The Life of Christ Series

This is the first of a series of 25 volumes on the life of

Christ. This initial volume entitled Is Jesus the Son of God?

was published several years before the others in order that it

might be included in our set of special crusade books now

printed in some forty languages. The unusual demand for this

little volume has of course been gratifying to the author—there

are now nearly half a million in circulation—and this has

encouraged him to prepare the others for publication.

Many noted scholars as well as laymen have undertaken to

write the story of the Perfect-Man. Although the present writer

has given much personal study to the subject, he makes no

claims to originality (except in his special arrangement of the

words of Jesus in Amazing Discoveries in the Words of

Jesus which demonstrates their astounding mathematical design

and which is positive proof of their inspiration). In this present

series, he has not hesitated to draw freely from the writings of

other men who have given years of exhaustive study to this

grandest of all themes. Elsewhere in this volume will be found a

list of works of other authors which he has found especially

helpful.

We regret to say, however, that some who have taken it

upon themselves to portray the life of the Master see Him only

as a human being, a prodigy of cosmic evolution, but not divine.

Such writers only add to the mounting evidence that the human

mind unenlightened by the Spirit of God can only grope in its

own darkness. Puzzled and confused by the supernatural aspects

of Christ’s ministry, these writers after losing themselves in a

wilderness of speculation, attempt to rationalize all on the basis

of natural law and human reasoning.

God is not a respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of

motives. The great truths of divine revelation are withheld from

the proud and worldly-wise and are given to the humble of heart.

Christ Himself revealed the key to the understanding of His

mission in Matthew 11:25-30. On the basis of the words found

therein, this writer seeks to present the life of Him who is very

God and very man. His prayer is that these volumes will be a

blessing to all who would know the Christ whom “to know is

life eternal.”

(Original oil painting of Christ on the Cover by Mrs. Vivian Page Wheeler)

THE LIFE OF CHRIST SERIES VOLUME I

Is Jesus the Son of

God?

by Gordon Lindsay

Published By

CHRIST FOR THE NATIONS

Dallas, Texas

Reprinted 1977

All Rights Reserved

Contents

Introduction. ................................................................................7

1 Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?. .............................................11

Proof 1—Jesus Declared Himself to Be the Son of God. .........11

Proof 2—Christ's Rise Out of Obscurity. .................................11

Proof 3—He Spoke With Authority as "No Man Spoke". .......12

Proof 4—Christ Knew the Innermost Thoughts of the Sinner

and Bestowed Forgiveness on Him. ...................................13

Proof 5—Christ Was the Only Sinless Man. ............................14

Proof 6—Christ Performed Miracles Never Before Performed

by Man. ...............................................................................15

Proof 7—Jesus Predicted the Fall of Three Cities: Capernaum,

Chorazin, and Bethsaida. ....................................................16

Proof 8—Jesus Predicted the Fall of Jerusalem to Take Place

Within One Generation. .....................................................18

Proof 9—Christ Foretold the Dispersion of the Jews. ..............18

Proof 10—Christ Gave His Own Life to Establish His Kingdom

. ...........................................................................................20

Proof 11—The Bible Predicted All the Main Events That

Accompanied Christ's Trial, Death, and Resurrection.. .....20

Proof 12—He Proved He Was the Christ by His Power Over

Death. ..................................................................................22

Proof 13—Christ Had a New Body. .........................................23

Proof 14—The Very City Where Christ Was to Be Born Was

Named 500 Years Earlier. ..................................................23

Proof 15—The Prophet Isaiah Predicted 800 Years Before

Christ's Birth That He Was to Be Born of a Virgin. ..........24

Proof 16—The Time of Christ's Birth Was Prophesied Nearly

500 Years Before He Was Born. ........................................25

Proof 17—Christ's Death as the Messiah Was Predicted 900

Years Before His Birth. ......................................................27

Proof 18—Christ Gives a Personal Experience Today. ...........28

2 The Miracle of the Virgin Birth. ............................................31

3 The Mission of Christ. ............................................................37

4 Why We Must Accept Christ. ................................................43

Bibliography. .............................................................................47

Introduction

In attempting to write the story of the Man of Nazareth, one

feels keenly his inadequacy to do the subject even minimum

justice. So far beyond the human ken lies the full measure of the

greatness of the God-man, that even the most gifted pen must

fall far short in accomplishing its purpose. Indeed, were one to

have the talents of an archangel, he could hardly hope to portray

in human words the full majesty of His unique character, the

dignity and grace of His matchless person, and the exquisite

beauty and perfection of His words. Truly Christ stands far

above and in the starkest contrast to the most noble of our race.

For this person is none other than He “whose goings forth have

been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

Everlasting is a word that the human mind can only vaguely

grasp. “From everlasting,” means Christ has existed from the

eternity that is behind us. But who can understand even partially

the meaning of eternity? The thought staggers the imagination

and baffles the profoundest intellect.

As the inhabitant of eternity, Christ holds the position of

Lord of the universe in His own right. First, because He is the

Creator. “All things were made by him: and without him was

not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). But He is Lord

of all for another equally cogent reason. When sin entered the

universe and bid to despoil God’s fair creation, until as Paul

says, “The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain

together,” (Rom. 8:22) only one Person, and He at infinite cost,

could repair the damage.

In this present century scientific discovery has enlarged the

scope of the known universe by a million fold. Powerful

telescopes have probed the distant galaxies, glimpsing some

which lie in the most remote regions of the universe as “mere

fuzzy points of light.” Yet each galaxy is composed of millions

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

of flaming suns, many perhaps attended by unknown planets,

and each of them millions and in some cases billions of light

years distant.

To the rationalist the universe has become too big for God to

have created it! The atheist thus reduces his philosophy to the

absurdity that dead matter created itself! Instead of beginning

with God and working down, he begins with dirt and tries to

work up. But the honest believer as he considers the majesty of

the heavens and the boundless extent of the universe, can only in

bowed reverence exclaim, “O God, how great thou art!”

The Incarnation is another mystery quite beyond the

capacity of the natural man to understand. It was and is a

miracle. But is not the universe altogether a miracle? How did it

come into existence out of nothing? Yet the universe is here, and

we must accept it. The condescension of Deity in the miracle of

the Incarnation links God to man by blood. By this Christ

became our elder brother. The humility of Him who emptied

Himself of His pre-incarnation attributes and became very man

is not less awe-inspiring than His infinite exaltation.

God became man that He might save man. Nothing is more

obvious than the fact that humanity to survive must have a

Saviour. The wise men of this world, the philosophers, the

intellectuals, are preoccupied in devising ways and means for

man to save himself. The utter failure of man’s best efforts to

become his own Saviour is reflected in today’s appalling

breakdown and disintegration of the very foundations of society.

Today we see law and order and even the basic principles of

common decency rapidly giving way to lawlessness, anarchy,

crime, immorality, perversion, and wickedness of so revolting a

nature as to shock the sensibilities of all but the most depraved.

