Who is Jesus?

Who Is Jesus?

Everything about Cedar Springs begins and ends with Jesus Christ.

Christians are fundamentally followers of Jesus. We believe He is the Son of God, the promised Savior, the sacrifice for our sin, the risen Lord, and the King who will return. We also believe that Jesus stands at the center of the entire story of Scripture. The Bible points toward Him, reveals Him, and shows us what it means to belong to Him.

The word gospel means “good news,” and the good news we proclaim is ultimately good news about Jesus: who He is, what He has done, and what He promises to do.

Jesus Is the Son of God

Jesus is not simply a great teacher, moral example, or religious leader. He is the eternal Son of God who entered human history and became truly human without ceasing to be truly God.

He lived among us, revealed the character of God, taught with divine authority, loved perfectly, and lived without sin. Jesus showed us what humanity was created to be, but He came to do far more than simply provide an example for us to follow.

He came to save us.

Jesus Is Our Savior and Sacrifice

To understand why we need Jesus, we first have to understand the problem of sin.

Every one of us has fallen short of God’s holy standard. Sin is more than breaking individual rules. At its heart, sin is our attempt to live apart from God and to take His place, deciding for ourselves what is right, what is good, and what will ultimately satisfy us.

We can build our lives around obviously sinful things, but we can also turn good gifts into substitutes for God: careers, relationships, money, hobbies, marriage, children, success, comfort, or even religion.

Because God is holy and just, sin separates us from Him. We cannot repair that separation through morality, religious effort, good intentions, or personal improvement.

So Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves.

He lived the life we failed to live. He perfectly obeyed the Father, perfectly loved others, and remained completely without sin. Then He willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice in the place of sinners.

On the cross, Jesus bore the judgment our sin deserved. He was mocked, beaten, crucified, and died on our behalf so that those who trust in Him could be forgiven and reconciled to God.

Jesus is not merely an example for us to imitate. He is the Savior we desperately need.

Jesus Is Alive

Jesus did not remain in the grave.

On the third day, He rose bodily from the dead, defeating sin and death and demonstrating that His sacrifice had accomplished what He came to do.

The resurrection means Jesus is not simply someone who lived and died long ago. He is alive today.

Through faith in Christ, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God. We do not stand before God because we have become righteous enough, but because Christ gives us His righteousness.

As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

In Christ, guilt gives way to forgiveness, condemnation gives way to reconciliation, and death gives way to eternal life.

Jesus Is Lord and King

Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to the Father, and reigns as King.

One day He will return. He will judge evil, raise the dead, restore creation, and establish His kingdom in its fullness.

This is why following Jesus means more than simply believing certain facts about Him. Christians belong to Him. We trust Him as Savior, worship Him as Lord, obey Him as King, and look forward to His return.

Jesus does not simply become one important part of our lives. He becomes the One around whom our lives are reordered.

Jesus Is the Center of Scripture

We believe the whole story of the Bible ultimately leads us to Jesus.

From creation, through God’s promises to Israel, through the law and the prophets, and into the New Testament and the life of the church, Scripture reveals God’s plan to redeem a people for Himself through Christ.

Jesus is not an addition to the biblical story. He is its fulfillment.

The promises of God find their fulfillment in Him. The sacrifices point toward Him. The prophets anticipate Him. The apostles proclaim Him. The church belongs to Him. And history is moving toward the day when He returns.

Following Jesus

Our desire is that everyone would know Jesus, trust Him, and follow Him.

When we believe the Gospel, we are reconciled to God and brought into His people, the church. Christianity was never intended to be lived alone. Jesus saves us into a family of believers who worship Him, follow Him, encourage one another, and join together in His mission.

If you would like to talk with someone about Jesus, the Gospel, baptism, becoming part of the church, or what it means to follow Christ, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out through our contact page.