Who is Jesus?

Wednesday, May 05, 2004

No. 56

PLAINER WORDS ONLINE … WHO IS JESUS?

Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of Christ, is well on its way to producing more revenue than any motion picture ever has. This has rocked, stunned, and dumbfounded the anti-Christian motion picture industry, as well as the liberal media establishment. I say that’s good.

The major television networks have even tried to capitalize The Passion’s phenomenal success. One such network, ABC, even had Peter Jennings host a three-hour primetime program entitled something like, “Who Is Jesus and Who Is Paul.”

Even radio talk-show hosts are beating the drum and heaping praises on the genius of Mel Gibson and probably, rightfully so. I’ve perused some internet sites which even feature articles by some of the leading Christian fundamentalists, but my search was in vain. The closest I found to the answer of “Who is Jesus,” was to say “He is the Son of God.” I found no-one who flat-out stated that Jesus Christ is God. However, I know many of them proclaim that He is God from their pulpits, but, perhaps, it would be too offensive to write it for international publication. However, this is not the issue we purpose to address. Our purpose is to present positive biblical truth that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the One and Only true God of the Bible.

Old Testament Hebrews believed in a monotheistic view of God. This was what the Scriptures taught them. There is One God.

Deuteronomy 4:35: “To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD (Yahweh), He is God; there is no other besides Him.”

Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD (Yahweh) our God is one LORD:

Deuteronomy 32:39: “See now that I, even I, am He and there is no God besides Me.”

Isaiah 44:6: “Thus saith the LORD (Yahweh) the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD (Yahweh) of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God.

Isaiah 44:8: “Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.”

Isaiah 45:5: “I AM (Yahweh) the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me:”

Hosea 13:4: “Yet I AM the LORD (Yahweh) thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but Me: for there is no saviour beside Me.”

Hosea states here, not only is there “no god but Me,” he also says that there is “no saviour beside Me.” This tells us that Yahweh (i.e. LORD) is the One and only God, but He is also the One and only Savior.

Isaiah 45:21-22: “Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD (Yahweh)? and there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I AM God, and there is none else.”

Isaiah also says, “a just God and a Saviour: there is none beside Me.” In plainer words, there is but One God and One Savior.

Psalm 106:21:“They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;”

Isaiah 49:26: “And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”

Many more verses could be cited, but for this presentation, we will let this be evidence enough that Yahweh is the One and only true God. Also, He is the One and true Savior. Yahweh’s Name in the New Testament, as we have previously pointed out, is Jesus.

Now, notice how this truth carries over into Paul’s post-Acts epistles.

Philippians 3:20: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

1Timothy 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.” The “Lord Jesus Christ” designates Him as being the One God.

I Timothy 2:3: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.”

I Timothy 4:10: “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”

Titus 1:3-4: “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.”

In these two verses, we read “God our Saviour” and “the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.” It has been established that there is but one Savior; “God our Savior” and “the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.” Therefore, God and the Lord Jesus Christ are synonymous. They are One and the Same.

Titus 2:10: “Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”

Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

Titus 3:4: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.”

Titus 3:6: “Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.”

We cannot know all of the complexity of Deity. “Great is the mystery of godliness.” However, we can understand that which has been revealed about Deity in the Scriptures.

There is only One true God, and He is the One true Savior. Yahweh was God’s Name in the Hebrew Srciptures. Yahweh was the One true Savior. Jesus Christ is God’s Name in the New Testament. Jesus Christ is the One true Savior.

So, in answer to “Who is Jesus?” He is God and Savior—the One and only. Is someone really a believer in Jesus Christ if he does not embrace this wonderful truth? I think not.

Tom L. Ballinger