Rom. 6:1). He
is calling you out of darkness to enter into his marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9). Will
you answer His call?
When the Jews on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 were confronted with their
sins. When they were informed they were lost in darkness, they asked what
to do (Acts 2:37). Peter responded repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38).
Won't you do the same?
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