As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Christ is God. In fact, you cannot truly be a Christian unless you DO believe in the Deity of Christ. However, you can believe Jesus is God, come in the flesh, and NOT be a Christian! There is something else at work here.
There’s a real interesting verse found in James 2:19 which says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” This should make humans shudder, as well. The whole demonic realm knows first hand who Jesus Christ really is — He is God, the Son! They have lived and interacted with Him in the spiritual realm for many thousands of years. So, what’s the difference between the knowledge the demons have of the Son of God, and the knowledge we need to become true believers in Christ?
After the baptism of Jesus and His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began His ministry with these words, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). And, in preparing the way for the Messiah’s coming, John the Baptist preached repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. People were convicted of the sin in their lives and their need to repent, in order to be forgiven by God and receive eternal life. The demons have never repented or followed God.
The Son of God Himself, who was Jesus Christ the Messiah, came to Earth and lived His life with us. Fully God and fully man, Jesus Christ lived out His life before the people He created, in order to show them the way of salvation and eternal life! Jesus suffered incomprehensibly when He took all of our sins upon Himself and died on the cross, redeeming us from death. He paid the price for our sin so we would not have to. Our God the Father “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
Eternal life begins the moment we are forgiven! We enter into a personal relationship with the Triune God and have fellowship with one another, just as a husband would with his wife, and close friends would have with each other. In John 17:3 Jesus says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” It is the Lord’s desire that our fellowship and enjoyment of one another grow closer and deeper throughout eternity. “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4). How incredible this will be!
Copyright © 2012 by C. A. Harris, M.A. Theological Studies. All rights reserved.
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