Who Is Jesus Christ?

Christ An Undoubted Historical Figure

The same Bible, which told me of my sin and faced me with God's broken law, told me also of, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Why Jesus Came

It is the clear teaching of the Bible that this person, Jesus, is God the Son. He saw that men were lost and that they had forfeited their lives to sin. His life was sinless and spotless. He was willing to give his pure life in place of man's sinful life, that we might go free.

Jesus, Himself tells us in John 3:16 that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Christ Claimed To Be God

If Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then we can be sure of salvation; but the difficulty faces us: Is Jesus Christ really the Son of God? There are only three possibilities:

He is the Son of God.
He is a deceiver.
He is a lunatic.

In the gospels we find Jesus being confronted by the cleverest men of His day, purposely sent to catch Jesus in His own words. Yet Jesus handled these men so skillfully that they did not dare ask Him any more questions (Matthew 22:46). And when we consider the wisdom of His statements from an intellectual standpoint, we see plainly that He was no lunatic.

Then was His wisdom so great that He used it to deceive the people? Have you ever heard of a young man associating with swindlers and rogues on the street corners and because of that association becoming ennobled, pure, and honest? No! But I know a young man who, by the reception of Christ into his life, was changed from a person who had the basest desires into the noblest of manhood. I simply can't believe that the reception of a deceiver into one's life could account for such a transformation for good.

The other day I heard a man say,

I owe it to Jesus Christ that I can walk down the street with my head held erect and my shoulders squared to the world. I owe it to Him that I can look a pure woman in the face and grip an honest man by the hand.

I call to witness the opinion of the whole civilized world that Jesus Christ was at least a good Man. If so, then an honest Man, and if honest, He must have been what He claimed to be, the Son of God sent to lay down His sinless life in place of your sinful life and mine.

Some Important Testimonies To Christ

Dr. George Earl Davis, a physicist writes:

That atheism exists in scientific circles is undeniable. But the popular belief that atheism is more prevalent among scientists than among the unscientific has never been proved and is, in fact, contrary to the impressions gained at first hand by many of the scientists themselves.

Dr. Paul Clarence Aebersold, a biophysicist, says:

"Francis Bacon, English philosopher and statesman, said more than three centuries ago,

A little philosophy inclines a man to atheism; a depth of philosophy brings him to religion.

Bacon was unquestionably right. Today thousands of scientists, educators and professional men would gladly add their affirmation to the claims of Christ."

Dr. William G. Pollard, Former Executive Director of Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies, has written

Physics is just as much based on faith as Christianity. Christianity's factual and intellectual basis is just as broad as modern physics. While both begin in faith, both lead to knowledge for those involved.

Vaughn Shoemaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, has written:

Far more important to me than the appreciated lines in Who's Who - far, far more important - is the sure knowledge of having one's name written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The praise of man is much like perfume - pleasant and sweet to the sense of smell, but not to be swallowed. Only as we pour such praise at the feet of Jesus Christ, to whom we owe everything, does it [life] have its rightful place.

Robert E. (Bobbie) Richards, former Olympic track star, said:

My only reason for being in sports is to give my testimony to youth of all the world that Jesus Christ can save us from sin, and that one can be a Christian and still excel in good, creative things. Young people need to realize that God unleashed a tremendous spiritual power when Jesus Christ died on Calvary.

Lt Gen. William K. Harrison (Ret.), former Senior Delegate of the United Nations Command Truce Team in Korea and later Commander-in-Chief of the Caribbean Command, wrote:

It is wonderful to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and I am exceedingly thankful that God has graciously led me to saving faith in Christ. God gives us who believe in Christ, a daily, personal experience which is convincing evidence of the reality of the new life in Christ.

I am convinced that the Scripture is true, that Jesus Christ was and is the Son of God, and that God so loved me that Jesus was sent to suffer the full penalty of my sins - death, that I might go free. And I understand that Jesus willingly came. In order to retain my self-respect as an intelligent being, I must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour. If I would retain any ideal or love for nobleness in life, I dare not reject a love that led Christ to such a death as He died on Calvary's cross for me. I have no option; My whole being goes out to receive such a Saviour. Does not yours?

Will you honestly face the fact that Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God, the fact that history concedes He lived an unequalled life, and the fact that the Bible teaches Jesus Christ died for your sins on Calvary's cross? In our next two lessons we will consider some of the more common mistakes people make when considering Christ.