Jesus Christ – The Central Figure of Christianity
Who Was Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the central figure of Christianity. He was a teacher who performed many miracles, including healing the sick and raising the dead.
Jesus Performed Supernatural Acts
The Gospels recount these supernatural acts and Jesus’ teachings. He is often referred to as the Son of God or the Messiah.
The Christian Church teaches that He is both fully human and completely divine. This dual nature of Jesus is known as His incarnation.
Most Profound Event In History Of The Christian Church
Jesus’ incarnation is one of the most profound events in history. It was a momentous transition in which God, who existed before time and space, entered into human history in the form of a baby born from a virgin.
Jesus Experienced Human Emotion –
He experienced human emotions, sickness and temptations, but He never sinned. His divinity is also evident in the fact that He created all things and knows all things (Romans 1:2-3).
Jesus Called 12 Apostles to Follow Him
He calls twelve men to follow him in a very unique way. These men would become known as the Apostles.
He taught them the written and oral Torah and also developed a relationship with each of them.
He even shared meals with them and instituted a ceremony that became known as Communion.
He also established a new Covenant that replaced the old Law and fulfilled it (Luke 22:17-20).
The Jewish Leadership Rejected HIs Message
The Jewish leadership did not believe in Jesus and accused him of blasphemy. Those who did believe began to follow him in great numbers.
They were drawn to his compassion, humility and love for people. He avoided luxury, was happy to talk with social outcasts such as tax collectors and sinners and favored the poor.
He also frequently clashed with religious leaders who questioned his authority and identity as the Messiah.
Jesus Knew That He Would Die On The Cross For Sinners
When it came time to face the cross, he did so knowing what was ahead of him. He knew that he had to bear the sins of the world in order to save mankind.
This is a very profound concept that we may not understand, but the fact is that he did know what was to come and accepted it willingly.
His death and resurrection are the most important event of all of human history. These events are the basis for all of Christianity.
What Happens If You Do Not Accept Jesus Christ As Your Savior?
If we reject them, we will spend eternity in a place of condemnation, torment and destruction described by Jesus as hell (Matthew 25:41). If we accept His salvation, we will spend eternal life with him in heaven.
To separate what is comfortable about jesus – His kindness, his message of forgiveness and his healing of the sick – from what is less comfortable – that he was born of a virgin, claimed to be God and rose from the dead – is to misunderstand and miss out on a relationship with him.
Only when we fully understand who Jesus is can we truly embrace Him and follow Him.
He is the most important person that we will ever meet in our lives. He is worth every effort we can expend to know him.
Jesus Forgives Sin
The forgiveness of sin is central to the Christian proclamation and should be the center of every believer’s experience.
Forgiveness is the point at which we pass from being under condemnation to enjoying God’s favor, from being on the road to hell to becoming an heir of heaven.
No other event in a Christian’s life is as significant as this one. We should therefore treat it with the abounding gratitude that it deserves.
The story of Jesus forgiving sin illustrates how important this is. The paralytic’s friends brought him to Jesus, and after seeing his faith, the Lord declared “your sins are forgiven.”
This was a remarkable statement. It was the first time that a miracle healer had ever made such a claim. And it was a bold statement that he was making for all of their sakes.
Do Not Be Afraid To Spread The Gospel Message
What this says to us is that we should not be afraid to tell others about the gospel.
God’s grace is sufficient to forgive even the most repugnant sins. In fact, the only thing that excludes people from heaven is unforgiven sin.
But God has the power to forgive all sins and cast them into the depths of the sea, never to be remembered. He does that for all who trust in Jesus.
It’s also important to note that Jesus was forgiving sin before he died and rose from the dead.
It’s true that many other miracle stories from the Greco-Roman world make no mention of forgiveness.[1] But it’s possible that they were only healing miracles and not forgiveness miracles.
The Healing Power of Jesus
The scribes had no problem with healing miracles, but they were upset about the way that Jesus addressed the issue of forgiveness.
Generally, in Jewish culture, only God-not priests-forgave sin. And the Jewish view was that when a priest pronounced forgiveness of a sinner, it was considered blasphemy.[2]
It’s interesting to note that Arminians, who believe that only God has the authority to forgive sins, often use this passage in support of their position.
When Jesus declared the man’s sins forgiven, he was showing that he had authority to do so because he was God in the flesh.
His claim scandalized the Pharisees because they knew that only God could forgive sinners.
Forgiveness Is a Key Aspect of The Gospels
Forgiveness is a key aspect of the gospel that we should share with others, not just because it’s good news, but also because it is the only thing that can bring hope to those who are lost and hopeless.
This is the ultimate act of love and the most powerful evidence that we have a Savior who loves us and wants to save us from the eternal consequences of our sins.
When we share this good news, it can change lives forever. —Kimberly Clark, Bible study teacher and writer, The Wilds Press.
How to Ask Jesus to Be Your Saviour
A common phrase heard by preachers, missionaries, and evangelists is “ask Jesus to be your savior.” However, what does that actually mean?
Is it a one-time event that will save you from the penalty of sin and give you eternal life?
Or is it a process that will lead you to becoming a disciple of Jesus? This article explores these questions and more as it helps people understand how to ask jesus to be their savior.
The Bible is clear that all people are sinners and have fallen short of God’s righteous standard (Romans 3:23).
When a person prays the simple prayer commonly referred to as the sinner’s prayer, they’re confessing their sin and asking for God to forgive them and come into their lives as Lord and Savior.
This is a beautiful thing! It doesn’t matter a person’s social status, gender, race, wealth or lack of it, profession, political party, or even the number of good deeds they perform.
God’s love for us is so great that he sent his only son to die in our place, defeating death and sin, to bring forgiveness and eternal life.
When a person says the sinner’s prayer, they are putting their faith in the truth that Jesus died for their sins, rose from the grave, and has ascended to heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father.
They believe that when they accept Him, they receive the Holy Spirit who guides them into all the truth about him. This is a beautiful and amazing thing!
The Bible teaches that when this happens, it is a miracle! It is a new birth that gives a person eternal life, peace, and the assurance that they will be in heaven when they die. It also gives them a one-way ticket to heaven now!
Those who have asked Jesus to be their savior have crossed the bridge into God’s family.
They have accepted his gift of salvation and forgiveness and have entered into a relationship with him.
The Bible teaches that when this happens, the miracle is that a dead soul has been brought back to life by the power of the resurrection! This is why the Bible says that whoever believes in Christ shall be saved.
The term “heart” is used in the Bible to refer to a person’s core being.
This includes a person’s mind, will, emotions, beliefs, values, priorities, affections, attitudes, decision-making, and behaviors.
When a person asks Jesus to be their savior, they’re allowing him to enter into all of these things and change them from the inside out so that they will become more like Him.
They will develop a love for him that spills over to others as well. They will spend time studying the Bible and praying for themselves and others.
They’ll become part of a community of believers who gather regularly at a local, Bible-teaching church. As this happens, the old person will pass away and the new person will emerge.
Bethlehem – Where Was Jesus Birth Place?
Bethlehem is a sacred place for Christians from all over the world. It is located on the West Bank and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It houses the Church of the Nativity – the oldest and most important Christian church in the world.
The church is positioned above a cave that is believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
This cave is a holy spot where shepherds and the Three Wise Men came to pay homage to the baby Jesus.
It is believed that these Wise Men were guided to the site by the star that appeared in the sky and they brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh as a sign of respect and devotion.
According to the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem because they had to register for a census decreed by Caesar Augustus in 6 or 5 BC (Luke 2:4–5).
But critics argue that this story is historically inaccurate and that a census did not take place in the time of Jesus’ birth.
Moreover, the Gospel of Mark claims that Jesus was from Nazareth in Galilee and does not mention Bethlehem.
So, skeptics believe that the Gospel of Luke used an invented story of the birthplace of Jesus in order to convince people that Jesus was from the house of David.
This was done to establish a link between Jesus and King David, who was the second king of Israel and Judah in 1010-970 B.C.
How Old Was Jesus When He Started His Ministry?
The Gospels all record that Jesus began His public ministry at around the age of 30. While we may not know exactly how old He was at the time, it is important to understand why this was the case.
One reason for this was that it was the traditional age when Jewish children were considered mature enough to participate in religious ceremonies and attend classes.
The Gospel of John, for example, reports that Jesus attended three Passovers during His ministry.
This means that, at the very least, Jesus spent three years preaching and traveling with His disciples.
Another factor was that, being the firstborn son of Joseph, Jesus had a lot of responsibilities on His shoulders at an early age.
This included managing a family business, and also taking on the role of household head and caretaker of His siblings.
In addition, He was a teacher in the synagogue, which required extensive learning and preparation to do well.
Finally, there was the fact that He had been ritually circumcised at 8 days old, which was a requirement under Jewish law for all males.
This was a symbol of his acceptance into the community of faith. So, when He began His public ministry at the age of 30, He was already very experienced and knowledgeable in the scriptures and religion.
This would have been helpful in preparing Him for His ministry and helping Him to develop a deeper relationship with God.
How Did Jesus Christ Die?
Jesus suffered and died on the cross. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us that He spent three to six hours on the cross with a substantial amount of that time in darkness.
The Synoptic Gospels mention that He was crucified outside Jerusalem, on a hill called Golgotha or Calvary (a Roman name meaning “skull”).
When the Roman soldier pierced Jesus’ side with a spear after he was nailed to the cross, a sudden flow of blood and water streamed out.
This indicates that he was already dead when the spear struck his side, according to respected physiologist James Thompson.
Medical experts have long wondered about the nature of Jesus’ death. They have generally agreed that crucifixion alone is not a sufficient cause of death, but many have offered alternative explanations.
A leading theory is that a combination of exhaustion, beatings and crucifixion caused a heart rupture.
It is also possible that a combination of pain, stress and emotional turmoil led to a heart attack or other cardiovascular event.
Another possibility is that Jesus suffered from an extremely rare medical condition called hematidrosis. This is a disorder in which the body loses a significant volume of blood in sweat.
It is possible that this condition combined with a highly emotionally charged situation led to a massive loss of blood and contributed to the rapid heart failure that caused Jesus’ death.
The Gospels do not state when he died, but the common date of his death is AD 30 to 33.