In the gospels Jesus is presented as Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Mathew and Luke present to us His humble birth and briefly touch on His childhood. These books also present to us the impeccable ways of the adult Jesus as He teaches men through example and precept the way man himself should live. Indeed, we see in the man Christ Jesus the way God would have man live. The gospels also show us His intercessory death for man, that He bore our iniquities in His flesh (Isaiah 53:4-8). Clearly the gospels portray this truth: "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." (2 Corinthians 5:14,15)
It is evident that all men and women, including Mary, are in need of the blood to take away our sins for ALL have sinned. (Romans 3:23)
Some people have not discovered that Jesus' physical birth was not the beginning of His existence. He existed long before Mary. In fact, He has always existed because He is God. Isaiah, for example does not only prophesy about His virgin birth, but also the fact that He is "mighty God" (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). Micah mentions that His "...goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). Paul wrote that Jesus is the Creator of everything, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. ..." (Colossians 1:16)
All things were created by Him! Make no mistake. Mary didn't create Jesus. She as a humble image-bearer was blessed with bringing forth the eternal Image-Giver in a body of flesh. (Genesis 1:2; John 1:14)
With this article, we encourage others to not have a perverted or lopsided view of the Christ that we worship. Today, Jesus is not a "baby in a manger." He is not a small child or adolescent. He is not someone who subjects himself to a human judgment bar as He did before Pilate's. He is presented in the book of Revelation as being the Lamb of God who is:
- our redeemer (1:5; 5:6-12; 7:14ff; 12:11; 19:7)
- our groom (19:7; 21:9)
- our warrior (14:10; 17:14; 19:11ff)
- our leader (14:1-4; 7:17)
- our King of kings (17:14)
- our judge (7:9; 13:8; 15:3,4; 20:11-15)
- our temple (21:22)
- our light (21:23)
What a beautiful and complex picture the Bible gives us of the Messiah in heaven! Is this the Christ that you worship? Why not come and learn more about the Christ at the Church of Christ?