Jesus Christ
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December 31, 2023 |
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 Christmas is one of the major feasts of Christianity. On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus who came to this earth to save all mankind and rejoice and give thanks. Now let us look into the spiritual meaning contained in the name of Jesus Christ on this Christmas.
1. Jesus Christ is our ‘Savior’
As written in Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved,” Jesus Christ is our only Savior. The ultimate purpose on His birth and earthly life is to become the Savior.
Jesus’ whole life was connected to redeeming people from their sins and bearing their burdens and difficulties, from His birth to His crucifixion. When He came to this earth in the flesh to save people, Baby Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger. It has a spiritual meaning.
Manger is a long, shallow container in which food for animals is placed. When Jesus was laid on a manger, it means He came to save people who sinned and are but beasts and He Himself became the bread of life to them (John 6:48-51). Jesus, the Son of God, lived in poverty to release us from poverty and make us rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
After completing His earthly ministry, Jesus shed His precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless to forgive mankind of their sins and was crucified on the wooden cross to redeem us from the curse of the law. However, it was impossible for Him to be held in the power of death because He was put to death without sin. He broke the power of death and resurrected on the third day of burial, thereby becoming our Savior.
Therefore, anyone who believes Jesus Christ with the heart and confesses with the mouth He is the Savior can be released from the curse of the law, which states “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and receive eternal life. They also gain the right to become children of God in Jesus Christ and come to live a happy life to the extent they practice the Word of God.
Through the Savior Jesus Christ, they receive the amazing blessing of being forgiven of sins and passing out of death into life.
2. Jesus Christ is our ‘Advocate’ and ‘Comforter’
1 John 2:1-2 says, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time.”
Jesus Himself was the propitiation for our sins and is a Mediator between God and people. He reconciled us sinners to God. He gave Himself as a ransom for all to redeem them from sins so that He could break down the barrier of the dividing wall between God and people. When we believe Jesus as our Savior, we are made righteous by faith but not sanctified all at once. Therefore, if a believer commits a sin, Jesus Christ intercedes for them as the Advocate to God.
Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus underwent all the tests we may face.
The Holy Spirit dwells within us and helps us. Romans 8:26 says, “And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit understand our weaknesses and intercede for us more earnestly than we.
God is the Father of mercies and the God of comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 says, “[God] who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”
Jesus said that anyone can become a child of God regardless of their status in this world. He also taught that blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and those who are persecuted. His words poured down lights of great hope upon those many who were oppressed by authorities and lived in poverty. During His earthly ministry, the abandoned and the rejected followed Him even more diligently than others.
It is because our Lord loves and comforts anyone who opens their heart and seeks His comfort. He stays with them, embraces them with His warmth and tenderness, and guides them to the path to prosperity and solution of problems.
The name of Jesus Christ our Comforter means happiness for some, hope for others, and abundance for still others.
3. Jesus Christ is our Provider
In John 14:13-14, Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
When we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, whatever seems impossible with human ability is made possible with God. When we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, forces of darkness depart from whatever kind of problem appears insoluble and the solution is given to us.
When we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Father God will hear our prayers and give us answers through His name at His proper time. However, there is a difference in power between when we pray in the name of ‘Jesus’ and when we pray in the name of ‘Jesus Christ.’
Suppose a thief met a policeman who did not know that he is a thief. The thief may not be afraid of the policeman. However, the thief may run away quickly when he saw another policeman who knows he is a thief.
Similarly, those who know a difference between the name of Jesus and that of Jesus Christ have a greater power in defeating the enemy devil than those who do not know. As written in Matthew 1:21, ‘Jesus’ was named for He would save His people from their sins. It does not refer to ‘the One who have saved’ in the perfect tense, but ‘the One who will save’ in the future tense.
‘Christ’ refers to ‘the anointed one’ in Greek and is translated into ‘the Messiah’ in Hebrew. When they call Jesus Christ, it means Jesus has acquired the position of the Savior for mankind, and of the Reconciler and the Mediator between God and people. The Bible shows He was not named Jesus Christ until He became the Savior through the crucifixion and resurrection.
In that sense, it is proper to call Him ‘Jesus’ before His crucifixion and ‘Jesus Christ’ after His crucifixion and resurrection. And we can call Him ‘our Savior’, ‘Christ’, ‘Lord Jesus’, or ‘Lord’ along with the name of ‘Jesus Christ’.
So, Jesus’ disciples and apostles no longer called Him ‘Jesus’ but instead ‘Jesus Christ’ or ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ in their prayers and messages after His resurrection and ascension.
In the same way, when we ask God in prayers, we have to ask in the name of Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus, which indicates His position as the Savior along with Jesus. In John 16:23, Jesus said, “…Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.”
However, some people fail to receive answers from God when they ask in the name of Jesus Christ. This is because they ask harboring wickedness in their heart or in doubts or when they ask with wrong motives so that they may spend it on their pleasures or because they grumble or complain against God (Psalm 66:18; James 1:6-8, 4:3). We should first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and ask with faith but without doubt so that we may receive whatever we ask for in the name of Jesus Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ whose name contains salvation, grace, love, blessing, and answers.
I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that your life may overflow with grace, love and blessing through the power and authority of the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, the Comforter, and the Provider.
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Manmin News 
