Who Was/Is Jesus?

Just who is Jesus, the one referred to, by some, as, "Christ and savior of the world?" My whole 40 years of life, I have heard different variations of the stories used to describe the man known as Jesus Christ. From being referred to as the Son of God, to an important prophet, to God himself, the references to who Jesus was/is have always grabbed my attention. Upon wanting to build a closer relationship with my heavenly Father, Jehovah (God), I decided to study closer to ensure I better understood Jesus, his life, and his purpose.

Using the Holy Bible as my main source of information, what I found surprised me. Though I have heard him referred to as God himself, come to Earth in the flesh, that is not the conclusion I have come to. I have decided that I believe Jesus was the literal Son of God, meaning that he was a man created in the image of, and sent to Earth by, God to lead the righteous to salvation. The rest of this writing will use scriptures from the Holy Bible, and a description of a vision I was given, to express how I reached my conclusion.

First, I would like to start with the Book of Hebrews (NKJV). The first two chapters give, what appears to me as being, clear-cut descriptions of Jesus being the Son of God, and a man, as opposed to God himself in the flesh.

Here are some key points from those chapters (I did not reference specific scriptures) that influenced my conclusion:

• God's Son, through which he has spoken to us
• The brightness of God's glory, and the image of His person
• One who sits at the right hand of God
• Better/higher than the angels
• Angels are to worship him
• The anointed one from God
• Man’s final high priest
• Jesus’s priesthood replaces the Levitical priesthood, because Jesus’s priesthood is never-changing, and he goes on forever and ever

Other bible verses that helped me arrive at my personal beliefs regarding who Jesus was/is are as follows:

“Jesus said, do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”—John 20:17

Here, Jesus refers to God as his Father and his God, therefore showing two distinct persons.

"God is not human. He does not lie, nor is He the son of man, no does he have a need to repent."—Numbers 23:19

Once again, I can see where God and Jesus are not one and the same, for Jesus was a man, and my understanding is that God can never be an actual man because He is the purest of pure.

"Jesus says God is One."—Mark 12:29-33

My belief is, saying that "Jesus is God" contradicts this verse, stating that God is one.

Along with the verses referenced above, God gave me a vision one day during prayer and meditation. I was asking for Him to give me clarity as to just who was/is this Jesus I have been taught to follow. The vision was so glorious and beautiful, it is almost hard to put into words—I will try, though. There were two beings, appearing to be men. One was radiating as a glowing light; the brightest and purest I have ever seen, and this light appeared to be seated like a man would be, on a throne which appeared to be just as pure and glorious as the being who sat upon it. The second being only showed me his feet. They were covered with sandals, and radiated the same glorious light as the first being. He was standing on the right side of the throne on which the first being sat. My belief is that the radiant being made of pure and glorious light is God, and the second being is Jesus, His Son. I take this vision seriously, as God answering my question of who was/is Jesus, and how he should be revered and honored: not as equal to God, but as his Son, in the same way that human beings are known to revere and respect a king and his son, the prince of an earthly kingdom.

Coming to this conclusion was not an easy one. I have found that my understanding is not widely accepted, and even takes some by surprise. Since becoming a minister, I have been studying even more, because I do not want to lead anyone astray.

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