What Do You Know About Jesus Christ?

[by Lantz Manomano] —

Matthew 16:13-17
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?
What one knows about Jesus Christ is very important and is what also determines how one goes through life here on earth. Victory and disappointment is redefined by the relationship and knowledge we have of Jesus Christ. Knowing Christ does not remove us from life challenges but we are strengthened and equipped to implement what we know during such times. Let’s get to know Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% Man
This is one of the most important fact of the bible which has caused so many religious divisions and has partly led to the creation so many false churches. Jesus is not a creation but He himself is a creator, and to bring this point to light we have to understand that angels and the human race are the creations of God and can’t create.

Understanding Christ is 100% God:

• Creator: as we mentioned above Christ is not a creation. Man invents and God creates, the difference being that an invention comes from an idea of bringing together resources that are in existence in order to improve the standards of living whereas creation is bringing something to life from nothing.
John 1:1-5 says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:2 says that Christ was in the beginning with God. Not only was He with God, but He was God. When it all started Christ was there and then verse 3 goes on to say all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. Verse 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. He is the light of the world. Also read Colossians 1:16-17.

• Foreknowledge: only God knows all things and Jesus Christ knows all things. John 13:11 says: For He knew who should betray him; therefore sad he ,Ye are not all clean.

• Search the heart: the Bible says only God can search and know what’s in a human heart (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Jesus knew their thoughts and what was in their hearts (Matthew 9:4-5)

• Forgive sins: only God can forgive sins Christ forgave sins. The scribes knew this and said among themselves that He is a blasphemous because they knew that only God forgives sins. So is it that Christ functioned outside God’s will or He is God.

Point to note: There is only one God who exists in 3 Persons. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one or united. They operate harmoniously. The Father glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father and the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son as they execute the plan from the beginning. (Read: What Is The Trinity? Do Christians Worship 3 Gods?)

Understanding Christ is 100% Man:

• Christ was born: Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law
• Jesus got hungry Luke 4:2
• Jesus slept Luke 8:23
• Jesus had a natural growth Luke 2:40

It’s very important to understand Christ’s conception is miraculous which means He was not born of fleshly man otherwise he would also need saving. We also have to understand the reason why He had to leave His place at the throne to serve and save a people He created. These are just points to stir up our spirit so that we grow a hunger and thirst for the Word of God.

Why did Jesus come to die for us?

When sin corrupted mankind, death also came into existence because God surely said if you eat of this tree you will die, Genesis 2:17. This death was both physically and spiritually because we were then separated from God. We became enemies with God and no longer had peace with God. Let’s see some of the reasons why Jesus came:
1. To restore life in us and save us from eternal death (John 3:16). Also Ephesians2:1 which states that He quickened those who have believed on Him because we were dead in our trespasses.
2. Reconciliation: this is the amending of a broken relationship (2 Corinthians 5:18,19)
3. To adopt us as sons and to be able to come to the Father. (Romans 8:14,15 John 1:12)
4. There was an exchange where Jesus took our place of death as the wages of sin is death and we deserved to die, but Christ who knew no sin became sin for us so that we could receive His righteousness (Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
5. To restore the lost peace (Romans 5:1)
6. To give us access to His grace (Romans 5:2, Hebrews 4:16)
7. To take away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 1 John 2:2)
These are just a few reasons of why Christ came. It was all from a place of love. With the way we act one would think that Christ did not come or that He came but did not accomplish what He came to do, which brings us to our next question below.

Did Jesus complete His mission on earth?
This is an interesting question and it has different answers as people at times answer based on how they are feeling leaving out the Word of God. Christ completed his mission; He left no stone attended. Below are a few points of how we know Christ has completed his mission:
• He died for our sins and announced the completion, (John 19:30) It is finished.
• He rose from death (John 20:14-17)
• He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:1-3)
• We have received the gift of the Holy Spirit which he promised us, John 16:7-16

If Jesus accomplished satisfying God’s wrath and being the ultimate sacrifice, what does it mean for us who have believed?

• We are saved from God’s wrath, (1 Thessalonians 5:9,10)
• We are forgiven and should also forgive (Colossians 3:13)
• Put off the old man and put on the new man after Christ, (Ephesians 4:22-32)
• We are new creations, (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• We are complete in Him, (Colossians 2:10)
• We are dead to sin, (Romans 6:1-10).
• We now set our affection for the things of above and not on the things on the earth, (Colossians 3:2)
• Our life is hid in Christ with God, (Colossians 3:3)
• Christ is our life, (Colossians 3:4)

These are just but a few snippets just to spark one’s desire to hunger and thirst for the word of God. To conclude here are some of the names Jesus Christ was known by:

1. The Son of Man, (Mathew 8:20; 9:6, John 5:27)
2. Son of David (Mathew 1:1, 12:23, 2 Timothy 2:8)
3. King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelations 17:14, 19:16)
4. A Corner-stone (Psalms 118:22, Mathew 21:42, Acts 4:11)
5. Morning Star (Numbers 24:17, 2 Peter 1:19)
6. Messiah (Matthew 11:3)
7. The Word (John 1:1, 14, 1 John 1:1, 5:7)
8. Master (Luke 5:5, 8:24)
9. The True Vine (John 15)
10. Prophet (Luke 7:16, John 4:19)

Jesus Christ is indeed Lord and there is no other name that can save under heaven (Acts 4:12) and also His name is above every other name and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under earth, (Philippians 2:9-10). We can never know the Father’s heart if we don’t know about Christ because Him and the Father are One in nature and likeness and no one can come to the Father except through Christ.

Life Objectives
• To stir up a hunger and thirst for the Word of God
• To find out how much we know about Christ
• To assess whether we believe in Christ or not
• To discover whether Christ is active in our lives today

Life Questions
1. How much do you know about Jesus Christ?
2. Which name shall every knee bow to?
3. If Jesus’s name saves, it saves us from what?
4. Did Jesus complete the will of the Father?
5. According to the answer provided on question 4, how does it make you feel?