Ecclesia Global Missions

What does it mean to you to be a Christian? This can be a rather loaded question. There are many different levels and aspects to this question, there are many different directions that you can go in, especially if you feel that you are a mature Christian. 

But seriously, if a stranger walked up to you and asked you what you thought it meant to be a Christian, what would you say to them?

On the outset, we might think, well, it means that we know about Jesus Christ. Ok, that is a start, but doesn’t it go much deeper than that?

1 Corinthians 2:2

English Standard Version

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Philippians 3:10

English Standard Version

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

We might think, well, I know scripture, I can recite many verses, and I know what God’s Word says about many things. As important as this is, is this all of it? For example, the Pharisees knew the law, they knew the scriptures of old by heart! It was memorized, and they could easily quote it. Yet, as we notice from our perspective, they were walking with some sort of legalism. 

John 14:6

English Standard Version

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 John 5:13

English Standard Version

That You May Know

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

We might even think, well, I think I am a good person; I help the poor, and I treat people with kindness to the best of my ability, so that too makes me a Christian. This is also a step in the right direction, as we discussed being doers of God’s Word these last few weeks. 

James 1:22

Amplified Bible

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].

What about worshiping? Maybe you think I am a Christian as I worship God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I sing praise music and worship music.

Ephesians 5:19

Amplified Bible

19 Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

Even if you put these “descriptions” together, there is still so much more to being a Christian than this!

The first step is knowing Jesus. Not just knowing about Him, not just knowing what He did or Who He is. It is an intimate knowing. Of course, God reveals this to us!

We open our hearts to learning more about Jesus, to believing in and accepting Him, and even having faith in Him. Knowing that He went to the cross and because of Him, our sins are redeemed. The price for our sinful nature has been paid. 

Colossians 2:13-14

Amplified Bible

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross.

Romans 5:8

Amplified Bible

8 But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Yet, it is still more than this…

Do you know Jesus? Well, as much as we can possibly know Him anyway. I don’t know if our minds can fully fathom Who He is. 

Peter urges us to know Jesus

2 Peter 3:18

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

18 But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)!

This is simply more than a superficial knowledge of Jesus Christ. Notice it says recognition; when we are able to recognize something, it is often due to our familiarity with it, again having an intimate knowledge, knowing Jesus in our hearts, not just our minds. 

As we learn more about Jesus and gain knowledge and understanding about Him, let us remember that this wisdom comes from God! He reveals Who Jesus is in His Word. He reveals that Jesus is many, many things, meaning He has many different attributes or characteristics just as our Heavenly Father does, and yes, one such instance is that Jesus is known as the Word of God.

John 1:1-4

Amplified Bible

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. 2 He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. 3 All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. 4 In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.

John 1:14

Amplified Bible

The Word Made Flesh

14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).

There is a lot to dig into in these scriptures, but I think our focus today is that Jesus, being the Word of God, is part of God, He is part of the Deity, of Who God is:

Colossians 1:19

Amplified Bible

19 For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son),

Colossians 2:9

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

9 For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].

Jesus is part of the Triune God, the one and only God. 

Matthew 28:19

Amplified Bible

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

John 10:30

Amplified Bible

30 I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].”

Deuteronomy 6:4

Amplified Bible

4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one [the only God]!

Jesus existed in the beginning with God. He didn’t just form or become part of God as He became man. Not only is He part of the Trinity, but He is also the image of God: 

Colossians 1:15

Amplified Bible

15 He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.

Have you thought of Jesus in this way? That He is the living image of God? 

What does that mean to you? Does that speak to you about the deity, the divine nature of Jesus Christ? Does it bring God closer to you? Make Him more real?

What about these scriptures in John and Hebrews: 

John 1:18

Amplified Bible

18 No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].

Hebrews 1:1-2

Amplified Bible

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, 2 has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum].

Do these scriptures help you to realize Who Jesus is as He is being revealed to us, as we read about Him, as we learn about Him, and as we open our hearts to Him? 

We may already ‘know” all that Jesus has done for us, we may already feel thankful and grateful for what He did, and we may even already be ready to submit ourselves, our families, and everything we know to Him. But how much of Jesus do you know?

There are still so many people who have missed Jesus. I can point to the Pharisees, I can point to the Jews who played a part in Jesus’ crucifixion, and I can point to so many “Christians” who have yet to repent and turn back to Him. I have been guilty of this in my past and am ever so grateful that the Lord offers grace and continues to reveal Himself to me, that He opened my heart and my eyes just He says He will do in Isaiah.

Isaiah 42:6-7

Amplified Bible

6 “I am the Lord, I have called You (the Messiah) in righteousness [for a righteous purpose],

I will also take You by the hand and keep watch over You,

And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people [Israel],

As a light to the nations (Gentiles),

7 To open the eyes of the blind,

To bring out prisoners from the dungeon

And those who sit in darkness from the prison.

If you are still struggling with seeing Jesus for all that He is, for the majesty, the power, and the might that is a part of who He is, ask the Lord to open your eyes, to open your ears, to open your mind, and to open your heart. He wants to reveal Himself to you on a deeper level. He wants that closeness with you. 

John 15:15

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

15 I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]

Humble yourself and allow Him to continue to reveal things to you, to save you from the darkness, to shed His light upon situations, and to bring forth His truth, because now is the time for His truth to be shared!

There were several occasions in the Bible when people would declare Jesus as the Son of God; even demons declared it. They were often told to keep that information to themselves, that He didn’t want them to spread this fact to anyone yet. 

