IS JESUS CHRIST ONLY A MAN?

I wrote this in 1988 in Osaka.

IS JESUS CHRIST ONLY A MAN?

Q. Who is Jesus Christ?
A. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary at Bethlehem and spent His early life in Nazareth. Hence, the title, Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 1: 1, 23). Jesus started preaching repentance toward God and performing miracles after He was baptized by John the Baptist (John 3: 13-17). Later He was crucified on the cross at Golgotha and was buried. After 3 days He rose again showing Himself to His disciples and was seen by more than 500 believers before He ascended to heaven (I Corinthians 15: 3-8).

Q. Is Jesus Christ just a man?
A. No. He is the Eternal God who became man. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,2,14). Paul testifies that “Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:6,7). While He lived as a man, He never ceased to be God. While on earth, He remained God and never lost His essential deity. But it must be also emphasized that He lived and put on the very nature of man (Philippians 2:7). He got tired and had to rest (Mark 4:38), was hungry (Mark 11:12) and died (I Cor 15:3). He is perfectly God (Titus 2:13) and perfectly man (Heb 4:15).

Q. Did Jesus Christ as a man have a sinful nature like us?
A. No. The sinful nature of man came as a result of Adam's transgression. Adam sinned and his descendants inherited his sinful nature (Romans 5:12). Any man with a human father has a sinful nature. But Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1: 18-23). Therefore He did not inherit Adam's sinful nature. He has a holy nature like that of the Holy Spirit's.

Q. Why did Jesus Christ come to earth?
A. He came in order that He might reveal God (John 17:6) and redeem sinful men (Mark 10:45; I Timothy 4:10; I John 2:2). “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:8,9). He came because He loved men.

Q. What must I do knowing that He loves me so much?
A. Recognize your sinfulness and turn away from sins “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Believe that Christ's sacrifice on the cross is the full payment for your sins (Romans 3:24,25). Confess that He is your Lord: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation“ (Romans 10: 9,10). Doing these will mean that you are giving Jesus Christ full control of your life which He really deserves. “And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5: 15).

Who is God?

I prepared this while in Osaka in 1988.

Q. Who is God ?

A. God is the One who exists by His own power, "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life”. No one created Him; neither is He the product of any event nor of man's imagination. He created all things out of nothing both "that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers”. (Col. 1:16). His power is infinite and His dominion is boundless. He is actively present in the day to day affairs of the universe "upholding all things by the word of His power”. (Heb. 1:3).

Q. What is the name of God ?

A. God revealed His Name as Yahweh or Jehovah (Exodus 3:13-16). The name means "He that is" or "I Am" or the self-existent and eternal one. To avoid using this divine name (out of supposed reverence), a word meaning 'Lord' was substituted in public reading. English Bibles unfortunately follow the same practice. The following are the English translations of the personal intimate name of God:

YaHWeH: translated as LORD

ADON: translated as Lord

YaHWeH+ADON: translated as LORD GOD

There are also other Hebrew words translated as "GOD":

1. EL The powerful one. It means 'The Deity' meaning God in the distinctiveness of His divine nature.

2. ELOHIM Plural form of EL. It is not translated as gods but the God who completely possesses all the divine attributes. (Genesis 1:1,26-" Let US" :This suggests the Holy Trinity).

3. ADON This means 'Lord' or 'Master'. It describes God as 'Sovereign' or 'Lord' pointing to His divine authority and executive rule. This word is also used of man.

Compound Names of God

• EL SHADDAY or EL SHADDAI

'Shaddai' probably means "mountain”. Mountain is used symbolically of changelessness and enduring strength contrasted to the helplessness of man. Genesis 17:1. This compound name means "The Almighty God”. It refers to God's boundless and infinite power. It implies that God has the power to accomplish that which He promised and planned to do. No one can hinder Him from doing whatever He desires because no power can stop Him. What does this name mean to you? He is able to protect you. He will perform His promises to you. You don't have to fear anything because He is almighty.

• EL ELYON

Genesis 14:18. 'ELYON' means 'Highest'. 'EL ELYON' therefore means 'The Most High God’. It implies that God is the possessor of Heaven and Earth. God has the highest authority and exercises it both in heaven and in earth (Mt. 28:18). Does He exercise authority in your life?

• EL ROI

Genesis 16:13. Hagar's experience. EL ROI means 'The God who sees’. God saw the affliction of Hagar. In the same way, He sees your afflictions. Are you facing problems, persecutions, and afflictions? God is EL ROI.

• EL OLAM

Genesis 21:33. 'OLAM' has two uses:

a) Used of secret or hidden things.

b) Used of an indefinite time and age.

It therefore means "The everlasting God’. From everlasting to everlasting He is God (Psalm 90:2). He has no beginning or end, no father, no mother. In relation to His Word, His Word is Eternal. In relation to His love, His love for you is everlasting. Because He is eternal, He is able to give ETERNAL LIFE to those who trust in Him. Is He your EL OLAM?

