Every human longs for love, meaning, and purpose. Yet there is also a search for salvation. With so many on this search, it is almost inconceivable to think that one Man could embody all of the answers for which you have been searching. That man is Jesus Christ, the centerpiece of God’s plan of salvation. So who is Jesus Christ, and why is He the only way to salvation?
Who is Jesus Christ?
This is the most important question you will ever answer. The answer to this question has the potential to redirect your life, and where you will spend eternity following death.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin (Luke 2:1-20), and He lived on the earth as a man, yet He was fully God (Hebrews 2:5-18). The Bible records many miracles that Jesus performed. He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33), healing the sick (Matthew 4:24), and raising the dead (John 11:38-44). Jesus Christ was truly the most remarkable Man to walk on earth.
Isaiah called Him the beautiful and glorious “Branch of the Lord” (4:2, NKJV), “Emmanuel” which means “God with us” (7:14), and “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). Haggai called Him, “the Desire of All Nations” (2:7). John the Baptist called Him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29). John the Apostle called Him “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 1:5). John would go on to describe the beauty of Jesus in the most captivating way in Revelation 1:12-17, and throughout chapter four and five.
Why is He our way to Salvation?
In a culture that seeks to promote and maintain universalism and inclusion, it is quite counter-cultural to say that there would be only one way to experience salvation. The Bible, however, is clear. Jesus is the only way. Jesus declared in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” There have been many self-proclaimed “saviors” throughout history, but Jesus is the only one capable of providing the solution to man’s great problem: sin.
The Problem
The Bible teaches that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Bert Thompson writes, “Humans were superior to all other creatures. No other living being was given the faculties, the capacities, the capabilities, the potential, or the dignity that God instilled in each man and woman. Indeed, humankind is the peak, the pinnacle, and the apex, of God’s creation.”
Although this was the original intent and design of God, man made a crucial decision in the garden, and sin entered the world. Sin created a devastating problem for man: separation from God. Thompson adds, “As a result of mankind’s sin, God placed the curse of death on the human race. While all men and women must die physically as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, each person dies spiritually for his or her own sins.” Because of the holiness and justice of God, a perfect sacrifice must atone for the sins of man.
The Solution
Jesus is the solution to the problem of sin. Because God is perfect in holiness, man must be made perfect in order to remain in fellowship with Him. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. Jesus lived as a man, tempted as you are (Hebrews 4:14-15), but He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22). In the Old Testament, God established the law that a flawless lamb would need to be slaughtered for the atonement of sin. Jesus came as the flawless Lamb to be slaughtered once and for all on behalf of man (Isaiah 53:7). He died for the sake of the world, but His grave is empty, because He conquered sin and death.
Love is the Answer
As you ponder on the vastness of this sacrifice, you may be asking yourself why it happened. The answer is simple: love. It was His great love for you, and His desire to have a relationship with you that drove Him to endure such suffering. The Bible says that it was for “the joy set before Him [that He] endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2). House to House said it well when they wrote: “Salvation is Free, but It is Not Cheap.” Jesus paid the highest price, and He endured the wrath of God, all because He loves you.
Let GTKYB Guide you to the Light
If you want a better understanding of who Jesus is or what He did for you, then there are two easy steps you can take today. First, you can read this article by Apologetics Press on how to take possession of what God gives, as well as this article from House to House on how the Bible teaches we obtain salvation. Second, consider taking our free Bible course online.