When it comes to the identity of Jesus there have been much debate and controversy throughout history. Even at the time of His earthly ministry there were many views and suggestions concerning who He was (Matt. 16:14). Debates have raged throughout the centuries and even today people continue to hold to various understandings and views. Who is Jesus Christ? The Scriptures make plain that He is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13). Last Sunday morning at Hills Bible Church, in our exposition of the Gospel according to John, we considered John 5:17-23. In that passage we noted the Lord’s unmistakable claim that He is Divine.
Knowing then that this is the clear teaching of Scripture, what are the implications of Jesus Christ being God? Whatever Jesus says He came to do is indeed true and is therefore necessary for us to embrace.
He is the Sufficient Saviour
In preparation for the eternal Son of God’s arrival on earth, the angle of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said concerning Mary, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Here it is made clear, Jesus is going to be a Saviour. This truth is again repeated soon after Jesus was born when an angel declared to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Jesus Himself understood that this is who He was and why he was on earth (Luke 19:10). Since He is the Sufficienct Saviour, He alone is able to make the exclusive means of salvation when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
He is Worthy of Worship
In the Scriptures, the concept of worship carries the idea of serving God by means of an attitude of fear and adoration. What is worship? Worship for the believer is the act of recognizing God’s worth and responding to that in service to Him. Worship is to be exclusively offered unto the Lord (Exodus 20:3; Deut. 5:7; 6:13; Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8; Acts 10:26; 14:15; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8). Because Jesus is God He is worthy of our adoration. It is the duty and delight of God’s people to love Christ (John 14:15) and faithfully follow Him. Concerning Jesus Christ we read,
“God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).
The day is coming when all will worship Him. However, for some this will be as a result of God’s saving grace in which it is their delight. However, for others it will be a duty that comes by means of their final submission to the Lord despite the fact that they are under eternal condemnation.
Jesus is God and this has serious implications. By God’s grace, embrace these implications and give the glory to the Lord!
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