• EL BETHEL

It means "The God of Bethel”. Genesis 31:13.

'BETH' means 'House'. 'BETH-EL' means house of God.

Therefore, EL BETHEL means 'The God of the House of God’.

EL BETHEL hears those who pray in the house of God. 2 Chronicles 6:20-21). EL BETHEL hears all vows, requests, and petitions made in the house of God.

• EL ELOHE YISRAEL. Genesis 33:20.

After God delivered Jacob from Esau's anger, Jacob built an altar in Shechem. He called it EL ELOHE YISRAEL. It means "GOD, the God of Israel”. This has special meaning to both Jacob (Israel) as a person and to Israel as a nation. He is the powerful God who is ever present with Jacob and the nation of Israel in times of struggles, problems, and dilemma. In the same manner, God is ever present with each Christian (in a personal way) and His Church in times of trials and difficulties and in times of rejoicing. He is a personal God.

Other Titles of God

The Holy One. The most centrally important title of all. Isaiah 10:17. A variation of this is the title 'The Holy One of Israel' (Isaiah 1:4). In Acts 2:27, Jesus is called the Holy One.

The Lord of Hosts. Describes God as the One great in power. Jeremiah 32:18-23.

Creator. Isaiah 40:28.

Judge. Genesis 18:25.

King. Jeremiah 10:7.

God of all flesh. Jeremiah 32:27.

Q. What is the Holy Trinity ?
A. It means One God eternally existing in three distinct persons (sometimes God is referred to as the Triune God) -- the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections.

Q. Is this taught in the Bible ?
A. Yes. The Bible teaches that there is only One true God (Deut. 6:4; Eph. 4:6; Ex. 34:14) and Him alone we must serve. But God's Word also declares that God exists in three distinct persons -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God the Father. God is revealed as the Father distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 6:9; John 15:26).
God the Son. The Holy Scriptures also teaches that the Son, Jesus Christ, is God and equal to the Father (John 10:30; John 14:7-9; John 17:5; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; John 1:1-4; compare Rev 1:8 and Rev 22:13-16).

God the Holy Spirit. The Bible also teaches that the Holy Spirit is God (see Acts 5:3,4; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:15- 17 compare with Jeremiah 31:33-34).

Q. What then is my duty to God ?

A. King Solomon summarized this for us: "Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14). Jesus made this specific by saying, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent" (John 6:29). "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).

Q. What is the responsibility of those who have believed on Him?

A. To love, serve, and worship Him. Jesus said, "The first of all the commandment is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." (Mark 12: 29-30). God deserves such love and devotion. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, encouraged believers in Christ to serve the Lord: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15: 58). Above all, God is worthy of adoration: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Rev. 4:11). "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:12). Do you give God the love, service, and adoration that is due to Him?

Can I trust the Bible?

I wrote the following while I was in Osaka sometime in 1988.

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE?

Q. What is the supreme and final authority in faith and life?

A. The Bible.

Q. What is the Bible?

A. The Bible is the term applied to the collection of holy books which comprises the Old and New Testaments. It consists of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books.

Q. Can I trust the Bible as my basis in life and practice?

A. Yes, because the Bible, the Word of God, is inerrant and verbally inspired of God in all its parts.

Q. What do we mean when we say that the Bible is inerrant and verbally inspired of God in all its parts?

A. The Bible does not contain errors. It is perfect and pure (Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119:140; Matthew 5:17-18; John 10:35; John 17:17). It is accurate in historical chronology and events related to science. Its author is God Himself who used human writers moved by the Holy Spirit to make His Word available to men (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). The word "inspired" (theopneustos) in the original Greek language literally means "God-breathed". When the Bible claims to be inspired, we understand therefore, that it came from the mouth of God. It is God-breathed, inspired. God selected men who worked with Him in writing the scriptures. However, in this work, God is the author who gave the message, and the selected men are His writing instruments. God guided or inspired them so that the words written are the exact message God wanted recorded in the Bible.

Q. Is the Bible relevant today?

A. Yes. Though it was written centuries ago, it is still relevant today. The truths of the Bible still apply today because God, its author, does not change (Malachi 3:6). What the ancients have discovered about God in their time are still true today. Their experiences "were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4; I Cor 10:11).

Q. What then is my responsibility in relation to the Word of God?

A. Study it. "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein" (Joshua 1:8). Personal study of the Bible (some call it Quiet Time) is beneficial to every follower of Christ. The Bible is not just a great literature or an accurate history book. It is God's Word. Therein is contained God's will and purpose for every believer. We will profit most from the Bible if we obey its commands and apply its holy principles in our lives. If we do so, we will find God's promise to Joshua to be also true to our lives. "For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."