How can one fully do justice to Jesus and Who He is, according to scripture, in one short blog post? I think we can agree that this is completely and utterly impossible. So what you will find below is an overview of sorts, with lots of scripture to verify.
Please take some time and look up the verses; study them, reading them in context. Don’t trust me or anyone else but learn to know who Jesus is for yourself from your Bible. As you familiarize and immerse yourself in the truths regarding Jesus from God’s Holy Word, you will find it easier and easier to discern between true and false religion. We can’t overestimate the importance of knowing Who Jesus is, according to scripture.
This is, of course, most critical for our own understanding of absolute truth. What the Bible tells us about Jesus (and whether or not we choose to believe it) means eternal life or eternal death for us all.
But what we learn about Jesus is also important information as we move forward into studying specific religions that use His name. For we will quickly discover that the Jesus these religions promote and worship is NOT the Jesus of the Bible.
I was sharing with someone just yesterday how eye-opening this has been for me already. It’s gloriously clear that these religions are not worshiping the same Jesus after even just a bit of study. I believe that most Christians accept that there are no differences simply because this is what they are being told. The entertainment industry we listen to and watch, the “Christian” books we read, the personalities we follow on social media, the popular preachers we listen to, and, ofttimes, even our own churches are telling us that these religions are like ours and we can unite in our worship of Christ.
But nothing could be further from the truth. I hope you will see this for yourself over the course of the next few weeks. These religions may use the name of our precious Savior but they are referring to a very different god.
Below I have in list form the claims that Jesus makes about Himself, as well as certain other things we can know about Him from other parts of scripture. If you believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Bible is true and is God’s inspired and inerrant Word, then I believe you will find this very helpful.
(I do want to thank my father-in-law, retired pastor, Jerry Allebach, and especially my brother, Pastor Dean Good, for their help in putting this together. Their help was such a blessing!)
Here is what the Bible says about Jesus (this list is certainly not exhaustive!)
JESUS IS FULLY GOD
Jesus claims to be God and this is confirmed over and over again in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
He is God (Isaiah 9:6; John 10:30; Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 2:9-10)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 3:16; John 6:38-40; Galatians 4:4; I John 4:9)
He is part of the Trinity (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:1-4)
He is Eternal (Micah 5:2; John 1:1; 17:5, 24)
He is Creator (Genesis 1:26; John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2, 10)
JESUS CAME TO EARTH AS A MAN
Jesus became flesh. He was the only perfect man to ever live.
Conceived of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)
Born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-24; Luke 1:26-38)
He was made flesh (John 1:14; Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 4:15)
He was without sin (I Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15)
He was Son of Man (Matthew 16:27; 18:11; Mark 9:31)
He was the Second Adam (I Corinthians 15:22; 15:45; Romans 5:12-21)
JESUS IS THE MESSIAH PROMISED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
God promised Israel a Messiah. Jesus IS that Messiah.
Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35)
He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1)
He would be called out of Egypt (Hosea 1:11; Matthew 2:14-15)
He would be David’s offspring (2 Samuel 7:12-13; Matthew 1:1-17)
He would be despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:6; Luke 4:28-29)
Jerusalem will rejoice as her Messiah comes riding on the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1-9)
His death described (Psalm 22:16-18; John 19)
JESUS’S MINISTRY ON EARTH
His first coming was not to bring peace to the kingdoms of this earth but rather to the hearts of men (Matthew 10:34-35; Luke 12:51; John 14:27)
He came to save the people from their sins (Matthew 1:21)
He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)
He came to bear testimony of the truth (John 1:14, 17; 3:11-13)
His miracles proved his testimony (John 10:30-38)
His own (Israel) received Him not (John 1:11)
He spoke the truth, even if it was unpopular or confrontational (Matthew 16:6; 21:12-13; 22:16-18; 23:13-39)
The world hated Him and many of His followers left Him (John 15:18-19; John 6:64-66)
He loves and cares for His disciples; both those alive during His ministry on earth and those who would follow Him in the future (which includes us!) (Matthew 11:28-30; John 13:1, 34; 15:9, 12; Galatians 2:20; Revelation 1:5)
JESUS IS OUR SAVIOR
Jesus came to pay for our sins. He offers us complete redemption and offers us the only way to be reconciled with God and have eternal life with Him.
He offers the only way for us to be reconciled to God (John 14:6)
He is the only mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5)
He cleanses us from sin through His blood (Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:12; I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5)
He forgives sin (Matthew 9:1-8; 26:28; Acts 2:38; 10:43; Ephesians 1:7; I John 1:9)
He is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15; 6:20; 8:1)
He alone gives us permanent right standing with God (Romans 3:21-24; 5:1)
He saves us by His grace through faith alone; there is nothing we can do to merit salvation (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)
He finished the work of redemption; it is not an ongoing process (John 19:30; Romans 6:23; I Peter 2:24)
He is our penal substitution (Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sins on the cross) (Col. 2:13-14; Titus 2:15, 1 Pet. 2:24)
He is our propitiation (satisfied the wrath of God that was due us) (Romans 3:23-26; I John 2:2)
JESUS IS OUR KING
Jesus is not only our King but is the King over all things; At His name every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. (Phil. 2:10-11)
He will return to earth to reign eternally over all things (Matthew 24-25; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19-22)
He is King of kings and over all (Philippians 2: 10-11; I Timothy 6:14-16; 2 Peter 1:11; Hebrews 1:8; Revelation 17:14)
He reigns victorious over death and hell (I Corinthians 15:54-57; Revelation 1:18)
OUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
When we believe that Christ has died for our sins and rose again in victory and lives today, we become a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away and, behold, all things are new (2 Corinthians 5:17). This life is described in great detail throughout scripture.
We have died with Christ and have risen with Christ (Romans 6:1-11; Colossians 3:1-4; Galatians 2:20)
We are loved by Christ and can never be separated from that love (Ephesians 3:19; Romans 8:35-39)
We will repent and obey Christ’s commands when we truly desire to follow Jesus (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:1-4)
Through Christ alone can we find peace, joy, and hope (John 14:27, 15:11, 16:22; Romans 5:2-5; Ephesians 2:14-17; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 1:20, 27, 3:15; Titus 3:7; I Thess. 1:3; I Peter 1:3, 8)
Jesus gives us a new, transformed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:3)
God has given us an anchor for our faith and a guide by which to grow as a believer, which is the Holy Bible (Psalm 19; Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 40:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12)
We are victorious over sin and death (Romans 8:1-2; I Corinthians 15:55-57)
We are called to be holy as God is holy (I Peter 1:13-16)
We are to testify to God’s grace and goodness (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 10:2; Philemon 1:6; I Peter 3:15)
He gives us eternal life (John 3:14-16; John 10:28; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:23; Titus 3:7; I John 5:11)
THE I AM STATEMENTS OF JESUS
Jesus makes the followings statements about Himself in the Gospel of John. Each of these could be studied in great detail but, for now, I just want to familiarize you with these “I AM” statements–
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12; 9:5)
I am the Door (John 10:7, 9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)
I am the True Vine (John 15:1, 5)
I hope you will find this very helpful as we move forward in our study of religions that use the name of Jesus. I may come back and add to this, as I learn more in my own personal study. I hope that you will be able to use this as a reference for yourself and, perhaps, even for friends or family who are steeped in false religion, so that they, too, can compare what the Bible has to say to what their religion says.
The next post will be: Who Is Jesus According to Catholicism? Not making any promises as far as when, at this point, although I have hope that it could be as soon as next week…
(Find the entire series at this link. )