Last week we identified that the Father is the creator of the world who plans and directs all things according to His purposes. He is also intensely personal, making a way for us to be reunited with Him despite our sinfulness. As Jesus did, we refer to Him as “Abba, Father.” We are His children, adopted into His family, if we accept the Son. Who is the Son, and how does He differ from the Father?
We have looked at these verses in recent weeks, but they are helpful again for this discussion. John 1 gives us an amazing picture of the Son:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men...The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world...But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-4, 9, 14).
This passage identifies the Son as God, the agent of creation, the bringer of life, and the light of men. Those who receive Him are adopted into God’s family as His children. He took on human flesh and lived among the people He created. While this is amazing in itself, there is much more to the Son.
Hebrews tells us that “because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (2:18). Jesus endured temptation without sinning, and because of that He is able to offer us help in the form of mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:14-16). His sinless life allowed Him to bear the punishment for all sin and open the way for our forgiveness: “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).
Do not miss the importance of this! The Bible gives us a picture of Jesus the Son that we must see clearly. He was with God in the beginning, was Himself God, and participated in the creation of the universe. However, seeing our need, He did not clutch selfishly to His divinity, but became a human and suffered temptation. Yet He was obedient, not failing as we have, and allowed Himself to be sacrificed to appease the wrath of the Father over sin. Having done so, He now offers us reconciliation with God. The Father, Son, and Spirit wait longingly for us to receive the forgiveness that is now ours for the taking.
“He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
Do you believe that there is no hope for you? Jesus disagrees. He is able to save you.
Do you believe that you have no need for forgiveness? We have seen that God is just, righteously judging our sin. Let’s be done with this nonsense that is so prevalent today that says that God will not judge you because He is so loving. He is absolutely just and will not clear the guilty.
That is why the gospel is truly good news. Jesus, the Son, bore the penalty for our sin. We need only “draw near to God through him,” and we will find that “he is able to save to the uttermost.”
I plead with you, draw near to God through the Son! If you need help with this, reach out to us at Encounter Church via private message and we will be happy to talk with you about it. As always, comments and questions are welcome on Facebook!
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