This corruption of society proceeds at an ever-accelerating pace,

although never before in history have the masses enjoyed such

affluence, or such educational opportunities. Notwithstanding,

the proliferation of psychiatrists and psychologists and

physicians of the mind, all appear helpless to stem the tide of

social disintegration. The number of emotionally disturbed

8

Introduction

persons in proportion to the population continues to increase at

an alarming rate. Man has indeed proven beyond all shadow of

doubt that he cannot save himself. Vainly he tries to lift himself

to heaven by his boot heels.

The only answer to the world’s ills is Christ. In Him alone is

the secret of redemption; in Him alone is the power to regenerate

fallen human nature and to heal and restore the sin-sick soul.

Christ’s words are both majestically simple and infinitely

profound. They go with startling directness straight to the

conscience of the human heart. Colonel Charles W. Larned in

his introduction to Teachings of Jesus in Subjects expresses

this thought beautifully in the following words:

In nothing else have I seen or realized so fully the sublime

conciseness of this delivery of truth to man—the holy grandeur

of its reticence and completeness. The great silences are no

less imposing and overwhelming than the terrible directness

and simplicity of its rhetoric. In both, the soul of man stands

naked before its maker, abashed and conscience-stricken as in

the first day of sin, but to receive instead of a curse the

absolution; instead of rejection reconciliation; instead of

forfeiture, the promise.

While the finite cannot hope to comprehend fully the

infinite, God did not intend the purpose of the Lord’s mission to

the world to remain a mystery. The beauty of Christ’s words is

in their simplicity, as well as their profoundness. While His

salvation may be hid to “the wise and prudent,” its great truths

are fully open to the devout and humble. This Jesus clearly

brought out in his words in Matthew 11:25-30.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O

Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid

these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed

them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in

thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father:

and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither

knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to

whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye

that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek

and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest upon your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

One thing is essential to the understanding of the mission

and teachings of Christ. The hearer must first settle in his heart

the all-important question of whether Jesus is actually divine or

only human, whether He is the Son of God, uniquely the only

begotten of the Father, or merely a human. Jesus said, “I am the

Son of God” (John 10:36), but the proud Pharisees could not

accept the revelation. On the other hand, He made His Messianic

mission known to the Samaritan outcast, and she believed it.

Are Christ’s claims true? Was He what He represented

Himself, or was He a pretender? This question must be answered

before the study of His life can be of real value.

For this reason the first book of this series carries the title,

Is Jesus the Son of God? In this little volume we give the

reader a brief view of the overwhelming evidence which by all

commonly accepted rules of evidence must be irrefutable proof

that Jesus is none other than what He said He is. That He is

indeed the only begotten Son of the Father, born of the virgin

Mary, the redeemer of mankind, the Man unique, who came to

this world to save a fallen and forlorn race and to give His life a

ransom for many.

10

CHAPTER I

Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

1

Proof 1—Jesus Declared Himself to Be the Son

of God

Say ye of him, Whom the Father hath sanctified, and

sent into the world, Thou blasphemest: because I said, I

am the Son of God? (John 10:36).

Through this Scripture we find that Christ Himself claimed

He was the Son of God. There are some who say that Jesus was

a good man, but that He was not divine. Yet if Jesus lied when

He said He was the Son of God, He was not actually a good man

but either an usurper or a man greatly deluded.

Notice what Jesus claimed. He said that He lived before

Abraham, the father of the Hebrew and Arab nations. “Verily,

verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John

8:58).

He was in heaven with God before He came into the world.

“What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he

was before?” (John 6:62).

God had given His Son power to give men eternal life with

God. Just before Christ was put upon a cross to die, He was

praying.

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to

heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son,

that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him

power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as

many as thou hast given him (John 17:1-2).

Proof 2—Christ's Rise Out of Obscurity

11

Is Jesus the Son of God?

There is nothing in all history or in the processes of nature

to account for this man Jesus who emerged out of total obscurity

—this one who is incomparably the most perfect figure of all

time—one so immeasurably superior to all other humans that no

comparison is possible.

During the nearly thirty years Jesus was growing up in

Nazareth, Israel, there was no striking evidence that an

extraordinary person was living there. The remarks of the people

who lived in that village and knew Him revealed their

amazement at the power displayed in His ministry in the

following words:

From whence hath this man these things? and what

wisdom is this which is given to him, that even such mighty

works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter,

the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of

Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters with us? And they

were offended at him (Mark 6:2,3).

In other words, although his brothers and sisters had lived in

the same house with Jesus a good part of thirty years, they

seemingly had seen nothing unusually remarkable about Him.

To them and their neighbors He was probably above average,

but that was all. Jesus occupied a position as a humble carpenter

of the village who attracted little notice. His customers were

acquaintances and peasants from neighboring areas. He earned a

small wage, enough to supply the simple needs of the family and

nothing more.

And yet in three years' time, the impact of His ministry made

Him the hope of this life and the life to come for millions of men

who have accepted Him into their lives. His words were

carefully collected and written down to be treasured as the

words of more than a man. Though hated by His enemies, He so

captivated the hearts of multitudes down through the centuries

that many have considered it a supreme honor to die for Him.

Proof 3—He Spoke With Authority as "No

Man Spoke"

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

The first thing that impressed people about Christ when they

heard Him was the authority with which He spoke. Although

there was a remarkable tenderness in His voice, at the same time

there was a strange directness about His words that pierced the

very hearts and consciences of men. When people heard His

famous sermon which he preached on the mountain, they were

not only struck by the majestic simplicity of His words, but with

the authority with which He spoke. “And it came to pass, when

Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at

his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority,

and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29). Following this sermon

on the mountain when Jesus came to Capernaum and spoke on

the Sabbath day, the record says, “And they were amazed at

His teaching, for His word was with authority ….” (Luke

4:32) Amplified

Soldiers, though hardened by their occupation, were affected

as much as any by His presence. When the religious leaders and

chief priests heard about the stir that His ministry was making,

they sent officers to take Him. The officers returned without

Him saying, “Never man spake like this man.” (John 7:46).

When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus after Judas had betrayed

Him with a kiss, He said to the officers, “I am he. They went

backward, and fell to the ground.” (John 18:6). When the

army officer charged with oversight of the crucifixion witnessed

the death of that noble figure hanging on the cross, he could only

exclaim, “Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matt. 27:54).

Proof 4—Christ Knew the Innermost Thoughts

of the Sinner and Bestowed Forgiveness on Him

But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because

he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of

man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25).

Sinners loved to be near Christ, not because they felt at ease

in their sins, for indeed His presence made them painfully aware

of their sinfulness. But somehow in Him they saw a cure for

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

their maladies. They saw in Him their deliverance. The book of

John speaks of a woman who met Christ while she was drawing

water from a well. When she realized that there was something

unusual about Christ, she began to ask Him questions. Christ

had only to say a few words before the woman felt her soul laid

bare. Christ knew all about her even though she had never seen

Him before. Christ told her, “Thou hast had five husbands;

and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that

saidst thou truly.” (John 4:18). Yet the purity of Christ in

contrast to her own sinfulness did not cause her to despair. So

kind and compassionate was His voice that she saw hope and

forgiveness in the very One who had called attention to her

sinful past. Her testimony to her neighbors carried such

conviction that they also came and believed “that this is indeed

the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (John 4:42).

Every evil deed and thought of man is open to the

omnipotent God. As the Scripture says, “Neither is there any

creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are

naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have

to do” (Heb. 4:13). Some day men must stand before Him and

give an account of their deeds and “they were judged every

man according to their works.” (Rev. 20:13). But if our sins

are confessed, they will be remembered against us no more (I

John 1:9; Jer. 31:34). Christ paid the penalty for sin with His

spilled blood upon the cross. Today He is our Saviour; but if we

do not accept Him, tomorrow He will be our judge.

Proof 5—Christ Was the Only Sinless Man

Beyond the impact of His miracles Christ impressed men

with His sinlessness. The only thing His enemies could charge

Him with was His eating with sinners or doing good on the

Sabbath day. Because of their jealousy of his ability to perform

miracles and to cause people to love and follow him, they

wished to accuse Him of some wrongdoing. But all they could

accuse him of was doing good deeds on their day of rest—the

Sabbath—or eating with sinners. Christ replied, “They that be

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Matt.

9:12). Christ had come to help even the worst of men.

Christ's sinlessness is an amazing thing, for ours is a fallen

race. The best of us, without Christ's redemption power, find

evil tendencies seeking ascendancy within us.

The great saint Paul, whom God used to write much of the

New Testament and who was one of the first to spread the good

news of Christ said,

For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but

the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am

(ever) doing. Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no

longer I doing it—it is not myself that acts—but the sin

(principle) which dwells within me (fixed and operating in

my soul). (Romans 7:19-21) Amplified

As a race we have all disobeyed and, therefore, sinned. Then

to find a man who is perfect and without sin is to find one whose

root is not in the human race.

Proof 6—Christ Performed Miracles Never

Before Performed by Man

Since the world began was it not heard that any man

opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man

were not of God, he could do nothing. (John 9:32-33).

The man who was healed had been born blind. The enemies

of Christ tried to belittle the miracle by saying that He was a

sinner. The man responded with unanswerable logic saying,

“Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I

know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25).

Christ proved that He was unique by His power to perform

miracles, even to giving sight to the blind. By creating sight He

identified Himself as the Creator of the eye.

The miracle is the universal language understood by all

peoples. When genuine miracles take place, most people

(although not all) will believe. As Jesus said, “But if I do,

15

Is Jesus the Son of God?

though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may

know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”

(John 10:38).

Some years ago a minister was standing before a great

audience. The people of this audience had been taught that Jesus

was only a man, that He was dead in the tomb. The evangelist

stood before the crowd and said, "You have been told that Jesus

Christ is dead, that He was only a man. But if Christ were to

come in spirit and heal the sick, would you believe that He is

alive?" The audience made it known that it was a fair test. The

minister then began to pray for the sick. One person after

another was healed. The blind saw, and the lame walked. When

the people witnessed these things, they began to cry out, "Jesus

is alive! Jesus is alive! He is healing our sick."

So it is; the great miracles that are taking place today

through the power of Jesus' name are proof that He is indeed

alive today— that He is the Son of God at the right hand of God

the Father in heaven.

Proof 7—Jesus Predicted the Fall of Three

Cities: Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!

for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been

done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long

ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be

more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment,

than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which are exalted

unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the

mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been

done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But

I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land

of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. (Matt.

11:21-24).

At the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, He made the city

of Capernaum, Israel, his home. Capernaum, with Bethsaida and

Chorazin, enjoyed privileges that few other cities ever had. The

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

Son of God from heaven dwelt in their midst. For a season the

people heard His words, saw His miracles, and rejoiced (Luke

8:40). But these cities situated in northern Galilee were at the

crossroads of the great trade routes of the world. Many of the

inhabitants were absorbed in sharing in the booming prosperity,

and their attention was diverted to accumulating material wealth.

So it was that no deep work of repentance took place in their

lives. This was the case despite the fact that they had witnessed

miracles of a nature that would have converted Sodom and

Gomorrah, two cities which were destroyed because of their

evil. Jesus in sorrow warned them of their impending fate. Still

they gave no heed.

What happened to Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin? At

the time of the Jewish rebellion in 65 A.D., the Fifth and Tenth

Legions of the Roman army were brought in by the emperor

Titus. The Romans began a systematic devastation of the

country. One by one the cities of Galilee fell, including those

cities that Jesus had denounced—Capernaum, Bethsaida, and

Chorazin. Many of the inhabitants were killed in battle, and

those who survived were sold into slavery. No doubt some of the

people who lived in the days when Christ preached on the shores

of Galilee would still be alive and could remember His words.

They could recall His miracles. His invitation to repentance and

His words of warning to those who would not repent could be

remembered too. Alas! Capernaum's prosperity and pride of life

which had been her downfall were swept away forever.

Ironically an earthquake later shook the area and levelled all that

was left standing.

Today only one city, Tiberias, still stands on the Sea of

Galilee, and it is not one of the three mentioned above.

Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin have been no more for

many centuries. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass

away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Luke 21:33). His

words were fulfilled to the exact letter.

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

Proof 8—Jesus Predicted the Fall of Jerusalem

to Take Place Within One Generation

Jesus stood on the Mt. of Olives overlooking the city of

Jerusalem, Israel. The people had rejected Him as their Lord. He

knew what it meant, and He wept over Jerusalem because they

“knew not the time of their visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44).

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and

wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at

least in thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!

but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall

come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench

about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on

every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and

thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee

one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time

of thy visitation.

Jesus foresaw that ere that generation would pass away

(Luke 21:32), an enemy would come and throw up fortifications

against the city and destroy it.

What happened? The Jews, unmindful of the warning,

carried on a steady persecution of the followers of Christ, killing

many and imprisoning others. Then in the year 65 A.D., the

fateful drama began to unfold. Becoming bolder, the more

radical elements thought to throw off the yoke of their Roman

masters. The spirit of rebellion flared throughout the country.

The Jews had some preliminary successes and were encouraged

to believe that they could win against the might of Rome.

Then came the seasoned legions of Titus who broke through

the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the city after a long siege.

This event took place exactly forty years after Christ had made

the prediction of its destruction, just one generation later.

Proof 9—Christ Foretold the Dispersion of the

Jews

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

After foretelling the siege of Jerusalem and the great

catastrophe that was to overtake the city, Jesus then warned

what would happen to the Jews because they had rejected Christ.

His followers were now to go to the whole world to acquaint all

peoples with Christ. (Later Christ would come back to the Jews

after the other peoples, or Gentiles, had had an opportunity to

accept Christ.)

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall

be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall

be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the

Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24).

That is exactly what happened. The Jews by their rejection

of their Lord had forfeited the divine protection that God

intended them to have. After the fall of Jerusalem, the survivors

were herded together like animals and marched to the slave

markets. The marts became so glutted that their captors had to

sell them at unbelievably low prices. Many died on the way

because of the inhuman treatment they received.

