Who is the Son of GOD?

There was a man named Jesus who lived nearly two thousand years ago. Most people in the world have heard his name. Many people do not really know him or who he really was. People through out history have called him a "good man'. Others have called him a fraud or a delusional person. Some thought he was a "prophet sent from God." Those who have made the effort to really come to know him, call him Jesus, the Savior, the Son of God.

It is best that one should start in the beginning, because he was in the very beginning of the creation of our world with God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. John 1:2-4. In the beginning of the world God placed mankind in the Garden of Eden but man and women sinned. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" Then the man said," The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." Genesis 3:9-12. For this sin man and women were banned by God from the Garden of Eden and from the tree of Life.

Even though man and women were forbidden from ever returning to the Garden of Eden for their sin, God did not forget mankind but provided a way for mankind to be reconciled to God. God had already determined that Jesus would come to this world to reconcile mankind from his sin caused by the temptation of the devil. And I will put enmity, between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." Genesis 3:15. God would separate mankind from the influence of the devil and sin by placing Jesus between us and in the end destroying the devil with a blow to his head that ultimately would condemn the devil to hell forever.

God had devised a grand plan to bring Jesus into this world. Nearly seven hundred years before Jesus was to come into this world, God through the prophet Isaiah foretold that Jesus was to be born of a virgin. Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14. The name Immanuel means "God with us." Besides bringing Jesus into the world through a miraculous birth, God was beginning to tell mankind about the true nature of Jesus.

Jesus was to be the "living Word of God;" yes, even of God himself. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-3. Jesus was to literally be God in the flesh and to come down from heaven and live on earth as a man. And the Word became 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. John 1:14. Jesus was to be known by many titles. For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

Perhaps the greatest title given to Jesus was the "Son of God." And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." John 1:34. Even though Jesus was truly the "Son of God.," he often chose to call himself the "son of man" by emphasizing his lowly birth as a child born to a poor carpenter's family from Nazareth in Galilee. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7.

When his ministry began many people wished to follow Jesus but he reminded them of the hardship that would follow. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Luke 9:58. Jesus lived a life of a poor man with many hardships.

As Jesus prepared for his death the night he was betrayed he prayed at Gethsemane. Jesus very much feared his impeding death on a cross. He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand." Matthew 26:39-46. Jesus freely chose to complete God's plan for the Father.

It was the Father's plan that Jesus would become our High Priest in all spiritual matters. But he would not be able accomplish this without being perfect and without sin before God. Even though Jesus lived a life as a human he resisted the temptations of life so he could please his Father. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:14-16. Because Jesus is our High Priest, He is able to intercede for us with the Father. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 1 Timothy 2:5-7.

As the Son of God, Jesus came with great power and also great concern for his people. He found many opportunities to heal the sick and those who were born with handicaps. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Matthew 4:23-24. Jesus used his power not only to heal but testify to the people that he was the Son of God. Do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." John 10:36-38. Jesus performed many other miracles during the time of his ministry. And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31

Jesus was also the fulfillment of a promise from God to a man of great faith "Abraham" approximately 3800 years ago. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." Genesis 22:18. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ. Galatians 3:16-17. Abraham is often called the "father of the faithful." Because of Abraham's faith God had promised that Abraham's family would bless all people through the birth of Jesus Christ into the world.

Jesus is the Son of God and he also our eternal King. He was sent to mankind as God's Messiah or Christ which means the Anointed of God. He was destined from the foundations of the earth to be our King. "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion." "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. Psalm 2:6-8.

As the Son of God, Jesus is the shepherd of God's sheep. Jesus uses many examples to illustrate how much he cares for mankind in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Matt 18:12-14. God loves all of mankind and as God's shepherd Jesus readily expressed his love and compassion for those who were lost from God. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11-12.

How great is God's love for mankind? So great is God's love that he would offer his only son as the only acceptable sacrifice to take away our sin. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17. Jesus was sent by God the Father to take away the sins of mankind. Jesus became the Lamb of God. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' John 1:29-31. Jesus' blood was the perfect sacrifice which God would accept to cleanse us of our sins. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:11-15.

Jesus was to be offered upon a Roman cross and to die a cruel death which would satisfy the penalty of death for the sins of mankind. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:3-6.

Even though Jesus died on the cross on Calvary, he would not forever be bound by death. Jesus would be resurrected to his eternal life with the Father three days after his death. Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come; see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:1-6.

He appeared to many other of his disciples following his resurrection from the dead including some who had chosen not to believe. And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:26-29.

Following his resurrection Jesus would return to Heaven to be with the Father but gave mankind a promise that he would return for his faithful followers. Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Acts 1:9-11.

Even though Jesus returned to Heaven He continues to be with his faithful through the company of the Holy Spirit which God sent to mankind to guide us through his Word. "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit , whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:25-27. Jesus finally promises He would never leave us again. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:20.

If God has so generously offered his only Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, how can we refuse so great a gift? Should we not choose to believe God's Holy Word and accept his wonderful gift of eternal life? God does not want anyone to perish. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-5. What will you do with Jesus Christ?

Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. Romans 16:16

All references are from the New King James version of the Bible. ©1982.

Christians of the churches of Christ may freely copy this Bible tract provided the content and all Scripture are left complete and unchanged. You are free to reformat the tract graphically for printing purposes.

Copyright. © 2006