c) 2012' name='copyright'/>Michael DeShane Hinton: Who Is Jesus?

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Who Is Jesus?

Jesus of Nazareth is the one of whom the New Testament speaks, in the Bible.

The Kerygma

Kerygma means that which is proclaimed and comes from the original Greek language in which the New Testament was written. It proclaims as facts about Jesus propositions that apply only to him. It is the uniquely Christian word about who Jesus is and what he did. These facts make Christianity different from any other religion that exists or ever did exist before Jesus. All true Christians everywhere have always believed these things about Jesus, which constitutes the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Faith:

1. Jesus is the Christ, that is, the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. He is the only-begotten Son of God and Savior of the world.

2. He died on the Cross for our sins, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

3. On the third day he arose and lives to reign as Lord of the universe.

4. Everyone should repent and believe in him, because Christianity supersedes Judaism as the world’s only true religion. His salvation is offered to anyone that wants to follow him for he is sent in love to redeem us. He is head of his body, the Church, the Elect by faith and true Israel of God.

5. He will return to judge the world according to his word and to complete the salvation of his people, granting resurrection of the body and eternal life.

Doctrine of the Trinity

Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, which is defined as one God in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Trinity does not mean three gods as in polytheism. Christians believe with Muslims and Jews that God is One. The Jewish Shema says, Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God is One. The Trinity is congruent with the Shahada, which the Muslims profess, There is no God but Allah …

Christians employ a philosophical distinction between essence and person to say that God is one, whole, perfect and eternal being, who exists in three co-equal persons. The universal quality of God-ness, or divinity, attaches to Christ, thus modifying traditional dualism.

The God-Man

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a miraculous birth to Mary, his mother, who was still a virgin. Therefore, the Nicene Creed says Jesus is fully God and fully a man, a unique individual of a wonderful and mysterious nature, God incarnate.

Son of Man

Jesus is the Son of Man of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus called himself the Son of Man 88 times. This refers to Daniel 7:13-14:

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Through Christ the New Covenant opens the door of the Faith to all kinds of people. His is a universal Gospel, meaning salvation is offered to everyone not a chosen few. Men, women, young and old, rich, poor and in between, people of all nations, races and languages, all sorts and conditions of people may come to God through faith in Christ. So there is no room for racial or ethnic prejudice in Christian discipleship.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Michael, I have enjoyed reading your blog. Thank you for your time, knowledge, consideration and expertise.Your messages were refreshing. May God bless you and keep you safe.