Our detailed study of “The ABCs of Salvation” brings us to the second thing that the plan of God for salvation of sinful mankind requires you to do in order to be saved. This is summed up by letter “B” of “The ABCs of Salvation” as follows: Believe in Jesus Christ to be saved. So here in chapter two, I will be seeking to answer the question “who alone can save you?” by showing you from the Bible that Jesus Christ is the only true savior of sinful mankind, whom you must believe in so that you can be truly and eternally saved. To achieve this goal, I will show you from the Bible “who” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible really is as well as “what” He did to make your salvation possible so that you can be fully persuaded to believe and receive Him into your life to become your personal lord and savior. So to begin with, I will show you from the Bible “who” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible really is. That is, His true nature and His true personality exactly as is clearly revealed in the Bible so that you can believe and trust in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible and not in a “false Jesus” or any other false savior who cannot save you. Secondly, I will show you from the Bible “what” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible did to make your salvation possible. In that regard, I will show you from the Bible that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead paying in full for all your sins through which He made your salvation possible: if only, you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him.

Knowing the true nature and the true personality of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible—the one and the only true savior of sinful mankind—is of utmost importance when you bear in mind that salvation is as good as the savior who offers it. For, it goes without saying that only true savior can and should be trusted to offer true salvation. And much to the contrary, a false savior can only offer you false salvation which is worthless. It is therefore important as you seek to be saved from the jaws of spiritual and eternal deaths which are threatening to confine your life to everlasting pain and suffering in hell that you would believe in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible and not in a false one. Remember, it is not enough to just believe in any savior that is offered to you to save you. For, sadly, there are all kinds of “false saviors” who are disguised as “Jesus Christ of the Bible” and are being offered to many people to supposedly save them. Tragically, these “false Jesus’ ” can only offer false salvation to all those people who put their faith in them. That’s why the Bible gives this stern warning against being deceived into believing in a “false Jesus” because that would lead you to trust in a false salvation that is completely worthless, “3But I fear, less by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). This scripture warns against (1) believing in “Another Jesus,” (2) receiving “Another Spirit” and (3) accepting “Another Gospel” to protect all of us from trusting in a false salvation that is completely worthless.

This is a very serious warning that each one of us must take seriously. This is because since the birth of the church in A.D. 32, Satan has been using cunning methods to beguile people into believing in “false Jesus’ ” for salvation of their souls. Knowing that he cannot stop the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Satan employs this tactic of deceiving people to believe in a “false Jesus” for their salvation. In his plan to deceive people into believing in a “false Jesus,” Satan is cunning enough to know that he cannot just come up with any other name and hope to deceive people with the offer of salvation. He knows that such kind of a lie would be easily noticed and rejected because Christians have done a great job of preaching scriptures like this one which clearly states that “only Jesus Christ” and Him alone can save sinful mankind, “10Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him does this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). So in order for Satan to succeed in deceiving people to put their trust in a false salvation, he cunningly offers them a counterfeit “Jesus” one who looks and sounds like the true Jesus Christ of the Bible although he is an impostor!

Here are some of the few examples of counterfeit “Jesus’ ” whom Satan is cunningly offering to many people to supposedly save them. The first one on offer is a “false Jesus” who is said to be a good man and an excellent moral teacher but who is not God in the human flesh. Though many people are attracted to this Jesus, he is a “false Jesus” simply because he is not Yahweh God who came in the human flesh, which is the main mark of identifying the true Jesus Christ of the Bible according to John 1:1-3, 14 and Colossians 2:9 among many other scriptures. Another “false Jesus” on offer is the one who is said to be one of the many faithful prophets of God. But once again, he is not the true Jesus Christ of the Bible because He is not Yahweh God who came in the human flesh. Other “false Jesus’ ” on offer include the following six. First one is a “false Jesus” who is said to be the physical manifestation of Michael the Archangel and an inferior god to Jehovah God. Second one is a “false Jesus” who is said to be the spirit brother of Lucifer. Third one is a “false Jesus” who is said to be a man who presents to the rest of humanity a true idea of God. Fourth one is a “false Jesus” who is said to be a great teacher who finally realized that he was God. Fifth one is a “false Jesus” who is said to be the enlightened perfect man with all the perfect qualities that a man can possess. And the sixth one is a “false Jesus” commonly known as “Eucharistic Jesus” who is said to be literally present in a wafer of bread that once it is consecrated by a priest, it is said (not to symbolize the body of Jesus Christ as it should) but to mysteriously change into the real body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ so that, that particular “wafer of bread” which is also called “Communion Host” is never again treated as bread but as Jesus Christ Himself and is thus adored and worshipped as God. Notwithstanding the glowing attributes which some of these “false Jesus’ ” are said to possess, they all fail the test of being the true Jesus Christ of the Bible who is Yahweh God Himself, who has come into this world as fully God and fully Man all in one person (the second person of the holy trinity) to seek and save sinners as we are going to see in details throughout this chapter.

From the above few examples of “false Jesus’ ” on offer, I hope you can clearly see why it is very important that you believe in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible who alone can truly and eternally save you and not just in any “Jesus” who is offered to you to supposedly save you. Having clearly underpinned that very important fact, I invite you to join with me as we carefully study in details the following two major truths that you must believe about Jesus Christ so that you can be truly and eternally saved:

1) You must believe in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible.

2) You must believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again paying for all your sins.

Putting it in an easier way to remember, the above two major truths which you must believe about Jesus Christ deal with first of all, “who” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible really is, and secondly, “what” Jesus Christ did to make your salvation possible. So let us take a closer look at the first one.

1) YOU MUST BELIEVE IN THE TRUE JESUS CHRIST OF THE BIBLE

No longer should your quest for salvation be about believing and receiving any savior that is offered to you, but rather it should be about making sure that you believe and receive the one and the only true savior of sinful mankind who is none other than the true Jesus Christ of the Bible. To help you do that, I welcome you to examine with me the following three “Identity Marks” which summarizes the true nature and the true personality of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible:

I. The true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God.

II. The true Jesus Christ of the Bible is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person.

III. The true Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah or Christ promised in the Old Testament.

Since the first “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible deals with the fact that Jesus Christ is God, then before we can delve into it, we must first of all know and establish from the Bible the true nature of Yahweh God of the Bible—the one and the only true and the living God there is. For, once we do that, then you will be in a position to objectively test and verify for yourself whether or not Jesus Christ is God, that is, Yahweh God Himself. Therefore, we must start our study by answering the following question:

WHAT IS THE TRUE NATURE OF YAHWEH OR JEHOVAH GOD OF THE BIBLE?

As we saw in chapter one, there is only one true and the living God whose name is Yahweh or Jehovah. His name is translated “LORD” in our English Bibles as is clearly shown in this verse in Jeremiah 10:10 which states that, “But the LORD is the true God, He is the living God and an everlasting King.” From this verse, we can learn four truths about Yahweh or Jehovah God of the Bible. First, He is the only true God who alone deserves to be worshipped by all people in all places at all times. And this is simply because He has no equals in the heavens above or in the earth beneath. Second, He is the living God whose life has no beginning or an end; and for that reason, He is the source and sustainer of all life in the universe. Third, He is the everlasting King who rules and reigns forever and ever in His everlasting kingdom of life and light or truth. And fourth, the name of Yahweh or Jehovah God of the Bible is translated LORD in most of the English Bibles with all its four letters spelt in capital letters to distinguish it from the Hebrew name “Adonai” which means “master” but is also translated “Lord” in English. This name LORD appears about 6,000 times in the original Hebrew text in four Hebrew consonants as YHWH. Owing to the proper reverence that Jewish people gave to the name of Yahweh God of the Bible, His name remained unpronounceable for many centuries until the time when vowels were inserted into this Hebrew form YHWH giving rise to the name YAHWEH, which is transliterated to the name JEHOVAH. [1] This therefore explains why these two names YAHWEH and JEHOVAH are used interchangeably to refer to the God of the Bible—the one and the only true and the living God there is.

Now, Yahweh who is the only true and the living God exists eternally as one God in three distinct but equal persons. This unity of the three persons of Yahweh God is what is commonly known as the holy trinity. Therefore, in order to show you that Yahweh God exists as one God in three distinct but equal persons, I must do two things. First, I must show you from the Bible that Yahweh God is, one God. Then I must show you from the Bible that Yahweh God, though He is one God, He nevertheless does exist in three distinct but equal persons. But before I do that, I wish at this stage to emphasize the importance of interpreting the Bible correctly. This is because you cannot objectively evaluate the evidence that I have so far provided and all the evidence which I shall continue to provide throughout this book unless you interpret the Bible correctly. So, in order for you to interpret the Bible correctly, you must always remember that the Bible is the progressive revelation of the plan of God for salvation of mankind which starts in the 39 books of the Old Testament scriptures and then it progresses on to its fullest, clearest and final version in the 27 books of the New Testament scriptures. This therefore means that in order for you to interpret the Bible correctly, you must carefully consider what both the Old and the New Testament scriptures teach on that subject you are interpreting bearing in mind that the New Testament scriptures provide you with the fullest, clearest and the final revelation of that subject.

With that caution in mind, join with me as we study together some of the Old and the New Testament scriptures which clearly state that Yahweh God is one God. To get us started is this well known Old Testament scripture in Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” Without missing words or confusing phrases, this verse states that the LORD or Yahweh God is one God. In other words, the all knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, and eternal self-existing Supreme Being by the name LORD or Yahweh, is One God. From this verse, we see that Yahweh God is one God—the only God there is. Consequently, this verse firmly and with finality drives in the last nail to the coffin of many gods. Furthermore, when we read this verse together with Jeremiah 10:10 which we have just examined above, we can only come to this one conclusion: Yahweh God is not only one God but also He is the only true and the living God there is! Here are some other Old Testament scriptures which also prove that Yahweh God is one God: Deuteronomy 4:35, 39, Isaiah 43:10; 44:6-8; 45:5, 21 and 46:9. As we turn to New Testament scriptures, the evidence becomes admirably convincing. For example, 1st Corinthians 8:6 clearly states that, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” This verse makes it plain and clear that there is only one God, who of course is Yahweh God, the only true and the living God there is. The same truth is clearly reiterated in Galatians 3:20 which states that, “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.” Other New Testament scriptures which also prove that Yahweh God is one God include: Romans 3:30, Ephesians 4:4-6, 1st Timothy 2:5 and James 2:19 to mention but a few.

Having shown you from the Bible that Yahweh God is one God; let us now see how He exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons. To start us off, it is worthwhile noting that Old Testament scriptures clearly reveal Yahweh God as one Supreme Being who eternally exists in three persons without (for the most part) giving us their names. However, New Testament scriptures (which provide the fullest, clearest and the final revelation of all the subjects of the Bible) clearly reveal to us the names of these three distinct but equal persons as the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Bearing in mind that fact, let us now begin our study with the Old Testament scriptures starting with Genesis 1:1, the first verse of the first book of the Bible which says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Hebrew name translated God in this verse is “Elohim” the plural form of the Hebrew name of God and not “El” the singular form, clearly implying that Yahweh God exists eternally in more than one person. Still navigating our way through this first book of the Bible, we notice in Genesis 1:26; 3:22 and 11:7 that God used plural pronouns “Us” to speak of Himself or to Himself, implying that He exists in more than one person even though He is one God.

From Genesis, our study of this subject takes us back again to Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” This verse in addition to proving that Yahweh God is one God (as we have seen above) it also forms the foundation of proving that Yahweh God does indeed exist in three distinct but equal persons. And this is how it accomplishes that task. The word translated “one” in Deuteronomy 6:4 is the Hebrew word “echad” which denotes plurality in oneness or compound unity. Simply put, it is the unity of many as in the case of one team with many players or one body with many organs. A classic example from the Bible where this word “echad” is used is in Genesis 2:24 where it is used to describe oneness in the relationship between the husband and his wife where the two are said to become “one” flesh. Now, it is interesting as well as comforting to note that the verse which proves that Yahweh God is one God is also the very same verse which proves that there is plurality of persons in the same Yahweh God. Had Moses, the author of the book of Deuteronomy intended to communicate that Yahweh is absolutely one Supreme Being with no plurality in that oneness, he would have definitely used the Hebrew word “yachiyd” which is used to denote absolute oneness or indivisible one without possibility of any plurality in that one Being. By the way, this is what Moses did in Genesis 22:2 where he used this word “yachiyd” to stress the fact that Abraham was to offer his “only” son Isaac. But here in Deuteronomy 6:4, Moses obviously inspired by God the Holy Spirit made sure that he used the Hebrew word “echad” and not “yachiyd” so as to correctly communicate the fact that Yahweh God is one God who exists in more than one person. In this case, three persons namely: the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as we are going to see in the New Testament scriptures.

For proof that there is plurality of persons in Yahweh God of the Bible, let us take a closer look at these three Old Testament scriptures. By the way, even though these three scriptures do not explicitly give us the names of the persons they are referring to; a simple deduction helps us to identify three persons namely the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The first scripture is Genesis 19:24 which records, “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” This scripture reveals two persons who exist as Yahweh God. One person is referred to as the LORD who rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire, who must be God the Son known as Jesus Christ according to the foregoing passage from Genesis 18. The other person is also referred to as the LORD who was in heaven from where fire and brimstone came from, who is most likely God the Father. The second scripture is Isaiah 59:21 which reads, “As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says the LORD; My Spirit that is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed, says the LORD, from hereafter and for ever.” This scripture reveals two persons who exist as Yahweh God. One person is referred to as the LORD who is God the Father. And the other person is referred to as My Spirit i.e. the LORD’s Spirit who is obviously God the Holy Spirit. Finally, the third scripture is Jeremiah 23:5-6 which says, “5Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This scripture also reveals two persons who exist as Yahweh God. One person is referred to as the LORD who shall raise to David a righteous Branch who must be God the Father. And the other person is referred to as THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS who shall be raised by the LORD to sit on the throne of David and rule as King. This person must be God the Son known as Jesus Christ according to Isaiah 9:6-7. So, from these three Old Testament scriptures, we see three distinct persons who exist eternally as one Yahweh God namely: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Now, let us turn to the following three New Testament scriptures to get the fullest, clearest and the final revelation of this subject on how Yahweh God exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons. Here is the first scripture, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19—NKJV). This New Testament scripture shows us that Yahweh God exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons namely: the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The author is very careful to distinguish these three persons, giving us their names as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Yet, he maintains their unity as one God inasmuch as he wrote in the “name” singular and not in the “names” plural, underscoring the fact that these three persons exist as one Yahweh God. The second scripture is Matthew 3:16-17 which records, “16And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up immediately out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Once again this New Testament scripture shows us that Yahweh God exists in three distinct but equal persons namely: the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. In this scripture, we see very clear distinctions between the three persons. The Father speaks from heaven while the Son known as Jesus Christ in His human body is being baptized in River Jordan. Then Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus Christ like a dove. Hence these three distinct but equal persons are clearly seen working together as one Yahweh God. The third scripture is 1st Peter 1:2 which says, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace be multiplied.” Like the first two, this New Testament scripture shows us that Yahweh God exists in three distinct but equal persons namely: God the Father, God the son known as Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. In this scripture, we see clear distinctions between God the Father who elected believers, God the Son known as Jesus Christ whose blood atoned for believers’ sins, and God the Holy Spirit who sanctified those believers. Once again, we see these three distinct but equal persons of Yahweh God existing and working together as one Yahweh God.

As you might have noticed above, I have prefixed each of these three persons of Yahweh God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) with the title God, because it is an indisputable fact that each one of them is God, that is, Yahweh God Himself. For confirmation, we shall briefly look at some of the New Testament scriptures which clearly show that each one of the three persons of Yahweh God is God. Starting with scriptures which show that the Father is God consider 2nd Corinthians 1:3 which reads, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” Plain and clear, this scripture calls Father “God” because Father is indeed Yahweh God. Other verses which show that the Father is Yahweh God include: John 17:3, 1st Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 1:3, 1st Peter 1:3 and 2nd Peter 1:17 to mention but a few. Turning to the scriptures which show that the Son known as Jesus Christ is God, consider John 1:1, 14 which says, “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … 14And the Word was made 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.” This scripture clearly states that a person known as the “Word” was with Yahweh God of the Bible in the beginning and He was Yahweh God Himself. Then, at the appointed time, the “Word” became flesh or rather added a perfect human nature and henceforth became the God-Man so as to save sinful mankind. Of course, the “Word” is God the Son known as Jesus Christ. (Later in this chapter we will see why and how God the Son became the God-Man). Other verses which show that the Son known as Jesus Christ is Yahweh God include: John 20:28, Acts 20:28, Philippians 2:9-11, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8 and 1st John 5:20 to mention but a few. Finally, as we turn to the scriptures which show that Holy Spirit is God consider Acts 5:3-4 which says, “3But Peter said, Ananias, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own power? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.” This scripture makes it clear that lying to Holy Spirit is equal to lying to God proving that Holy Spirit is God, that is, Yahweh God Himself. Other verses which show that Holy Spirit is Yahweh God include: 2nd Corinthians 3:17-18, Hebrews 9:14, Matthew 28:19 and Isaiah 59:19 to mention but a few.

Having briefly seen how each one of the three persons of Yahweh God is God, let us delve further into what we Christians mean when we constantly assert that the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the first, the second and the third persons of the holy trinity respectively. To do that, I will start with the following definition of a person. A person, unlike a thing or a force, exists on his own possessing mind and will hence he is intelligent and is therefore able to know, feel, think, and decide independently on his own. Now, when we carefully read the whole Bible informed by this definition of a person, while at the same time bearing in mind that Yahweh God is incomprehensible hence finite beings like you and I cannot fully understand Yahweh God who is infinite, we notice three persons who are referred to as Yahweh God. These persons are the Father, the Son known as Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Each one of them is a person—a Divine Person—because He subsists or necessarily exists having mind, will and intelligence. And this truth is proven by the fact that each one of them knows, feels, thinks, and decides as is clearly revealed throughout the New Testament. The Father knows, feels, thinks, and decides because He is a person: the first person of the holy trinity. Likewise, the Son known as Jesus Christ knows, feels, thinks, and decides because He is a person: the second person of the holy trinity. Similarly, the Holy Spirit knows, feels, thinks, and decides because He is a person: the third person of the holy trinity. Yet these three persons eternally and co-equally exist as one Yahweh God. This is the reason why all true Christians irrevocably believe and boldly proclaim that Yahweh our God is a personal God, precisely, a triune God as is clearly shown in the figure below.

