From
the beginning, the gospel writers refer to Yeshua (Jesus) as the Son of
God. John 1:29 refers to him as “…the
Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (KJV) As maybe the most quoted verse in the New
Testament, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should no perish, but have
everlasting life.” (KJV) Note how these
verses, and others, refer to Yeshua (Jesus) as being the savior of the “world.” This refers to those outside the Jewish
community, the gentiles.
This
is the problem Nicodemus had when Yeshua (Jesus) said in John 3:3, “Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (KJV) He was referring to gentiles. Nicodemus could not understand how a gentile
could be saved. This is the “mystery” Paul
writes about in his epistles. All this
leads to the conclusion that Yeshua (Jesus) came as the Messiah to the
gentiles, not to the Jews.
What
does the word, messiah, mean? The basis
of the word is “anointed.” This clearly
defines the purpose of the Son of God’s coming into the world. At the right time, God sent his Son into the
world, as stated in Romans 5:6, “For when we were yet without strength, in due
time Christ died for the ungodly.” (KJV) Also Romans 5:10 states, “For if, when
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled
, we shall be saved by his life.” (KJV) The conclusion of the Messiah’s work is to
cause every believer to espouse the statement of Galatians 2:20, “I am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I
live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (KJV)
So how does one become a believer? He or she must acknowledge before God and man
belief in the gospel. And what is the gospel? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 succinctly states the
gospel as: “For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures.” (KJV) One
must first acknowledge before God that he or she is a sinner and ask God for
forgiveness and acceptance.
Acknowledgement before fellow believers is the next step. Unless providentially hindered, public
baptism should follow.
This I believe!
