Who is Jesus?
Image used with permission from The Chosen TV Series.
Christians have two ways of understanding who Jesus is. Two ways that start at very different places, but ultimately end up saying the same thing.
The first way starts with God- the God who made this universe and everything in it.
Imagine what an introduction from this God might look like; imagine this God wanted to show us what they are like. There could be messages sent to us (and Christians think this God has done that). Perhaps there might be intentional clues and hints put into the fabric of this world (and we think God has done that too).
But by far the best way for God to be fully introduced to us would be for God to genuinely become a human. Because then, if we met this God-human, we wouldn’t just be learning about God, we would actually be meeting God!
The first way Christians understand who Jesus is, is that he is God become human – Jesus is God introducing us to God’s self in a way that we can really know the God who made this universe and everything in it.
God became human
God became Human
Video used with permission from The Chosen TV Series. (S01E08)
The second way Christians understand who Jesus is starts with a human – a normal, everyday human – someone who puts his trousers on one leg at a time just like the rest of us.
This human lived at a particular time and at a particular place – being an individual human meant he had a particular culture, a particular gender, a particular body, a particular group of friends and acquaintances, and a particular name – Jesus.
But these friends and acquaintances noticed that Jesus said and did things that humans don’t do. He healed people; he controlled the wind and rain with a word; he spent time with outcasts and people that polite society rejected. And when he died, he came back alive again. Normal people don’t do that! Those around him eventually worked out that the reason for all this is that God’s Spirit was guiding and empowering him.
Jesus wasn’t just an extraordinary human, he was a human-God.
So working from the top down, Jesus is a God-human. Working from the bottom up, Jesus is a human-God.
Any way you look at it, the utterly unique thing about Jesus is that he is the meeting point between creator and creation. Jesus is not just God’s introduction to us; God is standing with us on humanity’s side, leading us back to God’s self. Everything Jesus is, said, or did is all about bringing God and humanity together.
Our Baptist faith communities exist to participate in Jesus' ongoing work of bringing God and humanity together – we refer to this as gospel renewal to people and places.
Click here to find a local church. Or if you would like to read more about Jesus, a good place to start would be an account of his life that a medical doctor wrote who lived at the same time as Jesus, the doctor’s name was Luke. The book is based on extensive research, and you can read it online here. (Luke, NLT).
Latest articles
Arotahi update: What’s happening in Bangladesh
An update on Arotahi’s relationship with, and presence in, Bangladesh.
Support our public servants
Our public servants work hard for us behind the scenes. Let’s support them with prayer.
Pondering: About place – a reflection on living intentionally without walls
How living intentionally and in a specific place is transforming us, a bit about the fragmentation of private land and walls, and what some of…
The Lord’s Prayer in te Reo Māori
This ‘Try-lingual’ version of the Lord's Prayer is designed to be read in English and te Reo Māori, with actions to make it all-age friendly.
Kupu for your kete: Resources for Māori Language Week
Helpful online language resources for learning and celebrating te Reo Māori.
From the President: August in Auckland and Northland
Susan shares encouragements found in her visits to Baptist churches in Auckland and Northland.
Salt of the earth: A normal household
A childhood encounter with a conflicted fisherman shows the difference between tasting that the Lord is good and taking refuge in him.
Baptist Student Network: Connecting, supporting Christian students
The Baptist Student Network helps connect our young people into Baptist churches in other cities and offers accommodation and support.
Changes ahead for John Tucker and Carey
Change is ahead for both Dr John Tucker, our college Principal, and Carey Baptist College.
Tribute to Kiingi Tuuheitia, the Maaori King
From the National Leader of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, Te Haahi Iriiri o Aotearoa, and Te Pouarataki moo te Whiikoi.
The passing of our Maaori King
We are sad to learn of the passing of our Maaori King Tuuheitia Potatau VII.
In-tensional: A Way Forward for the Church
An Anglican archbishop and a sociologist pastor unpack the urgent need for church renewal in the face of unprecedented challenges.
A special focus on Bangladesh and Tripura
An update on the political situation and flooding + how you can pray and support flood recovery.
From the President: Being Baptist – better together
Susan’s highlights from the five regional hui this year.
Winners of the Baptist NZ photo competition 2024
We’re delighted to announce the winners! They tell us about their photos and the local ministries they chose to split their prize with.
Baptist Polity and a Serious Misconduct Policy
The proposals redefine aspects of local church responsibility, but do not threaten it on any fundamental questions.
Deeper into the heart of God
Women share their transformational experiences seeking God together at retreats hosted at Baptist Churches across New Zealand.
It happened by accident
Approaching 35 years of connecting with communities, how have mainly Ministries journeyed from ‘mission to’ to ‘mission with’?
Assembly Council Meeting August 2024
Discussing our next ‘bite’: how we find and train our future pastoral leaders, constitutional reviews, extending the Assembly Council term, the new campus for Carey,…