Now, when we refer to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as the first, the second and the third persons of the holy trinity respectively; we are actually referring to their distinction in position or their relationship to each other and not their nature or essence as Yahweh God. This is because, even though the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are equal in power, glory and nature as Yahweh God; they are nonetheless distinct from each other in terms of their personalities, positions, functions and relationships. This therefore means that as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit execute their divine functions and responsibilities, their distinct positions or relationship one to another is clearly seen in the following five ways. First, they have perfect love for one another. Second, they have perfect submission amongst them. Third, they have perfect unity between them. Fourth, they have perfect order amongst them. And fifth, each person has clear functions and responsibilities which He willingly and perfectly performs. Consequently, in their infinite wisdom and for their eternal purposes: the Father ranks as the first person of the holy trinity; the Son known as Jesus Christ ranks as the second person of the holy trinity; and the Holy Spirit ranks as the third person of the holy trinity. These ranks and order in the holy trinity are clearly displayed in the way these three persons submit to one another as well as strictly adhere to the order or position each person holds in the holy trinity. For example, the Son as the second person of the holy trinity willingly submits to the Father (John 5:30) and gladly accepts the seniority of the Father (John 14:28). Likewise, the Holy Spirit as the third person of the holy trinity willingly submits to Jesus Christ, the Son (John 15:26; 16:7) and gladly accepts the seniority of Jesus Christ (John 16:13-15). And yet, both Jesus Christ, the Son and the Holy Spirit do not lose their divine nature because of submitting to the Father and the Son respectively and gladly accepting the perfect order of how holy trinity functions. They do not lose and can never lose their divine nature the same way wives do not lose and can never lose their human nature because of willingly submitting to their own husbands and gladly accepting God-given order of how God-glorifying marriage functions!

To wrap up this study on the three persons of the holy trinity, I wish to reiterate these two facts. The first fact is that these ranks of first, second and third persons of the holy trinity do not in any way whatsoever denote inequality or differences in their nature or essence as Yahweh God. They simply denote order of how the three members of the holy trinity execute their divine functions. For as these three persons of the holy trinity execute their divine functions: there is a person who initiates and another person who executes; there is a person who plans and another person who fulfills those plans; there is a person who sends and another person who is sent; there is a person who gives and another person who is given; and so on and so forth. The second fact I wish to reiterate is that the Father and the Son are not so named to imply that the Father existed before the Son neither imply that the Father biologically produced the Son as some people erroneously think. Not so! And by the way, that is why God the Holy Spirit is never ever called “the Mother” to completely nullify any attempt to think or even teach that the three members of the holy trinity had or have biological relationship. These names, the “Father” and the “Son” do not denote their biological relationship but their divine loving relationship based on each person’s divine functions using terms that human beings can easily relate to. This is because each one of them (be it the Father or the Son) is eternal Yahweh God without a beginning or an end. You can read Proverbs 30:4 together with John 17:5 to see how both the “Father” and the “Son” are eternal. Later in this chapter we will see why and how the Son, who is eternal Yahweh God, added a perfect human nature and became fully a Man while still being fully God all in one person.

Hitherto I can confidently say that I have shown you from the Bible the true nature of Yahweh God of the Bible so that you can know and understand that He is one and the only true and the living God there is, who eternally exist in three distinct but equal persons namely: God the Father, God the Son known as Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit. And since you now know and understand the true nature of Yahweh God of the Bible, then you are in a position to objectively test and verify for yourself whether or not Jesus Christ is God, that is, Yahweh God Himself. Consequently, the stage is finally set for us to examine in details the first of the three “Identity Marks” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible which is stated here below as follows:

I. The true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God

The first “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible deals with the fact that Jesus Christ is God. To ascertain that, all you need to do is to turn to the Bible and carefully read it. If you do that, you will clearly see for yourself that the Bible teaches directly, indisputably as well as convincingly that Jesus Christ is Yahweh God Himself! So, what I intend to do in this section is to share with you the following six major facts from the Bible which conclusively prove that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is Yahweh God Himself:

1. Jesus Christ is revealed in the Bible as Yahweh God, the second person of the holy trinity.
2. Jesus Christ is directly called God in the Bible. Jesus Christ boldly claimed to be God in the Bible.
3. Jesus Christ is addressed with titles that are used to address Yahweh God and Him alone.
4. Jesus Christ possesses all the attributes of Yahweh God.
5. Jesus Christ does what only Yahweh God can do.

1. JESUS CHRIST IS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE AS YAHWEH GOD, THE SECOND PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY

The first major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God is the fact that He is revealed in the Bible as Yahweh God, the second person of the holy trinity. So here in this section, I will present to you evidence from the Bible which convincingly proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is Yahweh God, the second person of the holy trinity. To do this, I will share with you six Old Testament scriptures which when you compare and contrast them with New Testament scriptures, you will clearly see for yourself that these scriptures use Yahweh God and Jesus Christ interchangeably. In other words, what Old Testament scripture ascribe to Yahweh God and Him alone, New Testament scripture ascribe it to Jesus Christ and Him alone! By so doing, I wish to conclusively demonstrate to you from the written word of God (i.e. the Bible) which cannot contradict itself that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is and must be Yahweh God Himself.

The first Old Testament scripture we will examine is Isaiah 43:11 which says, “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no savior.” This scripture states that the LORD or Yahweh God is the only true savior of sinful mankind. And yet, when we turn to New Testament scriptures (which as I stated earlier on give us the fullest, clearest and the final revelation of any subject in the Bible), we find scores of scriptures which categorically state that Jesus Christ is the only true savior of sinful mankind. A good example of such a scripture is Acts 4:10-12 which states that, “10Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him does this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Therefore by comparing and contrasting Isaiah 43:11 and Acts 4:10-12, it is abundantly clear that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible must be Yahweh God Himself. This is because Isaiah 43:11 states that Yahweh God is the one and the only true savior of sinful mankind. And yet, Acts 4:10-12 also states that Jesus Christ is the one and the only true savior of sinful mankind, clearly implying that Jesus Christ is and must be Yahweh God Himself!

The second Old Testament scripture we will examine is Jeremiah 10:10 which declares that, “But the LORD is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting King.” This scripture states that the LORD or Yahweh God is the one and the only true God there is. And yet, when we turn to this New Testament scripture in 1st John 5:20, it explicitly states that Jesus Christ is the true God, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” Therefore by comparing and contrasting Jeremiah 10:10 and 1st John 5:20, it is crystal clear that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible must be Yahweh God Himself. This is because Jeremiah 10:10 states that Yahweh God is the true God. And yet, 1st John 5:20 also states that Jesus Christ is the true God, clearly implying that Jesus Christ is and must be Yahweh God Himself!

The third Old Testament scripture we will examine is Joel 2:32 which records, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered.” This scripture states that one has to call upon the name of the LORD or Yahweh God in order to be delivered i.e. to be saved. And yet, when we turn to this New Testament scripture in Romans 10:9-13, it clearly states that one has to call upon the name of Jesus Christ in order to be saved, “9That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. … 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Therefore by comparing and contrasting Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:9-13, it is plain and clear that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible must be Yahweh God Himself. This is because Joel 2:32 asserts that all sinners must call upon the name of Yahweh God in order to be saved. And yet, Romans 10:9-13 also asserts that all sinners must call upon the name of Jesus Christ in order to be saved, clearly implying that Jesus Christ is and must be Yahweh God Himself!

The fourth Old Testament scripture we will examine is Isaiah 45:23 by which Yahweh God Himself declares, “I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” In context, this scripture clearly states that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear that LORD or Yahweh is God. And yet, when we turn to this New Testament scripture in Philippians 2:10-11, it clearly states that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, “10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Therefore by comparing and contrasting Isaiah 45:23 and Philippians 2:10-11, it is clear that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible must be Yahweh God Himself. This is because Isaiah 45:23 states that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Yahweh is God. And yet, Philippians 2:10-11 also states that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is LORD i.e. Yahweh God, clearly implying that Jesus Christ is and must be Yahweh God Himself! For clarity, saved people shall bow to Jesus Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ where all their works shall be judged to determine the rewards or crowns they will have in heaven (Romans 14:10-12, 1st Corinthians 3:8-15 and 2nd Corinthians 5:10). But people who die unsaved shall bow to Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment where He shall judge them for all their sins before they are cast into hell (John 5:22 and Revelation 20:11-15).

The fifth Old Testament scripture we will examine is Genesis 2:4 which records, “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” This scripture states that the LORD or Yahweh God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and of course everything else that was ever created. And yet, when we turn to this New Testament scripture in John 1:1-3, it clearly states that the Word (who is Jesus Christ) is the Creator of everything that was ever created, “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Therefore by comparing and contrasting Genesis 2:4 and John 1:1-3, it is obvious that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible must be Yahweh God Himself. This is because Genesis 2:4 states that Yahweh God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and of course everything else that was ever created. And yet, John 1:1-3 also states that Jesus Christ is the Creator of everything that was ever created, clearly implying that Jesus Christ is and must be Yahweh God Himself!

Finally, the sixth Old Testament scripture we will examine is Psalm 23:1 which declares that, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” This scripture states that the LORD or Yahweh God is the shepherd of King David (who wrote this Psalm) and by extension all the people who trust in the LORD. And yet, when we turn to this New Testament scripture in John 10:11, 14, it clearly states that Jesus Christ is the Shepherd of all those people who trust in Him, “11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. … 14I am the good shepherd, and I know My sheep, and I am known of Mine.” Therefore by comparing and contrasting Psalm 23:1 and John 10:11, 14, it is clear that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible must be Yahweh God Himself. This is because Psalm 23:1 states that Yahweh God is the shepherd of all the people who trust in Him. And yet, John 10:11, 14, also states that Jesus Christ is the shepherd, precisely the Good Shepherd of all the people who trust in Him, clearly implying that Jesus Christ is and must be Yahweh God Himself!

While I can go on and on comparing and contrasting Old and New Testament scriptures which use Yahweh God and Jesus Christ interchangeably proving that Jesus Christ is Yahweh God Himself, those six scriptures I have shared with you are sufficient to conclusively demonstrate to you that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is Yahweh God, the second person of the holy trinity! Having seen enough about the first major compelling fact which proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, let us now examine the second one.

2. JESUS CHRIST IS DIRECTLY CALLED GOD IN THE BIBLE

The second major compelling fact which convincingly proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God is the fact that Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called God in the Bible. The following are some scriptures where Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called God in the Bible.

a) Jesus Christ is directly called “God” by God the Father in the Bible

God the Father clearly and directly calls Jesus Christ “God” in Hebrews 1:8 which reads, “But to the Son He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.” The fact that God the Father calls Jesus Christ “God” is sufficient proof that Jesus Christ is God. For, if God the Father who knows all things and who cannot lie calls Jesus Christ “God,” then that must be sufficient and incontestable proof that Jesus Christ is God.

b) Jesus Christ is directly called “God” by His apostles in the Bible

There are a number of Bible verses where three of the original twelve apostles of Jesus Christ called Him God. Apostle John called Jesus Christ “God” in John 1:1, 14; Apostle Thomas called Jesus Christ “God” in John 20:28; and Apostle Peter called Jesus Christ “God” in 2nd Peter 1:1. No doubt, these three original apostles of Jesus Christ who saw, heard, touched and interacted with Him for over three years were in a better position to know His true identity through observation as well as revelation. Furthermore, when Apostle Thomas called Jesus Christ “My Lord and My God” in John 20:28, Jesus Christ did not rebuke him but instead He accepted to be called “Lord and God” because that is who He really is.

c) Jesus Christ is directly called “The true God” in the Bible

Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called “The true God” in 1st John 5:20 which reads, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” This scripture, which calls Jesus Christ “The true God,” is yet another undeniable proof that Jesus Christ is God.

d) Jesus Christ is directly called “The great God” in the Bible

Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called “The great God” in Titus 2:13, which says, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” Once again this scripture, which calls Jesus Christ “The great God,” is yet another irrefutable proof that Jesus Christ is God.

e) Jesus Christ is directly called “The mighty God” in the Bible

Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called “The Mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6 which foretold of the first coming of the Messiah declaring that, “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” This scripture which foretold of the first coming of Jesus the Messiah clearly calls Jesus Christ “The Mighty God” proving once again that Jesus Christ is God. This is more so, when you realize that this phrase “The Mighty God” is used in Isaiah 10:20-21 and Jeremiah 32:18 to refer to Yahweh God Himself.

f) Jesus Christ is directly called “God with us” in the Bible

Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called “God with us” in Matthew 1:23 which reads, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” In this scripture which is fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 where the birth of Jesus the Messiah was prophesied by Prophet Isaiah 740 years before it happened, Jesus Christ is clearly and directly called “God with us” proving once again that Jesus Christ is God.

g) Jesus Christ is called “God over all” in the Bible

To crown this growing mountain of the evidence that Jesus Christ is God, is this Bible verse in Romans 9:5 which reads, “Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.” This verse makes it abundantly clear that Jesus Christ, who came in the human flesh as a male virgin-born Jew, was and still is “God, over all” proving that Jesus Christ is God. Leaving behind the second major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, let us now examine the third one.

3. JESUS CHRIST BOLDLY CLAIMED TO BE GOD IN THE BIBLE

The third major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God is the fact that He claimed to be God in the Bible. Contrary to what Bible critics claim that Jesus Christ never claimed to be God, there are four ways by which Jesus Christ claimed to be God in the Bible. Here is the first one:

< h6> a) Whenever Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God, He was actually claiming to be Yahweh God Himself

The first way by which Jesus Christ claimed to be God is by claiming as well as accepting that He is the Son of God. So then the question becomes, what exactly does it mean that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Is He the Son of God in a biological sense? In other words, was Jesus Christ biologically reproduced or even created by God the Father? Does the phrase “Begotten Son of God” mean that Jesus Christ was biologically reproduced by God the Father and henceforth He became a male offspring of God the Father known as the only Begotten Son of God? To answer these questions, it is important to understand two things. First, the specific meaning of each of the three Greek words which are translated “Begotten” in the New Testament section of the English Bibles. And second, how the phrase “son of” is used both in the Bible as well as in day to day speech.

To start with, it is important to note that the word “Begotten” which appears about 14 times in the New Testament is translated from these three Greek words: “Monogenes” six times, “Gennao” seven times, and “Anagennao” once. The Greek word “Anagennao” means born again (See 1st Peter 1:3) while the Greek word “Gennao” means to father either literally or figuratively. But every time this word “Gennao” is used on Jesus Christ, it carries its figurative meaning for it always describes how God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead (See Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5 and 5:5). Now, turning to the Greek word “Monogenes,” I wish to draw your attention first to its meaning and second to its usage in the Bible. To begin with, this Greek word “Monogenes” is a compound word comprising of two words. The first word is “mono” which means one, only or unique. And the second word is “genes” which means kind, substance, nature or essence (which by the way is where the English word “genetics” is derived from). So from the combined meaning of these two words, “Monogenes” therefore means one and the only one with the same exact kind, substance, essence or nature.

So as we turn to its usage in the Bible, it therefore means that in each of these five New Testament passages where this Greek word “monogenes” is used to refer to Jesus Christ as the only Begotten Son of God (i.e. in John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18 and 1st John 4:9), Jesus Christ is clearly revealed as the one and the only one with the same exact kind, substance, essence and nature with God the Father. Furthermore, it also means that Jesus Christ has always had this same exact nature with God the Father from eternity past. Hence Jesus Christ as the Son of God or more precisely as God the Son was never created or even biologically reproduced by God the Father because He is eternal and unchanging Yahweh God Himself just as God the Father is. Therefore, unlike the other sons of God such as angels (Job 1:6) or Christians (Galatians 4:6-7), Jesus Christ is the only unique and special Son of God because He has the same exact kind, substance and nature with God the Father. Moreover, the fact that Jesus Christ has the same exact nature with God the Father means that He is eternal and unchanging just as God the Father is. This therefore means that, first of all, Jesus Christ could never ever have been created by God the Father to become an inferior god to Him. Secondly, it also means that Jesus Christ could never ever have been biologically reproduced by God the Father to become another God of the same exact kind as God the Father because that could result to God the Father violating His eternal and unchanging nature which is impossible (see Malachi 3:6)!

Now, with those facts about the Son of God on your finger tips, let us seek to understand how the phrase “son of” is used both in the Bible and in day to day speech. The common use of the phrase “son of” is universally accepted to refer to a male biological offspring of a particular person. However, there is another less common yet universally accepted use of the phrase “son of” which refers to a person who is “of the order of”. In other words, a person who has the same exact kind, sort, nature, or essence with who or what he is said to be a “son of”. Example is in Acts 4:36 where Barnabas is called “the son of consolation” and in Mark 3:17 where James and John are called “the sons of thunder”. Therefore, you have to examine the context to determine which usage is appropriate. So in the case of Jesus Christ, the phrase “Son of God” can only mean “of the order of God” and not a male biological offspring of God for the obvious reason that Yahweh God who is eternal and unchanging cannot biologically reproduce another God of His same exact kind (Malachi 3:6). For, should such a thing happen, it could violate His eternal and unchanging nature. So whenever Jesus Christ addressed Himself as the “Son of God” or gladly accepted to be acknowledged by His disciples as the “Son of God,” He was in essence claiming to be “of the order of God”. That is, He was claiming to have the same exact kind, nature, and essence as Yahweh God: simply because He was and still is Yahweh God Himself who has come in the human flesh!

