About Jesus      Steve Sweetman

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What God Do You Serve?

 

Christians are often told that all religions serve the same God.  From a Biblical perspective, that's just not true.  The apostle Paul uses the phrase "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" in 2 Corinthians 1:3.  Paul's words tell us what God Christians serve.  He served the God who was Jesus' God and Father.  I emphasize the word "serve"  because it's a word seldom heard in Christian circles these days.  If we serve the God and Father of Jesus, we need to know who Jesus is.  Once knowing who Jesus is, you'll soon see that we don't serve the same God as other religions.

 

John 1:1 reads, "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  There's no real debate over who the "Word" is.  The Word is  Jesus.  So in the creation account of Genesis 1 we see Jesus being with God, yet at the same time actually being God.    

 

Genesis 1:1 reads, "in the beginning God created…"   The Hebrew word "Elohim" is translated as God in this verse.  "Elohim" is the plural form of the Hebrew word "El".  "El" is the "all-powerful and most supreme One".   This means that the essence of God is plural.  This plurality is also confirmed in Genesis 1:26 when the text says, "let us make man…"  You might ask, "who is us?"

 

In Genesis 1:3, 6, 14, 20, and 24 we read, "God said…"   These two words are in reference to God using words to create the universe.  From the words of His lips, God simply spoke things into existence.  These words are, or at least came from, the "Word" who is Jesus, as seen in John 1:1.  Jesus was with God, and in fact was God at creation, making the very essence of God plural.  That being said, we know from Scripture that God is one.  One God who is both one yet plural. 

 

Throughout the Old Testament Jesus appeared in various ways to various people.   For example, He was the one who wrestled with Jacob in Genesis 32.  Yet there came a time when the Word would appear in a human body.  In Luke 1:33 an angel tells Mary that she will give birth to a son whose name will be Jesus.  He'd be called "the Son of the Most High."  Luke 1:35 says that the Holy Spirit would come upon Mary and the power of the Most High would overshadow her.  That's why the holy one born of Mary would be called the "Son of God".  As God breathed life into Adam, so He breathed a new life into Mary. When God breathed into Adam, something of God was placed in Adam.  In like manor, when God overshadowed Mary, something of God was placed in Mary.  God united Himself with humanity, producing a Son that Mary gave birth to.  Unlike Adam who was created in God's likeness and image, that which was born of Mary was "God's exact representation" (Hebrews 1:3).  Adam was created similar to God.  Jesus was never created, because He is God, and God is eternal.  

 

Concerning Jesus, Peter said in Acts 2:36 that God made Him to be both Lord and Christ.  As "Lord," Jesus is the final authority over all there is.  As "Christ," He is the only means of salvation for men, women, and the rest of creation.

 

Jesus is pictured in the book of Revelation in His present state of existence.  He is seen as the beginning and end of all things, who is, who was, who is to come, the Almighty, as in the "Almighty God" (Revelation 1:8).  When John first saw Jesus in his vision he saw Him as one who looked like a man, dressed in a white robe.  His hair was white as snow.  His eyes were like flaming fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace of fire.  His voice sounded like the thunder of rushing waters. Like Niagara Falls .  His face was as brilliant as the sun, and extending from his mouth was a double-edged sword (Revelation 1:12 - 16).  When John saw Jesus, he could do nothing but fall motionless and speechless to the ground.  This powerful one, looking like a military general, is who Jesus presently is.  His military strength makes any atomic weaponry look pitiful.  This is the Jesus that Christians serve, and He is both God's Son and God Himself.     

 

In Revelation 3:14 we see that Jesus is "the ruler of God's creation."  He will rule over all creation until He puts all who oppose God under His feet.  Then He will stand before God His Father and hand all creation back to Him (1 Corinthians 15:28).

 

The next time John saw Jesus in his vision is found in Revelation 5.  John wept bitterly because he thought there was no one found in all creation who could open the seven seals.  He was told to turn around because there was one worthy and powerful enough to open the seals.  Expecting to see the one looking like the military general he saw earlier, John turned around and saw a Lamb that had been slain, murdered because of the sins of humanity. What a shock that must have been.  The mighty general is now portrayed as a slain lamb.  That's the dichotomy of who Jesus is.  As Peter said, He is Lord, and He is Christ. 

 

Jesus presently sits on the throne of all creation.  He is the final authority over all there is.  He has no competition, no real rivals.  He is God in some kind of super-human redeemed body.  He is the mighty general, but if you look closely, you'll notice traces of a wounded body, suffered at the hands of a humanity He loved.  This is who Jesus is at this very moment.  He is both God's son and God Himself.  The Biblical account states that Christians serve the God and Father of "this Jesus".  Now you tell me, "is this the same God that other religions claim to serve?"                                

 

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