Thursday, October 22, 2020

Who is the Christ?

By Clifton Angel

     The  Greek  word  Christos  from  which  we  get  our word  Christ,  was  originally  a  verbal  adjective.  It signified that someone had been anointed with oil for promotion to a certain position. The high priest was anointed with oil. Kings of Israel were anointed with  oil.  Yet,  once  it  was  applied  to  Jesus  the Messiah, it was used as a proper name or title. We can  read how that following Andrew's  meeting  of Jesus, his immediate response was: "He first findeth  his  own  brother  Simon,  and  saith  unto  him,  We  have found  the  Messiah,  which  is,  being  interpreted,  the  Christ"  (John 1:41). Jesus is God's Anointed that Israel sought for deliverance. Let us  consider  some  things  we  can  learn  about Jesus  because  He  is the Christ.

He is Sovereign
     The  Messiah  of  Israel  was  not  to  be  just  another  anointed  priest, prophet,  or  king.  He  was  to  be  the  Supreme  Ruler  that  could provide deliverance like no other. Jesus being the Christ indicates His Supreme Kingship, Priesthood, and that He is    the Prophet. He superior because He is God in the flesh. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … And 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  …  For  the  law was  given  by  Moses, but  grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:1, 14, 17).

He is Separate
     The  name  Jesus  was  a  rather  common  name.  It  was  Yeshuah,  or Joshua,  in  the  Hebrew.  And  the  Joshua  most  common  to  us  was commissioned with delivering Israel out of the wilderness and into the promised land. In this, he is a picture of Jesus Christ; however, he  is  not  the  Christ.  Neither  was  any  other  person  who  bore  the name  Joshua  or  Jesus.  So,  THIS  Jesus  was  separated  from  other men named Jesus by his title, "Christ."

He is the Savior
     The  name  "Jesus"  actually means  "Savior."  We've  just noted  that  it  was  a  common name.  Therefore,  any  person with the name Jesus had that meaning. However, there was only  one  Jesus  who  would  "save  his  people  from  their sins" (Matthew 1:21) — Christ Jesus. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).  
     Thanks be to God for sending the Christ, our Sovereign God who was Separated so that we might have a Savior. Have you submitted your  life  to  the  SOVEREIGN  Christ  Jesus?  Have  you  SEPARATED yourself from the world by following Christ Jesus? Have you been SAVED from your sins by the blood of Christ Jesus?
 Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/


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