This therefore means that, this phrase “Son of God” refers to His nature as God and should not be confused with His “incarnation” when He added human nature to His divine nature and became fully God and fully Man all in one person about 2,000 years ago. For, at His point of “incarnation” (i.e. when God the Son entered space, time and matter in a perfect human nature and was miraculously conceived by God the Holy Spirit in the womb of Virgin Mary), His humanity had its beginning at that time but His divinity had no beginning and neither does it have an end. Therefore, Jesus Christ has always been and He shall always be eternal and unchanging God the Son, the second person of the holy trinity (Hebrews 13:8, John 17:5 and Proverbs 30:4).

Now, we have three ways by which Jesus Christ acknowledged He was the Son of God and by so doing claimed to be God. First, He addressed Himself as the Son of God. Second, He accepted to be acknowledged by His disciples as the Son of God. Third, He confessed to His enemies that He was the Son of God. Turning to the first way, we notice that Jesus Christ addressed Himself as the Son of God as is seen in John 9:35-38 which reads, “35Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe on the Son of God?’ 36He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?’ 37And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him, and it is He that talks with you.’ 38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.” In the most direct and clearest of the ways, Jesus Christ identified Himself as the Son of God to this man whom He had healed of congenital blindness on a Sabbath day, which enraged Jews religious leaders, who then cast this man out of their synagogue. So clear and direct was the way that Jesus Christ identified Himself as the Son of God to this man such that this man immediately and without hesitating worshipped Him as God. Moreover, Jesus Christ allowed this man to worship Him: because as the Son of God, He is Yahweh God Himself and He deserves to be worshipped by all people in all places and at all times.

Shifting our focus to the second way by which Jesus Christ acknowledged He was the Son of God and by so doing claimed to be God, we see incidences where He accepted to be acknowledged by His disciples as the Son of God. Several times, Jesus Christ accepted to be acknowledged by His disciples as the Son of God. Notable of all is that incident when He went to His disciples walking on turbulent waters of the Sea of Galilee during a severe storm. Immediately He climbed onto the boat and effortlessly calmed this severe storm, His disciples marveling at His divine powers worshipped Him saying, “Of a truth You are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). Similar thing happened when Nathaniel amazed at how Jesus Christ was able to know everything about him was so moved and exclaimed saying to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel” (John 1:49). Likewise, Martha the sister of Lazarus gave this classic response to Jesus Christ when He asked her whether she believed He was the resurrection and the life, “Yea, Lord: I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (John 11:27). Had Jesus Christ not been Yahweh God Himself, He could not have allowed His disciples to address Him as the Son of God or worship Him as they did. Finally, as we turn to the third way by which Jesus Christ acknowledged He was the Son of God and by so doing claimed to be God, we see incidences where He confessed to His enemies that He was the Son of God. For example in John 10:30, Jesus Christ said, ‘I and My Father are one’ which incensed the Jews because they correctly understood that He was claiming equality with God. So threatening to stone Him to death, Jesus did not back down but He went on to declare to them, “I am the Son of God” (John 10:36) thus proving that He had not blasphemed God for claiming equality with God the Father because He was God. And to crown it all, at His trial before the Sanhedrin, Jesus Christ under oath from the high priest acknowledged that He was indeed the Son of God and by so doing claimed to be Yahweh God Himself (Matthew 26:63-66).

In conclusion we can say that in all those instances where Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God, He was in actual fact claiming to be Yahweh God Himself.

b) Whenever Jesus Christ claimed to be “I AM” He was actually claiming to be Yahweh God

The second way by which Jesus Christ claimed to be God is by claiming to be the “I AM”. Though it may sound unusual or even out of step with the rules of semantics, yet “I AM” is in fact the defining name of Yahweh God, the only true and the living God there is. It was unveiled for the first time to Moses at the burning bush by Yahweh God Himself as is recorded for us in Exodus 3:14-15 as follows, “14And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, ‘Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent you.’ 15And God said moreover to Moses, ‘Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: this is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’” By describing Himself as the “I AM,” Yahweh God revealed to Moses then and to us today the following four attributes of Yahweh God of the Bible. First, the name “I AM” reveals to us that Yahweh God is eternal having neither a beginning nor an end hence He exists in the “eternal now” without any past or future. Second, the name “I AM” reveals to us that Yahweh God is the self-existing One, who exists on His own outside of space, time and matter without needing any help from anyone or anything. Third, the name “I AM” reveals to us that Yahweh God is Uncaused yet He caused all that exists in the universe whether visible or invisible, living thing or non-living thing. In other words, He brought into existence everything that exists but He Himself was never brought into existence because He has always existed. And fourth, the name “I AM” reveals to us that Yahweh God is unchanging in His nature, in His character and in His relationship to the whole of His creation. Hence, who He was in the past is who He is in the present and that is who He shall be in the future.

It therefore follows that the name “I AM” is an exclusive name which can only be used to address Yahweh God and Him alone. For it is strictly reserved for Yahweh God, the one and the only true and the living God there is. Consequently, no person, no angel, and no any other being should be addressed by this name. So when Jesus Christ over and over again referred to Himself as the “I AM,” He was claiming to be Yahweh God Himself. The most notable incident when Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the “I AM” is recorded in John 8:58 where He said to the Jews who were arguing with Him, “Verily, verily, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” And when these Jews heard Jesus Christ claiming to be the “I AM,” they took up stones intending to stone Him to death because they understood He was claiming to be Yahweh God (see John 8:59). By the way, this was not the only time when Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the “I AM”. Seven times in the gospel of John, Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the “I AM” reminding all His disciples that He is the eternal and unchanging Yahweh God Almighty who is able to meet all their needs. Hence our lord and savior Jesus Christ boldly declared to His disciples then and to us today that: I AM the bread of life in John 6:35, 48; I AM the light of the world in John 8:12; I AM the door of the sheep in John 10:7, 9; I AM the good shepherd in John 10:11, 14; I AM the resurrection and the life in John 11:25; I AM the way, the truth and the life in John 14:6; and I AM the true vine in John 15:1. Therefore in each of these seven times that Jesus Christ claimed to be the “I AM,” He was claiming to be Yahweh God Himself.

c) Whenever Jesus Christ claimed to be co-equal with God the Father, He was claiming to be Yahweh God

The third way by which Jesus Christ claimed to be God is by claiming to be co-equal with God the Father. There are two ways by which Jesus Christ claimed to be co-equal with God the Father. The first one is by declaring that He and God the Father are one. And the second one is by declaring that He shared the same glory with God the Father in eternity past. Let’s briefly look at each one of them.

i. Jesus Christ declared He is one with God the Father thereby claiming to be Yahweh God

In John 10:30, Jesus Christ made this statement, “I and My Father are one.” This happens to be one of the clearest statements of the deity of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible. From His own lips, Jesus Christ made this proclamation that He and the Father are one thereby claiming co-equality with God the Father. Something important to note about this statement is the fact that Jesus Christ did not say that He is the Father or that the Father is Him. But rather He said, “I and My Father are one” clearly revealing that He and the Father are two distinct persons yet these two distinct persons are one. One what? Obviously they are not one person but One Supreme Being by the name Yahweh God—the one and the only true and the living God there is! This therefore means that these two distinct persons share the same nature, essence, glory and power as One Yahweh God Almighty. In other words, the nature of the Father is the same exact nature of Jesus Christ hence they are one.

ii. Jesus Christ declared that He shared the same glory with God the Father thereby claiming to be Yahweh God

In John 17:5, Jesus Christ made this prayer to God the Father as part of His high priestly prayer which He prayed just before He was arrested, tried and later on crucified, “And now, O Father, glorify You Me with Your own self with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Now, in this prayer that Jesus Christ prayed to God the Father, we learn the following three things about His eternal divine nature. First, He existed before the world was ever created. Second, He was with God the Father in eternity past prior to the creation of the world. And third, He shared the same divine glory with God the Father in eternity past prior to the creation of the world. While each of these three points clearly shows that Jesus Christ is co-equal with God Father, it is the last two points that I want us to delve into a little bit. This is because they prove beyond any reasonable doubt that Jesus Christ is Yahweh God Himself inasmuch as He was with God the Father in eternity past in addition to having and sharing the same glory with God the Father in eternity past. Here below are the two reasons why.

The first reason is that Yahweh God states that He can never ever share His glory with anything or anyone else. This is what He had to say about that issue, “I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8). In light of this fact that Yahweh God can never ever share His glory with anything or anyone else, we are therefore led to conclude that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because in John 17:5 He boldly and directly claimed to have had and even shared the same divine glory with God the Father in eternity past. It therefore means that Jesus Christ could not have been a created being who somehow existed before the creation of the world as an angel or an inferior god to Yahweh God. For if that were the case, He could not have shared the same divine glory with God the Father because of the clear injunction issued against such a thing in Isaiah 42:8. Turning to the second reason: Yahweh God declared that He cannot co-exist or dwell together with gods. In Deuteronomy 32:39, Yahweh God made this declaration on that issue, “See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me.” Again, in light of this fact that Yahweh God can never ever co-exist or dwell together with gods, we are therefore led to conclude that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because in John 17:5 He boldly and directly claimed to have co-existed or dwelt together with God the Father before the world was ever created. If Jesus Christ were an inferior god to Yahweh God as some cults claim, then according to this injunction in Deuteronomy 32:39, Yahweh God could not have co-existed nor dwelt together with Him before the world was ever created as He clearly did! But Jesus Christ co-existed with God the Father as He did because He was and still is Yahweh God Himself.

In conclusion we can confidently say that Jesus Christ shared the same nature and glory with God the Father because He was and still is Yahweh God Himself.

d) Whenever Jesus Christ claimed to be in God the Father and God the Father to be in Him, He was claiming to be Yahweh God

The fourth way by which Jesus Christ claimed to be God is by claiming that He was in God the Father and God the Father was in Him. Several times in the gospel of John, Jesus Christ made this claim that He was in God the Father and God the Father was in Him. For the sake of time and space, we will only examine this one in John 14:9-11 where Philip, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ asked Him to show them God the Father and then, “9Jesus said to him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known Me, Philip? He that has seen Me has seen the Father; and how say you then, show us the Father? 10Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwells in Me, He does the works. 11Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake.” With a characteristic expression of holy wonder that Philip didn’t know who He was after they had been together for three and a half years, Jesus Christ made it crystal clear that He and God the Father share the same divine nature as one Yahweh God Almighty. This is because, by declaring that “I am in the Father and the Father in Me” as well as “He that has seen Me has seen the Father,” Jesus Christ was in actual fact claiming that He has the same exact nature, essence, glory, and power as God the Father. Notice that He did not say that He is the Father or that the Father is Him. His statement is very clear that He and the Father are two distinct persons. Yet these two persons are one in nature, one in essence, one in glory and one in power as Yahweh God Almighty. Moreover, they are so inseparable in their divine nature such that if you have seen one, you have actually seen the other one also. That’s why the Bible in Hebrews 1:3 clearly states that Jesus Christ is the express image of God. In other words, Yahweh God who is a Spirit (John 4:24) meaning that He cannot be seen or touched is clearly seen and touched in and through Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully Man all in one person. In short, Jesus Christ displays the invisible and intangible Yahweh God for all to see, touch, and interact with because He Himself is Yahweh God who has come in the human flesh.

So leaving behind the third major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, let us now examine the fourth one.

JESUS CHRIST IS ADDRESSED WITH TITLES THAT ARE USED TO ADDRESS YAHWEH GOD AND HIM ALONE

The fourth major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God is the fact that He is addressed in the Bible with titles that are used to address Yahweh God and Him alone. In the Old Testament scriptures, there are two special divine titles that are used to address Yahweh God exclusively. These titles are “Lord of lords” and “The first and the last” which in Greek is “Alpha and Omega”. It is therefore quite inspiring to note that these same divine titles are also used in the New Testament scriptures to address Jesus Christ thereby proving that He is Yahweh God Himself. Let us look at the first title.

a) Jesus Christ is addressed as “The King of kings and the Lord of lords”

In the Old Testament, the divine title “Lord of lords” is used to exclusively address the LORD or Yahweh God as is clearly seen in the following scripture, “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who show no partiality nor takes a bribe” (Deuteronomy 10:17—NKJV). From this verse, it is clear that the divine title “Lord of lords” can only be used to address Yahweh God and Him alone. And yet, when we turn to this New Testament scripture in Revelation 19:16, we notice that Jesus Christ is addressed with the same divine title albeit with additional title of “King of kings”. This is how that scripture reads, “And He has on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Since Jesus Christ is addressed with the divine title “Lord of lords” which can only be used to address Yahweh God and Him alone, it therefore means that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself.

b) Jesus Christ is addressed with divine title “The first and the last”

In the Old Testament, the divine title “The first and the last” is used to address the LORD or Yahweh God and Him alone as is seen in Isaiah 44:6 which says, “Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the First, and I am the Last; and beside Me there is no God.” As you can see, this verse does not leave any room for any other person to be addressed with this divine title “The first and the last” other than Yahweh God and Him alone. Yet, when we turn to the New Testament scriptures, we notice that Jesus Christ is addressed with the same divine title “The first and the last” including its two renditions “The beginning and the end” and “Alpha and Omega,” the latter being its equivalent in the Greek language. Here is an example of such a scripture, “17And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying to me, Fear not; I am the First and the Last: 18I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17-18). Since Jesus Christ addressed Himself with the divine title “The first and the last” which can only be used to address Yahweh God exclusively, it therefore means that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself.

Leaving behind the fourth major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, let us now turn to the fifth one.

5. JESUS CHRIST POSSESSES ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF YAHWEH GOD

The fifth major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God is the fact that He possesses all the attributes of Yahweh God. So, what I will do in this section is to compare and contrast some of the Old and the New Testament scriptures so that you can see for yourself that Jesus Christ does indeed possesses all the attributes of Yahweh God. But in order to do that without being unnecessarily repetitive, I will discuss the divine attributes of Jesus Christ without delving into how and why His human nature “seems” to overshadow some of His divine attributes (for I will discuss that separately later on in this chapter). With that in mind, let us briefly examine the following seven divine attributes of Jesus Christ.

a) Jesus Christ is all-powerful just as Yahweh God is all-powerful

What identifies Yahweh God to be the only true and the living God is the fact that He is all-powerful. This means that He has eternal limitless power. Consequently, there is nothing that Yahweh God cannot do so long as it is in accordance with His will and is perfectly in harmony with His nature. Among many other scriptures which reveal this truth to us is Jeremiah 32:17 which says, “Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You.” Just as Yahweh God is all-powerful so is Jesus Christ all-powerful. He has eternal limitless power hence He can do anything so long as it is in accordance with His will and is perfectly in harmony with His nature. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them Matthew 28:18 where Jesus Christ made this declaration to His disciples just before He ascended back to heaven, “All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth.”

b) Jesus Christ is all knowing just as Yahweh God is all knowing

Another attribute which identifies Yahweh God to be the only true and the living God is the fact that He is all knowing. This means that Yahweh God knows everything there is to be known about everything both actual and potential whether in the past, or in the present or in the future. This is possible because He exists in eternity outside of space, time and matter hence He is able to know the past, the present and the future all at once. Consequently, nothing is hidden from Him whether actual or potential. Moreover, whatever He knows: He knows it perfectly, infinitely as well as eternally. Among the scriptures which reveal this truth is 1st John 3:20 which says, “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” Just as Yahweh God is all knowing so is Jesus Christ all knowing. He knows everything there is to be known about everything both actual and potential whether in the past, or in the present or in the future. Furthermore, Jesus Christ knows all what He knows perfectly, infinitely as well as eternally. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them John 16:30 where Jesus’ disciples said to Him, “Now are we sure that You know all things, and need not that any man should ask you: by this we believe that You came forth from God.”

c) Jesus Christ is everywhere present just as Yahweh God is everywhere present

Another attribute which identifies Yahweh God to be the only true and the living God is the ability to be everywhere all at the same time. In other words, Yahweh God is everywhere present both in eternity as well as in the whole of His creation. However this does not mean that He is one with His creation but rather that He is everywhere present in His creation. Consequently, there is nothing in eternity or in the whole of His creation that is hidden from Him. Among many other scriptures which reveal this truth to us is Jeremiah 23:23-24 which says, “23Am I a God at hand, says the LORD, and not a God afar off? 24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.” Just as Yahweh God is everywhere present so is Jesus Christ everywhere present. Kindly note that, Jesus Christ in His eternal divine nature is and must be everywhere present but in His human nature He can only be in one place at a time. In other words, Jesus Christ in His eternal divine nature is everywhere present both in eternity as well as in the whole of creation. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them Ephesians 1:23, which describes Jesus Christ as one who fills all in all. Another scripture is Matthew 28:20 where Jesus Christ Himself said that after ascending back to heaven, He will always be with His disciples anywhere they will be all the time.

d) Jesus Christ is eternal just as Yahweh God is eternal

Another attribute which confirms that Yahweh God is the only true and the living God is the fact that He is eternal. This means that Yahweh God does not have a beginning or an end but He exists in the “eternal now”. Hence He dwells in eternity outside of space, time and matter. And to that end, He cannot be limited by space, time or matter. Among the scriptures which reveal this truth is Deuteronomy 33:27, which says, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Just as Yahweh God is eternal so is Jesus Christ eternal. Without a doubt, Jesus Christ as God the Son who dwells in eternity has neither a beginning nor an end. In other words, He exists in the “eternal now”. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them Hebrews 13:8 which declares that, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

e) Jesus Christ is self-existing One just as Yahweh God is self-existing One

Another attribute which confirms that Yahweh God is the only true and the living God is the fact that He is the self-existing one. This does not mean that Yahweh God brought Himself into existence for that would be illogical! What it means is that Yahweh God is an independent self-contained and self-sufficient Being who has always existed on His own never ever depending on anyone or anything whatsoever to exist. Furthermore, He is the Uncaused-cause who brought everything into existence but He Himself was never ever brought into existence because He has always existed. One of the scripture which reveals this truth is Exodus 3:14 which says, “And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” Just as Yahweh God is self-existing one so is Jesus Christ self-existing one. In His eternal divine nature, Jesus Christ has always self-existed without depending on anyone or anything whatsoever to exist. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them John 5:26 where Jesus Christ Himself declared, “For as the Father has life in Himself; so has He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” Another scripture which confirms this to be the case is John 8:58 where Jesus Christ made this declaration, “Verily, verily, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

f) Jesus Christ is unchanging just as Yahweh God is unchanging

Another attribute which confirms that Yahweh God is the only true and the living God is the fact that He is unchanging. This means that Yahweh God does not change either in His nature or in His character or even in His relationship to His creation. Consequently, who He was in the past is who He is in the present and that is who He shall be in the future. There are many scriptures which reveal this truth; amongst them is Malachi 3:6 which says, “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Just as Yahweh God is unchanging so is Jesus Christ unchanging. In His eternal divine nature, Jesus Christ does not change and cannot change. Who He was in the past is who He is in the present and that is who He shall be in the future. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them Hebrews 13:8 which declares that, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

g) Jesus Christ is holy just as Yahweh God is holy

Finally, another attribute which identifies Yahweh God to be the only true and the living God is the fact that He is holy. This means that Yahweh God is morally pure, perfect and sinless. Hence whatever He ever thinks and does is perfect and eternally right. Therefore, He is by nature without sin and as a result He can never ever sin. Moreover, He hates sin hence He cannot excuse sin; but as the just and righteous Judge, God shall ultimately and righteously judge all sins. Among many other scriptures which reveal this truth to us is Leviticus 11:45 which says, “For I am the LORD that brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” Just as Yahweh God is holy so is Jesus Christ holy. He is morally pure, perfect and sinless. Consequently, whatever He ever thinks and does is perfect and eternally right. This truth is confirmed by many scriptures amongst them Hebrews 4:14-15 which says, “14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

Having seen enough about the fifth major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, let us now turn to the sixth and the last one.

