My cousin had a Bible study assignment to ask someone who they believe Jesus is. She told me my answer didn’t need to be elaborate, but what can I say, my heart was “stirred by a noble theme.” (Psalm 45:1) I just really like to write lots of words about Jesus. He is worth so much more than the English language can offer, but I enjoy trying. So…
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is the Son of God. He is the second member of the Trinity, which means that He is one with the one true eternal God– He is fully and completely God just as the Father and the Holy Spirit are God. He is also fully and completely human. He chose to become human when He was conceived in Mary, and even today He is a human forever in a resurrected body. (1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 1:11, 1 Corinthians 15)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
(John 1:1-2, 14a)
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can enter the presence of God except by accepting His sacrifice for sin in our place. (John 14:6) Not only did He willingly suffer the most heinous physical death ever invented by mankind, but He willingly bore the full brunt of divine wrath for all of the vilest moments in history–everything from an unkind word to the Holocaust–on His own soul. Only one who was fully God (and thus qualified to be a perfect sacrifice) and fully human (and thus able to stand in our place and actually die) could have done this. No other religion would dare to suggest that their god would do such a thing.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
(Philippians 2:5-8)“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
(2 Peter 2:24)
Jesus is the Bridegroom. He has many names, but at the end He is most fully revealed as the Bridegroom coming back to claim His Bride and make all things right. (Matthew 9:15, Revelation 22:17) He burns with passionate love for His Bride, the Church, and desperately desires to bring all people into deep, eternal unity with Himself. He is kind, gentle, and tender with each of us personally. Everything He does in our lives and in the world is out of the purest, deepest love.
“‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”
(Ephesians 5:31-32)“For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”
(Isaiah 62:5)
Jesus is the King of all creation. He has power over everything–sin, sickness, demons, nature, humanity, everything. He created the universe and even now upholds it with the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3) Nothing happens outside of His control, and He is the most noble, true, just, fierce, compassionate King who has ever lived. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. (Psalm 89:14) He alone is worthy to rule the earth forever.
“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
(Revelation 19:16)“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
(Revelation 5:12)
Jesus is the Righteous Judge. (Psalm 7:11, 2 Timothy 4:8) He will not tolerate evil. He would be less than loving if He did. There is coming a day of holy, righteous judgment for those who stand against Him. (Psalm 96:13, Isaiah 66:16) He fights of the side of the oppressed and He wages war for the sake of humility and righteousness. (Psalm 10, Psalm 45:3-6) He will bring about the restoration of all things in the new heaven and new earth. (Isaiah 65:17, Acts 3:21, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1)
“Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.”
(Psalm 96:13)
Jesus is beautiful. (Psalm 45:2, Song 5:10, Isaiah 4:2) Everything about who He is stunningly gorgeous. His outrageous humility is beautiful. His scandalous grace is beautiful. His overwhelming love is beautiful. His lavish generosity, His pure truthfulness, His magnificent wisdom, His explosive joy–all dazzlingly beautiful, like a thrilling symphony of a trillion rainbow-coloured tones. He is worthy of all of our worship and all of our trust and all of our lives lived completely for His glory– because the extravagant beauty of His character actually deserves such an extravagant response.
“In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious…”
(Isaiah 4:2)“My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand.”
(Song of Songs 5:10)
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
(Revelation 1:5b-6)