The Reality of Christ
Gazing upon an Eastern Orthodox icon of our Blessed Savior, the reality of Christ came crashing down upon me. "Do you realize what this means?" The question beat into my mind until my pride had been broken. "If this really happened, this changes everything..." A strange response from the heart of a believer, but nevertheless, it does change everything!
Seldom do we come into contact with the "Deity" of Christ. Sure, we sing songs to him, read about him, pray to him, call Him God, but seldom do we realize what that really means. Think about it, God, who created all things by himself, through himself, for himself, created Himself into his very creation. God walked among men. (Oh yeah, that Immanuel thing...) People, GOD WALKED AMONG HIS OWN CREATION! GOD! Do we truly grasp this concept?
This isn't the first time a man considered himself to be God. The Roman caesar was a "god" unto himself and his people. Then other gods would rise to power and overthrow the former (some god...). Mormons believe that after living righteously they die and attain godhood, becoming gods of their own planets to which they will inherit and rule. I need not list any further examples of gods being fashioned after man. I will allow you to do the research.
However, take note to the uniqueness of Christ. He performed miracles. Miracles are not merely signs and wonders, or acts that portray a sort of magic or illusion (as many would have you believe). Instead, Christ did that which was contrary to nature. Things which were physically impossible. He turned water to wine. He restored function to the functionless. He fed over 5,000 people with just a couples loaves of bread and some sardines. Christ had the ability to physically create. To speak things into existence. When Christ called Lazarus forth, he recreated the Genesis account. He spoke and living cells and tissue were created in a body that had been in a state of decay. Christ was not merely a man, he was deity.
Christ was unlike any proclaimed "god" among men. He was humble. Philippians 2:6-8 is a great summary of the uniqueness of His deity. "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Most gods among men demand to be served. On the contrary, Matthew 20:28, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
This Creator put his creation before Himself. He came to serve us. He gave us new wine, fresh food, new life, but we crucified Him. Man killed God. Muslims do not subscribe to this. To them, Christ was never crucifed. For if he died, then they would have to deal with the resurrection accounts (over 500 eyewitness accounts). Instead they deny the fact that he ever made it to the cross to begin with. Yet, not only do they deny history, they deny his deity. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." -John 1:11
However, if one were to accept this reality, The deity, the cross, and the resurrection of Christ, one adopts more than just a faith. He subscribes to an explanation. The answer to the ponderings of origin, meaning, morality, and destiny. "Where did I come from, Who am I, What is right and what is wrong, and where am I going when I die." When one accepts Christ, they are brought into the light of understanding. They are subsribers to what is called "The Gospel of Jesus Christ".
The gospel is said to be "The power of God unto salvation." If this is true, this changes everything. No longer are we human beings who happen to believe what we believe to be true. We are enlightened to the reality of Christ. God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, stepped into the physical realm, adorned Himself in human flesh, served His people, and allowed for his creation to destroy Him. "...Christ came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)
Knowing this, Do we truly understand what this implies?! Christ is worthy of all of our praise! Not just the lyrical part, but the obedience part. Recognizing the gospel, we should recognize our insignificance. We are God's and have always been God's. We were never independent from Him, nor shall we ever be (regardless of whether you choose to acknowledge Him). He is worthy of our devotion! He is worth more than that trash that spews from our lips, or that carnal mind of ours, and all of the lusts of our flesh! He is worthy of being sacred. He is worthy of that chant, or that hymn, or that pinch of incense, or lit candle. He is worthy of being treated as Deity. He is worthy of our hearts, our minds, and our souls, not just our sunday mornings or our bumper stickers. Jesus Christ is God. Let's start acting like we believe that...
Seldom do we come into contact with the "Deity" of Christ. Sure, we sing songs to him, read about him, pray to him, call Him God, but seldom do we realize what that really means. Think about it, God, who created all things by himself, through himself, for himself, created Himself into his very creation. God walked among men. (Oh yeah, that Immanuel thing...) People, GOD WALKED AMONG HIS OWN CREATION! GOD! Do we truly grasp this concept?
This isn't the first time a man considered himself to be God. The Roman caesar was a "god" unto himself and his people. Then other gods would rise to power and overthrow the former (some god...). Mormons believe that after living righteously they die and attain godhood, becoming gods of their own planets to which they will inherit and rule. I need not list any further examples of gods being fashioned after man. I will allow you to do the research.
However, take note to the uniqueness of Christ. He performed miracles. Miracles are not merely signs and wonders, or acts that portray a sort of magic or illusion (as many would have you believe). Instead, Christ did that which was contrary to nature. Things which were physically impossible. He turned water to wine. He restored function to the functionless. He fed over 5,000 people with just a couples loaves of bread and some sardines. Christ had the ability to physically create. To speak things into existence. When Christ called Lazarus forth, he recreated the Genesis account. He spoke and living cells and tissue were created in a body that had been in a state of decay. Christ was not merely a man, he was deity.
Christ was unlike any proclaimed "god" among men. He was humble. Philippians 2:6-8 is a great summary of the uniqueness of His deity. "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Most gods among men demand to be served. On the contrary, Matthew 20:28, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
This Creator put his creation before Himself. He came to serve us. He gave us new wine, fresh food, new life, but we crucified Him. Man killed God. Muslims do not subscribe to this. To them, Christ was never crucifed. For if he died, then they would have to deal with the resurrection accounts (over 500 eyewitness accounts). Instead they deny the fact that he ever made it to the cross to begin with. Yet, not only do they deny history, they deny his deity. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." -John 1:11
However, if one were to accept this reality, The deity, the cross, and the resurrection of Christ, one adopts more than just a faith. He subscribes to an explanation. The answer to the ponderings of origin, meaning, morality, and destiny. "Where did I come from, Who am I, What is right and what is wrong, and where am I going when I die." When one accepts Christ, they are brought into the light of understanding. They are subsribers to what is called "The Gospel of Jesus Christ".
The gospel is said to be "The power of God unto salvation." If this is true, this changes everything. No longer are we human beings who happen to believe what we believe to be true. We are enlightened to the reality of Christ. God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, stepped into the physical realm, adorned Himself in human flesh, served His people, and allowed for his creation to destroy Him. "...Christ came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)
Knowing this, Do we truly understand what this implies?! Christ is worthy of all of our praise! Not just the lyrical part, but the obedience part. Recognizing the gospel, we should recognize our insignificance. We are God's and have always been God's. We were never independent from Him, nor shall we ever be (regardless of whether you choose to acknowledge Him). He is worthy of our devotion! He is worth more than that trash that spews from our lips, or that carnal mind of ours, and all of the lusts of our flesh! He is worthy of being sacred. He is worthy of that chant, or that hymn, or that pinch of incense, or lit candle. He is worthy of being treated as Deity. He is worthy of our hearts, our minds, and our souls, not just our sunday mornings or our bumper stickers. Jesus Christ is God. Let's start acting like we believe that...
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| St. Photio's Shrine, St. Augustine, FL. |
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