6. JESUS CHRIST DOES WHAT ONLY YAHWEH GOD CAN DO

The sixth major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God is the fact that He does what only Yahweh God can do. In addition to divine attributes, there are divine actions that Jesus Christ performed and continues to perform which prove that He must be Yahweh God Himself because only Yahweh God can perform such actions. So, I invite you to join with me as we examine together the following six divine actions of Jesus Christ which prove that He is Yahweh God Himself.

a) Jesus Christ created all things something that only Yahweh God can do

One of the actions that can only be performed by Yahweh God is the creation of all things that exist from nothing. Only Yahweh God, who alone is all-powerful, is all knowing and is everywhere present can create all things that exist in the universe from nothing (Genesis 1:1 and Jeremiah 10:10-12). It therefore means that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because the Bible clearly states that He is the one who actually created all things that exist in the universe. Here is how the Bible records that truth, “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). Other scriptures which also record that Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things that exist in the universe include: John 1:1-3, Ephesians 3:9 and Hebrews 1:2. Therefore, Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because He created all things something that only Yahweh God can do.

b) Jesus Christ is the giver of life something that only Yahweh God can do

Another action that can only be performed by Yahweh God is giving of life to all living things in the whole of the universe. Life with all its complexities can only be created by Yahweh God because He alone is all-powerful, all knowing and is everywhere present to be able to perform such an incredible and incomprehensible action (Acts 17:25). It therefore follows that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because the Bible clearly states that He is the one who gives life to all living things in the whole of the universe. The following is one of those scriptures in the Bible which state that Jesus Christ is the giver of life to all living things in the whole of the universe, “For as the Father raises up the dead, and makes them alive; even so the Son makes alive whom He will” (John 5:21). So we are therefore led to conclude that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God because He is the giver of life to all living things something that only Yahweh God can do.

c) Jesus Christ is the only savior of mankind something that only Yahweh God can do

Another action that can only be performed by Yahweh God is salvation of sinful mankind. The Bible is clear that salvation of sinful mankind can only be satisfactorily and eternally done by Yahweh God and Him alone. For example in Isaiah 43:11, Yahweh God declared that, “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no savior.” It therefore follows that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because throughout the four Gospels, He boldly claimed and unquestionably proved that He is the only true savior of sinful mankind. For example, in John 14:6, Jesus Christ made this bold claim that He is the one and the only true savior of sinful mankind saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me.” Moreover, Apostle Peter affirmed and asserted that Jesus Christ is the only true savior of sinful mankind with these strong words he spoke to Jews religious leaders who were opposed to Christianity, “10Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him does this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nothing of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). This therefore means that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God because He is the only true savior of sinful mankind something that only Yahweh God can do.

d) Jesus Christ is the giver of eternal life something that only Yahweh God can do

Another action that can only be performed by Yahweh God is giving of eternal life to all repentant sinners at the very moment of their salvation. This is because it is Yahweh God and Him alone who at the moment of salvation infuses eternal life into the dead human spirit of a repentant sinner who believes in Jesus Christ thereby transforming it into a living human spirit that is born again (John 1:12-13; 3:1-18; 4:22-24). Moreover, this eternal life is actually conveyed and permanently sustained in the born again human spirit of a believer in Jesus Christ through the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14, John 14:16-17 and Ezekiel 36:26-27). Consequently, only Yahweh God can give eternal life to a repentant sinner who believes in Jesus Christ (Titus 1:2 and Romans 8:9-11). It therefore follows that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because in John 10:27-28, He boldly claimed that He is the only one who gives eternal life to His followers saying, “27My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: 28And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” This therefore means that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God because He is the giver of eternal life something that only Yahweh God can do.

e) Jesus Christ receives worship from angels something that only Yahweh God can do

Another action that can only be performed by Yahweh God is receiving worship. Only Yahweh God, who is the true and the living God deserves to receive worship from all His creation at all times. This is because as the Creator and the Sustainer of all things, He deserves to always receive worship from every one of them. Moreover, none of His creation is exempted from worshipping Him, neither the mightiest angels in the heavens above nor the smallest living thing on the earth beneath. In fact, the Bible in the book of Revelation chapters 4 and 5 makes it clear that all angels of Yahweh God joyfully worship Him: from the four cherubim round about His throne in heaven to all the other angels regardless of their rank or order. It therefore follows that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because He deserves and does actually receive worship from angels. In Hebrews 1:6, the Bible records how God the Father commanded all the angels of God to worship Jesus Christ. This is what it says, “And again, when He brings in the First Begotten into the world, He says, ‘and let all the angels of God worship Him.’” Definitely this means that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God because He receives worship from angels something that only Yahweh God can do.

f) Jesus Christ receives worship from human beings something that only Yahweh God can do

Finally, another action that can only be performed by Yahweh God (as we have noted above) is receiving worship from all His creation at all times. While the whole of creation of God ought to willingly and joyfully worship Yahweh God their creator and sustainer (Revelation 4:11), it is the human beings who should be more motivated to do so. This is because, out of all the creation of God, it is only the human beings who are so privileged and so honored to be created in the image and after the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). And yet human beings are rarely willing and eager to worship Yahweh God as they should. No wonder, throughout the Bible all human beings are reminded over and over again to worship Yahweh God and Him alone as is the case in Exodus 34:14. Considering all that, it therefore follows that Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God Himself because He deserves and does actually receive worship from human beings. In John 9:38, Jesus Christ willingly received worship from a man whom He had healed of congenital blindness. The man said to Him, “Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.” He also willingly received worship from the following people: Apostle Thomas (John 20:28-29), Gadarene Demoniac (Mark 5:6), His disciples after He walked on water and calmed a severe storm on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:33), a leper (Matthew 8:2) and His disciples at Bethany where He blessed them and ascended back into heaven (Luke 24:50-52). In short, Jesus Christ must be Yahweh God because He receives worship from human beings something that only Yahweh God can do.

This brings us to the end of examining the sixth major compelling fact which proves that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God. It also marks the end of examining the first “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible which as we have seen in details is the fact that He is God, that is, He is Yahweh God Himself! For it is an undeniable biblical fact that: 1) Jesus Christ is revealed in the Bible as Yahweh God, the second person of the holy trinity; 2) He is directly called God in the Bible; 3) He boldly claimed to be God in the Bible; 4) He is addressed with titles that are used to address Yahweh God exclusively; 5) He possesses all the attributes of Yahweh God; and finally 6) He does what only Yahweh God can do. It is therefore my hope and prayer that you are now fully convinced that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is Yahweh God Himself, whom you ought to believe in so that He can truly and eternally save you if you haven’t done it already. And with all that permanently imprinted on your mind, let us examine the second “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible, which is stated here below as follows:

II. The true Jesus Christ of the Bible is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person

The second “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible deals with the fact that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person. In other words, the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is one person with two distinct natures. He has a divine nature and a perfect human nature all in one person—the second person of the holy trinity. However, Jesus Christ has not always had these two natures from eternity past. This is because, it was just about 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth He became one person who is fully God and fully a perfect Man forever. Furthermore, when Jesus Christ added His perfect human nature to His divine nature, He did it in such a way that these two natures are perfectly complete and distinct from each other: never mixed or confused together, never separated from each other and never transferring their attributes one to another; but they are harmoniously united together into one person who is fully God and fully a perfect Man forever. In short, the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God the Son who became the God-Man about 2,000 years ago!

To ascertain whether what I have stated above is true regarding the true identity of Jesus Christ, I invite you to examine with me scriptures from the Bible which clearly teach that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever. But since we have just finished examining scores of scriptures from the Bible which prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is fully God, I will not revisit that here in this section, instead I will show you from the Bible why and how Jesus Christ added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth He became one person who is fully God and fully a perfect Man forever. To do this, I will use the following chronological order which shows why and how Jesus Christ, God the Son became the God-Man about 2,000 years ago and remains in that state forever:

1. From eternity past, Jesus Christ, God the Son willingly chose to become the God-Man to save sinful mankind.
2. About 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, God the Son added a perfect human nature to His divine nature in the process of incarnation and henceforth He became the God-Man!
3. Ever since that moment of incarnation, Jesus Christ, God the Son who became the God-Man is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever.

1. FROM ETERNITY PAST, JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON WILLINGLY CHOSE TO BECOME THE GOD-MAN TO SAVE SINFUL MANKIND

The all knowing and all-loving Yahweh God planned salvation of sinful mankind way back in eternity past. Before He ever created the heavens and the earth, before He formed Adam from the dust of the ground, before He breathed breath of life into Adam’s nostrils so that Adam could become a living soul, before Adam could eat that forbidden fruit thereby ushering sin into the whole of the human race: the all knowing and all-loving Yahweh God had laid down every detail of salvation of sinful mankind (see Acts 15:18, Romans 8:28-30, Ephesians 1:3-5, 1st Peter 1:18-20 and Revelation 13:8; 17:8). This was perfectly in keeping with His nature. As the all knowing and all-loving God, He had to plan the salvation of sinful mankind in eternity past. This is because all He knows: He knows it perfectly, infinitely and eternally. And all He loves: He loves perfectly, infinitely and eternally. Therefore, He did not only know in eternity past that Adam would sin against Him and plunge the whole of humanity into a horrible state of being sinners by nature but also He had perfect, infinite and eternal love for Adam and the rest of sinful mankind. Consequently, He graciously planned for salvation of sinful mankind way back in eternity past. As a result, He planned in eternity past how repentant sinners could be forgiven of all their sins and then be infused with everlasting life to be reconciled to God in order to have intimate loving relationship with Yahweh God here on earth and later on in heaven forever and ever.

Now, this plan of salvation of sinful mankind that God put in place involved all the three persons of the holy trinity. Each person of the holy trinity had a role to play. God the Father was to play the role of the Perfect Judge of all the sins of mankind. God the Son known as Jesus Christ was to play the role of the Perfect Substitute and the Perfect Sacrifice for all sinful mankind. And God the Holy Spirit was to play the role of the Perfect Facilitator of salvation of all sinful mankind. To execute His role as the Perfect Judge of all the sins of mankind, God the Father was to judge all the sins of mankind which were to be laid on Jesus Christ so that He could be punished on behalf of all sinful mankind and pay all their sin debt in full thereby satisfying the justice of God (Isaiah 53:6-12 and 2nd Corinthians 5:21). Jesus Christ on His part was to execute His role as the Perfect Substitute and the Perfect Sacrifice for all sinful mankind by first of all adding a perfect human nature to His divine nature so that He could take the place of sinful mankind as their only Perfect Substitute. And then as mankind’s only Perfect Sacrifice He would be judged receiving the full wrath of God for all the sins of mankind by dying and rising from the dead paying in full for all their sins and once and for all completely and eternally satisfy the justice of God (1st Peter 3:18, Isaiah 53:3-5, Romans 5:8 and Hebrews 10:4-14). And God the Holy Spirit was to play the role of the Perfect Facilitator of salvation of all sinful mankind by convicting sinners of sin, righteousness and judgment so that they could sincerely repent all their sins and truly believe in Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior and thus be truly and eternally saved (John 16:8-11 and Romans 10:9-10).

Important to note is the fact that Jesus Christ could not fulfill the role He was to play of being the Perfect Substitute and the Perfect Sacrifice for all sinful mankind if He remained as God the Son without adding a perfect human nature to His divine nature to become the God-Man. It was absolutely necessary for Jesus Christ to add a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth become fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person—the second person of the holy trinity. This was the only way the impossible problem of saving sinful mankind could have been solved (see Matthew 19:25-26). Unbeknown to many people is this heart-rending fact that salvation of sinful mankind was impossible apart from God the Son adding a perfect human nature to His divine nature to become the God-Man so that He could die for all the sins of mankind on the cross (Matthew 26:39-42). For, there was absolutely no way that any sinner could have been truly and eternally saved without having as their savior: the Perfect Substitute and the Perfect Sacrifice in the person of the God-Man! And this is because of the following two mandatory conditions which the true savior of sinful mankind must fulfill in order for Him to be able to truly and eternally save sinful mankind:

1. He must be the Perfect Substitute for sinful mankind because it is human beings who sinned against God and therefore their savior must be a real perfect human being so that He can die for all their sins.
2. He must be the Perfect Sacrifice for sinful mankind because sinful mankind must have righteousness of God in order for them to see, access and dwell with God forever and ever in heaven. Therefore their savior must be Yahweh God Himself so that He can impute to them the righteousness of God.

Let us turn to the first condition. The true savior of sinful mankind must be the Perfect Substitute for sinful mankind. This means that the true savior of sinful mankind must be a real perfect human being because of the following two reasons. First reason: it is human beings who sinned against God according to Romans 3:10-23, and therefore their savior must be a real human being with a real human body, a real human soul and a real human spirit. Unavoidably, the Perfect Substitute for human beings, the one who could justifiably and satisfactorily take their place to be punished for all their sins needed to be one of their own, a real human being—a next of kin if you would. For it goes without saying that human beings could only be substituted by a real human being and not an apparition or an impostor posing as a human being. For that reason, animals could not be the perfect substitute for sinful mankind; angels also could not be the perfect substitute for sinful mankind; and even Yahweh God Himself before adding a perfect human nature to become the God-Man, He could not be the perfect substitute for sinful mankind. Second reason and most important one is the fact that human beings sinned against God and earned wages of sin which is death according to Romans 6:23, therefore their savior must be able to die in their place and pay in full for all their sins. Now, that poses a great dilemma because God who alone qualifies as the true savior of sinful mankind cannot die due to the fact that He is both immortal and eternal. Consequently, the only way to solve this dilemma is to have the true savior of sinful mankind being Yahweh God Himself in addition to being a real but perfect human being. So that, as a real human being who is mortal, then He can truly die in the place of sinful mankind and pay in full for all their sins. And as Yahweh God, then He can offer righteousness of God to them.

Turning to the second condition, the true savior of sinful mankind must be the Perfect Sacrifice for sinful mankind. This means that the true savior of sinful mankind must be Yahweh God Himself who alone is morally perfect, pure and without any sin. As a result, He is the only one who is able to impute the righteousness of God to all repentant sinners who believe in Him so that they can be clothed with the righteousness of God (Isaiah 61:10 and Philippians 3:9) and be in a position to see, access and ultimately dwell with Yahweh God forever and ever in heaven. And here is the reason why. God in Leviticus 11:44-45 among many other scriptures commands all people in all places and throughout all their lives to lead holy and perfect lives just as Yahweh God Himself is holy and perfect. But much to the contrary, all human beings without any exceptions have failed to lead perfect sinless lives (Romans 3:23). Therefore all human beings without any exceptions have failed to be righteous in the perfect sinless way that Yahweh God is righteous; hence in that state, they cannot see Yahweh God nor access His dwelling place in heaven. It therefore follows that the true savior of sinful mankind must be Yahweh God Himself so that He can impute the righteousness of God to all repentant sinners who believe in Him thereby enabling them to attain perfect sinless standard which God demands of them that they must be holy and perfect just as Yahweh God Himself is holy and perfect (Matthew 5:48 and 1st Peter 1:15-16).

No doubt, when you carefully examine the foregoing two conditions that the true savior of sinful mankind must fulfill, you will realize that they are impossible to fulfill. This is because the true savior of sinful mankind must first and foremost be a real human being who is also perfect and sinless. But finding such a human being is impossible because no human being is perfect and sinless according to Romans 3:10, 23. Secondly, the true savior of sinful mankind must be Yahweh God Himself so that He can impute the righteousness of God to sinful mankind. Clearly, therefore, it was impossible to find such kind of a savior who could perfectly meet the above two mandatory conditions unless somehow a person who is both Yahweh God and a real perfect sinless human being could be found! But from where could the sinful mankind find this kind of a savior: one who is Yahweh God and yet he is also a real perfect sinless human being; one who is infinite and yet he is also finite; one who is immortal and yet he is also mortal? The whole of the human race could not produce such a savior. All angels in spite of their splendor and glory could not produce such a savior. Obviously, animals could never ever produce such a savior. And worst of all, even Yahweh God could not become such a savior without first of all adding a real perfect sinless human nature to His divine nature so that He could become the God-Man! That kind of a savior was impossible to find. And yet that is the only true savior of sinful mankind who alone is able to save sinners from the jaws of spiritual and eternal deaths which are threatening to confine their lives to everlasting pain and suffering in hell. But to the praise and glory of His holy name, Yahweh God in keeping with His nature of being all-powerful and all-loving solved this impossible problem way back in eternity past. And this is how He solved it. Jesus Christ, God the Son willingly chose to add a perfect human nature to His divine nature so as to become fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever. This addition of humanity to His deity without mixing the two natures resulted into this one person whom the theologians call the God-Man. And through Jesus Christ the God-Man, the Savior who could fulfill the forementioned two conditions was found.

First, through Jesus Christ the God-Man, the Perfect Substitute for sinful mankind was found. In Him and by Him, sinful mankind found their next of kin: a real human being with a real human body (Luke 2:52), a real human soul (Matthew 26:38) and a real human spirit (Luke 23:46). Consequently, Jesus Christ as a real and a perfect human being could justifiably take the place of sinful mankind to be punished for all their sins by dying on the cross paying in full for all their sins and rising again from the dead three days later defeating Satan, sin and death for them. Second, through Jesus Christ the God-Man, the Perfect Sacrifice for sinful mankind was found. In Him and by Him, sinful mankind found a savior who is Yahweh God Himself. Hence He is able to impute the righteousness of God to all repentant sinners who believe in Him thereby enabling them to attain perfect sinless standard which God demands of them that they must be holy and perfect just as Yahweh God is holy and perfect (2nd Corinthians 5:21).

Therefore, in and through Jesus Christ the God-Man, sinful mankind found a perfect sinless eternal person who is both God and Man. So that as God, He can impute the righteousness of God to all repentant sinners who believe in Him thereby enabling them to see, access and ultimately dwell with Yahweh God forever and ever in heaven. And as a Man (i.e. a perfect sinless Man), He could die in place of sinful mankind paying in full for all their sins. It therefore means that, in and through Jesus Christ the God-Man, we have one and the only true savior of sinful mankind who alone is able to save (repentant sinners who believe in Him) from the jaws of spiritual and eternal deaths which are threatening to confine their lives to everlasting pain and suffering in hell! Remember, that was made possible way back in eternity past when Jesus Christ, God the Son willingly chose to become the God-Man so that He could die for all the sins of mankind on the cross thereby making salvation of sinful mankind possible. That’s why the Bible in Revelation 13:8 describes Jesus Christ as ‘The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ and then in the following passage, it describes why and how Jesus Christ willingly chose to become the God-Man saying, “5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Now that you know why Jesus Christ, God the Son had to add a perfect human nature to His divine nature and become fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever, let us now examine when and how He did it.

2. ABOUT 2,000 YEARS AGO, JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON ADDED A PERFECT HUMAN NATURE TO HIS DIVINE NATURE IN THE PROCESS OF INCARNATION AND HENCEFORTH HE BECAME THE GOD-MAN

While in the previous section we have examined why Jesus Christ, God the Son had to add a perfect human nature to His divine nature and become fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever, in this section we will examine when and how He did it. So we will delve into what is known as the incarnation of God the Son. The word incarnation simply means “in the body” or if you like “in the flesh”. So in this section we will be examining when and how God the Son added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth He became God in the human flesh. That is, Yahweh God Himself in the real perfect human nature.

To start with, we will look at when incarnation of God the Son happened. The first thing to note is that incarnation of God the Son could not just have happened at any time. According to the eternal plan of God for salvation of sinful mankind there was an appointment: the exact day when God the Son was to add a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth become one person who is fully God and fully a perfect Man forever in order for Him to redeem sinful mankind (1st Peter 1:18-20). The Bible refers to this appointment with the phrase “the fullness of time” as is clearly seen in the following scripture, “4But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). Among other things, this scripture reveals to us that there was a divine appointment which specified the exact time when God the Son was to enter space, time and matter in a perfect human nature and become God in the human flesh.

However, to the disappointment of all those people who would want to know the exact year, month and the day when the incarnation of God the Son happened, the Bible does not explicitly give us those details. God the Holy Spirit who is the divine author of the Bible did not consider it needful or useful to record for us in the Bible the exact year, month and the day when our lord and savior Jesus Christ added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth became God in the human flesh. Instead, God the Holy Spirit saw it fit to record for us in the Bible a number of historically verifiable facts regarding when the incarnation of God the Son happened. Amongst them are the following four facts. The first fact is found in Luke 2:1-7 which clearly indicates that the incarnation of God the Son happened during the reign of Caesar Augustus who reigned between 43 B.C. and 14 A.D. [2] The second fact is found in Matthew 2:16-20 which indicates that the incarnation of God the Son must have happened one to two years before the death of Herod the Great, who most likely died in 1 B.C and not 4 B.C. as is widely accepted. [3] The third fact is found in Luke 2:1-7 which significantly narrows down the incarnation of God the Son to approximately nine months before Caesar Augustus issued that empire-wide decree which compelled Virgin Mary (who was almost nine months pregnant) to leave Nazareth and travel back to Bethlehem to be enrolled for taxation where she gave birth to Jesus Christ on arrival. Finally, the fourth fact is found in Luke 1:26-36 which further narrows down the incarnation of God the Son to the sixth month after John the Baptist was conceived. Now, without being bogged down in hair-splitting details of when the incarnation of God the Son happened and without indulging in speculation of the exact year, month and the day when God the Son entered space, time and matter in a perfect human nature; this event happened approximately 2,000 years ago sometime between 4 and 2 B.C., with 2 B.C. being the most likely year of incarnation of God the Son when you factor in all the evidences given by Early Church fathers quoted by Chuck Missler in his briefing package, The Christmas Story: What really happened? [4]

Seeing you now have a number of historically verifiable facts that you can investigate further on your own regarding when the incarnation of God the Son happened if you so wish, let us now take a closer look at how it happened. A good starting point to explore this subject is the following scripture in John 1:1, 14 which is the centre-piece of the incarnation of God the Son, “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … 14And the Word was made 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.” What this scripture affirms is that there was a person called the “Word” who existed before time, space and matter were ever created and who was always with God and more importantly was God, that is, Yahweh God Himself! Moreover, this person called the “Word” was made flesh by adding to His divine nature a perfect human nature and henceforth He became Yahweh God in the human flesh. By the way, this divine person called the “Word” is the second person of the holy trinity known as God the Son or Jesus Christ our lord. So let us see how the “Word” was made flesh by adding a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth became fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever.

When “the fullness of time” came for the “Word” to be made flesh, Angel Gabriel was sent by God the Father to Virgin Mary who was God-appointed human vessel through whom God the Son was to add a perfect human nature to His divine nature and become fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever. And here is what Angel Gabriel said to her, “30Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. 31And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His father David: 33And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30-33). Mary who was still a virgin wondered how she could conceive and bear this Child hence she asked Angel Gabriel this question, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34). Then Angel Gabriel answered and said to her, “35The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. … 37For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:35, 37). In summary, Angel Gabriel’s message underscored a very important fact regarding the incarnation of God the Son. And that important fact is that the incarnation of God the Son was to happen through Virgin Conception and be confirmed nine months later through Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14). In other words, Virgin Mary was to miraculously conceive in her womb by the power of God the Holy Spirit and then give birth to Jesus Christ nine months later while still a virgin.

So when the exact moment came for the incarnation of God the Son, unparalleled miracle beyond human comprehension took place. Holy Spirit “overshadowed” Virgin Mary and the power of the Highest came upon her paving the way for an extra-ordinary divine transaction which took place in her womb. In an instant, Jesus Christ’s real human nature was made in her womb from her own genetic make-up without involvement of a man and without her sinful nature (Luke 1:47) passing on to Him. This led to generation of Jesus Christ’s real but perfect human nature: one which was not in any way whatsoever affected by Adam’s original sin. But yet it was a real human nature made up of a real human body (Luke 2:52), a real human soul (Matthew 26:38) and a real human spirit (Luke 23:46). This explains why Jesus Christ was and still is a perfect sinless human being in addition to being fully God. Within that nanosecond, Yahweh God in the second person of the holy trinity entered space, time and matter and permanently added a perfect human nature to His divine nature. The addition of human nature to divine nature of Jesus Christ resulted to a unique harmonious everlasting union of the two natures into one person, in what theologians call hypostatic union. [5] This hypostatic union is characterized by these two natures touching and not mixing, united together and not separated from each other, unchanging and never transferring their attributes from one nature to another, perfectly complete and distinct from each other and yet they fully express themselves harmoniously as one divine person known as Jesus Christ, the God-Man!

Now, this concept of the God-Man was hard for me to understand and explain. For five years, from the day of my salvation on 15 May 2004 up to sometime in the second half of 2009, I could not understand nor clearly explain how Jesus Christ is fully God and fully Man all in one person. But this changed one day in 2009 when I was listening to one of the recorded audio messages of the late Dr. Norman Geisler (1932-2019) who was a skilled Christian Apologist from USA. In that message, he clearly explained that Jesus Christ did not subtract His deity in incarnation but all He did was to add His humanity to His deity. Immediately he said that, I got this idea of joining a circle which represents the human nature of Jesus Christ to the left lower tip of an equilateral triangle which represents the true nature of Yahweh God of the Bible (as is shown in the figure below) so as to demonstrate how Jesus Christ added His human nature to His divine nature in incarnation, without His immutable eternal divine nature as God the Son changing in any way whatsoever! [6]



The end result of this process of the incarnation of God the Son is shown in the figure below which shows Jesus Christ as fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person, the second person of the holy trinity.



In the figure above, the equilateral triangle represents Yahweh God while the circle represents the real perfect human nature that Jesus Christ added to His divine nature. Moreover, I have slightly modified the equilateral triangle which represents God so that I can (1) give His name as Yahweh or Jehovah, (2) indicate that He is one God, and (3) underscore using a symbol of heart the fact that He is love by His very nature. Similarly, I have divided the circle into three equal segments to represent Jesus Christ’s human nature so that I can clearly show that Jesus Christ has a real human body, a real human soul and a real human spirit: which are complete, distinct and yet they are united together into one real perfect human nature. Furthermore, in order to precisely depict how the incarnation of God the Son happened, I have ensured that the triangle and the circle are just touching each other at the lower left tip of the triangle without overlapping into each other or being separated from each other or even being placed one inside of another because of the following four reasons:

1. The circle should just be touching the lower left tip of the triangle to underpin the fact that, of the three persons of the holy trinity, it was only God the Son known as Jesus Christ who added a real perfect human nature to His divine nature without any changes happening to His divine nature since God cannot change according to Malachi 3:6.
2. The circle and the triangle should not overlap into each other to affirm the fact that human and divine natures of Jesus Christ are complete and distinct from each other and therefore they do not mix or transfer their attributes from one nature to another.
3. The circle and the triangle should not be separated from each other to reiterate the fact that the human and divine natures of Jesus Christ are not separated from each other resulting to two persons but rather they are united together into one divine person known as Jesus Christ, the God-Man.
4. The circle and the triangle should not be placed one inside of another to emphasis the fact that the human and divine natures of Jesus Christ are not confused together into one new nature of an infinite-finite person because that would be a contradiction. For there can never be a person who is both infinite and finite in the same time and in the same sense. But Jesus Christ is one divine person who has a divine nature which is infinite and a human nature which is finite. Hence there is no contradiction in incarnation of God the Son!

Now that you know when and how Jesus Christ added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and became fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever, we are set to examine the third and the final section of this subject of the incarnation of God the Son.

3. EVER SINCE THAT MOMENT OF INCARNATION, JESUS CHRIST, GOD THE SON WHO BECAME THE GOD-MAN IS FULLY GOD AND FULLY A PERFECT MAN ALL IN ONE PERSON FOREVER

After seeing when and how the incarnation of God the Son happened, let us briefly see what became of God the Son after incarnation.

Immediately God the Son added a perfect human nature to His divine nature, He became one divine person who is fully God and fully a perfect Man forever. In other words, He became the God-Man. Mark you, He is called “the God-Man” to emphasize the fact that He is one person who has God’s nature and human nature, both of which are complete and distinct from each other. This truth is stressed by this scripture, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). This scripture explains to us that after His incarnation, Jesus Christ became Yahweh God who now and forever dwells in a human body. First, notice that this scripture used the phrase “All the fullness of the Godhead” reiterating the fact that Jesus Christ is fully Yahweh God Himself. What Yahweh God is, Jesus Christ is; what Yahweh God has, Jesus Christ has; and what Yahweh God does, Jesus Christ does. In short, Jesus Christ is fully Yahweh God, the only true and the living God there is! Second, notice this scripture says “In Him dwells” in perfect tense and not “In Him dwelt” in past tense to stress the fact that after Jesus Christ added His perfect human nature to His divine nature; He remains forever with that perfect human nature which He added. Remember, the book of Colossians was written about 60 A.D. approximately 28 years after Jesus Christ had already ascended back to heaven. So for Apostle Paul to use the perfect tense “In Him dwells,” 28 years after Jesus Christ had already ascended back to heaven is a clear confirmation that Jesus Christ had and still has His perfect human nature comprising of His human spirit, His human soul and His resurrected glorified human body. In fact, this truth is well attested throughout the Bible in the following scriptures: Philippians 3:20-21, Mark 14:34, Luke 23:46, Luke 24:36-43, John 20:24-29, cf. Acts 1:9-11 with Zechariah 14:3-9, Revelation 1:12-18; 5:6; 22:1-5.

Therefore from the moment of His incarnation, Jesus Christ started to express Himself through His two natures: one divine and the other one, human. And as we have seen above, He continues and shall continue to express Himself through these two natures forever and ever in eternity future. No doubt, if you do not understand this fact, then you will always be confused about the true identity of Jesus Christ whenever you read the Bible. This is because, when you read the Bible, you will definitely come across passages which clearly and unmistakably show that Jesus Christ is God. And at the same time, you will surely come across other passages in the same Bible which clearly show that Jesus Christ is a real human being, but a perfect sinless human being for that matter. So unless you understand that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever, then you might come to the wrong conclusion about what kind of a person Jesus Christ really is. (By the way, that is what has happened to Jehovah Witnesses and all other cults and false religions). But when you understand that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever, then it will be easy for you to understand why He is seen throughout the Bible expressing Himself through His two natures: one divine and the other one, human.

The bottom line is this: whenever you read any passage in the Bible that deals with Jesus Christ, you must always bear in mind that whatever is recorded there will either be showing Jesus Christ expressing Himself as God or as a Man. This is because from the moment of His incarnation about 2,000 years ago, all the way to eternity future, Jesus Christ expresses Himself through His divine nature and His human nature. Once you fully embrace this truth, then it will be very easy for you to understand and appreciate why and how Jesus Christ is all-powerful as God and yet He is limited in power as a man; He is all-knowing as God and yet He does not know all-things as a man; He is everywhere present as God and yet He can only be in one place at a time as a man; He is eternal having neither a beginning nor an end as God and yet He had a beginning as a man; He does not change as God and yet He changed as He was growing up as a man; He is infinite as God and yet He is finite as a man; He is immortal as God and yet He is mortal as a man; and so and so forth. What these facts loudly proclaim is the fact that the hypostatic union of Jesus Christ’s divine and human natures causes these two natures to express themselves in the following three ways. First, there is no confusion or mixing of the two natures. Second, there is perfect eternal purpose why each nature expresses itself in the way it does even though we might not understand it. Third, there is perfect unity of the two natures as they express themselves together as one divine person known as Jesus Christ, the God-Man!

This brings me to the point of explaining what I promised earlier on in this chapter regarding how Jesus Christ’s human nature “seems” to overshadow some of His divine attributes. It is an undeniable biblical fact that as a Man: Jesus Christ could only be in one place at a time (John 4:1-5); He didn’t know everything (Mark 13:32); He was finite and thus limited needing to grow in human stature (Luke 2:52), etc. Therefore the question becomes, what happened to His divine attributes at that time? Were they lost? Were they cancelled? Or were they limited? For a brief answer we turn to Colossians 2:9 which categorically states that, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”. Since this scripture clearly says that it is “all the fullness” of the Godhead that dwells in Jesus Christ’s human nature and not “part” of it, it therefore means that there was no any time that any of Jesus Christ’s divine attributes were lost, cancelled, or limited. So, if none of the divine attributes of Jesus Christ were lost, cancelled, or limited, then one would understandably ask, what happened to them? And the answer is given to us in Philippians 2:5-8 which in summary teaches us that: Jesus Christ who was fully God willingly made Himself of no reputation (emptied Himself) and became a man so that He could take the place of sinful mankind and die on the cross to pay for all their sins. In other words, Jesus Christ emptied Himself not of His deity but of some of His divine rights choosing not to exercise them so as to make authoring and finishing of the salvation of sinful mankind possible. Consequently, while His divine nature remained unchanged, some of His divine attributes were at times partially veiled or hidden to the people who saw and heard Him similar to how in a wedding ceremony a veil partially hides the face of the bride without obviously changing the nature of her face or altering her beauty. But after His resurrection, the necessity of veiling any of His divine attributes ceased paving the way for the unveiled full expression of all His divine attributes from that time onwards into eternity future as is clearly seen in John 17:1-5, Philippians 2:9-11 and Revelation 1:12-18.