From the slave markets, the Jews were dispersed throughout

the nations of the world. And thus it has been during what is

called the Gentile Age. Jerusalem was demolished by the

Gentiles, or non-Jewish people. That the Jew at long last has

returned to his home land is startling proof that it is close to the

time for Christ to return to earth again. The Holy Scriptures said

that one of the signs of Christ's soon coming would be that the

Jewish people would return to their country.

Thus says the Lord God: In the day that I cleanse you

from all your iniquities I will also cause (Israel's) cities to

be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. And the

desolate land shall be tilled, that which had laid desolate in

the sight of all who passed by. And they shall say, This

land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden,

and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified

and inhabited. (Ezekiel 36:33-35) Amplified

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

Proof 10—Christ Gave His Own Life to

Establish His Kingdom

The pages of history are marked by illustrious men whose

genius was dedicated to the building of great empires. Alexander

the Great and his armies moved across the world in a conquering

fury. In a series of battles in which he demonstrated his

remarkable generalship, he created an empire from Macedonia

to the Indus River. Just before his death Alexander is said to

have wept because there were no more worlds to conquer.

Caesar conquered Gaul and became the father of the Roman

Empire, and in a series of lightning maneuvers subdued all of

Europe to the Rhine River. Crossing the Rubicon against orders,

he entered Rome and became its master.

All these sought to build their empires by shedding the

blood of others. Christ, too, came to establish a kingdom—one

that is universal and eternal—not with the blood of others but by

giving His own life. Christ's kingdom is not of this present age,

except as it is in the hearts of His people. Before He was

crucified Christ told Pilate the governor, “My kingdom is not of

this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my

servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but

now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36). And when

His disciple Peter sought to prevent the officers from arresting

him, Jesus said, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for

all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

(Matt. 26:52).

Christ is unique in that He inaugurated His kingdom not by

shedding the blood of others but by giving His own blood.

Proof 11—The Bible Predicted All the Main

Events That Accompanied Christ's Trial,

Death, and Resurrection.

The Old Testament was written by God through prophets

who lived 500 to 1500 years before Christ was born. They

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

prophesied of His coming to earth and of many events in His

life, even though Christ was not to be born for many more

centuries.

The New Testament, inspired also of God, and written by

devout followers of Christ, points again and again to how

Christ's life fulfilled these prophesies.

Compare these Old Testament prophesies with the New

Testament recordings of their fulfillment.

1. The Messiah was to be rejected (Isa. 53:3; John 1:11).

2. He was to be betrayed by one of His close followers and

friends (Psa. 41:9; Mark 14:10).

3. He was to be sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12; Matt.

26:15).

4. He was to be silent before His accusers (Isa. 53:7; Matt.

26:62-63).

5. He was to be smitten and spat upon (Isa. 50:6; Mark 14:65).

6. He was to bring healing to the people (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt.

8:14-17).

7. He was to be mocked and taunted (Psa. 22:6-8; Matt. 27:39-

40).

8. He was to suffer with transgressors and pray for His enemies

(Isa. 53:12; Matt. 27:38; Luke 23:34).

9. His hands and feet were to be pierced (Psa. 22:16; John

20:27).

10. He was to be given gall and vinegar (Psa. 69:21; John

19:29).

11. His side was to be pierced (Zech. 12:10; John 19:34).

12. They were to cast lots for His garments (Psa. 22:18; Mark

15:24).

13. He was to be buried with the rich (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-

60).

14. He was to be a sacrifice for sin (Isa. 53:5, 8,10, 12; John

1:29).

15. He was to be raised from the dead (Psa. 16:10; Matt. 28:9).

16. He was to ascend to the right hand of God (Psa. 68:18; Luke

24:50-51).

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

17. He was to come again (Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 24:30).

Who can see all these detailed prophesies and their amazing

fulfillments and not be compelled to say as the centurion of old,

“Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matt. 27:54).

Proof 12—He Proved He Was the Christ by His

Power Over Death

Many great men have lived and made their mark on the

world; but they all died, and their bones still lie in their graves.

Go to the Invalides of Paris, and you may gaze at the sealed

tomb of Napoleon. His body is still there. In Westminister

Abbey in London, one can see the Mausoleum that holds the

bodies of many of Britain's greatest statesmen and kings. Their

bones are all there moldering in the dust. At Mount Vernon is

the last resting place of George Washington, called "Father of

the United States." His body still lies sleeping in the tomb. One

by one the world's great, as well as its small, have been laid

away in their resting places. Only in one place in the world is

there an empty tomb. That is in Jerusalem, at the foot of Calvary

where they once laid the Lord Jesus. It was there three days later

that the angel appeared to some of his followers who had come

to the tomb to weep. The angel said, “Why seek ye the living

among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” (Luke 24:5-6).

Jesus said that one sign should be given to that generation:

“There shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the

prophet Jonas.” (Matt. 16:4). “For as Jonas was three days

and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man

be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

(Matt. 12:40).

It was this sign that gave faith and inspiration to the Early

Church. Jesus had overcome for all time the age-old problem of

death. It was upon this incontestable victory over death that the

apostles with great power gave “witness of the resurrection of

the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts

4:33).

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

Proof 13—Christ Had a New Body

And after eight days again his disciples were within,

and Thomas was with them: then came Jesus, the doors

being shut, and stood in their midst, and said, Peace be

unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy

finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand,

and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but

believing. (John 20:26-27).

Christ was the first man who lived on earth and received a

resurrected body. The risen Christ was more than a spirit; He

had a real body. In appearance it was much the same body that

He had had before. It bore the marks of nails and the spear. The

voice was recognizable. When Jesus said, "Mary," to one of His

followers she knew that the speaker was her Lord. Except when

Jesus wished to conceal His identity, He was instantly

recognizable as the "same Jesus." He could eat food as He did

when in His physical body. He could walk at the same natural

pace as others did. Yet when He desired, He could travel

instantaneously to distant places or go through locked doors.

At the resurrection, Christ's body underwent a fundamental

change—a glorification. It was able to accommodate itself to

two worlds. In other words, the Lord could adapt Himself to

physical laws, but He was not bound by them.

The revelation we have of Christ's resurrection is relevant to

the Christian. One day when Christ returns to earth, we shall

receive a body like His, for it is written, “We shall be like

him.” It will be a distinctively different body from the one we

have now. It will not be subject to disease, aging, or physical

limitations. And like Christ, we shall never die.

Proof 14—The Very City Where Christ Was to

Be Born Was Named 500 Years Earlier

The only person in the world to have the city where He was

to be born identified centuries before the event took place was

Jesus Christ. Micah, the Jewish prophet, writing 500 years

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

before Christ's birth tells of One “whose goings forth have

been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2). This is

clearly a reference to Christ who as the Son of God had

existence previous to His earthly birth. He was the God-man

who was to be born in the little town of Bethlehem, Israel.

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little

among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he

come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel: whose

goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

(Micah 5:2).

Only a few weeks before His birth, Jesus' mother, Mary,

great with child, was in the city of Nazareth. She had no plans to

travel the many miles south to Bethlehem.

