The Facts of Christ

Articles

Steven J. Wallace
09/30/11 - General Exhortation

The Facts of Christ

Some undeniable facts to consider regarding Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ and Son of God:

Jesus existed before the world was created.
"And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (Jn. 17:5). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (Jn. 1:1-3).
Jesus came to the earth.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
- He came to give us an example of how man should live. "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you" (Jn. 13:15).
- He came to provide atonement for sin that we might live. "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 Jn. 4:9).
- He came to destroy the works of Satan. "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn. 3:8).
Jesus died, was buried and rose again to live, teach and eat with man.
These acts were viewed and verified by many, by rich and poor, male and female, friend and foe. "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15:3-8).
Jesus ascended into heaven where the Father is.
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (Jn. 14:1, 2). The disciples saw Him ascend; "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9).
Jesus will return to raise the dead, ushering in judgment and rewarding those who are His with paradise while rejecting those who are not with punishment.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (Jn. 14:3). "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10; see also 2 Thess. 1:7-10).
Jesus will only save those who obey Him.
"And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Heb. 5:9). There is no promise of blessing made to any person who will not obey the Master. Water baptism is a command to be done in order to be saved, "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned'" (Mk. 16:15, 16; see also Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3, 4; 1 Pet. 3:21; etc.).

To learn more facts about Jesus Christ, come and visit the church of Christ!

--Steven J. Wallace (09/30/2011)