This brings us to the end of examining the second “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible which can be summarized as follows: Jesus Christ is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person forever. For, it is an undeniable biblical fact that Jesus Christ is one person, the second person of the holy trinity, who has two natures, one divine and the other one human. Hence He is all-powerful as God and yet He is limited in power as a man; He is all-knowing as God and yet He does not know all-things as a man; He is everywhere present as God and yet He can only be in one place at a time as a man; He is eternal having neither a beginning nor an end as God and yet He had a beginning as a man; He does not change as God and yet He changed as He was growing up as a man; He is infinite as God and yet He is finite as a man; He is immortal as God and yet He is mortal as a man; and so and so forth. And with all those truths still lingering in your heart and mind, let us now see the third “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible, which is stated here below as follows:

III. The true Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah or Christ promised in the Old Testament

The third “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus of the Bible deals with the fact that Jesus is the true Messiah or Christ promised throughout the Old Testament scriptures. While planning for salvation of sinful mankind way back in eternity past, God the Son was assigned the title “Messiah” which He was to fully assume and be forever identified with after His incarnation (Psalm 2). This title “Messiah” is the Hebrew word that is translated “Christ” in Greek and it literally means “The Anointed One”. So both Messiah and Christ are one and the same title of God the Son in His incarnate status as the God-Man, who was anointed by God the Father to be the King, the Priest and the Prophet (Psalm 45:6-7). He was anointed by God the Father to be the King to establish the kingdom of God here on earth (John 18:37). He was anointed by God the Father to be the Priest in order to act as the only Mediator who alone reconciles sinful mankind to a holy God. And that is through His death, burial and resurrection by which He once and for all defeated Satan, sin and death for sinful mankind so that any person who sincerely repents all his or her sins and then truly believes in Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior is truly and eternally saved (1st Timothy 2:5). And He was anointed by God the Father to be the Prophet to reveal and proclaim the truth of God to the whole of humanity (Deuteronomy 18:18 and John 14:6). So this title Messiah or Christ defines the mission of the God-Man who was anointed by God the Father to seek and save all people who are lost in their sins (Luke 19:10).

Tactfully, God rolled out His plan of salvation of sinful mankind in such a way that He made it impossible for any false messiah to succeed in deceiving people that he is the true Messiah. Consequently, God gave identity marks in form of messianic prophecies that the true Messiah had to perfectly fulfill as an irrefutable proof that He is the true Messiah sent by God the Father to seek and save all those people who are lost in their sins. Therefore as God the Holy Spirit was guiding the authors of the Bible to write the scriptures, He inspired them to put throughout the whole Bible thousands of messianic prophecies which the true Messiah had to perfectly fulfill in His first coming as the redeemer of sinful mankind and those He had to fulfill in His second coming as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Hence not everyone who showed up and claimed to be the Messiah was to be received as the true Messiah. God gave His worshippers identity marks in form of these messianic prophecies by which they could identify the true Messiah. And only when one perfectly fulfills all these messianic prophecies was He to be trusted and received as the true Messiah. Now, when we apply this test to Jesus of the Bible, He passes with flying colors. He perfectly fulfilled all these messianic prophecies! Here are seven out of over 300 messianic prophecies which Jesus perfectly fulfilled in His first coming.

1. The true Messiah must be both God and Man all in one person

Seven centuries before Jesus Christ was born, Prophet Isaiah prophesied that when the true Messiah would come, He would be fully God and fully a Man all in one person. Here are the details of that prophecy, “6For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). In this prophecy, the phrase “to us a Child is born” is reference to the fact that the true Messiah would be a real human being. While the phrase “to us a Son is given” is a reference to the fact that the true Messiah would also be God the Son, whom God the Father would give as the perfect sacrifice to die in place of sinful mankind as John 3:16 indicates. To confirm that the true Messiah would be God, this prophecy goes on to declare that He would be called (1) “The Mighty God” and (2) “The everlasting Father” or literally “The Father of eternity” meaning He would be the source of eternal life because He is eternal God. In short, this prophecy makes it clear that the true Messiah would be fully God and fully a Man all in one person. Since Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah, He perfectly fulfilled this prophecy with pinpoint accuracy. This is how He did it. Approximately 740 years after this prophecy was given, Jesus of the Bible who is God the Son, willingly added to His deity a perfect human nature and henceforth became one person who is fully God and fully a perfect Man just as this scripture confirms, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). The fact that Jesus of the Bible fulfilled this prophecy and is fully God and fully a Man proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. Therefore, only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

2. The true Messiah must be conceived and born by a Virgin

Seven centuries before Jesus Christ was born, Prophet Isaiah prophesied that the true Messiah would be conceived and born by a virgin. Here is that messianic prophecy, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Since no one can arrange when and how he or she would be conceived and born, it therefore makes it impossible for any person who is not the true Messiah to even attempt to fulfill this prophecy. But since Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah, He perfectly fulfilled this prophecy sometime between 4 and 2 B.C. when He was conceived in the womb of Virgin Mary and was born nine months later when she was still a virgin. Here is how the Bible records what happened, “20But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, you son of David, fear not to take to you Mary your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. 22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:20-23). The fact that Jesus of the Bible was conceived and born by a Virgin proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. Consequently, only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

3. The true Messiah must be born in Bethlehem of Judah

Approximately 720 years before Jesus Christ was born, Prophet Micah prophesied that the true Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah. Here is that prophecy, “But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth to Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Through this prophecy, Yahweh God gave yet another identity mark by which His true worshippers were to identity the true Messiah who would save them from all their sins. He named the exact place where the true Messiah would be born. And He was so precise in naming the birth place of the true Messiah so much so that He clearly indicated that the true Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Ephratah located in the region of the tribe of Judah in the south to distinguish it from another Bethlehem located in the region of the tribe of Zebulun in the north (Joshua 19:15-16). Since Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah, He perfectly fulfilled this messianic prophecy 720 years later when He was born in Bethlehem of Judah. Here is how the Bible records that event, “4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David: ) 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:4-7). Now, the fact that Jesus of the Bible was born in Bethlehem Ephratah in the region of the tribe of Judah proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. It therefore follows that only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

4. The true Messiah must be the rightful heir of King David’s throne

Old Testament scriptures have a number of messianic prophecies which precisely identify the human lineage of the true Messiah. These messianic prophecies foretold that the true Messiah would be a direct descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:3, 7) through his son Isaac (Genesis 17:19) through his grandson Jacob (Numbers 24:17, 19) and through his great grandson Judah (Genesis 49:10). Furthermore, these messianic prophecies went on to nail down the exact family in the tribe of Judah through which the true Messiah would come. That is the family of Jesse through his son King David (Isaiah 11:1, 10). To make it even more precise, these messianic prophecies specified that the true Messiah would not only be a direct descendant of King David but also He would be the rightful heir of King David’s throne. Here is a classic example of such a prophecy which was given by Prophet Jeremiah six centuries before Jesus Christ was born, “5Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Six centuries after this messianic prophecy was given, Jesus of the Bible perfectly fulfilled it against all odds as is recorded in the following scripture, “31And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His father David: 33And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33). The fact that Jesus of the Bible was both a direct descendant of King David as well as the rightful heir of King David’s throne proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. It therefore follows that only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

5. The true Messiah had to come and be acclaimed as the Messiah exactly 483 lunar years from the time the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given by King Artaxerxes Longimanus I

One of the outstanding identity marks that Yahweh God gave to His true worshippers to help them identify the true Messiah is the exact year and day that the true Messiah would come to Jerusalem and be acclaimed as the Messiah. He gave a number of separate but related messianic prophecies which foretold of when and exactly how the true Messiah would come to the city of Jerusalem and be acclaimed as the Messiah by thousands of His followers. One of those messianic prophecies is this one given by Prophet Daniel 538 years before Jesus Christ was born, “25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three scores and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself” (Daniel 9:25-26). In a nutshell, what this prophecy declares is that there would be (7 x 7) + (62 x 7) or 483 lunar years equivalent to (483 x 360) or 173,880 days, from the time the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given to the time that the true Messiah would come and soon afterwards be “cut off” or be brutally put to death. Regarding this prophecy, it is generally agreed by many Bible scholars that the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given by King Artaxerxes Longimanus I to his cup-bearer by the name Nehemiah on 14 March 445 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:1-9). So if we go by this date of 14 March 445 B.C., then the true Messiah was supposed to come to Jerusalem and be acclaimed as the Messiah by His followers 173,880 days later, exactly on 6 April 32 A.D.

Against all odds and with unparalleled pinpoint accuracy, Jesus of the Bible perfectly fulfilled this amazing messianic prophecy. Exactly to the day, on 6 April 32 A.D., Jesus of the Bible entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey and was acclaimed as the Messiah by thousands of His disciples. This is a sneak preview of what happened, “12On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord. 14And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, your King comes, sitting on an ass’s colt” (John 12:12-15). And four days later, Jesus of the Bible was crucified on the cross exactly on the feast of Passover perfectly fulfilling this prophecy which also declares that the true Messiah was to be “cut off” or to be brutally put to death. The fact that Jesus of the Bible came to the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey and was acclaimed as the Messiah by thousands of His disciples exactly 173,880 days from the time the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given by King Artaxerxes Longimanus I, proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. It therefore follows that only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

6. The true Messiah must willingly die in place of all sinners paying in full for all their sins

More than 700 years before Jesus Christ was born, Isaiah the prophet prophesied that the true messiah would willingly die in place of all sinners paying in full for all their sins. Here is that elaborate prophecy, “5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. … 8For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken. … 12Because He has poured out His soul to death: and He was numbered with transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:5-6, 8, 12). This is an elaborate most detailed messianic prophecy which foretold with graphic details how and why the true Messiah would willingly die in place of all sinners paying in full for all their sins. Seven centuries later, Jesus of the Bible perfectly fulfilled this prophecy exactly on the feast of Passover as was required by the Law of Moses in Exodus 12:1-14 and Leviticus 23:4-5. As the perfect and the final Passover Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), Jesus of the Bible was betrayed and arrested, unlawfully tried, falsely condemned to death, beaten and mocked, mercilessly scourged and worst of all He was crucified on the cross outside the old city of Jerusalem on Mount Calvary where He died six hours later paying in full for all the sins of mankind. Details of how He perfectly fulfilled this prophecy are recorded in all the four Gospels and can be summarized with this one verse, “For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1st Peter 3:18). The fact that Jesus of the Bible willingly died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice and a perfect substitute for all sinners proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. It therefore follows that only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

7. The true Messiah must bodily rise from the dead 3 days after dying for all the sins of mankind in order to make salvation possible for all repentant sinners who believe in Him

Approximately 1,000 years before Jesus Christ was born, God the Holy Spirit inspired King David to give this messianic prophecy regarding bodily resurrection of the true Messiah before His dead body could start decomposing in the grave, “9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10For You will not leave my soul in hell [i.e. sheol or grave]; neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:9-10—bracketted mine). Though this prophecy does not specify how many days it would take before the true Messiah would rise from dead, Hosea 6:1-2 plus the account of Abraham and Isaac found in Genesis 22 as well as the account of Prophet Jonah found in Jonah chapters 1 to 3 foretold in “types of messiah” how the true Messiah would rise from the dead after His dead body had been in the grave for three days and three nights. No doubt through this prophecy, Yahweh God gave the single most important identity mark by which His true worshippers were to identity the true Messiah who would save them from all their sins. For, all they had to do was to look out for “one unique person” who would not only die for all their sins on the cross but also He would rise from the dead three days and three nights later, before His dead body could start decaying in the grave!

Because Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah, He perfectly fulfilled this prophecy. Indeed, He fulfilled it in such a way that He once and for all eliminated all the possibilities of any person ever thinking or even claiming that His resurrection from the dead was a fluke of nature or a stage-managed hoax. Therefore for a period of approximately one year before it ever happened, Jesus of the Bible boldly and repeatedly explained to His disciples what, where, when, how, why and by whom He would be betrayed, arrested, tried, condemned to die on the cross and then rise from the dead after His dead body had been in the grave for three days and three nights. By these bold and repeated claims, Jesus of the Bible gave His disciples and the rest of humanity historically verifiable predictions that they could use to test whether or not He is indeed the true Messiah who alone should be trusted to offer true salvation to all repentant sinners who believe in Him. By the way, details of His bodily resurrection are recorded in all the four Gospels as follows: Matthew 28:1-20, Mark 16:1-20, Luke 24:1-53 and John 20:1-31. And all those details of Jesus’ bodily resurrection can be summarized by these words which Holy Spirit inspired Apostle Paul to write to the church of Corinth, “3For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain to this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time” (1st Corinthians 15:3-8). The fact that Jesus of the Bible bodily rose from the dead three days and three nights after His death proves beyond any reasonable doubt that He is the true Messiah. It therefore follows that only Jesus of the Bible qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save sinners!

This brings us to the end of examining the third “Identity Mark” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible which as we have seen in details deals with the fact that the true Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah or Christ promised throughout the Old Testament scriptures. For, it is irrefutable biblical fact that the true Jesus of the Bible perfectly fulfilled all the messianic prophecies earmarked for the true Messiah to fulfill in His first coming. Hence He is the only one who qualifies to be trusted and received as the true Messiah who was sent by God the Father to seek and save all repentant sinners who believe in Him!

And on that high note we come to the end of exploring the first of the two major truths that you must believe about Jesus Christ so that you can be truly and eternally saved. And that is the fact that you must believe in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible in order for you to be saved. So you now know and are fully conversant with the three “Identity Marks” which summarizes the true nature and personality of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible as follows. First, the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, that is, Yahweh God Himself. Second, the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person. And third, the true Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah or Christ promised in the Old Testament scriptures. Therefore, right now you can truly believe in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible as your personal lord and savior and you shall be truly and eternally saved, if you haven’t done it already. And with that appeal, let us start exploring in details the second and the last major truth that you must believe about Jesus Christ so that you can be truly and eternally saved, which is stated here below as follows:

2) YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED AND ROSE AGAIN PAYING FOR ALL YOUR SINS

Now that you know “who” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible really is (that is, His true nature and His true personality exactly as is clearly revealed in the Bible), it is high time you knew and therefore believed in “what” He did to make your salvation possible. This is what is known as the gospel of Jesus Christ. The word “gospel” simply means the good news. Therefore the gospel of Jesus Christ can be summarized by the following two most important things which Jesus Christ did to make your salvation possible:

I. Jesus Christ died in your place as a Perfect Substitute and a Perfect Sacrifice thereby paying in full for all your sins.

II. Jesus Christ bodily rose from the dead proving that He had once and for all defeated Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be saved, if you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him.

These are the two halves which make up the full gospel of Jesus Christ. Death of Jesus Christ on the cross for all your sins makes up the first half of the gospel of Jesus Christ while bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you makes up the second half of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are so important so much so that you can never ever be truly saved unless you believe that both of them literally and physically happened at the specified time and space in history. So let us examine the first one.

1. Jesus Christ died in your place as your Perfect Substitute and your Perfect Sacrifice thereby paying in full for all your sins

As we saw in chapter one, all human beings are sinners in need of salvation. The Bible teaches that there is none righteous, no, not one because all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10, 23). Moreover, the Bible goes on to teach that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). This death refers not just to the physical death but also it includes the spiritual death as well as the eternal death. In other words, the righteous and just judgment that all human beings deserve to receive for sinning against God and falling short of His glory is to die physically, spiritually as well as eternally. Without a doubt, this is an intractable problem which all human beings face. For, we have all incurred a debt of sin that we cannot pay. As it were, we have all sunk into the sea of sin that is too deep, too wide and too toxic for anyone of us to save ourselves. Consequently, we are all in danger of being judged by God for all our sins and end up facing spiritual death followed by physical death and finally eternal death in hell. Just to remind you, spiritual death is that spiritual state in which a person is born separated from God with a dead human spirit as a result of having sin nature (Ephesians 2:1-5). While physical death is the state whereby a person’s soul and spirit are separated from his or her body resulting to the death of their body as it decays back to dust (James 2:26). Finally, eternal death is the state of being forever and ever separated from God when a person dies having rejected salvation that Jesus Christ freely offers them hence he or she is cast into hell to face everlasting punishment for all their sins (Revelation 20:11-15).

So how can any of us human beings escape these three jaws of physical, spiritual and eternal deaths which we all deserve to face? Making it a little bit personal to you, how can you escape these three jaws of physical, spiritual and eternal deaths which you also deserve to face? There is only one way to escape this well-deserved judgment of God and that is through His Son Jesus Christ. Angels cannot save you. Neither can any human being save you no matter how pious he or she might be. Nor can any religious rite or ritual save you. Only Jesus Christ is well able to save you from the judgment of God simply because He died in your place as your Perfect Substitute and your Perfect Sacrifice thereby paying in full for all your past, present and future sins. That’s why Jesus Christ made this statement, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). By making this statement, Jesus Christ means that He is the only one who is able to save you from all your sins and to eventually usher you into the presence of Yahweh God in heaven. This is because He died and rose again paying in full for all your past, present and future sins. And by so doing, He first of all became your “only way” to access God the Father in heaven having provided you with the righteousness of God which you must have in order for you to access and dwell with God the Father in heaven. Second, He became your “only truth” by which you can access God the Father in heaven because He led a perfect sinless life fulfilling perfectly the whole law of God for you in order to redeem you from the curse of the law. And third, He became the “only giver of eternal life” to you having conquered Satan, sin and death for you when He died and rose from the dead paying in full for all your sins.

When Jesus Christ took your place on the cross and died for all your past, present and future sins; He made available to you the following five eternal benefits which will become yours when you believe in Him.

