The Life of Christ and the Lessons We Learn from His Life - Essay Example

Task: The life of Christ and the lessons we learn from His life Introduction The life of Jesus Christ comprises first of all His Origin, which is being with God the Father before the creation came to be. This paper show whom Jesus truly is and why God chose him as a sacrifice, in order to bring redemption to the shortcomings of the sinful man. The life of Christ revolves around a Savior and a Mediator. A Savior, who was to bring Salvation to the wayward people and lead them back to God and a Mediator who was to intervene between the Creator and His creation, in order to achieve God’s purpose of creation. Secondly, His life encompasses his incarnation through the divine conception and being born of a Virgin Mother. Then, significantly his teachings and works here on earth, through miracles, and by his very own exemplary way of life. As this paper highlights and explains the Life of Jesus by elaborating the two distinct Natures of Jesus Christ; that is His Godly Nature and His Human nature. God in all His wisdom intended that all and everything He created was for Him and Himself, hence, all His creation was to live and stay with Him. God tried to use men (Abraham and the Prophets) to bring back their fellow men to Him, but Men did not shun their evil ways and turn back to God. In the end, God offered His only Son as a Sacrifice that brought men back to Him. The climax of God’s ordained was the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was born in human form and nature, and lived as a man. This is actualized in the resurrection of Jesus Christ because in sins, men die with Christ on the cross and they are raised to new life in Christ on the resurrection (Romans 6:3-10). Also discussed in this paper are the lessons that People learn from the ideal life of Jesus. Consequently, for them to be united with God, they have to lead and live according to the teachings of Jesus. The life of Christ The life of Christ is all based on his salvific mission on Earth; to save mankind and bring them back to God. This is to fulfill/accomplish God’s work of Salvation and His sole purpose of creation; that was to unite all things in Him that all things may have eternal life in Him, (Elmer L. Towns 79). The Bible and other Historical writings show that, about 2000 year ago, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. His birth was mystical because it was through divine conception, where by the Angel of God appeared to a virgin called Mary, and she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, after the intervention of the Angel, Joseph took Mary as his wife, and together they raised the child. Jesus Christ grew up just like any other human being, except sin. The life of Christ, His nature Christ is derived from Greek, in Hebrew it means “one who comes from God” (Vladimir Antonov, 2008. 27). This shows the oneness of Jesus Christ with God the Father and The Holy Spirit, (John 1:4) thus known as the Holy Trinity (Vladimir Antonov, 2008, 28) The Bible states that in the beginning, Jesus was with God, and He was God and that all things were created through Jesus and for Jesus. (W. Gary Crampton, 15). This ascertains without a doubt that indeed Jesus Christ is God. (John 17:5). Nevertheless, after the fall of man, God sent Jesus to the world to save man. (John 3:16) Jesus was incarnate and became man. The divinity of Christ (the divine Nature of Christ) Jesus was born in a normal and natural Jewish community, yet he stood out in his characters. Jesus grew up in the same surroundings just like the other Jews; he shared genes and hereditary traits with the other Jews. Nonetheless, he was still exceptional. (W. Gary Crampton, 14). This distinctiveness in his spiritual life has made Christians view him as a human being bounded with the divine nature. Therefore, preceding other essentials concerning Jesus is the spiritual guarantee that Jesus is divine. The divine nature of Jesus is evident in the Bible, given the nature and mysterious conception by the Holy Spirit, which was incarnate and His birth by the Virgin Mary. Furthermore, by his exemplary life and teachings, Jesus demonstrated that indeed, he had come from God and that he was no ordinary man (Colossians 2:9). Jesus Christ is the second of the Holy Trinity; he is the word made flesh. Christ is God from God, light from light and co-substantial with the Father. In the Old Testament, the books of (Genesis 16:7-13; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 2 Samuel 24:16); Zechariah 1:12-13), they all speak of The Angel of God who is Manifested as God, yet He is distinct. The Humanity of Christ (the Human nature of Christ) There is one thing that Christians are always very convinced with, and this is that Christ Jesus was a man. He was born by a woman, (that is he was bone and flesh just like us). (W. Gary Crampton, 17) within all aspects, he was tempted just like anyone else. It is notable that, only the Gospels indicate the reality that Jesus is true human. Significantly, Jesus inherited all the humanity limitations that every human being undergoes (Hebrews 2:14, 17). Just Like any normal man, Jesus became hungry (Elmer L. Towns). While in Samaria at the well, he felt thirsty and asked the woman for a drink. The unfaithfulness of his disciples was painful to his soul. The continued sinful nature of the city he had come to save stimulated Jesus to shed tears (Hebrews 5:7).While at the garden he had the typical agony, any human being in the similar situation would experience. Lastly, while on the Cross, he felt anguish after all the torture, and he felt that God had forsaken him (Matthew 27-46). Jesus grew and increased in knowledge and wisdom and was favored by both men and God. (Luke 2:52). Even after resurrection, (Elmer L. Towns 82) Jesus retained both natures as God and man, which was essential for Him to save His Church (John 20:20, 27; John 21:9-14; Luke 24:28-43). This is evident because, He showed his wounds to the disciples, he shared meals with them, and He entered the locked house. (Gary Crampton, 17). It is however, of great importance to note that the humanity of Jesus Christ is not component of the Trinity, because, it was indeed God’s creation just like the rest of the human race. However, the only uniqueness with the human nature of Christ is that He is without sin (Luke 1:35). Unity of the two natures At incarnation, Jesus Christ, took the Human nature, hence attaining two distinct self-conscious natures. (Divine and human nature), and this is what he will always be. That is Person is truly God and truly man while still one person who is Jesus Christ. (W. Gary