Who Is Jesus Christ?

[Hugh B]

Rather then confuse the Catholic thread started by acmanco, I will start another on the real question.

The question is not which religious organization one belongs to or what sort of Christian organization one adheres to but rather if one calls him or herself a Christian what do you believe. Not what your church believes but what do you believe.

If you call yourself a Christian you are in some way making the claim that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

So the question is Who Is He? What Is He? or What Was He? If you are a follower of Christ then what do you mean by that? Who is this one you claim to follow? Who is he to you?

I don't care if you consider yourself a Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Lutheran or something else, if you claim to be Christian then who is this one you claim to follow?

[coolwhip]

I suppose that Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ....duh.:rolleyes:

[classical]

He is my father, my saviour and my path to everlasting life.

[Hugh B]

Is he a man, a prophet, a wise person, a nut or is he God? Is he past or is he present?

Coolwhip, the question is a bit more complex than duh!

[jdblack]

So the question is Who Is He? Son of God. What Is He? Our savior. or What Was He? The sacrificial lamb so that you and I can have our place in heaven. If you are a follower of Christ then what do you mean by that? Jesus lead the way by living a life without sin. We are born in sin and live sinful lives, but I try to be more like Jesus everyday. Do I fail, yes, but I still try none the less.Who is this one you claim to follow? Who is he to you? My everything

Do you not know that Jesus died on the cross so that you could be forgiven for your sins? He gave his life so that we could all have everlasting life if we choose to. Its simple all you have to do is ask for it.

[jdblack]

Is he a man, a prophet, a wise person, a nut or is he God? Is he past or is he present? He was a man, a wise prophet, and our God. He is past, present, and future.

Coolwhip, the question is a bit more complex than duh!

The question is not that complex.

[ccut]

I think this will be a good question for us, my question to myself has sudddenly become, would a stranger know I'm a Christian? I'm afraid I have some work to do.

[Hugh B]

The question is not that complex.

On what basis do you make your claim as to who Jesus Christ is? How do you know you are right?

You see, I posted the question because it is the real central question that needs to be answered. On a related thread on the Catholic Church the wrong question is being discussed.
The answer to this one is the one that counts, not what organization one is a member of.

[ccut]

Hugh, you ask how do you know? I don't know , but I'm willing to die with my belief.

[jdblack]

On what basis do you make your claim as to who Jesus Christ is? The Bible tells me so. There is more historical proof to the Bible then any other text of it's age. How do you know you are right?
Again God gave me the teachings of the Bible so that I may spend time in his word and let it be my guidance, road map to life.

You see, I posted the question because it is the real central question that needs to be answered. On a related thread on the Catholic Church the wrong question is being discussed.
The answer to this one is the one that counts, not what organization one is a member of.

I somewhat agree on the organization thing, however organization allows fellow believers to fellowship, grow in the word, spread the word, and help others to find salvation.

[coolwhip]

Is he a man, a prophet, a wise person, a nut or is he God? Is he past or is he present?

Coolwhip, the question is a bit more complex than duh!

No it aint...people make it that way.

[bootlen]

He is the Son of God and Son of Man; He is 100% God and 100% Man; He is the Living Word of God; He is the Christ...the Messiah...the Savior of all who would call on His name; He is my best Friend; He is my King.

I have found that S.M. Lockridge said a lot of thing about who He is and I have to agree completely with Brother Lockridge. I believe Jesus to be all the things he said about Him and then some.

http://www.4-14.org.uk/thats-my-king-s-m-lockridge

[jdblack]

Hugh, you ask how do you know? I don't know , but I'm willing to die with my belief.

Spend time talking with God and reading the word and you'll know without a doubt.

Try this, every morning get up 30 minutes early and read the book of James. I promise you'll have a better day.

[ccut]

Spend time talking with God and reading the word and you'll know without a doubt.

Try this, every morning get up 30 minutes early and read the book of James. I promise you'll have a better day.

Thanks

[Tool-Slinger]

He is the Son of God and Son of Man; He is 100% God and 100% Man;

That is my thinking, then he becomes my savior by volunteering to die on the cross for my sins and anyone else.

If you read biblical history, there are so many screwed up episodes, God has made many severe adjustments in relation to mankind.

Jesus is also his greatest gift to us, his own son, that we do not deserve at all......

"for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton son"

And Jesus, in similar fashion as we do not deserve it, gave his very life for us.

My savior, and the greatest gift of all from God,.... I would like to introduce you to "Jesus Christ".

[timebuilder]

Rather then confuse the Catholic thread started by acmanco, I will start another on the real question.

The question is not which religious organization one belongs to or what sort of Christian organization one adheres to but rather if one calls him or herself a Christian what do you believe. Not what your church believes but what do you believe.

If you call yourself a Christian you are in some way making the claim that you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

So the question is Who Is He? What Is He? or What Was He? If you are a follower of Christ then what do you mean by that? Who is this one you claim to follow? Who is he to you?

I don't care if you consider yourself a Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Lutheran or something else, if you claim to be Christian then who is this one you claim to follow?

Who is He? Your best answer won't come from any of us. It will come from you.

Start with His Word, the Bible. Read it. Learn it. Find out why he came to walk among us, and why we are not complete without Him.

Ask Him to come into your life and forgive your sin. Give your life to His guidance. He knows you will falter, but He will be there to catch you when you fall.

[Hugh B]

Who is He? Your best answer won't come from any of us. It will come from you.

Start with His Word, the Bible. Read it. Learn it. Find out why he came to walk among us, and why we are not complete without Him.

Ask Him to come into your life and forgive your sin. Give your life to His guidance. He knows you will falter, but He will be there to catch you when you fall.


So far, this is looking like wishful thinking and blind trust to me. I was looking for actual evidence.

Using your method I could just as well do the same by reading the Koran (which I have) and asking Allah to speak to me and open my heart to the truth.

Or, I could pray and read the Book of Morman and do the same again.

How about some sound reasons for believing in Jesus Christ in particular and evidence for the claims as to who he is or was?

[Tool-Slinger]

So far, this is looking like wishful thinking and blind trust to me. I was looking for actual evidence.

Using your method I could just as well do the same by reading the Koran (which I have) and asking Allah to speak to me and open my heart to the truth.

Or, I could pray and read the Book of Morman and do the same again.

How about some sound reasons for believing in Jesus Christ in particular and evidence for the claims as to who he is or was?
I could just as well do the same by reading the Koran

Go for it dude, I hear islam has created a fabulous society, unlike all of those Christian 3rd world nations.

[wolfstrike]

Jesus Christ came down here and told the world nothing but truth.

his temporary fate exposed the corruption of mankind and the hostility towards it's own existence.

[Pneuma]

How about some sound reasons for believing in Jesus Christ in particular and evidence for the claims as to who he is or was?

Jesus was sent here to teach us about Love, justice, forgivness, grace, etc etc. There is no simple explanation for what Jesus means for us. When you start learning about Jesus actual evidence seems somewhat unimportant. Below is a good piece that shows how God's arriving here as a helpless baby is in itself a part of a lesson. His entire life here on earth and his death are full of a lot of imformation and lessons about what it means to be a Christian. All of them are applicable even without a shred of physical evidence.

from http://www.ronrolheiser.com/columnarchive/search_detail.php?rec_id=241

Awakening the Christ-Child
December 29, 2002

Christmas cannot be taken for granted.

Swiss theologian, Hans Urs Von Balthasar, once wrote:

"After a mother has smiled for a long time at her child, the child will begin to smile back; she has awakened love in its heart, and in awakening love in its heart, she awakes recognition as well. ... In the same way, God explains himself before us as love. Love radiates from God and instills the light of love in our hearts."

That could be the caption inside a Christmas card. It expresses a spirituality of Christmas.

In the incarnation, at Christmas, God doesn't enter the world as some superhero who arrives in great power and blows away all that's bad, so that all we have to do is watch, enjoy the show, and feel smug as evil gets its due. The drama of the incarnation is not a movie to be watched but a real-life event within which we are meant to be players. Christmas doesn't happen automatically, it needs our participation. Why?

Because God doesn't enter the world like a Hollywood hero who rescues innocence and goodness at the last minute by a show of physical force. Indeed, at Christmas, God doesn't even enter the world as an adult, but as a baby, helpless, needing to be nurtured to come to adulthood. The God who is born into our world at Christmas is not the God of power, but the God of helplessness and vulnerability.

But that has to be understood. There's power by worldly standards and power by divine standards and a great paradox and irony is that divine power exhibits itself as vulnerability and helplessness, the power of the baby rather than that of the strong man. Ultimately though that power, helplessness and vulnerability, is the greatest power of all because it, and it alone, can transform hearts. You don't soften hearts by overpowering them. You transform hearts through another kind of persuasion.

