WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

Today more than ever, people have a hazy and fuzzy (distorted) view of who the Savior of the World, God’s Son Jesus Christ truly is. Various opinions regarding Jesus may have been formed from a religious upbringing or education, personal experiences, etc. Whenever you ask someone who Jesus is, it will usually sound a lot like the person describing Him to you. They say, “He was a great teacher,” or “He was a Good Man,” or “He died on the cross,” etc. You see, even in Jesus day, there were many who were confused and troubled about who God’s Messiah to the world was. When Jesus entered into Jerusalem on the Sunday before the Great Passover feast (our Palm Sunday), multitudes upon multitudes welcomed Him (Matt. 21:9) but after three days the same multitudes cried, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! (Matt 27:11-26, Luke 23:18-24)” How could this be? It was because the multitudes had their own perception and personal view of who Jesus was, one that was not rooted in reality or in the truth of Holy Scripture.
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WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?
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The big question at hand is this, “Who really was Jesus?” Is it important to know God’s Christ - the Christ of Holy Scripture - and His teachings of salvation for humanity? My friend, the answer to this literal life and death question is: it surely is. It is a matter of Eternal Life or Eternal Death!

The Lord Jesus Christ and The Holy Scriptures give many warnings of False Christs and false teachings that would come into the world to deceive and mislead people. What purpose would such deceptions serve, you might ask? To keep people from obtaining God’s Eternal Life and Pardon of Sin! (See Matthew 7:15-17; 24:4-5, 23, 24; Mark 13:5-6, 22; Luke 21:8; 1 Tim 4:1-2, 16; 2 Tim 3:12-13; 1 John 2:22-23; 4:1; 2 John 7).
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Jesus himself stated:“Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many shall come to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME YE THAT WORK INIQUITY." (Matthew 7:21-23)

A poem written by Jeff O’Hara gives an examination of the professing individual with a very sobering conclusion.

Why Call Me Lord, Lord and Do Not the Things I Say?

You call Me the Way, and Walk Me not!

You call Me the Life, and Live Me not!

You call Me Master, and Obey Me not!

You call Me Bread, and Eat Me not!

You call Me Truth, and Believe Me not!

You call Me Lord, and Serve Me not!

If I Condemn You, Blame Me not!

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This is quite a sobering thought, isn’t it? Jesus informs that there are many who called Him Lord who never were rightly related to Him in truth according to WHO HE IS. How can this be? Let’s take a look at what the Holy Scriptures say:

God’s Christ/ Messiah Fulfilled all of God’s Word and Promises and Claimed to be the Center of the Scriptures.
(Matt. 5:17; 26:54, 56; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 46; Acts 3:18; 28:23; Heb. 10:7)

God’s Christ/ Messiah is the Only True Savior of the World.
(Acts 2:36; 4:12; Titus 1:3; 2:13; 1 Tim. 2:5; Luke 2:28-31; John 1:29; 3:16-18, 36; 14:6; 20:21; Heb. 7:25)

God’s Christ/ Messiah is Almighty God.
(1 Tim 3:16; John 1:1-3,14; 10:30; 20:28; Matt. 1:23; Col. 2:8-9; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20; Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2)

God’s Christ/ Messiah is Perfect Man.
(1 John 2:1; Rom 8:3; 1 Peter 1:19; 3:18; John 1:14, 29; 8:45-46; 14:30; Acts 2:24; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Peter 2:21-24)

God’s Christ/ Messiah Died, Was buried, and Rose Again on the Third Day According to the Scriptures.
(1 Cor. 15:3-4, 20; Matt. 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6-7; John 2:19; Acts 1:3; 2:22-24, 30-36; 4:2, 10; Rom. 1:4; 8:11; 1 Thess. 1:10, 1 Peter 1:3; Rev. 1:17-18)
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GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION FOR MAN

Who is good? As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10)

Who has sinned? For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Salvation is Not By Our Works! For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Where Did Sin Come From? Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (Romans 5:12)

What is the Price of Sin? For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23a)

Who Paid The Price? But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

There Is Only One Way Out! That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:9-10)

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)

Question #1: Does the “Jesus” in whom you are putting your trust line up with the reality and truth of The Lord Jesus of the Holy Scriptures? That is a very sobering question indeed; a question which many are too afraid to deal with. Jesus stated, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

Question #2: Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ of the Scriptures? May it be your sincere desire to look into this matter with a contrite (broken) and humble heart in light of the most serious (eternal life and death) consequences to be faced (1 John 5:12).

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHALLENGE - LINK
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In Part 2 of this study we will see why it is absolutely crucial (or vital) that a man or woman has a saving relationship to the Christ / Messiah of the Holy Scriptures.

The Kingdom of heaven is at hand!

DJP I.F.
What is Sin?

The 10 Commandment Challenge