Ramon Arias | December 23, 2013
Here is a very simple question that should settle many unanswered ones. Is Jesus a historic figure? If your answer is no, then you are not from this planet. History is divided before and after Jesus Christ’s coming to earth, end of story. Nonetheless, there are those who hate everything Jesus represents and they would love to change the B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini, a Medieval Latin meaning “in the year of Our Lord”). Our Gregorian calendar represents the time of Jesus of Nazareth’s conception or His birth. Atheists, and other religions and ideologies are reminded every day of Jesus Christ every time they write a date. It makes no difference that they have twisted its meaning to Common Era or Before Common Era. Until they invent another calendar that does not resemble our present one, they have no choice but to accept they must acknowledge the B.C. and A.D.
It is a hard pill for atheists and others to swallow because they despise to have to acknowledge that Jesus even existed let alone accept what He proclaimed to be, the Son of God or God in human form! It is sad to have to admit that many professing Christians do not understand the meaning of God becoming a man and the enormous benefit that came to the human race. By their ignorance they contribute to the rejection of this self-evident truth.
No animal ever cares to build a place of worship only humans have done it since the dawn of history. For thousands of years, humans gaze into the starry night, they study the sun and moon, their minds have wondered about the beyond. In their quest to understand the vast universe and the planet that humans inhabit, they have created the myths of gods, goddesses, unions between the gods and humans, gods and goddesses coming down to live among men and so on. They have created images to worship, something or someone that they can call superior to them and render homage to. They have created their own statues after their likeness for men to worship, even in our times of great scientific discoveries man seeks to be venerated as the savior of humanity. Others want to be worshipped because people grant them the title of greatness; regardless of the field they may be using their talents in. Whether humans want to acknowledge it or not they strive to be “somebody” in this life even if it means living through others’ success and financing them to remain in such a place of prominence.
I do not care how much man may want to believe he is a descendant of animals, one thing is for certain, even people with limited sane minds do not voluntarily want their habitat to be among animals or live by an animalistic code of conduct. There are zoologists who specialize in certain animal species that must live among them in case studies for a limited amount of time. Man thinks and lives far different from animals. The most logical answer for such clear distinctiveness has to do with man’s original design even though that design has been severely damaged and keeps man in limited knowledge of all things seen and unseen.
Jesus’ manifestation on earth was not due to man’s chronological planning, it was planned long before the universe and the earth ever existed. A plan has a goal in mind and history is unfolding according to that plan, even if it does not make sense to the finite mind or if it profoundly hurts the ego of the narcissist. Regardless of all the misery, death, wars, pain, sicknesses, famines, pandemics, natural disasters, man-made disasters, political, economical and social disasters, the master plan for the restoration of all things has been carried out as planned.
Without understanding the master plan, man can only make things worse by repeating destructive behavior. Therefore the importance for understanding God’s plan of Himself becoming man is a true necessity. Humans are created in the image and likeness of their Creator, the Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God Almighty and Father of us all.
Because our first human parents rebelled against God’s perfect design for them and future generations this does not mean God lost His original plan, even though it did take several generations for Him to bring about His masterful purpose of redemption and restoration of the human race. Throughout those thousands of years, before Jesus’ coming to earth, He made clear the unfolding of His plan as a guide for His people to be informed as a witness to the world.
Two thousand years ago Saul of Tarsus, a Jesus hater, who later became the Apostle Paul, a faithful follower, understood who the Messiah was before the Messiah became human. In a letter to the Philippian believers, Paul wrote:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:3-11
Jesus was God and equal to God, He knew His mission was to become human to restore the fallen nature of those created in God’s image that had disastrously fallen into sin. Unless that image is restored, mankind will never be able to stop the selfish desires with all the destructive actions and results. No other mindset will accomplish what is accurate and lasting unless the individual has the mind of Christ.
The life of Christ, as it is revealed in the four Gospels, in spite of the limited description of the things He taught and did, is more than sufficient revelation for us to know how to develop a mind like His. His knowledge of how all things work for the good of all must be imitated in all areas by all of His followers. The wonders that He performed, that we now call supernatural, they were done not for self-exaltation, rather for all of His disciples throughout all times to do likewise. For Jesus, these extraordinary manifestations were a natural thing to do as part of the ongoing restoration. For this very reason, Jesus said, we would do greater works than what He did, (John 14:12). He had limited time on earth to carry out His public life and purpose; He only had a little more than three years. However, He was able to leave us a perfect example of how to personify the way new humans should be and what they should do to convey the order of heaven here on earth.
Having the mind of Christ means to think, teach and do as He did. The born again believer in Christ must manifest Jesus’ character and works the same way He manifested the Father’s character and works. The believer is born again by the work of the same Holy Spirit. He is the same one who guided and empowered Jesus. John, an eyewitness and disciple of Jesus, made it clear we are to be in this life as Jesus is (1 John 4:17).
I know the name Christian is in reference to the person who professes the Christian faith, however, Jesus’ plan was not to make us Christians in the traditional, religious or institutional way but to restore our relationship with our heavenly Father as sons and daughters. How do we know we are restored? How do we know we are truly sons and daughters of God? By manifesting the mind of Christ in all areas of life. Here is the reason as stated by Paul: “For all who are led by the Sprit of God are the sons of God” (Romans 8:4). To be guided by the Holy Spirit and nothing less is what reveals who we truly are, not by title but deeds; that will be a witness to others of the reality of Christ and God. Jesus said He was God’s Son and that He was God, if there was no evidence manifested in His teachings, works and lifestyle, then whoever He said He was would have meant absolutely nothing. The same rule for proof falls upon us; undeniable evidence is what the world needs.
The Jews demanded that the Roman law unjustly sentence Jesus to death because He made Himself equal to God. Even though Jesus faced the death penalty, the truth is He did it by choice. He did not die as a result of the Roman law but rather to fulfill God’s righteous law, which required paying the penalty of death from a sinless sacrifice for the sins of the human race. Jesus is truly the Savior and there is no other name that can save us from our sinful destructive nature. God the Father was so pleased He declared that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.
We can only become better humans if we accept to transform our sinful nature by renewing our minds into the mind of Christ in order for us to know what is good, acceptable and the perfect plan of God here and for all eternity.
Yes, God did become man so man could have a new and desired nature for a meaningful society and after our earthly work is done we can go into the beyond to be welcomed with the most powerful words we could ever hear, “Well done faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord!