Acknowledge Christ for who He truly is
To accept Jesus Christ while at the same time having a wrong notion of Who He really is amounts to not recognizing Him at all.
DO YOU KNOW who Jesus Christ really is?
“But, of course!” you’d probably say. Such an answer is understandable, especially if you are among the many Bible-believers who claim to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But just how sure are you that you have the correct knowledge about Christ? Do you truly know Him, or, what you know about Him is actually just a misconception?
Make sure that your knowledge about Christ is right, lest you be among those whom the apostles forewarned would be deceived for believing in “another Jesus” or a “Jesus” whom they did not preach:
“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.” (II Cor. 11:3-4 New King James Version)
Christ’s distinctive qualities
The Bible reveals to us Christ’s many God-given qualities, which make Him worthy of our praise and adulation. Some of these are as follows:
God introduced Jesus as His beloved Son
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.” (Matt. 3:17 NKJV)
God made Jesus to be our Lord, Savior, and Mediator
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36 NKJV)
“Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31 NKJV)
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (I Tim. 2:5 NKJV)
God placed Jesus above all creation
“Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.” (Eph. 1:20-22 NKJV)
Christ’s nature or state of being
While it is true that Christ’s characteristics show that He is greater than any ordinary man, these should not be misconstrued as proofs that He is God. Christ Himself teaches that the one and only true God is the Father in heaven (John 17:3, 1). Christ is not the Father; They are very different from each other, as shown in the table above.
Consider these testimonies made by no less than Christ Himself and His apostles:
A Man who speaks God’s truth
Christ Himself said: “But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.” (John 8:40 NKJV)
The one Mediator, a Man
Apostle Paul said: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (I Tim. 2:5 NKJV)
A Man attested by God
Apostle Peter said: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-” (Acts 2:22 NKJV)
Christ is not God
Indeed, we should exalt and honor our Lord Jesus Christ for all the great qualities that God has endowed Him with. But for us to benefit from the salvation that Christ brings, our recognition of Him should not go beyond what the Bible teaches. To gain eternal life is to recognize that the only true God is the Father and that Jesus Christ is the one Whom God has sent (John 17:1, 3).
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