Jesus Christ is the name of the only Begotten Son of the Almighty God whom He sent to the world to save His people. The name JESUS (Greek) or JOSHUA (Hebrew) means Jehovah is salvation; and CHRIST or MESSIAH means the anointed one.- Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31,32; John 1: 41, etc.
The Bible shows clearly that the first thing created by God before all other things was Jesus Christ. He was made a spirit being or creature known as LOGOS(Greek) or WORD(English) which signifies that he is God’s interpreter or spokesman (Proverbs 8:22-30; John 1:1,2; Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14). God gave him power and made him his creative agent through whom He created the heavens and the earth and all other things perfect. – John 1:1-3; Ephesians 3:9; Col. 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2.
In heaven Jesus Christ was the chief of the angels or messengers of God whom He sent to His Holy men and prophets of old for different purposes. (Jude 9) He was sent to Abraham and he appeared as Melchizedek, King of Salem, when he (Abraham) was returning from war. He blessed Abraham who paid tithes to him (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 5:5,6; 7:1-6, 13-14) He followed the Israelites in their journey from Egypt and was the Rock that provided them with water to drink at Horeb. – Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4.
Jesus Christ has other names and titles by which he is clearly distinguished from all other creatures. He is called Shiloh, Emmanuel, Sun of Righteousness, Lamb of God, Amen, Faithful and True Witness, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Root of David, and so on (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Daniel 12:1; Revelation 12: 7; Malachi 4:2; John 1:29; Revelation 3:14; 5:5). Fro the reason that God the Father had fore-ordained him as King of His righteous and everlasting kingdom to whom other kings would be subject, he was referred to as the “Kings of kings”. – Revelation 17:4.
When man sinned and fell away from the favour of God, the sentence of death was passed on him. In order for man to be redeemed from sin and death, the sacrifice of a perfect blood was required (Hebrews 9:22). It was for this purpose, God created Jesus Christ to be transformed or changed from spirit to flesh and was born into the world as a human being. (He did shed his blood for the remission of sins)- Matthew 20:28; 26:28; Romans 5:8,12,18; 1 Tim 2:5,6; Hebrews 2:9, 14-15.
Long before Jesus Christ was born on earth many prophesies were uttered about him. It was prophesied that he would be born a Jew of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10); that he would be born of a virgin and called Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14) and that he would be born into Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Concerning him, it is written: “For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace…” – Isaiah 9:6,7.
It was also foretold that a forerunner would go before him (Isaiah 40:3); that Jesus Christ would be despised, hated, rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief- all for the sins of mankind (Isaiah 53:3-6); that he would betrayed by a familiar friend (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18); that the price of betrayal would be 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12?0; that he would be led like a lamb to the slaughter and killed (Isaiah 53:7,9); and that he would be resurrected – Psalm 16:10. True to these and other prophesies in the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ was born by the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea (Matt. 1:18-25; 2:1; Luke 1:26-28; 2:4-12). All prophesies about him fulfilled.
He was about the age of 30years when he went to John the Baptist and was baptized in River Jordan. At His baptism the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and rested on Him, and God Almighty the Father said in heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” – Matt. 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-23.
After his baptism the Spirit moved him into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, and was tempted of the devil. Christ resisted him and he failed. Jesus began His ministry by preaching the gospel to warn the people to repent of their sins, because the kingdom of God was at hand (Matthew 4:1-11,17). He did many good works and miracles?; he turned water into wine at a marriage feast in Cana of Galilee which was his first miracle; and opened the eyes of the blind; he fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fishes; the lame walked and lepers were cleansed; the deaf heard and the dumb spoke; and the dead were raised. – John 2:1-10; 6:5-13; Luke 7:22.
Despite all his good works and many miracles, some people did not believe on him. For 30 pieces of silver Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of His apostles, into the hands of the wicked who put him to death by hanging him on a tree. However, God raised him the third day to live forever. (John 12:37; Matthew 26:14, 47-48; Luke 22:3-6, 47; Acts 2:32; 3:30; 10:38-41; Revelation 1:18). He was raised a Spirit and was on earth for 40 days and seen by the apostles and others before he ascended to heaven in the presence of the 11 apostles only. – Acts 1:1-3, 9-11; 1 Peter 3:18. The main reasons why Jesus Christ came to the world are:
1. To preach the truth or gospel of God’s Kingdom to enlighten the people and free them from Satan’s bondage so as to serve God in spirit and in truth, and be saved. – Matthew 4: 17,23; Luke 4:16-21; ?John 1:17; 4:23,24; 8: 32,36; 18:37.
2. To give his life as a ransom for mankind by shedding his perfect blood for the remission of sins. – Matthew 20:28; 26:28; John 10:10,11; 1 Timothy 2:6; Revelation 1:5.
3. To obtain power through death so as to destroy Satan the devil, the author of sin and death and all his evil works, and delver the children of God from the bondage of sin and death. – Luke 4:16-21; Hebrews 2: 9, 14-15; 1 John 3:8.
Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man(1 Tim 2:5). He fulfilled his mission on earth faithfully, and because he was obedient, even unto death, God the Father has highly exalted Him and given him a name above all other creatures, “that at the name of Jesus every kneel should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11.
According to the Bible, it is only through Jesus Christ that salvation to eternal life can be obtained (Acts 4:10-12). Jesus Himself said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) It is important, therefore, that we believe in and follow Jesus Christ in truth in order to be saved.