The first eternal benefit which Jesus Christ made available to you when He died for all your sins on the cross is the benefit of finding a Savior who became the Perfect Substitute for you. According to Romans 3:23, you like all other human beings, have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. Since it is you, a real human being who have sinned against God, it therefore follows that only a real human being like you can take your place and die paying in full for all your past, present and future sins. However, in order for a real human being to qualify as your perfect substitute, he must be perfect having no original sin or any acquired sins. Now, such a real and perfect sinless human being was impossible to find until that point in time when Jesus Christ, God the Son added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and henceforth became fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person! Admirably, when Jesus Christ added a perfect human nature to His divine nature and became fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person, He qualified to take your place as your Perfect Substitute and be punished on your behalf for all your sins. This is how the Bible puts it, “For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1st Peter 3:18). No any other human being could have qualified to become your perfect substitute let alone willingly taken your place to die for all your sins. But Jesus Christ having become your next of kin, that is, a real human being who is also perfect and sinless, He qualified to take your place and willingly died on the cross paying for all your past, present and future sins. What a humble savior you have in Jesus Christ! The Perfect Substitute you could never ever have found in any other person, Jesus Christ willingly and gladly became one for you!

The second eternal benefit which Jesus Christ made available to you when He died for all your sins on the cross is the benefit of finding a Savior who became the Perfect Sacrifice for you. In light of Leviticus 11:44-45 and Matthew 5:20, 48, Yahweh God commands you to lead holy and perfect life just as He Himself is holy and perfect. Sadly, however, you like all other human beings have failed to lead perfect sinless life (Romans 3:23) and therefore you do not have the righteousness of God which you must have in order for you to see, access and ultimately dwell with Yahweh God forever and ever in heaven (Hebrews 12:14). Now, the only way you can escape this predicament is if you can find the Perfect Sacrifice who must be Yahweh God Himself so that He can impute to you the righteousness of God and therefore solve the problem of your inability to see God, access God and ultimately dwell with Yahweh God forever and ever in heaven. Thank God, that such a kind of Perfect Sacrifice is exactly what you found in Jesus Christ: a savior who is Yahweh God Himself who alone is morally perfect, pure and without any sin. Hence He is the only one who is able to impute to you the righteousness of God once you repent your sins and believe in Him thereby enabling you to see, access and ultimately dwell with Yahweh God forever and ever in heaven. This is how the Bible describes Jesus Christ, your Perfect Sacrifice, “18Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1st Peter 1:18-19). No one else could have qualified to become your Perfect Sacrifice to impute to you the righteousness of God without which you cannot see God nor dwell with God forever and ever in heaven. But because Jesus Christ is Yahweh God Himself, He therefore qualified to take your place as your Perfect Sacrifice and having done so, He is ever ready to impute to you the righteousness of God immediately you repent all your sins and believe in Him. The Perfect Sacrifice you could never ever have found in any other person, Jesus Christ willingly and gladly became one for you!

The third eternal benefit which Jesus Christ made available to you when He died for all your sins on the cross is the benefit of finding a Savior who was able to reconcile you to God by once and for all ending enmity and broken fellowship between you and God so that you can have peace with God. Speaking on this subject, the Bible says, “1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. … 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:1, 10). No one was either willing or qualified to take your place and die for all your sins to reconcile you to God and end enmity and broken fellowship between you and God so that you can have peace with God. But Jesus Christ willingly took your place and died for all your sins thereby making it possible for you to be reconciled to God so that you can have peace, harmony and good relationship with God. What a peace-making savior you have in Jesus Christ! What no one else could have done for you (that is, reconcile you to God by once and for all ending enmity and broken fellowship between you and God so that you can have peace with God,) Jesus Christ willingly and gladly did it for you!

The fourth benefit which Jesus Christ made available to you when He died for all your sins on the cross is the benefit of finding a Savior who became the propitiation for all your sins. This simply means that through Jesus Christ, you found a savior who was able to completely and eternally pay for all your past, present and future sins thereby satisfying the full wrath of God that was poured upon all your sins that He was bearing on the cross for you. Remember, holiness and justice of Yahweh God demands that all sins must be completely and eternally punished. In other words, His wrath against all sins must be poured upon each one of those sins till He is completely and eternally satisfied that justice has been done. That’s why the Bible declares that, “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). Therefore, in order for the wrath of God against all your sins to be completely and eternally satisfied, you require an eternal savior who alone is able to take your place and pay fully and eternally for all your past, present and future sins. Thankfully that is the kind of a savior you found in Jesus Christ, the God-Man just as this scripture confirms, “For by one offering He has perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Once again, no one was either willing or qualified to completely and eternally satisfy the full wrath of God which had to be poured upon all your sins. Sadly, therefore, there was no one who could completely and eternally pay for all your past, present and future sins. But Jesus Christ having become the God-Man, He willingly received and eternally satisfied the full wrath of God that was poured upon all your sins that He was bearing on the cross for you. Consequently, He paid in full for all your past, present and future sins when He died and rose again. What a qualified satisfying savior you have in Jesus Christ! What no one else could have done for you (that is, willingly received and eternally satisfied the full wrath of God which had to be poured upon all your sins), Jesus Christ willingly and gladly did it for you!

The fifth and final eternal benefit which Jesus Christ made available to you when He died for all your sins on the cross is the benefit of finding a Savior who gladly offered Himself to save you out of His limitless unconditional love for you. The Bible stresses this truth with these words, “6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commends His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). There was no any creature in the heavens above or in the earth beneath who had limitless unconditional love for you which could have motivated them to take your place in order to die for all your sins. There was none! Not a single angel in the heavens above or any creature in the earth beneath had such kind of love for you. But Jesus Christ out of His limitless unconditional love for you, He willingly and gladly took your place and died on the cross paying in full for all your past, present and future sins. What a loving savior you have in Jesus Christ! The limitless unconditional love that no one else had for you, Jesus Christ had such kind of love and He continues to love you that way since His love for you has no end and has no conditions.

No doubt, this seems too good to be true. Yet it is true that about 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ willingly died in the place of all sinful mankind as a perfect substitute and a perfect sacrifice thereby paying in full for all mankind’s past, present and future sins. Consequently, against all odds and beyond all possibilities, death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ three days later, made it possible for all human beings to be saved from all their sins, if only they would sincerely repent and truly believe in Him! That being the case, you would expect all human beings to be eternally grateful to Jesus Christ for all He did to make their salvation possible. Moreover, you would expect all human beings to show their gratitude to Jesus Christ by sincerely repenting all their sins and truly believing in Him for eternal salvation of their souls. However, that is not the case. Many people are not only ungrateful to Jesus Christ for what He did to make their salvation possible but also some of them go as far as to deny that He actually died on the cross. Even though death of Jesus Christ is a well-attested historical fact, these critics of Biblical Christianity repeatedly deny it. Grasping any straws they can find, these men and women are determined to deny the undeniable as well as dispute the indisputable. Contrary to all the undeniable and indisputable evidence available in the Bible and also outside the Bible, these critics claim that Jesus Christ did not truly die on the cross but He fainted or swooned on the cross and thus feigned or faked His death. Consequently, He was taken to the tomb unconscious where He regained conscious and afterwards escaped from the tomb which gave His disciples opportunity to claim that He had risen from the dead.

While this so-called swoon theory [7] maybe a fanciful story to tell someone who is unfamiliar with the facts; it is nevertheless a ridiculous and even a laughable story in the ears of anybody who has taken time to compare and contrast the facts found in the Bible with those facts recorded in secular historical sources of 1st and 2nd century A.D. concerning how, when and by whom Jesus Christ was put to death. Any person who has taken time to examine these facts concerning how, when and by whom Jesus Christ was put to death would know that it was impossible for Jesus Christ to have faked His death or even to have been replaced with another person on the cross. And here are some of the reasons why.

Starting with the reasons why Jesus couldn’t and didn’t fake His death, we notice that there were many eyewitnesses who witnessed His death, who incidentally comprised of both His ardent friends as well as His avowed enemies hence it was impossible that they could have colluded together to lie about His death. As for the friends of Jesus Christ who witnessed His death, they included among others: Mary, His mother (John 19:25-30), Apostle John the author of the Gospel of John (John 19:25-30), many of His female disciples who followed Him from Galilee (Mark 15:37-41), and many of His acquaintances who watched Him die from a distance (Luke 23:49). In addition to His friends, there were thousands of curious onlookers and passersby who were in Jerusalem at that time to attend the Feast of Passover who also witnessed the death of Jesus Christ according to Luke 23:48. Now, as for the enemies of Jesus Christ who witnessed His death, there were the Roman Government officials led by the centurion and his band of soldiers who crucified Him and were present when He died at 3 pm (Matthew 27:50-54). Furthermore, Pontius Pilate in his official capacity as the governor of Judea made sure that Jesus Christ had truly died before he allowed Joseph of Arimathea to take down His body from the cross for a decent burial as is recorded in Mark 15:42-46. And to crown it all, there was that particular soldier who pierced Jesus’ side with a sharp spear thereby perforating His heart, and as a result, blood and water came out confirming that Jesus Christ had truly died because His heart had stopped pumping blood to the rest of His body (John 19:30-36). With all these credible eyewitnesses, you can rest assured that Jesus Christ did not faint or fake His death on the cross as some critics claim but He truly died on the cross paying in full for all your sins so that you can be saved, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him!

Let us now turn to the reasons why Jesus Christ couldn’t and wasn’t replaced with another person on the cross. The claim that Jesus was replaced with another person on the cross is another straw that is grasped at by some of those people who deny the literal death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The fallacy of this claim is plain for all to see since it was not possible that Jesus Christ could have been replaced with another person on the cross without the soldiers who were crucifying Him allowing it and His mother and John His closest disciple noticing it because they were standing right at the foot of the cross (John 19:26-27). Had Jesus Christ been replaced with another person on the cross: His mother, John His closest disciple and other disciples who were nearby could have noticed it and followed Him to the place where He could have been taken to see what could have been done to Him, the same way they followed Him to the cross! On the part of the soldiers, they could never ever have allowed Jesus Christ to be replaced with another person on the cross because that could have meant immediate crucifixion for each one of them. This is because they could have been seen replacing Jesus Christ with another person on the cross by Jews religious leaders who were there (Mark 15:31-32). And that could have greatly infuriated these leaders who desperately wanted Jesus Christ to be put to death by crucifixion so much so that they incited angry mob to demand for His crucifixion (Matthew 27:11-26). Consequently, they could have made a beeline for Pontius Pilate to report the matter, who upon cross examination of those soldiers would have commanded all them to be crucified. For according to the Roman Government, any soldier who allowed a criminal that he was guarding to escape was immediately punished with the same punishment that was due to that criminal (Acts 12:18-19). With such convincing evidence, you can rest assured that Jesus Christ was not replaced with another person on the cross as some critics claim but He truly died on the cross paying in full for all your sins so that you can be saved, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him! Lastly, let us now turn to one of many secular historical sources of 1st and 2nd century A.D. which recorded some facts concerning how, when and by whom Jesus Christ was put to death. As you would expect of such a public incident like the crucifixion and subsequent death of Jesus Christ, details of what happened could not have just been chronicled in the Bible alone but they could also have been captured in one form or another in the secular historical records of that day. And that is exactly what happened. We find historians such as Flavius Josephus and Tacitus who were not Christians hence they had no any reason to portray Biblical Christianity in good light and yet they recounted in exact details some facts about how, when, and by whom Jesus Christ was put to death. To avoid repetition, I will share with you a quote from Tacitus in this section and then I will share another quote from Flavius Josephus in the next section on the subject of resurrection of Jesus Christ. Note that Tacitus who lived between 56 and 120 A.D. was a renowned secular Roman historian who carefully chronicled history of the Roman Empire. In year 116 A.D. he published a book titled The Annals of Imperial Rome. In this book, as he was giving detailed account of the great fire that burnt down much of the city of Rome in July of 64 A.D. which Caesar Nero blamed on Christians, he mentioned that Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity was put to death by Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, during the reign of Caesar Tiberius. Here is the excerpt of what he wrote:

To suppress this rumour, Nero fabricated scapegoats—and punished with every refinements the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. But in spite this temporary setback, the deadly superstition had broken out afresh, not only in Judea (where the mischief had started) but even in Rome. All degraded and shameful practices collect and flourish in Rome. [8]

From this excerpt we have undeniable and indisputable historical evidence that Jesus Christ was a real historical person contrary to what some critics of Christianity constantly assert that He never existed. Surely, Tacitus was not implying that Caesar Nero blamed and punished an imaginary group of people known as Christians who had an imaginary leader known as Christ for literally burning the city of Rome! Unquestionably, Tacitus, who was not a Christian but a careful Roman historian, chronicled independently of the Bible the following four undeniable and indisputable historical facts. First, that in the first century A.D. there was a group of people known as Christians whose religious influence spread from Judea in Israel all the way to Rome the capital of the Roman Empire. Second, Christ was the leader of those Christians hence He was the founder of Christianity. Third, Christ was put to death by Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. And fourth, Christ was put to death during the reign of Caesar Tiberius who reigned between 14 and 37 A.D. All these four facts perfectly agree with the record we find in the Bible concerning when and by whom Jesus Christ was put to death and how Christianity spread from Jerusalem in Judea to Rome. As the final nail in the coffin of unfounded denial of the literal death of Jesus Christ, Tacitus a secular Roman historian (who was hostile to Christianity as is clearly demonstrated by how he describes Christians in the above quote) corroborated with pinpoint accuracy facts found in the Bible regarding when and by whom Jesus Christ was put to death. What a credible historical fact that Jesus Christ did not fake His death on the cross nor was He replaced with another person on the cross as some critics claim but He truly died on the cross paying in full for all your sins so that you can be saved, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him!

This brings us to the end of examining the first half of the gospel of Jesus Christ which can be summarized as follows: Jesus Christ died on the cross in your place as a Perfect Substitute and a Perfect Sacrifice thereby paying for all your sins. This made your salvation possible, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him. Will you? I hope you will. So then, let us carefully examine the second half of the gospel of Jesus Christ which is stated here below as follows:

II. Jesus Christ bodily rose from the dead proving that He had once and for all defeated Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be saved, if you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him

The fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden unleashed Satan, sin and death upon all human beings (Genesis 3). Consequently from that time henceforth Satan, sin and death became the three greatest enemies of all human beings. Not a single human being is spared from the overwhelming evil influence of Satan; the overbearing penalty, power and presence of sin; and the unstoppable jaws of physical, spiritual and eternal deaths. It is therefore not surprising that these three greatest enemies of all human beings are ruthlessly and relentlessly seeking the complete destruction of the whole of the human race. And to make the matter worse, there is nothing that human beings can do to stop them. Guns, bombs and even the deadliest nuclear weapons cannot stop Satan, sin and death. Legislations, social and constitutional reforms, psychology, humanistic ideas, atheistic philosophies and even religion cannot stop Satan, sin and death. There is only one person who can completely stop Satan, sin and death. And that person is Jesus Christ, the God-Man! And the good news is that He has already done it.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross about 2,000 years ago, He completely and eternally defeated Satan, sin and death for all human beings. First and foremost, He once and for all defeated Satan the archenemy of God as is recorded in Hebrews 2:14-15 and Colossians 2:14-15. Second, He thoroughly defeated sin for all mankind as is elaborated in Hebrews 2:9 and Colossians 2:13-14. Third, He removed the sting of physical death (2nd Timothy 1:10 and 1st Corinthians 15:54-57) and once and for all defeated spiritual and eternal deaths for all repentant sinners who would truly believe in Him (Ephesians 2:1-3 and Colossians 2:13). Therefore through His death on the cross, Jesus Christ completely and eternally defeated Satan, sin and death—the three greatest enemies of all human beings. By so doing, He made it possible for all sinners to be saved from all their sins, if only they would sincerely repent all their sins and truly believe in Him! While Jesus’ defeat of Satan, sin and death on the cross was invisible and intangible to the onlookers, the visible and tangible proof came three days and three nights later when He bodily rose from the dead. That was when Jesus Christ once and for all demonstrated in a visible, tangible and verifiable way that He had completely and eternally defeated Satan, sin and death for all mankind.

And here are the reasons why. When Jesus Christ rose from the dead in the same physical body He had died in three days and three nights before (Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19-29), He proved in a visible, tangible and a verifiable way that He had completely and eternally conquered death. Hence death could no longer have any power or dominion over Him (Revelation 1:18). And because He had died in the place of all sinful mankind (Romans 5:8), His bodily resurrection meant that He had once and for all conquered the fierce jaws of physical, spiritual and eternal deaths which were threatening to destroy all human beings. Likewise, since death was brought by sin (Romans 5:12), it therefore follows that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ was also a visible, tangible and a verifiable proof that He had completely and eternally conquered sin which brought death (1st Peter 2:21-24). For it is an irrefutable biblical fact that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ proved that: (1) He had paid in full the penalty for all the sins of mankind, (2) He had once and for all broken the power of all sins of mankind, and (3) He shall ultimately save all repentant sinners who believe in Him from the presence of all sin and usher them into the presence of God the Father in heaven in their resurrected glorified bodies. Moreover, since sin was originally brought by Satan (Genesis 3), it therefore follows that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ was also a visible, tangible and a verifiable proof that He had completely and eternally conquered Satan who brought sin which brought death (Hebrews 2:14-15). In short, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ was a visible, tangible and a verifiable proof that He had completely and eternally conquered the three greatest enemies of all human beings namely: Satan, sin and death.

That’s why believing in bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is rightfully called the cornerstone of Biblical Christianity because it is the foundation upon which all the other truths of Biblical Christianity stand (1st Corinthians 15:1-19). For, if Jesus Christ did not bodily rise from the dead in the same physical body He had died in, then that would mean that He was unable to conquer His own death. And if He was unable to conquer His own death, then that would mean that He cannot be expected to conquer death for any human being let alone save any human being from the jaws of physical, spiritual and eternal deaths. Furthermore, if Jesus Christ was not able to conquer His own death which could be visibly and tangibly verified, it therefore follows that He could not be trusted to conquer sin which brought death nor be trusted to conquer Satan who brought sin which brought death. If that were the case, then the next logical question to ask would be, “what good can such a dead savior do for you?” If he could not conquer his own death, how can you expect him to conquer physical, spiritual and eternal deaths for you? But that was not the case with our lord and savior Jesus Christ. This is because we have undeniable and indisputable evidence that conclusively proves that Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead in the same physical body that He had died in three days and three nights before. And this serves as a visible, tangible and a verifiable proof that He has completely and eternally defeated Satan, sin and death for all human beings. Therefore any person can be truly saved, if only they would sincerely repent all their sins and truly believe in Jesus Christ! This is the good news I want to share with you that: bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is a visible, tangible and a verifiable proof that He has completely and eternally defeated Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly saved, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him.

