Question

Jesus said this to His disciples: Whom do men say that I am?  The disciples answered, “John the Baptist,” but same say, “Elias,” or “Jeremias,” and others, “one of the Prophets.”  This is a question everyone at one time or another will have to answer.  

Jesus has been called many things and His name has been blasphemed many times through the years and there are some that totally despise His name, trying to erase it from their minds.  But others felt differently, calling Him Rabbi and that was true, Jesus was a teacher and He taught with authority.  Rabbi means teacher.  Jesus was also a prophet, He spoke of things that would come to pass in the future and also of some things that took place in the past, speaking of what was written in the Old Testament Books, but they had a problem because they didn’t understand who He really was.  

Jesus was so much more than a teacher and a prophet, Jesus was the Son of God, He was God in the flesh.  He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, plus much more.  These are the things they needed to know Him as, but they didn’t.  In Mark 8:29, when Jesus asked His disciples whom they said that He was, Peter spoke up and said, “Thou art the Christ,” and that was the answer Jesus was looking for, like I said earlier, everyone will have to answer this question.  Where they spend eternity will depend on their answer.

When Jesus asked this question to Peter in Matthew 16:16 this was his response, “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”  Then Jesus answered him in verse 17 saying this, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”   Peter could only know this because God had revealed it to him and that is true with every believer because the things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned.  

Things haven’t changed much today as far as that question is concerned, many would have the same answer which was pretty common in the days when Jesus walked the earth.  Many will not acknowledge that Jesus was, and is, who He claimed to be, the only begotten Son of God.

Question: who do you say Jesus is?  Is He just a teacher or prophet or maybe just a good man, as some say, or is He the Christ, the Son of the living God?  Do you believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, the God man or not?  If someone walked up to you and asked you that question what would your answer be?  Would you have to hesitate and think about how to answer or would the answer be spontaneous?  I hope your answer would emulate Peter’s answer, if not, you need to give this much thought, like I said, your answer will dictate where you will spend eternity.  The truth is, someday you will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, along with everyone else at the Judgment, but then it will be too late because you will have sealed your fate because when you had the chance you chose to reject it.

If you feel the Holy Spirit’s conviction because of your sinful condition, don’t put it off another moment; repent, which means to turn away from your sins, and ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and to come in and be your Lord and Savior.  And don’t be in a hurry, take your time and pray through.  Don’t walk away until the Lord’s peace fills your soul and you know it has been completed and the Lord’s salvation is yours and you have been forgiven and become a child of God.  Don’t disregard this, it is the truth and it is very important.  I have prayed that you will make the right choice.  May the Lord bless you and have a great day!!