Jesus is Our God...

It was quite a nice week last week and it marked a somewhat momentous occasion as my family and I, celebrated my brother’s 21st birthday and my mum’s birthday respectively. For me personally, well I would say my week had two sides to it. On one hand, I was excited as I started vocal lessons, signed up for chess competitions which are coming soon in December, welcomed everyone in the family back home as in my brother and sister, connect with friends, enjoyed going out and doing stuff with family and just doing all the stuff I wanna do. I mean, certainly as much as there are barriers and issues that still exist but, I feel like I’m almost getting closer to living a more balanced and full life which is great for me. But, yea on the other hand, I was bothered by a few things...Having tried to share about Christ with a friend and sending some materials about Jesus as our God, I began to ponder the question of how do we know that Jesus is God? Of course, I do believe this as a Christian, but the question really did set me thinking. (This I shall share my thoughts on later in this post.) And, the other things that bothered me were some troubles at home and just some daily struggles I guess. However, on a whole though it was actually quite a good week, with the celebrations we had and the family all being back together again.

This week began as any other although yea we were already prepared for a more than ordinary week, since the whole family was home and we were going to celebrate two birthdays in the family. So, but Monday started off with my usual routines. However, having thought about it for so long and been given the green light, my passion I guess for singing got the better of me, I convinced my dad to take me to the nearby music school to sign up for vocal lessons. This actually I would say was the beginning of everything being more than my normal life as it is so far, be it this week or maybe in time to come. I guess I say this because really, I’ve not really stepped up and out of my comfort zone to really go do the things I want to do in my life, to pursue my dreams; but in this year alone I’ve made bold decisions to fulfil my passions even if the main decision regarding my education only will come to fruition next year, the vocal lessons is just one of those things. Like really imagine me taking vocal lessons...never thought I’d be doing this, but it’s just great. Then, Tuesday and Wednesday, ok fine was like usual but it came thick and fast, had chess lessons and slacked at home respectively. And, which brings me nicely to Thursday, which was anything from an ordinary Thursday coz it was my mum’s and my brother’s birthday. We all took the day off to celebrate...First, we had breakfast at Dempsey, then we watched a movie, i.e. 2012...haha, ok not exactly the perfect birthday movie but yea. Watching the end of the world on your birthday! Yea, haha... Following that we had a simple but specially cooked dinner at home and an ice cream cake. It was all good I guess... On Friday then, I had my very first vocal lesson which was really fun and my sis returned from Aust. For Saturday I stayed home for the day, but was all ready for THE MAIN EVENT OF THE WEEK, the whole family went out to Ritz Carlton for buffet dinner. It was to celebrate my mum’s and brother’s birthday proper coz now that my sis was back, we could go as a complete family. It was a fun night out and we all really enjoyed ourselves. And, on Sunday we all went to Church, and my sis and I we stayed back for Youth class. And, in the afternoon my dad, sis and I went out to the Marina Barrage in the only fine weather throughout the week to do kite-flying. So that was the events of last week.

Now then, back to my thoughts on the question about how we know that Jesus is God. I must say I was bothered in thinking about this because it seemed like I was questioning the truth in this and like questioning why I believe and have faith that Jesus is our God, but I guess it really wasn’t like that. It was more of really how do we know that Jesus is God, not that I don’t believe or anything, coz of course as I’ve said I believe in this, but it is what is the basis for my faith. You know like coz if I’m to share with others about Christ, I need to be able to give the basis for it to help others see the truth. So basically, I like to share from what I have learnt and how in a personal way that the Lord Jesus Christ is real to me; and on the other hand, I will share from a resources about this matter. Firstly, as I’ve shared in my testimony and stuff, God has been real to me in many ways; and that is the one and only Lord Jesus Christ in whom I have known for almost all my life, coz I’ve been in a Christian environment since young. That is how I know that it is not just a god whom I believe in but in our Lord Jesus Christ who is God. All that has happened in my life is a result of our God Jesus Christ; it is all in His plan for me. And, my faith is in Him and I serve and worship our Lord Jesus Christ. Also, it is not just in believing the truth of the matter that Jesus died for us on the cross so that by faith we can be saved, but in accepting and trusting in God’s saving grace and that He is Lord of our lives and is the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords. And, it is in my choice that I choose to accept, submit and surrender to our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

And, as for what I have learnt it is that Jesus is our God because it was only Jesus who came to this Earth the Son of God as a man, and He died for our sins on the cross, which can only be because He really was the Son of God, there is no other religion in this world that has a Son of God, i.e. God in human form die for us so that in believing in Him we will be saved and have eternal life. All other religions suggest that we need to do something good to go to Heaven but the truth and one and only truth is that it is only in Jesus Christ that we can go to Heaven, because His death and resurrection paid for our sins, so we can by faith stand before God and be with Him in Heaven, and nothing else can save us because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I mean, isn’t it obvious enough, we all know we are not perfect and we have done wrong, that no matter how many good deeds we do, we have all sinned, so we can’t do anything good enough to deserve to be saved, but for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus and only Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins as undeserving as we were and are. Also, there many types of evidence such as historical and circumstantial. And, the Word of God as in the Bible is the inspired text that contains all the truths from our Lord Jesus Christ and forms the foundation of all our beliefs.

Most of all, God has put a faith in my heart, and I have faith, I believe and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ who is our God as my Lord and saviour who is at the centre of my life and in the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus Christ is in my life, and His presence is with me and I know that He is God. Sometimes, there really isn’t an explanation or clear evidence in that we don’t actually see our Lord Jesus Christ appear before our eyes, but that’s where it takes faith...and I just know somewhere deep inside of us as in me there is something that tells us that we know that truly Jesus is God, just there are many people who don’t know who our Lord Jesus Christ is or haven’t experience that relationship. So I have faith, trust and belief in Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour; and I have experienced the relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore I truly believe that Jesus is our God, the God we all in our hearts crave for, feel empty without, believe there must be is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ the only way, the truth and the light.

