JESUS

Raphael Oye. Taiwo

          If we ask every man of the world today what he thinks of Jesus, the answer we will receive will be as varied as members of the animal kingdom. Some will be show pitiful ignorance, some will be flattering to Jesus as a man but blasphemous to His divinity, some will be amusing and some will be downright stupid. Some, however, will be scripturally right.

          What do you think of Jesus?

          Do you think of him only as a wonderful boy born in the manger about two thousand years ago, the birth of whom is still remembered today on Christmas days with a lot of  dancing, exchange of gifts, eating and drinking? Do  you  think of Him only as a good man who came to the world, lived like a philanthropist and died like any other man? Do you think of Him only as a powerful prophet or a wonderful teacher?

          Some don’t even think of Him as worthy of their consideration.

To save man from sin and Satan, Jesus Christ, became man so that He could be offered as atoning sacrifice.  He allowed Himself to be beaten, whipped, spat upon, cruelly treated and killed on the cross of Calvary. 

Crucifixion was the most obnoxious form of capital punishment ever invented. It was the most cruel death the Roman law could devise. The Prince of heaven died for the sin of the world.

          He is the greatest man who ever lived on this earth.  He is deity embodies in humanity.  He is the holiest among the mighty and the mightiest among the holy. He is the Conqueror of death, the King of glory.

JESUS FIRST ADVENT INTO THE WORLD.

Before the great mountains of the world was commanded into being by God, before the great oceans of the world were given the order that brought them into existence, before the laws that govern the universe were set in motion, Jesus had being, sharing with the Father the holiest and most majestic throne of heaven.

John 1:1-4 

1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

2. The same was in the beginning with God. 

3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

          Jesus is the One referred to in this scripture as ‘the Word’ (Rev. 19:13). The beginning of time, in which the first thing that came into existence, found this Being called the Word of God in existence. When the angels came into being and, for the first time, stared in wonder at their glorious Maker, they found not only the Father sitting on the resplendent throne, but also the Son who they instinctively recognized as the Word of God.

          The world was from the beginning, but the Word was in the beginning.

Through Jesus the Father created all that He created. Nothing the Father did was done behind Him. Nothing was formed by the omnipotent Hand of  the Father without His consent and active participation in the creation.

Phi 2:5-9 

5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

6.  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Why did Jesus have to come into the world as a human being?

The sin of the first man had cause a big gulf between man and God. That sin had brought man under the power of sin and Satan, a pitiless task master. The gate of hell had been flung open by sin for man. (For detailed study of this topic, please download my free book, ‘Man, Spiritual death and Life.’)

The loving and merciful God didn’t like what sin had done to man. But the just and holy God could not overlook and cancel the sin of man. Mercy and justice, both of which are of God, are in conflict. God’s mercy wanted the effect of sin neutralized but God’s justice wouldn’t overlook man’s sin.

Somebody who was not under the power of sin, upon whom God’s justice could not demand punishment for sin. No created being was qualified.

Job 4:18 

Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

Rom 3:23 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

No angel or man qualified to satisfy the demand of justice for man’s sin, so God sent His holy Son.

Jesus stripped Himself of the glory and power of God and came into the world as a mere servant. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness. (Phi 2:7 Good News Bible).

The Virgin Birth

God found a virgin – a woman who had not had sexual relationship with a man – to give carry in her womb for nine months the One who was to carry away the sins of the world. Through this virgin, Jesus would receive human body and blood. To be a real man, he had to receive  real human body and blood from his parent.  

The big question that has been asked over the centuries is: Why was it necessary for Jesus to be born by a virgin without the biological participation of man?

          When God created man He gave him dominion over the World and all that were in it.  Through the trick of the devil Adam and Eve kicked against the commandment of God that forbade them to eat the fruit of ‘The Tree Of He Knowledge Of Good And Evil’ (Genesis 3).

          God held the man responsible for this original sin.  And through him the sin and the consequent death (spiritual death) could be passed on to their seeds.

Rom 5:12, 14, 17, 18 

12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 

14.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 

17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 

18.  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

In this scripture we see that through man – not ‘woman’, but ‘man’ sin - entered the world, and sin and death are passed on to other members of the human race.  If sin is passed on from man then men – not women – must be the ‘carriers’, though women are not excluded from the effects of the original sin. 

If it were possible for someone to be born through a woman only – without sexual union with man – that person would not have Adam’s sin passed on to him or her.

If Jesus had inherited Adam’s sin it would not be possible for Him to die and make atonement for the sin of the world. Through the arrangement of the ‘virgin birth’ for His Son, God could protect the man Jesus from inheriting Adam’s sin.

          Jesus lived as godly as no man had ever lived. He lived a  sinless life

Heb 4:15 

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

He lived a good life

Act 10:38 

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

He lived a life pleasing to His Father who sent Him into the world.

Joh 8:29 

And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.