05.04. NAMES AND TITLES OF CHRIST (No. 1)

NAMES AND TITLES OF CHRIST

No. 1

Christ Jesus, our Lord, is the center and Substance of the Bible. In the Old Testament and the New Testament varied titles are applied to him. These names, or titles, grow out of his relations to Jehovah and man. Each name or title coming from some special relationship which he sustains to man, because of man’s needs. The student will have no trouble in seeing this as he studies the names and titles. The results will be a greater love and a deeper reverence for the Lord.

"God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Php 2:9-11). the son of God. He is not a son; but The Son of God— the Son of God in a sense that no one else is, or can be. This title applies to him is his divine nature, his Deity. The gospel is the "gospel of the Son of God" (Mark 3:1). Before Jesus was born the angel said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). John the Baptist testified, "I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God" (John 1:34). The wonders, and signs performed by Christ "are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:30-31). He was declared to be the "Son of God with power" by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God" (1 John 4:15). "And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5:5), He who may think of Jesus as a mere man, has not a proper conception of his Deity. immanuel: God with Us. "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son and they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Not Jehovah God, not God the Father. The thought to which emphasis is given is that in Jesus, God is with us. How comforting the thought, the assurance to the consecrated man that "God is with us." In Jesus God is manifested in the flesh. Paul applied to Jesus the following words of the Psalmist: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever" (Hebrews 1:8). "In the beginningwas the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:1; John 1:14). There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). All the qualities of Deity reside in him, and all the divine plans for the redemption of man find expression in his mission. Immanuel—God with us, by day and night. How comforting the thought, how wonderful the fact,— God with us. Immanuel! son of man. More often than by any other title Jesus referred to himself as the "Son of Man." When he came to earth he took upon himself the nature of man. (Php 2:7; Hebrews 2:12-14). He was born of woman (Galatians 4:4). He was human as well as divine—the God-man. As a man he suffered as we suffer, and was tempted in all points as are we, yet without sin. (Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15). He is acquainted with our trials, he knows our sufferings. Our littleness, our selfishness, and self-interest often times crowd out sympathy for others and make us cynical; his greatness enables him to be filled with compassion for the unfortunate and the suffering, and makes him a friend of the outcast and downtrodden. He went with Mary and Martha to the tomb of their brother Lazarus (John 11:1-57), and in the hour of agony on the cross did not forget the welfare of his mother (John 19:26-27). The world in its sin and sorrow needed such compassion, and sympathy, and encour­agement as only the Son of man could give. He was & man of sorrow, acquainted with grief; who knew our frailties. He is our fortress and help in every time of need.

LAMB."Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). Why a lamb? Israel was looking for a great liberator to deliver them from the yoke of Rome, and they could not see any place in their program for a lamb, meek, submissive, and defenseless, and they turned away from—The Lamb of God. Yet, he became the sacrifice for the sins of the world, and died that we might live. He "bare our sins in his body upon the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). The sacrifices of the lambs in the Old Testament service were types of Christ. He knew no sin, but suffered as a sinner for us. He "was delivered up for our trespasses" (Romans 4:25). He knew no sin, he committed no sin, as is evidence by the following: Though tempted in all points like as are we, "yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). He was "holy, guileless," though he knew no sin, he was made to be "sin on our behalf" (Romans 5:21), that is he became a sin offering for us—he "gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2).

After his death, burial, resurrection and ascension he entered into new relationships and new titles were applied to him. Man’s needs are numerous, and urgent, and without Christ his condition would be deplorable in the extreme. In Christ every spiritual and moral need of man is fully met.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day, yea and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8). This does not conflict with the fact Jesus has not always occupied the same relationship to man. In the essentials of his character he has always been the same, an unchangeable being, but one can clearly see that he was the Creator of man, (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1), before he became the Saviour of man. A man may be a citizen of his country, and then become the President; and later a Chief Justice. He is the same person all the while but his relationships and responsibilities to the government and the people are different, with the positions held, yet he remains the same person. Christ changed relationships, but remained the same person. saviour."For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). Each one who is lost, condemned, or in danger needs a Saviour. "For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47). "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). "And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Because he saved people he is called Saviour. "And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (1 John 4:14). Let no one become discouraged, for "he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him" (Hebrews 7:25). Though Jesus is the Saviour let no one conclude that he will be saved without complying with the conditions of salvation the Lord hath imposed. The jailor’s question shows that he thought there was something he must do to be saved, for he inquired: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Christ is the Savior of "all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:8-9). Though you are a Christian there is much you must do. "Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16). To Christians Paul wrote: "So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure" (Php 2:12-13).