However, the Roman Emperor Augustus made a decree that

all the world should be taxed. Mary, to obey the law, was forced

even in the advanced stages of pregnancy to make the long trip

south with her husband Joseph in order to register in the city of

their lineage. Reaching Bethlehem after a tiring journey, Mary

found that she was about to give birth to her firstborn. Her

husband, Joseph, looked about desperately for some kind of

shelter. To his dismay every room in the inn had been taken, and

no other lodging was available. He finally found a manger

among the animals which was appropriated to serve the purpose.

In these crude surroundings the greatest event of history

occurred—the birth of the Christ-child. The inhabitants of

Bethlehem, except some humble shepherds to whom angels

appeared (Luke 2:8), were quite unaware of the stupendous

event that had taken place in their little city. Yes, the child Jesus

was born in the city of Bethlehem where the prophet Micah five

centuries earlier said He would be born.

Proof 15—The Prophet Isaiah Predicted 800

Years Before Christ's Birth That He Was to Be

Born of a Virgin

Some eight centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

Isaiah predicted that a virgin should be with child, and his name

would be called Immanuel.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall

call his name Immanuel. (Isa. 7:14).

And that is exactly what took place. The angel Gabriel

appeared to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would be with

child by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:26:38). Her espoused husband

Joseph became aware of her condition and at first sadly thought

to put her away. But the angel appeared in a dream to him

saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee

Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the

Holy Ghost.” (Matt. 1:20).

Christ was the only person in the world who was born of the

Holy Spirit rather than the will of man. Indeed the fact is that if

Christ were the Son of God, He had to be born of the Holy

Spirit. He could not have partaken of man's fallen state and still

be our Savior. Christ was truly more than a man; He was the

only begotten of the Father (God) (John 3:16). We shall speak

further on this important subject of the virgin birth in another

chapter.

Proof 16—The Time of Christ's Birth Was

Prophesied Nearly 500 Years Before He Was

Born

The most amazing fact about Christ's birth was the prophecy

predicted the very time He was to be born! From “the going

forth of the commandment to restore and to build

Jerusalem” there should be 69 weeks of years.

Know therefore and understand that from the going

forth of the commandment to restore and to build

Jerusalem until (the coming of) the anointed one, a prince,

shall be seven weeks (of years), and sixty-two weeks (of

years); it shall be built again with city square and moat,

but in troublous times. And after the sixty-two weeks (of

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

years) shall the anointed one be cut off or killed, and shall

have nothing (and no one belonging) to (and defending)

him. And the people of the other prince who shall come

will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come

with a flood, and even to the end there shall be war, and

desolations are decreed. (Dan- 9:25-26) Amplified

Daniel, a prophet living five centuries before Christ was

born, prophesied under the inspiration of God as to what the

future held.

He said that Jerusalem which lay in ruins would be rebuilt.

Another prophet, Isaiah, had even foretold who would give the

command to rebuild Jerusalem—King Cyrus.

Who says of Cyrus, He is My shepherd, and he shall

perform all My pleasure, and fulfill all My purpose; even

saying of Jerusalem, She shall again be built, and of the

temple, Your foundation shall again be laid. (Isa. 44:28)

Amplified

History records the time of the giving of the command for

the restoration of the city of Jerusalem to be during the reign of

Cyrus.

Therefore, the question is, when does history say that the

going forth of the commandment of Cyrus to restore and to

rebuild Jerusalem was actually given? The commonly accepted

chronologies which differ slightly among themselves show the

event to be just before the 5th century B.C. Bible chronology

sets the time in the 5th century. One thing is certain: the edict to

rebuild Jerusalem took place shortly before, or shortly after, the

beginning of the 5th century B.C. There is no question about

this.

This being so, then according to the prophet Daniel, "69

weeks" of years later, after the edict to restore Jerusalem was

given, the Messiah was to come. The question we ask then is,

did the Messiah appear to Israel at this time?

Before we answer this question, we must define what is

meant by "69 weeks." Plainly, they could not be weeks of 24

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

hour days, since 69 weeks of days is 483 days, or only a little

over a year. In Bible times, a period of seven years instead of

seven days is often spoken of as a "week" of years. This is

shown in the book of Genesis, where Laban bargains with Jacob

to work another "week" or "seven other years" for his younger

daughter Rachel.

Finish the week (seven years), then we will give you

(Rachel) also, and you shall work for me yet seven more

years in return. (Gen. 29:27) Amplified

A "week" of years being seven years, then 69 weeks would

be 483 years. So the prophet Daniel is saying, 483 years after the

commandment went forth to rebuild Jerusalem, the Messiah

would appear. Now when did these 483 years run out? Did the

Messiah, the Son of God, appear about 5 centuries later? The

only Messiah the world knows anything about did appear at

about that time—and that was Jesus Christ! Although the secular

calendar may be a little uncertain so that the date is not exactly

determined, nevertheless, it definitely indicates the years as

running out at the era of Christ!

Could we want a more irrefutable proof that Jesus is the

Messiah? Could a fraud possibly have been perpetrated? How

could it? Daniel's prophecy was given many centuries earlier.

Either the Messiah had to appear at that time, or else Daniel's

prophecy was false. The fact is that Jesus came at that time, and

His life had such an impact upon the world that the peoples of

many nations have accepted Him as the Christ!

Proof 17—Christ's Death as the Messiah Was

Predicted 900 Years Before His Birth

There is another very remarkable thing about the prophecy

of Daniel 9:24. The children of Israel supposed that when the

Lord, whom the Jewish people called the Messiah, came He

would set up His kingdom on earth. Even the apostles of Christ

assumed that He would at once sit on His throne (Acts 1:6-7).

But the prophecy says instead that the Messiah was to be “cut

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

off, or killed.” (Dan. 9:26). Rather than setting up a visible

kingdom at His first coming, prophecy declared that He was

going to die! There is only one person in history that could

possibly have fulfilled that prophecy at that time, and He was

Jesus Christ.

Even the kind of death the Messiah was to die was foretold.

His hands and feet were to be pierced—that is by crucifixion. So

said the Psalmist David 900 years before it happened:

For (like a pack of) dogs they have encompassed me; a

company of evildoers has encircled me; they pierced my

hands and my. Feet. (Psa. 22:16) Amplified

So not only the manner of His birth was predicted but also

the kind of death—many centuries in advance. Only the One that

created this world could make these prophecies come to pass in

this fashion.

Proof 18—Christ Gives a Personal Experience

Today

Beyond all else the religion of Christ satisfies, because the

believer possesses Christ Himself. He promised He would come

into our life, change it so that we become a new creature, take

away our burden of sin, and bring peace into our hearts. Some

may argue against Christianity, but they cannot argue against the

experience Christ gives. Christ is able to do what no other

religion can— live and dwell within the human heart, and so it

has been that through the ages, millions have accepted Christ

and found Him their all in all.

Again and again the apostle Paul referred to his own

experience that time he met Christ on the Damascus Road (Acts,

Chapter 9). It was the high point of his preaching. He told and

retold the story wherever he went. The Christian's personal

experience with Christ is the greatest proof of His reality. It is as

the poet wrote:

He lives, He lives. Christ Jesus lives today

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Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

He walks with me and talks with me.

Along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart.

You ask me how I know He lives.

He lives within my heart.