Christ doesn't eradicate evil by overpowering it. Happy endings inside the kingdom of God work themselves out quite differently than in the movies, as we can see from Jesus' refusal to come down off the cross to demonstrate his power. What Christmas brings into the world is the power of a baby which works not so much even through the power of innocence (beautiful as that is) but through the power of what scripture calls (in Greek) EXOUSIA. There isn't an exact English equivalent for that word. It has connotations of a number of things all mixed together: transparency, vulnerability, defencelessness.

Julie Polter, one of the editors at Sojourners, describes it this way:

"The power of the universe became a babe in arms, not to teach us about the sweetness of love (although that is real too), but to teach us about its vulnerability and tangible expression and practical demands; and to teach us that on such as this, kingdoms are built. In a child, any child, the wealth and righteousness of a society, a nation, a world can be read. This isn't fuzzy sentimentality; this is the law of the universe and the word of the prophets. ... What are we waiting for? For the one who has come and comes again, the child who will lead us."

We will be led into the messianic time, the prophets assure us, by a child. The Christ-child is that child. But, the power of Christmas is not automatic. It can't be taken for granted. It has to be given birth, nursed, coaxed, and lovingly cajoled into effectiveness. The baby Jesus doesn't save the world, the adult Christ does and our task is to turn the baby Jesus into the adult Christ. We need to do that in our own bodies and with our own lives. As Annie Dillard once put it, the Christ we find in our lives is always found as he was found at the first Christmas, a helpless infant, lying in the straw, someone who needs to be picked up and coaxed into adulthood. To make Christ effective, we need, ourselves, to become "the body of Christ".

To put it metaphorically, the Christ-child has to be awakened by us. We need to go to the manger and awaken the child. How? It's here that Von Baltasar's comment is so insightful:

We awaken the child by inducing it to smile. How's that done? Where is the Christ-child? In terms of an icon, the Christ-child is in the crib, but, in terms of spirituality, the Christ-child appears in our lives in a different way.

If Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit - defined as charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, longsuffering, fidelity, gentleness, and chastity - then obviously the child she gestated will radiate those qualities. We awaken the Christ-child when we smile at charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, longsuffering, fidelity, gentleness, and chastity until they begin to smile back. What comes back is the power of Christmas, a baby's power to transform a heart, divine power hidden in human weakness.

We have to help make Christmas happen.

[selfemployed]

He is by my public acceptance and belief, my Lord and savior. I can only be saved by his grace.

[ccut]

Hugh, I think you know the answer to the questions you pose. they have been answered the only way a Christian can. We choose to believe, might we be wrong and the Jews be right? I suppose so, If society were to know without a doubt about the truth of Jesus, there would be no doubt as to follow him or not, faith would not play a role, We choose to believe and for that our reward will be in Heaven! Have a nice day everyone, may peace be with you.

[jdblack]

So far, this is looking like wishful thinking and blind trust to me. I was looking for actual evidence.

Using your method I could just as well do the same by reading the Koran (which I have) and asking Allah to speak to me and open my heart to the truth.

Or, I could pray and read the Book of Morman and do the same again.

How about some sound reasons for believing in Jesus Christ in particular and evidence for the claims as to who he is or was?

Hugh,
The Bible has been proven by archaeologist to be accurate in the accounts of history dating back to the time of Jesus and before. Parts of chariots have been found in the bottom of the Red Sea where Moses crossed. Monuments have been found with inscriptions from Pontius Pilate, who was the man that ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. The list goes on. There is no such thing as coincedence. Big bang is a fairy tale, even physics tell us that there are too many things in this world that line up to have just happened by shear happenstance.

Are you so much wiser that you choose to believe what some parts of society will tell you, but not show you any truth in it, but yet not believe the absolute truth written down for you?

You could pray to those others, but you would only be taking a path away from a never-ending life. You say it's blind trust, but you are exactly wrong. I was once blind, but now I see. The holy spirit has filled me and allowed me to feel like I have never before and if you put your trust in God you will feel the same.

I know you're probably here stating this to start argument, but I'm here to bring another brother closer to Christ. Follow our Lord with me and we can enjoy an everlasting life.

[timebuilder]

So far, this is looking like wishful thinking and blind trust to me. I was looking for actual evidence.

Using your method I could just as well do the same by reading the Koran (which I have) and asking Allah to speak to me and open my heart to the truth.

Or, I could pray and read the Book of Morman and do the same again.

How about some sound reasons for believing in Jesus Christ in particular and evidence for the claims as to who he is or was?


If that is so, then you are allowing yourself to fall into the trap that is the arrogance of mankind. God does not want us to come to him because we have a "proof." He wants us to come to him based on faith.

Here is where this concept is illustrated, in John, Chapter 20:

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”


Basically, we are asked by Jesus to trust that He is who He says He is.

That is why Ephesians 2:8-9 says:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

So, if this is a scholarly exercise for you, then read all the books you want.

If you want to know Jesus, read His Word.

[ACFIXR]

He is my blood brother
He is the voice i hear in my heart
He is my encourager when I feel like I can't go on
He is my strength when I feel like I don't have any
He is unbelievably glorious when I am fortunate enough to realize His presence.

[bootlen]

He is my blood brother
He is the voice i hear in my heart
He is my encourager when I feel like I can't go on
He is my strength when I feel like I don't have any
He is unbelievably glorious when I am fortunate enough to realize His presence.

And therein lies ACFIXER's evidence. It manifests itself in a relationship...not in anything to which the 5 senses can attest.

How does one explain one's love for one's children using the 5 senses. It cannot be done.

[jmac00]

I'm not a very religious guy. But I think Jesus is a cool dude, someone to look up to and try and emulate.

If your looking for physical proof, well somethings you just have to take on faith :patriot:

[sline-dawg]

Probably a person fabricated to protect mild mannered people from the mean, evil hoards...".If you don't kill me and take all my stuff and my wife, you will be granted eternal life with our Creator..."


You asked.....:couchhide: ;)

[JRINJAX]

I believe that Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God and that if I trust fully in Him, the life that he surrendered on the cross becomes an eternal sacrifice for my past, present and future sins. Because of His sacrifice I will inherit Eternal Life. He was resurected to live forever and I will too.

I also believe the Christ who surrendered himself to death on the cross, will return to rule here forever and forever. He was once a passive lamb to be sacrificed but will return as the ultimate conquerer.

It just doesn't get any better!

[John Markl]

"The Word made flesh" Simple enough.

[ga-hvac-tech]

First: Hugh, wise move starting this thread! This is the REAL question and discussion. OK, who is Christ to me? He is my Savior, He is my Lord, He is my Brother, and He is the source of my life (see the Scriptures in my sig line, take them literally). OK, obviously when one reads those Scriptures (especially the one in Galations), the death and life are not physical. One should carefully read and pray over the chapters in Romans to understand. ACFIXR hit it on the head... and boots following post explained the 'relationship' part. Christ is not something that follows the world's rules; after all, He is part of God... God can operate by whatever ways he chooses... that is why His title is GOD... (comprende...) Seriously, what I am saying is that we try to make God fit our understanding of the world... rather than allow God to show us His ways... which may be different. It is a matter of me not thinking I am the center of my universe... rather realizing God (through Christ) is the source of my life. Kinda a different approach...

[hearthman]

Our purpose on earth is to love God as he loves us. In order to be prepared to meet him in heaven, he sent his Son to teach us to be more like him. He isn't going to fill heaven with a bunch of aetheists and naysayers now is he? No, he wants us to go into training like an Olympic athelete only our training is to develop our character until we are worthy to come before God. Christ is our role model, teacher and mentor. Life is tough because it is only through trial and hardship that we learn perserverance and discipline. These build our character.

God sent his Son to sacrifice himself for our sins so we could enter heaven. Without his once offered perfect atoning sacrifice, no one would enter heaven. Jesus created the earth and knew each of us before the beginning of time. He came to earth to show that God understands us to the point he can even become one of us and die just like us. He went to hell but rose from the dead to sit at his Father's right hand where he awaits us. If we accept him as our God and Savior, we are assured of everlasting life with him and God in heaven. That's the price of admission. Yet amazingly, there are many, just as you see on this forum, that mock him. They will not spend eternity in paradise with Him spent just the opposite, spend eternity wishing they had listened to us Bible thumping Christians.

I like the previously discussed dual definitions expressed both by his titles and what he means to each of us in a supernatural relationship with the Creator of the universe. It is sad so many cling to the concept that living a Christian life means sacrificing joy for a dreary, gloomy existence. Nothing could be further from the truth. More the opposite, living as a true Believer gives you a supernatural joy and peace that passes all understanding. Even in the face of incredible hardships, Christians enjoy that special peace we get when God grants us his grace, which is undeserved, unearned but given by God for His joy. If you are sad, miserable, and bitter then it is YOUR choice because all of you can have peace and contentment so easily. Or, you can continue to mock us and laugh at us. Just remember he who laughs last is not burning in the fires of hell forever. He is not laughing to mock those in hell. He is laughing at just how wonderful it is spending an eternity in the greatest joy a person can ever know. This is who and what Jesus Christ is.

