Welcome! You’re most likely on this page because you’re in search of answers about who Jesus is and maybe even considering if you should follow him. If you’re looking for a quick list of all of the requirements of what it means to be a Christian, you won’t find it here because following Jesus isn’t a list of rules, it’s about having a relationship with God.
When talking about Who Jesus is, we could talk about so much, but in this brief introduction we’ll highlight His role as Saviour, His label of friend, and His position as Lord. This is more than information about Jesus; this is a personal introduction to Jesus.
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
–John 10:10 (NKJV)
Saviour
Jesus is the saviour of the world. Maybe you’ve heard that before and wondered what He’s saving us from? That’s really where this all begins. When God created humanity, he didn’t create us as robots to be controlled; He gave us a free will with the choice to be in relationship with Him or choose to reject him. Adam and Eve were the first humans to walk with God and enjoy all of the goodness that God had intended us to live in. But the devil, who is our enemy, came and tempted Adam and Eve to sin by disobeying God.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
–Romans 6:23 (NKJV)
The Bible says that sin separates us from God and creates a debt that must be paid. But in our sinful humanity we have no chance to ever repay this debt; not even if you’re a really good person. But because God loves us, he wouldn’t settle for that distance, so He sent Jesus to Earth. Only a perfect sacrifice would be able to pay the debt, which is why Jesus paid our debt with his own life when they crucified him on the cross.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
–John 14:6 (NKJV)
Friend
Many have heard at least something about Jesus dying on the cross and being called a saviour, but most haven’t heard Jesus called a friend. Because we often feel shame, regret, or guilt for our sin, we assume that God is mad at us, and is out to get us, but in reality it is the heart of God to be close to us, to extend mercy towards us.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
–Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
One of the things Jesus was known for while He walked on Earth was that He was a friend of sinners. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they instinctively tried to hide from God because they felt shame; we often do the same thing today, but Jesus extends friendship towards us and calls us to close to Him again.
Lord
He is our loving Saviour, our close Friend, and finally, Jesus is Lord! Not everyone agrees with that or chooses to follow His leading, but all of us must make a choice whether we will follow Him or not, and the ripple effect of that choice will affect our eternity. It’s not enough to just believe that Jesus died on the cross; we must receive that gift for ourselves personally and choose to turn and follow Him. Look at the way one of the first Christians describe the magnitude of who Jesus is.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
–Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)
Now, in the world we live in, we often think of a Lord as an oppressive dictator type figure, but following Jesus actually brings more freedom to our lives. So many people are desperately searching for meaning and purpose. We look for it in having more, getting more friends, being successful, or we even try to mask the void by excessive use of drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.
But, the only way your life will ever make sense is when you surrender your life to follow Jesus and receive His grace for your life. You’ll only find joy when you release control and make Jesus your leader and Lord.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
–John 16:33 (NLT)
Are you ready to follow Jesus?
Maybe you were familiar with religion, but now you’ve come face to face with something far greater than the bondage of religious rules; you’ve been introduced to Jesus. He’s paid the debt of your sin; He’s shown himself as a friend to you, but closeness with God and forgiveness from your sins comes when you choose to believe He’s your Savior and you make Him your leader and Lord.
If you’re ready to follow Jesus, take the first step found in Romans 10:9 which says, “if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
If you’re ready to go all in and follow Jesus, begin with this passionate prayer.
“Dear Jesus, I come to you just as I am. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and ask you to be my Saviour, my Lord and my friend. I ask you to forgive me for all my sins and I ask you to give me a new life. I choose to turn away from my sin and I ask you to help me to follow you all the days of my life. Make me the person you want me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen.