What does it mean to believe in Jesus as the Christ? Our answer to this question depends upon the time at which one lived and how much up to that time was understood regarding the promised Christ of God.
Before His Birth
In Old Testament times people believed in the coming Christ without knowing “Jesus” was to be His name. Daniel prophesied that “Messiah the Prince” was to come (Danel 9:25) and John 1:41 states that “Messiah,” means “the Christ.” Job said, “I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25,26). Many people, like Daniel and Job, believed in this One who was to come, the Redeemer, Messiah, but didn’t know “Jesus” was to be His name. God had declared a “Seed” from the woman would defeat the devil (Genesis 3:15). This person would be the Redeemer, Messiah, the Christ.
After Christ was Born but Before His Death and Resurrection
When Christ was soon to be born an angel from God said, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). After this, people began believing on him by this name. When Andrew heard John the Baptist preaching about Jesus, we are told, “he first findeth his own brother, Simon, and saith unto him, ‘We have found the Messiah (which being interpreted is the Christ’ - John 1:41). Clearly, Andrew and Peter had been expecting the Messiah, the Christ, and now, here He was. His name is Jesus. He is the mighty Lamb with power to rule the world in righteousness. Isaiah had said he will rule on the throne of David with judgment and justice forever (Isaiah 9:6,7).
The Samaritan woman at the well said to Jesus in John chapter 4, “I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ; when he is come He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I that speak unto thee am He” (John 4:25,26). Shortly afterward, others said to her, “We have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). In past times, Christ had been believed upon but as the unnamed Christ (Messiah). It wasn’t known which of the maidens of Israel would bear Him nor what His human name would be. But now this was known, and was vital truth. Those who rejected Him were warned by Jesus, “If ye believe not that I am He ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).
We must appreciate that Jesus, the Christ, was the Son of God in human flesh, and as such, possessed power to forgive sin. He emphasized this as important knowledge to be grasped. Once when criticized for saying to a paralyzed man, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” Jesus asked his critics which would be easier, to say, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” or, “Arise, and walk?” He continued, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy), Arise, take up thy bed and go into thine house” Matthew 9:2-6). And he did.
Thus we read in John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” Many did indeed believe on him and eternal life was bestowed upon them, due to Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God, possessing authority and power to forgive sin and bestow everlasting life.
As yet, however, believing upon Jesus as the Christ did not involve an understanding of his coming death and resurrection. This is made plain in many passages. See Matthew 16:21,22, Mark 9:32, Luke 18:31-34, John 20:9). Certainly, people believed on him as the Christ, the Son of God, but did not yet understand that he, the Christ, was to die and be resurrected.
After His Resurrection
After Jesus arose from the dead this was further truth to be believed about him as the Christ of God. He explained, "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day" (Luke 24:46). The grave could not hold him (Acts 2:24). Nothing could defeat him, not even death. This would now be preached and believed. Indeed, if He is to save anybody he must be alive to do it. And so the apostles preached in the book of Acts that Jesus is the Christ, alive from the dead, with proven power and authority (Acts 2:36, 5:30,31, 10:43).
After the Gospel Revealed by Christ to Paul
There is yet more about Jesus as the Christ. We learn in Acts chapter 9 and in the Epistles of Paul that Christ reappeared from heaven to confront the leader of rebellion against believers, Saul of Tarsus, to save him and send him forth with the gospel of the grace of God. Paul tells us his gospel was given to him directly by Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11,12). We find at the heart of his gospel this great truth – “that Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Let us note this with care. It is “Christ” who died for our sins. Therefore, if someone today should ask, “Who is Christ?” According to Paul, He is the person who died for our sins and arose from the dead.
Paul’s Gospel Embraced by Peter and John
It is delightful to read in Galatians chapter 2 about Paul taking his gospel to the other apostles and that they embraced his message, agreeing he would continue preaching his gospel to Gentiles and they would now take it to their people, the Jews (Galatians 2:1-10). After this, Peter and John preached Christ’s death for our sins just as Paul did and wrote about this in their Epistles.
John wrote in First John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” This fundamental truth was given to Paul in his ministry, and now John knows this truth as he writes First John. In 5:1 he says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” John would remember, of course, this had been true back when people didn’t yet understand that Jesus, the Christ, was to die and be resurrected (as in Luke 18:31-34). He also knew it is still true with the revelation of Paul’s gospel clarifying to John and Peter and to us that Jesus, the Christ, is the person who died for our sins and arose from the dead.
Certainly, by the time John wrote his Epistles Paul’s message had been widely preached and was well known among believers. In this light Jesus is believed upon as the Christ of God today.
How
God Saves Men
Believing
Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing
Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read
Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
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