Acceptance as Christ Series
Proclamation and Acceptance to be Christ—Part VII
First, God chose Jesus, His Son, to fulfill a mission on earth; 2nd, only Christians have ever claimed that Jesus is to be the Christ. 3rd the Disciple said it: When Christ Jesus asked one of his disciples, “Who say ye that I am?” the disciple responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15, 16). This proclamation was one of the keys that made Jesus known to be Christ.
In the three Gospel accounts, Jesus asked the disciples how the multitudes viewed him and their opinion. “But who do you say that I am?” Only Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The response made by Peter in return made him deserve a blessing from Jesus. “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus felt blessed by Peter’s response, and in return, he blessed Peter, and Jesus accepted not only the title of Christ but also the Son of the living God. This proclamation by Peter confirms a divine revelation stating that his (Jesus) Father in Heaven revealed it only to Peter. This declaration endorsing Jesus being both Christ and Son of God made way for Jesus to be satisfied. Who among us with the right mind and humble heart will reject this divine revelation? Jesus accepted and declared himself to be both Christ and the So
How Jesus became Christ?
When Did Jesus become the Chosen One of God officially?
Through the declaration and proclamation by Peter by way of confession, the revelation of the Father suggests who the Lord Jesus is, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”-Matthew 16:16. Since it was only revealed to Peter, the other response may vary from person to person how they will accept the announcement. No disciples have rejected as well as the followers of Jesus at that time. But the enemies of Jesus who wanted to put him to death resisted. When Jesus said, “You are gods; you are all sons of the Highest.” He quoted Psalm 82:6 and John 10:34. The accusers of Jesus held this against him and charged him with blaspheming. John 10:34-36.
When Peter included this message to the Israelites recorded in Acts 2:22-24, 35—It became the turning point that Jesus became Christ. “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; with wicked men’s help, you put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because death couldn’t keep its hold on him.
35 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
God chose Jesus to represent Him on earth: Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God, and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. John 8:42. Jesus did not volunteer to come down and save the world; that is why John 3:17 say maybe through him the world might be saved. Instead, he decided to save the world.
Again Jesus said in John 7:28-29- “You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” He was the Chosen one to come down and do the mission to do the Atonement!
From the Father’s declaration: Isaiah 42:1, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights” This made it official. Jesus is the “Chosen One.”
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ led to his death; then his resurrected body ascended to heaven, witnessed by his disciples on the way to the throne of righteousness, where he will sit on the right-hand side of the Father. Jesus accomplished his mission and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Now it is our turn to receive the gift of Eternal life. John 3:16 is a promise of eternal life for believers, and Jesus also said that the Scriptures could not be broken— John 10:35.
What does the crucifixion of Jesus Christ have to do with us? God, who knows what we are made of and knew we could not live sinless lives to enter heaven, decided to make a covenant with the Son that whoever believes in him will have a place in heaven forever. The Son becoming a man in the person of Jesus Christ, made his painful and sacrificial journey on earth.
Since we all have sinned and are short of God’s glory, humans are destined to die. The punishment for sin is death. But (Romans 3:23; 6:23), God is so merciful and graceful that He sent His grace in the person of the Son Jesus, who died in our place. Jesus, being sinless, came to the sinful and condemned world and made a way to save it. Jesus could have avoided the cross but chose to lay down his life so the world would be saved. He delivered the gift of Salvation and became the world’s saving grace. He died for us! “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10.
The Bible says, “Belief in the Lord Jesus, you and your household will be saved.”—Acts 16:31. Salvation is a gift from God but attending church and giving tithes will not save anyone; joining a religion is not a key to the gate of heaven as we should know by now God hates religion. Making our Salvation through good works will help a little but not significantly contribute to our Salvation. Remember, God, saves us by His grace through the redemptive work of the Son.
Jesus showed us the way to the Father in heaven; he taught us the truth about the Father and him, and through Jesus, we received a new life through reconciliation with the Father. So, Jesus is the way, the truth, and life. That is how much we owe the Son of our Salvation. Just follow the word, and you will not get lost. Will you accept Jesus in your heart by faith and be justified and sanctified as the first step toward Salvation?
Part V The Chosen
Part VI Jesus Became Christ
Part VII Acceptance as Christ
Part VIII Jesus became God