JESUS CHRIST, GOD MANIFEST

IST, JESUS, CHRIST, GOD MANIFESTEDI can neve get over the fact that God manifested himself in Jesus Christ; historically, not simply in the sense that God was with him or in him, which of course is true. I am referring to the fact that Jesus Christ is divine and of the same essence as his Father to see him is to see God. We often think of God only as the Father, but God is also the Son and the Holy Spirit. To see the Son is to see God the Father because he is the image of God. There are three persons who make up the God-head and they are one in essence or being. They also move together and are one in mind and purpose. There is a unity and love between them which is indescribable, indissoluble, and eternal. This unity is best modeled in the family, the first institution which God give to man.Many people acknowledge that Jesus Christ is a unique human being, a great moral teacher, a model of moral excellence. They see no spot nor sin in him for he is unimpeachable. They see him as a miracle worker and a great religious leader. Yet, they find it difficult to acknowledge him as God manifest in the flesh. They reject his virgin birth an event which cannot be compared with an IV conception because it was a miraculous act accomplished by the Spirit of God in the womb of the virgin Mary. The virgin birth is asexual and supernatural unaided by the intervention of a man.. Seeing Jesus as God manifested in the flesh requires faith in what the bible says about him including the testimonies of individuals who met him and those who believed in him. The Old Testament prophets pointed to him making reference to his deity and redemptive work. David referred to him as “My Lord,” even though he was his son in the flesh, Psalm 110:1. Isaiah referred to him as “Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6. Micah referred to him as the “One who was of old, from everlasting,” Micah 5:2. The psalmist referred to him as God in Psalm 45:6, 7 whose throne is forever.In the New Testament Nathaniel was the first person to acknowledge him as the Son of God, John 1:49. Peter on two occasions declared by divine revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, Luke 9:20; John 6:69. In his Gospel John gives us a full length presentation affirming the the deity of Christ. In chapter 1 he reveals him as the Word who was in the beginning with God, who was with God and was God. He it is who became flesh and dwelt among us whose glory was revealed as the only begotten of God, John 1:14. In the penultimate chapter of his book (chapter 20) John has Doubting Thomas declaring Jesus to be, “My Lord and my God.” In Revelation, John revealed Jesus Christ as the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning, and the End.Jesus Christ himself makes claims which can be ascribed to no ordinary man.He is the Light of the world, John 8:32He is the Bread of life. John 6:35He is the Water of life, John 7:37He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, John 14:6He is the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:21He is I AM, John 8:58. 59Nobody can make such claims and still be a great moral teacher unless he was speaking the truth. Here is what C.S. Lewis had to say:“You must make your choice: either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”C. S. LewisThe evidence supporting the deity of Christ is simply overwhelming and convincing to the open-minded and objective individual. The Ethiopian simply declared before Philip baptized him, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. After being baptized on the affirmation of his faith in the deity of Christ he was baptized and went on his way rejoicing. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, God manifest in the flesh in order to be your Saviour? If you do, you also will go on your way rejoicing.In a world which is unstable and insecure with no certain future the only truth which can provide us with security and hope is that which portrays Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Saviour of the world. He is the one whom the world’s needs today. He is the leader that the world needs but does not realize it. He has already been designated by God the Father to be King of kings and Lord of lords. Someday he is coming to rule and reign over the nations.GOD MANIFEST