DELIVERER. Every law has a penalty attached; and he who breaks the law must needs suffer the penalty when the law is executed. Men sinned, became lawless, and justice demands that the transgressor suffer the penalty. "Everyone that commiteth sin is the bondservant of sin." (John 8:34). Having sinned it was not within the power of man to escape the penalty for his transgression; he could not built a high tower and escape; nor could he hide in the wilderness. The blood of bulls and goats could not liberate him from sin’s penalty (Hebrews 10:4). Had his head been waters and his eyes perpetual fountains he could not wash away sin, nor the penalty for sin committed—he could not deliver himself. Jesus came as the deliverer. (Romans 11:26). "Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father: to whom be the glory for ever and ever" (Galatians 1:3-5). Deliverout of temptation: "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation" (2 Peter 2:9). From the law of Moses: from the law which could not give life, "for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law" (Galatians 3:21). We have been discharged from the law of Moses (Romans 7:6). Delivered from the wrath to come. "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Thessalonians 1:10). ransom. A "ransom" is the price paid to redeem one from captivity or bondage. We of the United States like to boast of our liberty, and our rights. What are the rights of men? Have you the "right" to appropriate to your use the property of another? Have you the "right" to do that which is injurious to your neighbor? Do you think there rests on you no obligations save those you voluntarily take on yourself? Jehovah declares "All souls are mine" (Ezekiel 18:1-32; Ezekiel 4:1-17). By creation all men are Jehovah’s and it is man’s obligation to obey his law. But for the fact that his law is over all, one would not become a sinner, for sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). There is no irresistible compelling force which coerces one to sin. Every man is conscious of the fact that he can do right, or wrong, he can do what the Lord says, or he can refuse to obey the demands of the law. "Know ye not, that to whom ye present your­selves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6:16). The sinner has nothing with which to purchase his redemption from the bondage of sin. Jesus came to man’s rescue and gave himself a ransom for all. (2 Timothy 2:6). "For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). "Ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, even the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). "Feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). Without his blood there could have been no redemption.

REDEEMER. Christ is the price paid for our redemption, and he is also the one who paid the price; hence he is also our redemption. "He redeemed us from the curse of the law" (Galatians 3:15). The old law from which we were redeemed dealt death. There was no power in it to give life" (Galatians 3:15). In Christ we have "our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses" (Ephesians 1:7). He "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession" (Titus 2:14). mediator. "There is one God, one mediator also between God and man, himself man, Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:4-5). Man was at variance with God, at enmity with God; and could not approach God without mediation. Christ became the Mediator, the one to interpose on man’s behalf for reconciliation. The Mediator must be one who is not related to either party, or else one who sustains equally related to each party. Who but Jesus could be the Mediator between God and man? Jesus was the Son of God, and the Son of man. As Mediator "he ever liveth to make intercessions" for us (Hebrews 7:25). The work of the Mediator is to bring about reconciliations between the estranged parties—to determine who is in the wrong, and to make known the conditions on which reconciliation might be effected. That man had sinned against Jehovah, and hence was in the wrong, had been determined before Jesus came to bring about reconciliation. He came to reconcile man to God. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled unto God" (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). "Be ye reconciled unto God" It is lamentable that some people have so far misconceived the teaching of the Scriptures that they have incorporated as an article of their faith the following:

"The Son, who is the Word of the Father." The very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the form of the blessed virgin; so that the two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of man"— Discipline of Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Article 2.

