Discover Jesus: The Savior

 for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 MOUNCE 

30 He brought them out of the prison and said, `Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'  31 They replied, `Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. All the people in your house must do the same.' Acts 16:30-31 WE

 We have begun a new journey of discovery. We began the journey by discovering who the believer is in Christ. Then the Spirit impressed on me to focus more on the Lord Jesus Christ. We really can't know who we are if we don't know and understand who He is.

This brings us to the next discovery about Jesus. Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is the 2nd person in the Godhead. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. In Him is the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and we are complete in Him. This is not to get too "heavy" or "deep" theologically speaking.

 Getting into real deep theology isn't where everyone lives in their daily lives. That is, how does deep theology really impact people in their daily lives? It is good to gain knowledge and understanding about God, but it should have practical effects in daily living.  

So let me say there is one practical element of knowing about the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is actually beautiful when you ponder it. God Himself so loved you and me that He took on flesh, became a man, and paid the highest price. God left the boundless wonders of Heaven and dwelt among us in this fallen and fractured creation.

 Jesus came to pay the price and be the Savior of all mankind. He willingly took the pain and bore the curse of Calvary to pay the price to redeem mankind.

 A question may arise;

"Why do I need to be saved? What do I need to be saved from?"

 The Cross speaks to us of the universal need for salvation. God revealed in His Word why we all need to be saved. Let me briefly address the foolishness of pseudo-grace, universalism, and inclusionism. They make claims using out-of-context and misapplied passages, and teach that no one was ever lost.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled Colossians 1:21 NKJV

  This passage is used to conclude that no one was really lost. That the lost state was really just a lost state of mind. The devil simply convinced mankind in the garden that they were lost, but it was all in their minds, in their imagination. 

 Calvary proves this nonsensical position false. If it were a mere mental block, God didn't need to come to earth as a man. Jesus didn't need to suffer and die a criminal's death. Look at the passage again and get a clearer image.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, Colossians 1:21 NLT

  Mankind was lost and separated from God by their evil deeds and thoughts. Let's not take the amazing out of Grace. Grace is amazing because this loving and holy God stooped down to the level of wicked and lost mankind and paid the full price of redemption.

 God is also just; He will not force Himself on anyone. The price He paid on the Cross was for all mankind. He saves from the uttermost to the guttermost. He saves rich and poor, fat and thin, tall and short. He offers salvation to all, but it is not automatic; a response is needed. He only asks that we believe and receive the free gift of forgiveness of all sins, eternal life, and Righteousness.

 Since we know all mankind is lost and in need of a Savior, what then must we do to be saved? Traditional religion places obstacles in the path of the lost seeking salvation. They say you must first turn from all your sinning, then God will save you. They say you must also promise and commit to God that you will stop sinning, then God will save you.

 That is a works-based salvation. Lordship salvation is the theological term for this performance-rooted message. This message is not good news. It places the burden back on the sinner seeking salvation instead of seeing Jesus taking all the burdens on that Cross. 
 The Good News of Jesus Christ is so much better. Jesus came to earth, and He walked among us. He demonstrated the Goodness of God before our eyes. He brought deliverance, provision, healing, and an abundant life. 

 Looking at our opening texts, we see all we need to do is call on the name of the Lord. All God is looking for is a spark of Faith. Just believe, and you will be saved. You will be forgiven of all your sins, past, present, and future. You will receive eternal life, and that life is secure eternally. You will receive the free gift of Righteousness. Right standing, acceptance, approval, no more condemnation or shame, but the ability to stand in the presence of God without fear or guilt or a sense of unworthiness or inferiority. 

 Discover Jesus, our Savior. This is the Good News, this is the best news. God so loved the world that He came and died and rose again for us all, and whosoever simply believes will freely receive eternal life. This is exciting news, spread and herald this good news for all to hear! God is not mad at you or anyone. Come receive this free gift

Image by Arnie Bragg from Pixabay

Discover: Jesus!

 

9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV

9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.  10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:9-10 NLT

  Awe and wonder. That's what many experienced when they encountered the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. Others experienced deep love and tangible goodness leading to repentance. Still others experienced indignation as He tore down their religious traditions and exposed their illusion of control. 

 What they all had in common was that they discovered Jesus. Who is this Jesus? As vital as it is to discover who we are, what we have, and what we can do in and through Christ, it is of greatest value to discover Jesus, who He is, and what He has done and is still doing today. 

 Jesus is not some ancient religious figure. He is not on the same level as Buddha, Mohammed, or Confucius. He is not some great teacher or philosopher like Socrates or Plato. Jesus surpasses them all. He is Most High! You can visit the tomb of Mohammed or Buddha, but Jesus is alive!

 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind…14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-4, 14 MEV

 Jesus is the fullness of God bodily. Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is the only One. No one else can stand at the same level as Jesus. There is no different way to Heaven. There are not many paths to God. Jesus is the only way. Every philosophy, religion, or faith-Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Krishna, Kabbala, Shinto, or any other one can name is powerless to save, and leaves its followers empty, broken, and wanting. 

 12 There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

 Jesus declared He was the way to the Father, not a way! Jesus is who He said He was. Before Abraham, He is the great I AM! Some may ask, are you saying Jesus is God? Yes. But more importantly, Jesus declared it Himself

 Salvation, eternal life, and Righteousness are only found in Christ. Jesus became a man, as a man, He felt what we felt. He was tired or hungry just like any other human. He was the last Adam; the first Adam brought death; the last Adam brought life

 Because God became a man, He could pay the price needed for the redemption of mankind. He walked as we walked and shared in the experience of mankind, yet was without sin. He was the spotless Lamb and on Calvary He took on sin, the curse, the fallen nature, and paid the price in full. 

 Discover Jesus! He is the divine Son of God. He became a man to be the substitutionary offering for all mankind. He was sinless yet could be touched by the feelings of our weakness. Knowing the perfection of Jesus helps us better understand our Righteousness, our redemption, and our Faith. 

 Jesus is not some historical figure. He is God with us. What we see when we see Jesus is the expressed will of God. In His Divinity, see Him as the Father's heart longing for a family. Jesus is God, Jesus is the substitutionary once-for-all sacrifice, Jesus is the Person of Grace! 

Jesus is not distant. He is not frozen in stained glass or confined to pages of history. He is risen, ascended, and seated at the right hand of the Father — and He is alive today. He is still saving, still healing, still delivering, still baptizing in the Holy Spirit, still building His Church, still revealing the Father. He is not a memory to be studied; He is alive today and desires relationship with man. The same Jesus who walked on water, who touched lepers, who forgave sinners, and who silenced storms is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has not changed. He has not diminished. He has not stepped back from humanity. He is present, powerful, and personally involved.

Discover Jesus — not as religion presents Him, but as He truly is. Lift your eyes beyond formulas, beyond movements, beyond even identity truths, and behold the Person Himself. Christianity is not behavior modification. It is not rule-keeping. It is not moral striving. It is union with the living Christ. When you discover who He is, everything else finds its place. Your righteousness makes sense. Your forgiveness is secure. Your identity becomes settled. Jesus is not an accessory to your life — He is your life. He is the center, the source, the substance, and the sum of all things. Discover Jesus.

Image by David Yonatan González Aburto from Pixabay