Here are some of the questions which are relevant to whom Jesus is, as our God, which I took from gotquestions.org:

Question: "What is Christianity and what do Christians believe?"

Answer: The core beliefs of Christianity are summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, was resurrected, and thereby offers salvation to all who will receive Him in faith. Unique among all other faiths, Christianity is more about a relationship than religious practices. Instead of adhering to a list of “do’s and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Beyond these core beliefs, there are many other items that are, or at least should be, indicative of what Christianity is and what Christianity believes. Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired, “God-breathed” Word of God and that its teaching is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Christians believe in one God that exists in three persons—the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.Christians believe that mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but sin separates all men from God (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11), and died on the cross. Christians believe that after His death, Christ was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for the believers forever (Hebrews 7:25). Christianity proclaims that Jesus’ death on the cross was sufficient to completely pay the sin debt owed by all men and this is what restores the broken relationship between God and man (Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:10; Romans 5:8; 6:23).

Christianity teaches that in order to be saved and be granted entrance into heaven after death, one must place one’s faith entirely in the finished work of Christ on the cross. If we believe that Christ died in our place and paid the price of our own sins, and rose again, then we are saved. There is nothing that anyone can do to earn salvation. We cannot be “good enough” to please God on our own, because we are all sinners (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6-7). There is nothing more to be done, because Christ has done all the work! When He was on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), meaning that the work of redemption was completed.

According to Christianity, salvation is freedom from the old sin nature and freedom to pursue a right relationship with God. Where we were once slaves to sin, we are now slaves to Christ (Romans 6:15-22). As long as believers live on this earth in their sinful bodies, they will engage in a constant struggle with sin. However, Christians can have victory in the struggle with sin by studying and applying God’s Word in their lives and being controlled by the Holy Spirit—that is, submitting to the Spirit’s leading in everyday circumstances.

So, while many religious systems require that a person do or not do certain things, Christianity is about believing that Christ died on the cross as payment for our own sins and rose again. Our sin debt is paid and we can have fellowship with God. We can have victory over our sin nature and walk in fellowship and obedience with God. That is true biblical Christianity.

Question: "Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God?"

Answer: Jesus is never recorded in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason. “… you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. Notice that Jesus does not deny His claim to be God. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” The response of the Jews who heard this statement was to take up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded them to do (Leviticus 24:15).

John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “the Word was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church—the church of God—with His own blood? Jesus Christ. Acts 20:28 declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!

Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son He says, ’Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.

In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11, 14:33, 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other verses and passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus’ deity.The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.

Question: "Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?"

Answer: "I'm basically a good person, so I'll go to heaven." "OK, so I do some bad things, but I do more good things, so I'll go to heaven." "God won't send me to hell just because I don't live by the Bible. Times have changed!" "Only really bad people like child molesters and murderers go to hell."

These are all common rationalizations, but the truth is that they are all lies. Satan, the ruler of the world, plants these thoughts in our heads. He, and anyone who follows his ways, is an enemy of God (1Peter 5:8). Satan is a deceiver and often disguises himself as someone good (2 Corinthians 11:14), but he has control over all the minds that do not belong to God. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4).It is a lie to believe that God doesn't care about small sins or that hell is reserved for "bad people." All sin separates us from God, even a “little white lie.” Everyone has sinned, and no one is good enough to get to heaven on their own (Romans 3:23). Getting into heaven is not based on whether our good outweighs our bad; we will all lose out if that is the case. "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace" (Romans 11:6). We can do nothing good to earn our way to heaven (Titus 3:5)."

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it" (Matthew 7:13). Even if everyone else is living a life of sin in a culture where trusting in God is not popular, God will not excuse it. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 2:1-2).

When God created the world, it was perfect and good. Then he made Adam and Eve and gave them their own free will, so they would have a choice whether to follow and obey God. But they were tempted by Satan to disobey God, and they sinned. This separated them (and everyone that came after them, including us) from being able to have a close relationship with God. He is perfect and holy and must judge sin. As sinners, we couldn't reconcile ourselves to God on our own. So God made a way that we could be united with Him in heaven. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Jesus was born to die for our sins so that we would not have to. Three days after His death, He rose from the grave (Romans 4:25), proving Himself victorious over death. He bridged the gap between God and man so that we may have a personal relationship with Him if we only believe."

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Most people believe in God, even Satan does. But to receive salvation, we must turn to God, form a personal relationship, turn away from our sins, and follow Him. We must trust in Jesus with everything we have and everything we do. "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference" (Romans 3:22). The Bible teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the only way of salvation because He is the only One who can pay our sin penalty (Romans 6:23). No other religion teaches the depth or seriousness of sin and its consequences. No other religion offers the infinite payment of sin that only Jesus Christ could provide. No other “religious founder” was God become man (John 1:1,14) – the only way an infinite debt could be paid. Jesus had to be God so that He could pay our debt. Jesus had to be man so He could die. Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

To end, yea it was a good week last week with all the joy of celebrating two birthdays in the family and everyone being home together again, and I’m beginning to really be able to do all the things I wanna do. But, I was faced with the question about Jesus as our God in trying to share Christ with others, but I know and believe that Jesus is our God for He is my Lord and saviour who I have given my life to live for His glory in gratefulness of His love and saving grace by His work on the cross; and I know my faith is real and I know that I do really truly believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, yea sometimes we do have our doubts, fears and uncertainty about whether we truly believe, but if we seek God, He will reveal Himself to us. And, I know I believe in Jesus for Jesus is our God...