It seems to us that such statements as the foregoing from the Methodist Discipline, which flatly contradict the word of God, grew out of a misconception under which the writers of the Discipline of the Methodist Church were laboring, when the Discipline was written. We believe that the great masses of the members of the Methodist Church would not subscribe to such teaching, if they were conversant with the teaching of the Bible. Are you doing your best to teach them?

Out of the doctrine that God must be reconciled to the sinner has grown the whole prayer-system of conversion. It proceeds on the ground that God is the one upon whom the work of reconciliation must be wrought; pleading for God to come down and save the sinner. The theory is wrong. God is willing to save the sinner; to save all who come unto him. The teaching, pleading, exhorting must be directed to the sinner. It is he who has gone astray. He must be brought back. "Be ye reconciled unto God."

PHYSICIAN. The world is desperately ill. The frequent disregard of the marriage vows, the divorce evil, the lowering of moral standards among both married and single, the growing thefts, grafts, murders, have become alarming. The thoughtful in all classes are alarmed. In the general trend of affairs some think they see the near approach of the dissolution of civilization. "The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot, even unto the head there is no soundness in it" (Isaiah 1:5-6). Educators, psychologists, philosophers, and statesmen have put forth every conceivable remedy of man for the world’s ills; but their remedies have proven to be quack nostrums. Is there no balm in Gilead. Is there no physician there?" (Jeremiah 8:1-22; Jeremiah 22:1-30). There is only one physician, only one remedy for the ills of man. Jesus said: "They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17). The remedial system revealed by Jesus, the Great Physician, will right all the world’s wrongs, if only it is allowed to operate in the hearts of men. Have you told anyone of the joys you have experienced? captain - leader. In every congregation of men there will be, must be, a leader. The work to which they are led, and the success which attends their efforts depends on the character and wisdom of the leader, and the faithfulness and loyalty of those who enlist under his banner. Jehovah promised a "leader and commander of the people" (Isaiah 55:4). Jesus is the "author (Margin: Captain) of our salvation" (Hebrews 2:12). Not only is he Divine, but Divine and human; and was tempted "like as are we, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). He knows the temptation through which we pass. As a leader he left an "example, that we should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). "If any man serve me, let him follow me" (John 12:26). "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34). The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). There are blind guides: "And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14) Jesus is the world’s only perfect leader, for only he knows her condition, and the way out. The idea of a leader is also a prominent part of the Shepherd. shepherd. Jesus is our Shepherd. "I am the good Shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me .... and I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:14-15). "Ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25). The shepherd "calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice" (John 10:34). "He leadeth me beside still waters, He restoreth my soul: he guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake" (Psalms 23:3-4.) In this Psalm Jehovah is the Shepherd, but it is also true of the great Shepherd of our souls. The shepherd tenderly cares for his flock. He looketh after their needs and provides for their wants. light. Light is that which makes manifest. "But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light" (Ephesians 5:13). Ignorance is called darkness. "The way of the wicked is darkness: they know not at what they stumble" (Proverbs 4:19). Most of the revolting sins are committed during the hours of darkness, and in secret and hidden places. It is in the dark corners that germs breed, and disease saunters. Ignorance is darkness, sin is darkness, superstition is darkness. Jesus is the light we need. "In him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). From our material sun we receive our natural light. Upon Jesus we must depend for all our moral and spiritual light. He is the sun of righteousness. (Matthew 4:16; Luke 2:32; John 1:4-7; John 5:35; John 8:12; John 1:7). Our spiritual moral and intellectual natures must be illuminated by Christ. "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness" (John 12:46). Christians have been "delivered out of the power of darkness" (Colossians 1:13). "Ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord" (Ephesians 5:7), "and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11).

Think of the darkness that enshrouded the world before Jesus came as the light of men! Even then the world was greatly enlightened by the revelation in the Old Testament. How great would have been our darkness had God never spoken to man. God’s glorious light is seen in Jesus Christ. We may walk in that light, or close our eyes to its glories.

* * * TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION

QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON

When did he become priest? Give proof for answer.

How does one walk in the light? Physically? Spiritually?