29

CHAPTER II

The Miracle of the Virgin Birth

2

In the first chapter we considered 18 proofs that Jesus Christ

is the Son of God. The central pillar of the whole matter of His

peculiar origin and destiny is His virgin birth—a circumstance

which is uniquely different from the birth of any other human

being. While Christ received His human nature through His

mother Mary, His God identity came by reason of His

supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit. The whole structure

of Christianity must rest upon this fact. For while the Scriptures

teach that Christ took upon Himself human nature through His

mother Mary, nevertheless, if He Himself had been of the seed

of the first man Adam, He would have been a fallen human

being as are all human beings, and utterly unable to redeem

humanity. Thus, the first foretelling of Christ's birth was written

1500 years before by Moses referring to Christ as "the seed" of

the woman rather than the seed of Adam, or man (Gen. 3:15).

So important is this fundamental and basic truth of the

gospel that we present in brief the seven great proofs of the

virgin birth of Christ.

1. Christ's name in prophecy was called Immanuel, "God with

us." The words of Isaiah straightly declared that this

Immanuel should be born of a virgin:

Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign;

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall

call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14).

2. Matthew 1:23 declares that the birth of Jesus of the virgin

Mary was a fulfillment of prophecy.

3. Joseph, the betrothed husband of Mary, discovered before

they were married that she was with child. While pondering

over what he should do about the matter, the angel of the

Lord appeared to him and informed him that which had been

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

conceived in Mary was not of man but by the Holy Ghost

(Matt. 1:18-20).

4. Luke 1:26-38 tells of the angel's visit to Mary during which

she was acquainted with the fact that she would be with

child by the Holy Ghost, and this child would be called the

Son of God.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be,

seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said

unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the

power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also

that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called

the Son of God. (Luke 1:34-35).

5. It was prophesied that the Messiah would come from the

line of David, the greatest king to have ever ruled the

Hebrew nation, after the flesh (II Sam. 7:12-19; Psa. 89:3, 4,

34-37; 132:11; Acts 2:30; 13:22-23). These prophecies were

fulfilled in Jesus as the son of Mary, who came of the line of

David. Joseph, Mary's espoused husband, also of the royal

line, was the legal father but not the real father. That Jesus,

the King of Israel, could not be the son of Joseph after the

flesh is confirmed by a very significant circumstance. Joseph

was a descendant of Jeconiah, a particularly wicked king.

Because of the extreme flagrance of his evil reign, God said

that none of the seed of Jeconiah (also called Coniah) would

sit upon the throne of David forever.

O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord! Thus

says the Lord, Write this man (Coniah) down as childless,

a man who shall not prosper in his days; for no man of his

offspring shall succeed in sitting upon the throne of David,

and ruling any more in Judah. (Jer. 22:29-30) Amplified

If, therefore, Jesus had actually been the son of Joseph after

the flesh, He would not have been eligible to the throne of

David. Thus Christ was the son of David through the maternal

line (Mary).

Through His mother Jesus became eligible to the throne of

David. Thus we see the amazing preciseness of the fulfillment of

the Scriptures. Here is a fact casually mentioned in the

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The Miracle of the Virgin Birth

Scriptures but of such significance as to give pause to anyone

who would doubt the virgin birth of Christ.

6. That Jesus was not the son of David on His paternal side is

further proved by the words of Jesus Himself. He asked the

Pharisees whose son they thought Christ was. They

answered, "The son of David," thinking of him as a direct

seed of David through a human father. Jesus then asked

them a question as to why David speaking in the inspiration

of the Spirit called Him Lord.

He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call

him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on

my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If

David then call him Lord, how is he his son? (Matt. 22:43-

45).

This the Pharisees could not answer. It certainly seemed

inappropriate for David in the Spirit to call a descendant of his,

after the flesh, his Lord.

It is also evident from these words that Jesus knew of His

own virgin birth and that He was not the son of Joseph.

7. . Finally the Early Church fathers believed in the virgin

birth. The belief is found in the Apostles' Creed, which was

written in the early part of the second century.

Great historians such as Ignatius believed in the virgin birth

and defended it against the heresies of his time. Origen, in his

treatise against Celsus and Tertullian, believed it and defended

the virgin birth.

We need not lengthen the list of names since the Early

Church fathers consistently put themselves on record as

believing in the virgin birth. Moreover, they vigorously

defended it against all heresies.

The virgin birth is the clue as to why Christ is uniquely

different from all other men. He was a man through His mother

Mary; but He was also God by being conceived not of the will of

the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit.

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

The Boy Jesus

Joseph, the husband of Mary, was a righteous man according

to the Scriptures, but he was probably considered by the upper

classes as a peasant. He worked in his carpenter shop as an

honest son of toil, supporting his large family to the best of his

ability. As Jesus and His brothers grew older, they joined Joseph

in the shop, contributing to the support of the family.

At the age of eight Jesus was sent to the synagogue where

He was taught to read and to write from the rolls of the

Scriptures. It appears from Luke 4:16 that the reading ability of

Jesus was considered superior enough that He was given the

regular task each Sabbath of reading from the sacred scrolls.

Jesus as a youth made no deep impression upon the

community. At a later date when His ministry made its first

impact upon the nation, the local inhabitants of Nazareth spoke

to each other in amazement saying, “From whence hath this

man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given

unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his

hands?” Indeed it appears from John 7:3-5 that His own

brethren in the flesh were not convinced of His divine mission.

Later on, however, they did believe (Acts 1:14).

The silent years were not idle years by any means. During

the day He was busy in the carpenter shop. In the evening His

mother would find Him studying and storing away in His mind

the Holy Scriptures. Obviously His thoughts were much

occupied in pondering those portions of the inspired writings of

the Old Testament, which related to His future work.

And so the years one by one slipped away as Jesus came to

full manhood. At length there came the day when Jesus laid

down His tools and left the carpenter shop forever. For Him it

was the hour of decision. Bidding goodbye to His family, He

went his way to the river Jordan where an itinerant evangelist,

oddly dressed in a girdle of camel's hair, was preaching a fiery

message of repentance. It was John the Baptist. Against the

Baptist's protest Jesus was baptized in water by him in the River

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The Miracle of the Virgin Birth

Jordan. Then He disappeared from the haunts of men, and for six

weeks gave Himself over to fasting and to meditation in the

solitude of the wilderness.

Then reappearing once more, He began a ministry which in

three short years would rock the nation from center to

circumference and eventually, the whole world.

Jesus did not begin His ministry in His hometown, Nazareth.

As He said, “A prophet is not without honour, but in his own

country.” (Mark 6:4). Moreover, the village was hidden away

off the main road. The Lord needed a center from which His

ministry could radiate out into all parts of the nation. So it was

that He chose as His headquarters the flourishing city of

Capernaum, located on the Sea of Galilee.

There among the teeming population of the cities that lay

along the Galilean shore, Christianity was cradled. There Jesus

began the proclamation of the good news of the gospel. At times

He preached from a small ship standing off from the shore. On

other occasions He ministered upon the neighboring hills that

overlooked the sea. There in Galilee the multitudes came to hear

Him teach and to be healed of their diseases. The good news of

His work soon spread far and wide. It was a ministry which in a

few months' time resulted in thousands of followers.