Now, the following are five lines of evidence which I hope will prove to you beyond any reasonable doubt that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is both an undeniable biblical truth and a proven historical fact. Hence you can know for sure that Jesus Christ did actually die and rise from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved if you repent all your sins and believe in Him.

The first evidence which proves that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is both an undeniable biblical truth and a proven historical fact is His appearance alive in His resurrected glorified body with the real scars of crucifixion on it, after He had been dead and buried for three days and three nights. This is the mother of all the proofs of bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the hinge upon which all the other proofs turns. For, there is no any other evidence that can better prove that Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead than the fact that after His death, He appeared alive in His resurrected glorified body with the real scars of crucifixion on it, never to die again. And the appearance I am referring to is not in form of a vision, or a trance, or as an apparition: it is the real physical appearance in the real physical world of space, time and matter with a real physical body that can be seen, touched and handled with all the five physical senses of sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. Without a doubt, after our lord and savior Jesus Christ died and was buried, He truly came back to life on the third day in the same physical body He had died in three days and three nights before, never to die again. Furthermore, His resurrected glorified body had real scars of crucifixion on it which could be seen and touched proving that He came back alive in the same physical body that He died in three days and three nights before. Moreover, after His bodily resurrection, Jesus Christ showed Himself alive in this body: not once, not twice, but many times in many different places and to many different people for forty days according to Acts 1:3.

Here is one of those incidences where Jesus Christ appeared alive after His death, in His resurrected glorified body with the real scars of crucifixion on it: “36And as they thus spoke, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and says to them, peace be to you. 37But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38And He said to them, why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see Me have. 40And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said to them, have you here any meat? 42And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43And He took it, and did eat before them” (Luke 24:36-43). This account and a similar one in John 20:24-29 gives us an irrefutable proof that Jesus Christ did truly rise from the dead in the same physical body He had died in three days before. This is simply because we see Him showing His disciples His hands and His feet that were pierced by nails when He was crucified on the cross. And as if that was not enough, He ate a piece of a broiled fish and a honey comb to prove to His doubting disciples that He was not a ghost or an apparition but a real human being with real human body, the same one He had when He was put to death on the cross. Without a shred of doubt, the appearance of Jesus Christ alive in His resurrected glorified body with scars of crucifixion on it proves that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved.

The second evidence which proves that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is both an undeniable biblical truth and a proven historical fact is the empty tomb where His dead body was buried. All what was needed to stop the spread of the good news of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (if indeed He had not risen from the dead) was for somebody to produce His dead body. But the fact that Roman and Jewish authorities could not produce Jesus Christ’s dead body despite the fact that they all knew where His tomb was and furthermore they had put a contingent of armed soldiers to guard the tomb day and night (Matthew 27:62-66), is convincing proof that Jesus Christ had truly risen from the dead. Here is how the Bible records for us how three eye witnesses found His tomb empty and His grave clothes lying there: “1The first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulcher, and sees the stone taken away from the sepulcher. 2Then she ran, and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him. 3Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher. 4So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. 5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and saw the linen clothes lie. 7And the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself” (John 20:1-7). This account of the empty tomb gives us an indisputable proof that Jesus Christ did actually rise from the dead in the same physical body He had died in three days before. At least, three eye witnesses came to the exact tomb that Jesus’ dead body was buried in and did not find His body there. All they found there was His grave clothes. The reason why they did not find His body there is because He had truly risen from the dead in the same physical body He had died in three days before. Without a shred of doubt, empty tomb proves that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved.

The third evidence which proves that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is both an undeniable biblical truth and a proven historical fact is the testimonies of the angels. When we read all the four gospels comparing and contrasting their accounts on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we realize that God used three angels to announce the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ to all the women who went to the tomb on that Sunday morning. From the account in the gospel of Luke, two angels suddenly appeared in the empty tomb to a group of women perhaps led by Joanna (Luke 24:10 cf. 8:1-3) who were perplexed because they could not find the body of Jesus Christ in the tomb. Then these two angels announced to those women that Jesus Christ had truly risen from the dead on the third day just as He had prophesied He would (Luke 24:1-11). And from the account in the gospel of Mark compared and contrasted with a similar one in the gospel of Matthew, one angel seated inside the empty tomb specifically on the right side of the tomb announced that Jesus Christ had truly risen from the dead to another group of women made up of Salome and Mary mother of James (Mark 16:1-5). Then the angel showed them the place where His body had lain and went on to remind them that Jesus Christ had actually prophesied that He would rise from the dead on the third day (see Mark 16:1-8 and Matthew 28:1-10). In each case, these three angels did the following. First, they announced bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ clearly stating that ‘He is risen! He is not here!’ Second, they went on to show the empty tomb to all the women who were looking for the dead body of Jesus Christ so that they could see for themselves that His body was not there. And third, they reminded those women the words of Jesus Christ Himself recorded in Matthew 16:21 and Mark 14:28 where He prophesied that He would rise from the dead on the third day. Without a shred of doubt, testimonies of these three angels on resurrection of Jesus Christ prove that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved!

The fourth evidence which proves that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is both an undeniable biblical truth and a proven historical fact is the testimonies of hundreds of eye witnesses who saw Jesus Christ in His resurrected glorified body. One notable thing about these eyewitnesses is the fact that they were initially hesitating to believe that Jesus Christ had truly risen from the dead till they personally saw Him, touched Him, ate with Him and most important of all, saw the real scars of crucifixion on His body. The first one to see Jesus Christ in His resurrected glorified body was Mary Magdalene, who went to the tomb not to see and meet with the risen Lord Jesus, but to anoint His dead body. But to her amazement she met, saw, talked and touched the risen Lord Jesus Christ (John 20:1-18). The same thing happened to several other women who also went to the tomb that Sunday morning to anoint His dead body. They were greatly amazed when they met, saw, talked and touched the risen Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:8-11). Sometimes after that, the risen Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34). Later in the afternoon of that day, He appeared to Cleopas and another disciple on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). And in the evening of that same day, He appeared to ten of His twelve apostles who could not believe their eyes for they thought they were seeing a ghost or an apparition of Jesus Christ. So, to confirm to them that He was not a ghost, He showed them crucifixion scars in His hands and feet. And to crown it all, He ate a piece of a broiled fish and a honey comb confirming He was not a ghost but a real human being (Luke 24:33-43).

A week later, He appeared to all the eleven apostles with special attention to Apostle Thomas who for the whole of that week had refused to believe that Jesus had truly risen from the dead. So, Jesus challenged Apostle Thomas to see and touch the nails prints on His hands and feet as well as put his hand in His side that was pierced on the cross (John 20:24-29). After that incident, He appeared to seven disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-7). And at one time, He appeared to more than five hundred believers at once, most (over 250) of whom were still alive in year 56 A.D. when Paul wrote his first letter to the church of Corinth (1st Corinthians 15:6). Indeed, for forty days from the day of His resurrection to the day that He ascended back into heaven, Jesus Christ was seen alive in His resurrected glorified body by hundreds of credible eyewitnesses at various times and in various occasions (Acts 1:1-3). Without a shred of doubt, testimonies of all these hundreds of eyewitnesses on resurrection of Jesus Christ prove that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved!

The fifth evidence which proves that bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is both an undeniable biblical truth and a proven historical fact is the credible historical record of a secular Jewish historian of 1st Century A.D. by the name Flavius Josephus who lived between 37 and 100 A.D. He was not a Christian but a seasoned secular historian who carefully and in an orderly manner chronicled the history of the Jews. Without any motivation to promote or defend Biblical Christianity, he wrote the following about Jesus Christ in his book The Antiquity of the Jews book 18, chapter 3, section 3:

Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works-a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. [9]

From these words of Flavius Josephus, we gather the following eight undeniable historical facts. First, Jesus was a real historical person. Second, He was an exceptionally wise man who performed many miracles. Third, He was an excellent teacher of truth who drew to Himself both Jews and Gentiles as His followers or disciples. Fourth, He was the Christ or the Messiah. Fifth, He was condemned to die on the cross by Pontius Pilate. Sixth, After He was crucified and died on the cross; He appeared alive to His disciples on the third day. Seventh, All what happened to Him and much more was foretold by the prophets of God. And eighth, His followers known as Christians were still around in year 94 A.D. when Josephus published his book. [10] All these eight facts from a secular historical source of 1st century A.D. perfectly agree with the record we find in the Bible concerning life, ministry, death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even though bodily resurrection is not a common occurrence, and even though mere mortals like you and I cannot exhaustively explain how it happens; Flavius Josephus who was careful to write accurate history of the Jews did not hesitate to record that after Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross, ‘He appeared to them alive again the third day’ because that is exactly what happened. Without a shred of doubt, this 1st century A.D. historical facts from Flavius Josephus on resurrection of Jesus Christ prove that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved!

In spite of all those five undeniable and indisputable evidences which conclusively prove that Jesus Christ did truly and bodily rise from the dead, some of the critics of Christianity insist that He didn’t. Clinging desperately to their atheistic and materialistic ideologies, they try their level best to dispute and deny bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ hoping to shake and if possible destroy the faith of some Christians as well as turn away from Christianity all those people who might be contemplating to embrace Christian faith.

One way they propagate their denial of bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is through what they call the wrong tomb theory. [11] Through this theory, the deniers of bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ peddle a lie that Mary Magdalene and the other women went to the wrong tomb which was empty and that is why they did not find the dead body of Jesus Christ there. Their claim is nothing more than hopeless and helpless attempt to deny the obvious. For, when Jesus Christ died, His dead body was buried by Joseph of Arimathea in his own new tomb outside the old city of Jerusalem as Mary Magdalene and several other women were watching sitting opposite the tomb just as is clearly recorded in Matthew 27:57-61. In addition to His disciples, the Roman authorities and Jews religious leaders also knew where His dead body was buried as is clearly recorded in Matthew 27:62-66. So, if for whatever reason Mary Magdalene and other women went to the wrong tomb, other disciples of Jesus Christ and especially Joseph of Arimathea (who personally buried the body of Jesus Christ in his own new tomb) could have gone to the right tomb and seen His dead body, if He had not truly risen from the dead. Furthermore, the Roman authorities and the Jews religious leaders could also have gone to the right tomb and produced His dead body, if He had not truly risen from the dead. But much to the contrary, the Bible records for us in John 20:1-8 that Mary Magdalene, Peter and John went to the exact tomb where Jesus Christ was buried and all they found there was His own grave clothes, simply because He had truly and physically risen from the dead. Last and not the least, the propagators of this lie fail to explain why the tomb where Jesus was buried was empty and more importantly, how Jesus who had been killed and buried was appearing alive in a real physical body with crucifixion scars on it. What undeniable and indisputable evidence that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you! To His praise and glory, He made your salvation possible, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him!

Another way the deniers of bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ propagate their lie is through what they call the hallucination theory. [12] Through this theory, they assert that all those people who reported seeing risen Lord Jesus Christ must have been hallucinating. Gaping holes in this theory are so large that the lie it attempts to propagate falls through these holes and is thus visible to all people. This is because, all of us know that hallucinations take place exclusively in the mind when a person feels or sees things in his or her mind that are not really happening in the physical world around them. Consequently, hallucinations cannot alter the visible and tangible reality of the physical world around the person hallucinating. So, if all those people who reported seeing risen Jesus Christ were hallucinating, then, those who were not hallucinating, particularly the Roman authorities and Jews religious leaders could have gone to the tomb and produced Jesus’ dead body to show that His disciples who were claiming He is risen were actually hallucinating. The fact that they could not produce His dead body is irrefutable proof that He had truly and bodily risen from the dead. Second and more importantly, if all those people who reported seeing risen Lord Jesus Christ were hallucinating, how is it that according to John 20:24-29, the risen Lord Jesus Christ showed them His resurrected physical body with real crucifixion scars which they literally saw and touched? Also how is it that according to Luke 24:38-43, He asked and they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and a honey comb which He literally ate before them? Also how is it that according to John 21:7-25, He walked and talked for a long time with Peter and John? The fact that all those people who reported seeing risen Lord Jesus Christ used almost all their five physical senses i.e. seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting to interact with Him rules out any possibility that they were hallucinating. What undeniable and indisputable evidence that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you! To His praise and glory, He made your salvation possible, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him!

Another way the deniers of bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ promote their lie is through what they call the conspiracy theory. [13] Through this theory, they claim that there must have been a conspiracy to steal the dead body of Jesus hatched by either His disciples or the Roman guards or the Jews religious leaders. This is another hopeless and helpless attempt to deny the undeniable. First of all, the disciples of Jesus Christ could not have conspired to steal His dead body and then propagate a lie that He had risen from the dead. And here are the reasons why. First, that was against their well known good character and high moral standards. Second, they were holed up in a room for the fear of the Jews hence they couldn’t have dared to go out to the tomb that was tightly guarded by the Roman soldiers to steal His dead body (John 20:19). Third, it is impossible that almost all of them died slow painful deaths for preaching and defending bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ knowing full well that it was a lie. The most likely scenario would have been that, as they were being tortured to death, at least one of them could have disclosed the lie and shown his torturers where they hid the body of Jesus, if that is what they had done. On the other hand, the Roman guards could not have conspired to steal the body of Jesus because that would have costed them their lives as we saw earlier on. Also, Jews religious leaders could not have conspired to steal the body of Jesus for the following two reasons. First, stealing His body could have opened the door for some people to claim that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, something they were trying their level best to block as we see in Matthew 27:62-66. Second, If for whatever reason they had stolen His dead body, then, instead of threatening His disciples not to preach that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead as we see in Acts 5:27-32, they could have produced His dead body and instantly stopped the spread of Christianity. Furthermore, drastic positive changes that took place in the lives of all the eyewitnesses of the risen Lord Jesus Christ could not have been produced by a fairy tale or hallucinations or even a cleverly crafted conspiracy but by the real transformative power of Jesus Christ who truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for them. Finally, this claim that Jesus Christ’s dead body was stolen is thoroughly defeated by the fact that He appeared alive after His death for forty days in the same physical body He had died in, for it had real crucifixion scars on it (Acts 1:3). What undeniable and indisputable evidence that Jesus Christ truly and bodily rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you! To His praise and glory, He made your salvation possible, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him!

And on that high note, we come to the end of examining the second half of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the end of this chapter. It is therefore my hope and prayer that you now know and understand why you must believe in the true Jesus Christ of the Bible so that you can be truly and eternally saved from the jaws of spiritual and eternal deaths which are threatening to confine your life to everlasting pain and suffering in hell. No doubt, you now know “who” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible really is, and also, “what” He did to make your salvation possible. For, by now you must be fully conversant with the three “Identity Marks” of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible which have clearly shown you His true nature and His true personality exactly as is revealed in the Bible. To that end, you know and understand from the first “Identity” Mark” that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is God, that is, He is Yahweh God Himself. For without controversy: 1) the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is revealed in the Bible as Yahweh God, the second person of the holy trinity; 2) He is directly called God in the Bible; 3) He boldly claimed to be God in the Bible; 4) He is addressed with titles that are used to address Yahweh God exclusively; 5) He possesses all the attributes of Yahweh God; and 6) He does what only Yahweh God can do. You also know and understand from the second “Identity Mark” that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible is fully God and fully a perfect Man all in one person—the second person of the holy trinity. Finally, you also know and understand from the third “Identity Mark” that the true Jesus of the Bible is the true Messiah or Christ promised throughout the Old Testament. In addition, you now know and understand all “what” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible did to make your salvation possible. For it is an undeniable biblical fact that the true Jesus Christ of the Bible died and rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you so that you can be truly and eternally saved, if only you would sincerely repent all your sins and truly believe in Him.

Since you now know all these things about “who” the true Jesus Christ of the Bible really is, and also, “what” He did to make your salvation possible, what is your verdict on Him? Knowing that He is Yahweh God who has come in the human flesh, have you truly believed in Him and willingly received Him into your life to become the Lord and God over your life? Moreover, knowing that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you, have you sincerely repented all your sins and truly believed in Him as your personal lord and savior? What is your verdict on Jesus Christ? All you have learnt about Jesus Christ demands a verdict. Is Jesus Christ Yahweh God come in the human flesh? Then worship Him as your God! Did He truly die and rise from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you? Then repent all your sins, believe and receive Him into your life to become your personal lord and savior! In short, give your verdict on Jesus Christ right now, right where you are. And do not let anything or anyone stop you from making the greatest decision you will ever make in your life which is to repent all your sins and then believe and receive Jesus Christ into your life to become your personal lord and savior so that you can be truly and eternally saved. And as for the reasons why you must repent all your sins in order to be saved, the next chapter is dedicated to answer that question for you.

Meanwhile, remember you don’t have to remain with a heart in upheaval any longer. The way out has been provided for you through the ABCs of salvation which I have been sharing with you in Part one of this book. And here below is the sum total of what “B” is urging you to do:

B elieve in Jesus Christ to be saved,

Believe He is Yahweh God, the true and the living God,
Believe He is God the Son, the second person of the holy trinity,
Believe He is fully God and fully Man all in one person—the second person of holy trinity.
Because great is the mystery of Jesus Christ:
God the Son became the God-Man!
The only mediator between holy God and sinful mankind,
The only one who died on the cross paying the full penalty for all your sins,
The only one who rose from the dead defeating Satan, sin and death for you,
The only one who ascended back into heaven to prepare a place for you,
So you can have eternal life and eternal access into the presence of God in heaven,
Only if you would repent all your sins and believe in Jesus Christ!
Therefore repent all your sins and believe in Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!!

<<BACK NEXT>>