[Tool-Slinger]

Probably a person fabricated to protect mild mannered people from the mean, evil hoards...".If you don't kill me and take all my stuff and my wife, you will be granted eternal life with our Creator..."


You asked.....:couchhide: ;)
Not at that time and place, it was Roman territory and there was not the issue of "hordes". I get the concept you propose, just does not fit the situation.

[acmanko]

Jesus of Nazareth

Conceived without sin.

Birthed to a carpenter and his virgin wife

Recognized as a prophet

Labeled a terrorist by Roman Authority

Condemned to death and crucified

[ga-hvac-tech]

Jesus of Nazareth

Conceived without sin.

Birthed to a carpenter and his virgin wife

Recognized as a prophet

Labeled a terrorist by Roman Authority

Condemned to death and crucified

Couple of extra details here: Born of a Virgin girl that was not married when she conceived... Never labeled by the Roman authorities... Pilot (the ruler at the time) said he found no fault with Jesus and tried to release Him... Pilot also realized he would catch H*ll from his superiors if there was a riot, and a riot was pending... so Pilot told the Jewish religious leaders to do as they wanted... And Pilot washed his hands of responsibility for it... issue hwer eis that jews could not do capital punishment... so the Romans did... In reality Christ was crucified by the local religious leaders that saw a real threat to their power structure... But the most important one: ROSE from the dead with a body that defies the limitations our current bodies function with... And ascended into heaven where God gave Him all power over the universe. Kinda different when one gets 'the rest of the story'...

[jmac00]

sometimes, not very often, Jesus Christ is a spring clip.......that goes shooting across the garage to parts unknown :whistle::oops:::DD::LOL:

[John Markl]

Couple of extra details here: Born of a Virgin girl that was not married when she conceived... Never labeled by the Roman authorities... Pilot (the ruler at the time) said he found no fault with Jesus and tried to release Him... Pilot also realized he would catch H*ll from his superiors if there was a riot, and a riot was pending... so Pilot told the Jewish religious leaders to do as they wanted... And Pilot washed his hands of responsibility for it... issue hwer eis that jews could not do capital punishment... so the Romans did... In reality Christ was crucified by the local religious leaders that saw a real threat to their power structure... But the most important one: ROSE from the dead with a body that defies the limitations our current bodies function with... And ascended into heaven where God gave Him all power over the universe. Kinda different when one gets 'the rest of the story'...

You forgot the "Descended into Hell" part :D

[pdrake65]

Jesus Christ has been reborn and is living in a Nut House because he says he is Jesus Christ. :eek2: Nice guy, but a little too forgiving for my taste.

[can2man]

I was born Catholic and prefer our way - however - I must say - I have become very non religious. In fact, I am a non believer. I did the Camino to Santiago in 1998 and I just don't get all the God stuff.........I tried.

[ga-hvac-tech]

You forgot the "Descended into Hell" part :D

Good for you, you caught it! I wondered if anyone would... :rules:

[timebuilder]

Good for you, you caught it! I wondered if anyone would... :rules:

I did, too, but I am slow to publicaly correct someone who is sharing the word. :angel:

[John Markl]

I did, too, but I am slow to publicaly correct someone who is sharing the word. :angel:

That line is an important, but often overlooked one :)

[ACFIXR]

Being religous sucks
religous people are satans pawns
911 was a religous act
religous people do more harm than good
run from any-one who claims to know "the way"
the Holy Spirit is everywhere and available to you at anytime, anyplace and anywhere. Just ask him and He will come and visit you.
The Holy Spirit dis-likes religous people with religous ways.

[Some Dude]

So far, this is looking like wishful thinking and blind trust to me. I was looking for actual evidence.

Using your method I could just as well do the same by reading the Koran (which I have) and asking Allah to speak to me and open my heart to the truth.

Or, I could pray and read the Book of Morman and do the same again.

How about some sound reasons for believing in Jesus Christ in particular and evidence for the claims as to who he is or was?

Thats because its hard to explain something when they dont understand it, its also what happens when some follow Babylonian teachings , if they dont understand the difference between god, son how could they explain it.