Who Is Jesus Christ?
Background
Jesus has been acclaimed as the greatest religious leader who ever lived, as being the most influential person to have lived on our planet, and as being unique to the degree that no one can be compared to Him.
But considering Jesus Christ merely on the basis of an exemplary life and His superior moral teaching will not remove the stumbling blocks to Christianity raised by an unbelieving world. The real test of what one thinks of Him must revolve around who He claimed to be and what He accomplished during His brief mission to our planet. Our conclusion must be that there is no Christianity without Christ; all centers in Him.
The predominant theme of the Scriptures is the Person and the work of Jesus Christ. He is God. He became a human being, died by crucifixion, and was buried. He rose again from the dead. He is the only, all-sufficient Savior of the world. He will come again to this earth. Removing this from the Scriptures robs them of all coherent meaning and continuity.
Get to Know Jesus Christ, the Central Figure in Christianity
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Also Known as: Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Anointed One, or the Messiah of Israel. He is Immanuel (of Emmanuel from the Greek), meaning “God with us.” He is the Son of God, the Son of Man, and Savior of the World.
Known for: Jesus was a first-century Jewish carpenter from Nazareth in Galilee. He became a master teacher who performed many miracles of healing and deliverance. He called 12 Jewish men to follow him, working closely with them to train and prepare them to carry on the ministry. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God, fully human and fully divine, Creator and Savior of the World, and the founder of Christianity. He died on a Roman cross to give his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world to accomplish human redemption.
Bible References: Jesus is mentioned more than 1,200 times in the New Testament. His life, message, and ministry are recorded in the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Occupation: Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter, or skilled craftsman by trade. Most likely, Jesus worked alongside his father Joseph as a carpenter. In the book of Mark, chapter 6, verse 3, Jesus is referred to as a carpenter.
Hometown: Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea and grew up in Nazareth in Galilee.
The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew-Aramaic word Yeshua, meaning “Yahweh [the Lord] is salvation.” The name Christ is actually a title for Jesus. It comes from the Greek word “Christos,” meaning “the Anointed One,” or “Messiah” in Hebrew.
Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem by order of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, for claiming to be the King of the Jews. He resurrected three days after his death, appeared to his disciples, and then ascended into heaven.
His life and death provided the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. The Bible teaches that humankind was separated from God through Adam’s sin but was reconciled back to God through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.
In the future, Jesus Christ will return to earth to claim his Bride, the church. At his Second Coming, Christ will judge the world and establish his eternal kingdom, thus fulfilling messianic prophecy.
Accomplishments of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ’s accomplishments are too numerous to list. Scripture teaches that he was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life. He turned water into wine, healed many sick, blind, and lame people. He forgave sins, he multiplied fish and loaves of bread to feed thousands on more than one occasion, he delivered the demon-possessed, he walked on water, he calmed the stormy sea, he raised children and adults from death to life. Jesus Christ proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God.