Crampton, pg. 20). Hypostatic union is what Theologians call the merger of the Divine Nature and Human nature of Christ. Two whole natures of Jesus are distinct and perfect natures, which were linked into one Person (Jesus) without confusion, composition, or conversion. Prominently, Jesus assumed the human nature in the incarnation, because he neither adopted a human personality nor did he change into a human being. This is so since He is the only mediator between God and man. The teachings of Christ Just at the mere age of 12years, Jesus astonished many people, the teachers and elders included, with his religious discussion. Luke 2:42-52. There are also other versions of Jesus’ teachings; The Tibetan gospel and Saint Issa’s Life. According to the gospel of the teachings of Issa; He started teaching and performing miracles at the tender age of 13 years. Jesus is said to have traveled away from Jerusalem with the Merchants, visiting Tibet, India, and Persia Where he preached to the people of lower ranks in the social class of the community. He also preached against paganism, oppression, Idol worship among many other misdeeds in the society. Issa also restored to health the sick and bought back to life the dead. (Vladimir Antonov, 2008, 29). Teachings about God Issa stressed the point that God was a Loving and merciful God. That he was the creator of all things in heaven and on earth; therefore people should not worship the sun because it was His creation. Vividly, He warned the Priest of Persia against misleading God’s people, lest they face the wrath of God in the Day of Judgment. While in Tibetan, he announced that he had been sent by God, and he was demonstrating the potentialities of man (Vladimir Antonov, 2008, 30). Christ taught of the Universal Almighty God and how people would get their way back to Him through the Path that led to God. The names and Titles of Christ The names of Jesus are beyond Human intelligence, thus; turns out to be clearer in the circumstance of Christian practice and for the sake of His names meaningful as part of Christians experiences. Therefore, Christians should not be barriers that hinder Jesus from acting in their lives whatever He so wishes to do (Elmer L. Towns). These titles of Jesus are important because they disclose who Jesus Christ is and in His relation to His people. This is however highlighted in general in the Bible and should not be forsaken by Christians (Elmer L. Towns, 9). Lots of Hymns refer the names and titles of Jesus, and it is undisputed that the name Jesus without the doubt motivates a fair share of Christian songs. These names/ attributes of Jesus are Prominent in other ways in different parts of the world, in expressing Christianity, regardless of the language or the background of that particular culture of the said Christians. Precisely, these attributes are constantly sung in Praise and preached by the people who love and worship that person who loved them first, in their sinful state and showed them that Love on the cross. The names and attributes of Jesus are loved and adored by all Christians in the world. Lessons from the Life of Christ The first and foremost lesson that Jesus teaches the human race is Love. Because it was out of Love for human beings that Jesus came down from Heaven, in order to save people from the wrath of God and lead them back to their creator. This love is however not limited to God alone, but to fellow human beings and enemies as well (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus also teaches forgiveness. He demonstrated it when He died on the cross that God had wiped all iniquities; therefore, men should also make peace with each other and God by repenting and forgiving one another. Another lesson learned from the life of Christ is Prayer: Jesus was Prayerful, and he even taught his disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). It is only through Prayers that Christians can overcome temptations. Because prayer is the main means, through which Christians and other people of Faith communicate to God. It is only through persistent Praying (asking, seeking and knocking), (Matthew 7:7) that God will surely answer the prayers and intentions of His people. It is stipulated, “The wages of sins is death”. By his death and resurrection, Jesus exhibited that indeed, he was the savior of the world. (The Names of Jesus, Elmer L. Towns, 31) Because He conquered death and brought new life in God to the believers (Acts 4:12).It is of great importance to note that, Jesus changes lives of people (believers). Jesus during his time on earth and even up to now still performs miracles, which changes the lives of many people. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, multiplied food among other deeds that really brought about a significant change, not only to the victims, but also to all who saw and believed in what Jesus had done. (Romans 6:22) Finally, the greatest and most important lesson learned from the life of Christ is that; Jesus Christ is the Son of God (The Names of Jesus, Elmer L. Towns, 58). This is the culmination of His life on earth. Jesus came from Heaven and after resurrection; he went back to heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, and he listens to our Prayers from there (Romans 8:34). Besides, he is ready to come to those who repent and choose him, (Luke 5:32; Luke 19:10; (John 6:37). Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, all Christians ought to emulate the life of Jesus who is the redeemer of the world and rededicate their lives according to the teachings and ways of Christ, who demonstrated Love by dying for their sins; So that they may unite with God and have everlasting life. Because these was the sole purpose of God when he created the world, and it was the main reason Jesus came to the world. From the life of Jesus, it is evident that Jesus is Pre-eminent, that is he existed even before anything else was created and that Jesus is Supreme above all creations because Jesus is God the Son. However, it is also very clear that Jesus Christ came into the world to save mankind; consequently, all human beings must emulate his life and teachings in order for them to make peace with God and achieve eternal life which God has in store for all His creation. Work Cited Crampton, W Gary, Christ the Mediator, the Blue Banner; Presbyterian Tracts, 2000. Towns, Elmer L, the Names of Jesus, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1986 Vladimir Antonov, the Original Teachings of Jesus Christ New Atlanteans”, Bancroft, 2008 The Bible Jesus Christ; retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New- International-Version- NIV-Bible/ on 24th March 2015. Read More