35

CHAPTER III

The Mission of Christ

3

After Christ appeared it became possible to compare the

actual events of His life with the passages in the ancient

writings, thus confirming our faith that the One who came was

indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God.

There was another purpose served in Christ's being born at

the time He was. The world by this time had been given an

opportunity to make full proof of its capabilities and

dispositions. Many notable results were achieved in the

development of the varied civilizations. It was proved that man

could rise to higher levels in the arts and refinements of life, in

literature, in painting, and in architecture; but in the religious

realm it became a matter of fact that man could not rise unaided

to God. While man had made great progress in other fields of

knowledge—improving his intellect, refining his tastes, and

correcting his manners—he could not purify his heart. The sad

story of the moral decline of mankind is drawn by the inspired

writer in Romans 1:21-23.

Because that when they knew God, they glorified him

not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in

their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And

changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image

made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-

footed beasts, and creeping things.

Man must have a Saviour; he is not complete in himself.

Contrary to the speculations of blind philosophers who contend

that there is an upward urge in nature, the sad fact is that apart

from Christ the inherent tendency in the moral life of mankind is

downward.

So although Christ performed many marvelous miracles, it

was not His purpose merely to heal the afflicted and infirm who

37

Is Jesus the Son of God?

might become sick again or to raise the dead that they might die

again. Nor did He come to satisfy the physical appetite of men,

only to have them hunger again. He came into the world to give

men the bread of life—bread for the soul, so that they might

never hunger nor thirst spiritually. He came to preach a gospel

of repentance to save men from their sins, that they should never

perish. When people told Him of the governor Pilate who had

slain certain persons or of the tower of Siloam that had fallen on

eighteen others causing their death, He said,

Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all

the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you

nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

(Luke 13:2-3).

Not all accepted Christ's call to repentance. There in north

Galilee where the great trade routes crossed, the temptation was

strong for men to become deeply engaged in the pursuit of riches

and the material things of life. Although the inhabitants seemed

deeply impressed with Christ's miracles and His teachings, the

urge to get their part of the prosperity outweighed, for most of

them, Christ's call to “forsake all and follow me.”

Some who were drawn by Christ's appeal followed Him for

a time; but they had not fully counted the cost. A rich young

ruler came to Him and asked, “Good Master, what good thing

shall I do, that I may have eternal life.” (Matt. 19:16).

Looking with deep emotion at the earnest young man, Jesus told

him to leave his riches and follow Him. Christ said this because

He knew the young man loved his money more than God. Sadly

the youth turned away; the price was too great for him to pay.

He wanted to give God second place in his life.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto

him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever

thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have

treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross and follow

me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved:

for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:21-22).

But whether men accept or reject Him, Christ is the stone by

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The Mission of Christ

which the destinies of men are forever settled. He spoke to the

religious leaders saying, “Whosoever shall fall on this stone

shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind

him to powder.” (Matt. 21:44). In other words, he who accepts

Christ will be broken, but only that his life might be reshaped

anew. But he who rejects Christ will be ground to powder and

that without remedy.

The teachings of Christ are beautifully illustrated in His

conversations with people who came to Him with their

questions. Always He went straight to the heart of the person's

need or problem.

Peter under deep conviction said to Him, “Depart from me;

for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8). Jesus replied

saying, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”

Why did Jesus give Peter this answer instead of reproaching him

for his sinful past? Because Peter was already convicted of his

sins; he knew that without Christ he was a lost man. Actually,

the last thing he desired was for the Lord to depart from him.

What Peter really wanted was to follow Jesus. The Lord told

him that he would still be a fisherman, but from then on he

would be fishing for men.

Nicodemus, a religious leader, came to Christ at night to talk

about the miracles and Christ's standing as a prophet. But the

Lord ignored this and turned the conversation around to the

spiritual need of Nicodemus saying, “Except a man be born

again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). At this

statement Nicodemus registered deep surprise, and his

patronizing manner abruptly changed. “How can a man be

born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his

mother's womb, and be born?” Nicodemus asked. Christ

continued to hold the initiative in the conversation. He drove

home the point that although Nicodemus was a ruler in a high

religious court called the Sanhedrin, this could not give him

entrance into the Kingdom of God. No one can enter the

Kingdom of God unless he is born of the spirit. This rebirth

takes place when a person accepts Christ into his soul and life as

39

Is Jesus the Son of God?

Saviour and Lord. “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must

be born again.” (John 3:7), Jesus said. All must have a radical

change in their nature. The startled Nicodemus was altogether

overwhelmed by these words which seemed to him so

revolutionary. Three years later, however, Nicodemus dared to

risk his position in the Sanhedrin court when He and Joseph of

Arimathea went to Pilate and claimed the body of Christ for

burial (John 19:38-40).

At another time they brought to Jesus a woman who had

been taken in adultery. As she cringed before her accusers, they

craftily asked Jesus whether or not she should be stoned

according to the Law of Moses. The Lord looked upon her with

pity and compassion. Turning to the self-righteous religious

leaders who were using the miserable woman as a means to

entrap Him, He said, “He that is without sin among you, let

him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and

wrote on the ground.” (John 8:7-8). According to tradition,

Jesus was writing in the sand the sins of each of the Pharisees,

religious leaders, beginning with the eldest and ending with the

youngest. Smitten with conviction, her accusers had nothing

further to say and shamefacedly made a hurried departure. Jesus

said to the woman, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin

no more.” (John 8:11).

To a man who came and asked Jesus to speak to his brother

to divide the inheritance, He gave a sharp rebuke saying, “Take

heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth

not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

(Luke 12:15). He then described the fate of a rich fool who

thought to pull down his barns and build greater so that he might

have more room to store his goods. The rich man said to his

soul, “Thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take

thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” Jesus told how on that

very night “God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul

shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be,

which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:19-20).

When Jesus heard that his close friend Lazarus was dead,

40

The Mission of Christ

and He saw the people mourning and weeping, He Himself wept

(John 11:35), obviously not for those who in a brief moment

would witness His power over death because He raised Lazarus

from the dead. But rather He wept for the sorrows of a whole

forlorn world suffering from the consequences of sin that had

cursed the race.

Again on the way to the cross, Jesus saw the women

weeping because of Him, and He said, “Daughters of

Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and

for your children.” (Luke 23:28). Always He was thinking of

others rather than Himself.

On the cross as the soldiers, sadly ignorant of whom they

had crucified, went about casting lots for His raiment. Jesus

prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they

do.” (Luke 23:34).

On either side of Him were crucified two thieves. At first

both of the malefactors reviled Him (Matt. 27:44). One of them

said, “If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” (Luke 23:39).

But the other, soon convinced that Jesus was the Son of God,

rebuked his companion and sought the Lord for mercy. Jesus,

forgetting His own suffering, spoke words of peace telling him,

“To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:40-43).