Pilate even asked Jesus several questions about who He was; Jesus simply stated that He is the King of the Jews. He did not answer all of Pilate’s questions, nor did He try to save Himself from what was about to happen. I used to wonder why wouldn’t He tell more or share more, why would He not share about Who He was even to some people. 

Well, in Isaiah 42 again, it was said: 

Isaiah 42:1-4

Amplified Bible

God’s Promise concerning His Servant

1 “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;

My Chosen One in whom My soul delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the nations.

2 “He will not call out or shout aloud,

Nor make His voice heard in the street.

3 “A broken reed He will not break [off]

And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish [He will not harm those who are weak and suffering];

He will faithfully bring forth justice.

4 “He will not be disheartened or crushed [in spirit];

[He will persevere] until He has established justice on the earth;

And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”

Jesus did not go declaring Who He was, He did not go shouting out Who He was or speak of it in the street or in front of many.  He was gentle for the most part, and He was very humble. These scriptures here speak of all these things that Jesus is. Let’s take a look at bringing justice to the nations. 

We know that the Israelites kept thinking that the Messiah would come and save them, which He did, just not how they expected Him to. I think this is good for us to look at as we have done this ourselves in our walk with God. 

He may have foretold us about something, He may have revealed something in His Word, and we misinterpreted it, we misread it, we missed all the cues and all that He was saying to us. We do this from our limited perspective. I don’t think I would have thought any differently than many of God’s people did at the time. They were under such severe oppression from the Romans that they had hoped the justice that came would have been about that. This is a good reminder for us to ask ourselves if we are still holding God to certain expectations that He may not have promised to begin with. Just as the Jews at that time did, we can become so focused on what we expect that we miss the amazing things that God is doing. We miss what Jesus has done and continues to do for us, in us, and through us!

Jesus did bring justice. Hindsight is always 20/20, and we have the blessed perspective of the times that we are in. Meaning, we know what happened to Jesus, and we know what His crucifixion did for us. God opened our eyes to it, He called us by name to Him. 

Part of the justice that Jesus brought was making us just and righteous. Something that we could never do on our own. 

1 Peter 2:24

Amplified Bible

24 He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed.

Colossians 2:14

Amplified Bible

14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross.

Part of this process is the healing that He brought to so many who were hurting. Hurting physically, emotionally, and, of course, spiritually. He saved the oppressed, the depressed, and the suppressed. Just as Isaiah foretold and as Jesus mentioned Himself. 

Mark 2:17

Amplified Bible

17 When Jesus heard this, He said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need of a physician, but [only] those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners [who recognize their sin and humbly seek forgiveness].”

Luke 5:31-32

Amplified Bible

31 And Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but [only] those who are sick. 32 I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].”

Did you notice that we have a part to play in this? This is part of being a doer. We must repent! Recognize our sins, change our way of thinking, ask for forgiveness, and turn to God. If we are not able to recognize our sin, if we are stuck in our thinking, if the enemy has closed our eyes, our ears, our hearts, and our minds, it makes it very hard for us to do this alone. We must ask for help! Jesus is that help, and He sends our helper, the Holy Spirit. 

Take a look at what John says in 

1 John 1:5

Amplified Bible

God Is Light

5 This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].

There is no darkness at all in God, which means there is no darkness in Jesus. He is the Light of the world as is recognized in Isaiah and as He proclaimed in John:

John 8:12

Amplified Bible

Jesus Is the Light of the World

12 Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

John 12:46

Amplified Bible

46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.

He saves us from the darkness of death, the penalty for our sins. He saves us from the evil one when we submit to Him. Jesus saves us in so many different ways. When we are walking in His righteousness, when we are walking according to God’s ways, and walking in repentance, He saves us. Just as God saved Daniel from the darkness of the lion’s den, 

Daniel 6:22

Amplified Bible

22 My God has sent His angel and has shut the mouths of the lions so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also before you, O king, I have committed no crime.”

just as the apostles in the book of Acts were saved from prison: 

Acts 5:18-20

Amplified Bible

18 They arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and leading them out, he said, 20 “Go, stand and continue to tell the people in the temple [courtyards] the whole message of this Life [the eternal life revealed by Christ and found through faith in Him].”

Peter was saved from prison

Acts 12:5-11

New King James Version

Peter Freed from Prison

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

Paul and Silas were saved

Acts 16:25-26

Amplified Bible

25 But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 suddenly there was a great earthquake, so [powerful] that the very foundations of the prison were shaken and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.

In every one of these instances of being saved from something, in the darkness, there was rejoicing and people turning to God! Many were even rejoicing in God amid the darkness!

Remember that as Jesus is saving you from whatever the darkness might be in your life, look for Him, look to Him, and rejoice in Him!

It is important to remember that it is not knowing deeply about Jesus that saves; it is not our works that save us. It is only Jesus Himself who saves us. When we first became Christians, we did not know Jesus very well or know very much about Him. We knew that His blood washed us clean and by His sacrifice, the price for our sins has been paid.

What we are talking about today and for the next few weeks is about Who Jesus is, the mightiness, the awesomeness, the attributes of Him. 

Ask Him to help you to see Him in this new light if it is new for you. Ask Him to help you dig into these things that we are discussing today so you can grow closer to Him and grow spiritually as Peter urges us to do! Pray, meditate on His Word, and spend time getting to know Who Jesus is, and we will continue to learn more about Him in the coming weeks. 

Jude 1:24-25

Amplified Bible

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen.