Christianity is Christ
There is no other way to say
it. Christianity is Christ.
Christianity is centered on the
person and work of Jesus Christ. If the focus is on
anything else it is not Christianity. That great
truth is stated throughout the New Testament. In
fact, everything in the Old Testament leads up to
that great truth regarding His person and work.
The apostle Peter was one of
the first individuals to accept that great fact.
Jesus asked the question, who do the people say that
I am? (Matthew 16:13). The disciples had been with
the people and they told Jesus what they had heard.
Some said He was John the Baptist risen from the
dead, others that He was the prophet Elijah, some
said He was the prophet Jeremiah.
Then Jesus asked the real
question. “Who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). Peter
spoke up for the whole group saying, “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16).
That is what makes Jesus Christ
so unique. He is not just a prophet, or a good moral
teacher, but He is “the Christ, the Son of the
living God.”
Jesus is the Messiah. He is the
one who will reign forever on the throne of His
great ancestor King David (2 Sam. 7:13, 16; Lk.
1:33; Rev. 22:16; Rom. 1:3; Jn. 7:42; Matt. 1:1).
The eternal King is the Messiah. Jesus is God’s
Anointed One who was sent to do God’s specific will.
He is the one promised in the Old Testament.
Jesus is divine. He is “the Son
of the living God.” It is an exalted view of Jesus.
Peter could not have ascribed a higher place to Him.
He declared in his confession that Jesus is God
Himself who came to save His people from their sins.
In the original language the
statement is even stronger than in English. “You are
the Christ, the Son of the God, the living One.”
This is a most comprehensive statement of the
essential being of our Lord.
This truth is so important for
us to understand that Jesus responded to Peter
saying, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for
this was not revealed to you by man, but by the
Father in heaven” (v. 17). It is important that we
keep in mind that Peter did not gain this
understanding by human intelligence or profound
spiritual insight. God revealed that truth to Peter;
it was received by divine revelation.
We too must understand and
accept this important truth in order to be saved.
Jesus Christ is “very God of very God.”
One of the disciples of Jesus,
Thomas, saw Jesus alive after the resurrection and
declared, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).
Everything that Jesus did in
dying as our sacrifice for sin depends on who He is.
If Jesus were not God, His death would be like yours
and mine; He would only be dying for His own sins.
If He were not God His death could not atone for
anyone’s sins. However, because He is “very God of
very God” His death on the cross has infinite value
to take away our sins as the chosen Lamb of God.
If you believe this great
spiritual truth it is because God has revealed it to
you by the Holy Spirit. “And there is salvation in
no one else; for there is no other name under heaven
that has been given among men by which we must be
saved” (Acts 4:12).
Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He
is the Son of the living God. He is the sinner’s
Savior. In fact, He is the sinners only possible
Savior. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as you
shall be saved.” To trust in anyone else is to spend
eternity in hell. There is no other way, not because
I say so, but because God said it. The Bible says,
“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord,
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from
the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a
person believes, resulting in righteousness, and
with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation”
(Romans 10:9-10).
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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