The fateful afternoon waned; darkness descended upon the

earth. Death had overtaken the Prince of Life. Men took His

body down from the cross and wrapped it in a linen garment

preparatory to putting it in the tomb. Pilate, the governor,

stationed soldiers around the sepulcher to make certain there

was no molestation of the body. For three days and nights they

guarded the tomb. But early in the morning of the third day

something happened that shook the earth, as well as the spirit

world. The powers of Satan were broken; death loosed its grip;

and Christ arose from the grave! When grief-stricken followers

of Jesus came to the tomb to perform what they thought was the

last service for the dead, two men in bright shining clothes stood

by them. Full of fear, the women bowed down to the ground, as

the men said to them:

41

Is Jesus the Son of God?

Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not

here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when

he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be

delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified,

and the third day rise again. (Luke 24:5-7).

Christ was indeed raised from death and was alive

forevermore. The risen Saviour then appeared before the

disciples and gave them the Great Commission by which they

were to preach the gospel to all the world.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and

preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and

is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be

damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In

my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with

new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they

drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall

lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after

the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into

heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went

forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with

them, and confirming the word with signs following.

Amen. (Mark 16:15-20).

42

Chapter IV

Why We Must Accept Christ

4

There is only one true God. God, Creator of the Universe,

existed before the beginning of the world. God is a good God, a

God of love. He created man to be a companion and friend of

God.

But since Satan deceived man and caused him to rebel and

sin against God, sinful man is separated from God which is a

most terrible punishment.

Because God is holy and perfect He cannot associate with

anyone who has sin in his life. Thus our sins will cause us to be

eternally separated from God. In order to bring man back into

communion with Himself, He allowed His only Son, Christ, to

pay the penalty of death for our sins. If we accept His Son, God

will forgive our sins, and we will be as though we have never

sinned. As redeemed men, we can now commune with God

while we live on this earth, and when our life on earth is

finished, we will go to live with Him forever.

What Does Christ's Death on the Cross Mean

to You Personally?

Let us think back upon the day when Christ was crucified.

There He hung between earth and heaven—a spectacle to men

and angels with the tortures becoming more unendurable every

moment. Death by crucifixion includes the sum total of all the

suffering a body can experience: thirst, fever, open shame, long

continual torment.

It was now the noon hour, ordinarily the brightest hour of

the day. But instead, a darkness began to descend upon the earth.

Nature itself, unable to bear the scene, withdrew its light, and

the heavens became black. This darkness had an immediate

effect upon the onlookers. There were no more jeers and taunts.

43

Is Jesus the Son of God?

People began to slip away silently to leave Jesus alone to drink

to the deepest depths the dregs of suffering and humiliation. Yet

a greater horror was yet to come. Instead of a joyful communion

with God, there was a cry of distress. Jesus found himself utterly

deserted by both man and God. His cry even today brings a

shudder of terror. It was...

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

There was apparently one thing that God had held back from

his son Christ, lest even He should be unable to bear it. The

terrible truth came to Him only in the last hours of darkness. As

the sun withdrew its shining, so the presence of God was being

withdrawn also. Though sometimes forsaken of men, He could

always turn in confidence to His heavenly Father. But now even

God had forsaken Him.

God indeed had forsaken Him, though only for a moment;

and the reason is clear: at that moment the sin of the world with

all its hideousness rested upon Jesus. He became sin; “For he

hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we

might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor.

5:21).

There we have the answer to what happened. Christ was

made sin for us. He took upon Him the sin of the world,

including yours and mine. Therefore, He had to receive the

judgment that fell upon sin.

And now at last the end was drawing near. The loss of blood

produces a thirst that is beyond description. Jesus cried, “I

thirst.” The One who hung on the cross thirsted. He is the same

One who now satisfies our souls’ thirst—“If any man thirst, let

him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).

The final moment had come. Jesus bowed his head in death

saying as He died, “It is finished!” Salvation had been

completed. It was a salvation, not of works to be earned by

fastings, by penances, by pilgrimages. Salvation is forever a

finished work. We need not complete it by our own efforts.

There is nothing more to do but to accept it. There is no need to

44

Why We Must Accept Christ

struggle and to labor, but to take quietly what God has prepared

at infinite sacrifice.

So did Christ die for our salvation. So was He raised again

three days and nights later in glorious triumph to die no more.

Therefore, He says, “BECAUSE I LIVE, YE SHALL LIVE

ALSO” (John 14:19).

God has done all that is possible to bring you eternal life. He

paid the full price of punishment for your sins. It is now your

turn to accept Him. God sees your mind and soul. He knows all

of your thoughts. If you sincerely want to accept Jesus Christ,

the Son of God, into your life, you will be reborn. You will

become a child of God, and God the Father will become your

father.

45

Bibliography

Beecher, Henry Ward

The Life of Jesus, The Christ

Black, James

The Dilemmas of Jesus

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Bosworth, Edward Increase

The Life and Teaching of Jesus

Bozarth, Howard P.

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Calderwood, Henry

The Parables of our Lord The Life and Teachings of Jesus

Farrar, Fredrick W.

The Life of Christ

Gifford, Erza D.

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Gilbert. George Holley

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Hanna, Rev. William

The Life of Christ, Vol. 1

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Husband, Richard Wellington

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Irvine, Alexander

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Johnson, Sherman E.

Jesus in His Own Times

Laymon, Charles M.

The Life and Teachings of Jesus

Ludwig, Emil

The Son of Man: The Story of Jesus

Machen, J. Gresham

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Is Jesus the Son of God?

The Virgin Birth of Christ

MacMillan, Hugh

Our Lord’s Three Raisings From the Dead

Matthews, Shailer

The Social Teaching of Jesus

McDaniel, George W.

The Supernatural Jesus

Milum, J. Parton

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Mortimer, Alfred G.

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The Life of Jesus

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48

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49

Document Outline

- Is Jesus the Son of God?

- Contents

- Introduction

- 1 Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?

- 2 The Miracle of the Virgin Birth

- The Boy Jesus

- 3 The Mission of Christ

- 4 Why We Must Accept Christ

- What Does Christ's Death on the Cross Mean to You Personally?

- Bibliography

Table of Contents

Introduction.

1 Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?.

Proof 3—He Spoke With Authority as "No Man Spoke".

Proof 4—Christ Knew the Innermost Thoughts of the Sinner

Proof 5—Christ Was the Only Sinless Man.

Proof 6—Christ Performed Miracles Never Before Performed

Proof 7—Jesus Predicted the Fall of Three Cities: Capernaum,

Proof 8—Jesus Predicted the Fall of Jerusalem to Take Place

Proof 10—Christ Gave His Own Life to Establish His Kingdom

Proof 12—He Proved He Was the Christ by His Power Over

Proof 13—Christ Had a New Body.

Proof 15—The Prophet Isaiah Predicted 800 Years Before

Proof 16—The Time of Christ's Birth Was Prophesied Nearly

Proof 17—Christ's Death as the Messiah Was Predicted 900

Proof 18—Christ Gives a Personal Experience Today.

2 The Miracle of the Virgin Birth.

3 The Mission of Christ.

4 Why We Must Accept Christ.

Bibliography.

Is Jesus the Son of God?

Contents

The Boy Jesus