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“But who do you say that I am?”

Does God care what I think about Jesus?

Jesus asked this question 2,000 years ago. However, today it is the most critical question you will ever answer. How would you answer it? Can you answer it correctly?

On the surface, it seems a simple question of identifica-tion. But God cares immensely how you answer it be-cause your eternity is at stake.

Does God care what I think about Jesus?

Yes, because we have a problem. It all goes back to when our ancient father Adam, the first man and father of us all, was given permission by God to eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: “In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

Adam sinned. He disobeyed God and ate from the forbidden tree. His disobedience brought not only physical death to him and all of his descendants, but also spiritual death—separation from God. Although his physical death wasn’t immediate, as was his spiritual death, both were certain. The penalty of death passed to each of us as Adam’s descendants.

Anytime we fail to do as God says, we sin. God teaches in Scripture that we are responsible for our sins, and they separate us from Him. The prophet Ezekiel declared, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). A God of justice has declared His intention to judge each of us for our sin. The prophet Isaiah said emphatically, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2).

God says our hearts deceive us into believing we are good before Him (Jeremiah 17:9). We believe our good deeds are enough to please Him. However, Isaiah tells us, “We are all like an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Does my dilemma matter to Jesus?

Contents

Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 4

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. 4

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. 4

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 4

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. 4

The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry www.foi.org

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Does my dilemma matter to Jesus?

Did Jesus have to die for me?

God loved you enough to get Jesus involved.

Think about this: All of us would be lost except for the fact that the God of justice is also a God of love. Genesis 3, the same chapter that tells of Adam’s sin, promises a remedy to death. In Genesis 3:15, God announced that He had a plan to redeem mankind and all of creation from His judgment for sin.

The Scriptures unfold for us God’s plan to redeem us through One known as the Messiah and Savior. Messiah in New Testament Greek is translated “Christ.”

It is God who provides the way of salvation: “Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save” (Isaiah 59:1). “There is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior” (Isaiah 45:21).

God shed the blood of animals to clothe Adam and Eve after their disobedience (Genesis 3:21). In Exodus 12 it was the blood of an unblemished lamb applied to the doorposts of each home that saved the firstborns at Passover from God’s judgment of death. In Leviticus, God teaches, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). God’s love provided a way to atone, “to cover over,” our sins through the blood of an unblemished sacrifice.

Did Jesus have to die for me?

Animal sacrifices, which were required yearly, were not sufficient to cover our sins forever. We needed a Redeemer—someone who could stand in our place, take the punishment we deserve, and set us free from having to pay the penalty for our sin. To be acceptable to God as the final sacrifice for our sins, our Redeemer needed to be unblemished—sinless.

God loves us so much that He provided His own Son, the Son of Promise (Isaiah 9:6)—the Redeemer, the Messiah—Jesus the Christ, to take our punishment upon Himself. Seven hundred years before the Redeemer’s arrival, Isaiah said the Messiah would first come to Earth and pay our redemption price—His unblemished blood in exchange for our souls:

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. . . . But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4–6).

The Lord told us His Messiah would die: “And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off” (Daniel 9:26). It was necessary that He die in order to atone for our sins, something we could not do for ourselves without suffering eternal punishment and separation from God. Rising from the grave, He proved He conquered sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

Is Jesus my only answer?

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” 4

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 4

Isaiah 45:21 Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. 4

Genesis 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. 4

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ 4

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 4

Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 4

Daniel 9:26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 4

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 4

The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry www.foi.org

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Is Jesus my only answer?

Who is Jesus to you?

The Messiah alone was qualified to make the atonement because He was sinless. How could a man live a sinless life? The only way was for Him to be both human and divine. Psalm 2 identifies the Messiah as the Lord’s Anointed (Psalm 2:2) and the Lord’s Son (Psalm 2:12). Isaiah presented God as two distinct persons: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 44:6).

In Proverbs, Agur asked a question about God: “What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?” (Proverbs 30:4). The identity of God’s Son is eternally important! Through the prophet Daniel, the Lord warned us that someday He will resurrect the dead to life to face their judgment, “some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2).

The way to everlasting life with God is through faith in His Son—the Redeemer, the Messiah. The way of faith is the same today as it was in the day of Abraham: belief in God and His promised Redeemer: “He believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

When Jesus asked one of His Jewish followers, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15), the man answered, “You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God!” (Matthew 16:16). Another Jewish man identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Who is Jesus to you?

Today Jesus asks the same question of you: “Who do you say that I am?” Your answer will determine whether you are raised to eternal life or eternal judgment and condemnation.

If you choose to reject Jesus Christ as the Messiah and your Savior, the Bible teaches your name will not be written in the Book of Life, resulting in everlasting judgment and eternal separation from God after you die. God calls this eternal death the “second death” (Revelation 20:11–15).

But God loves you deeply! It is His great desire that you not perish (2 Peter 3:9). By believing that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself to pay for your sin and that He arose from the dead because He is God, you will inherit eternal life with Him and not eternal judgment (Romans 10:9–13, Colossians 1:14).

If you believe in Jesus as your Savior, the Bible says God will no longer see you as a sinner but as His righteous child (2 Corinthians 5:21); and you will enjoy a home with Him for all of eternity (John 14:1–3).

Now that you know who He is, will you believe in Jesus today?

Jesus is asking you now, “Who do you say that I am?”

Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 4

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 4

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. 5

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. 5

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. 5

Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 5

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 5

Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. 5

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 5

Romans 10:9-13 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 5

Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 5

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 5

John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 5 If you can’t answer this question confidently and would like to discuss the claims and work of Jesus Christ with

someone, please contact Steve Herzig at 800-257-7843.

“Who do you say that I am?”

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The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry www.foi.org

References

Click verse to go back.

Genesis 2:17 Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Isaiah 59:2 Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Isaiah 64:6 We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

Isaiah 45:21 Tell and bring forth your case; yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me.

Genesis 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 53:4–6 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Daniel 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

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The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry www.foi.org

References

Click the verse to go back.Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the

Lord and against His Anointed.

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.”

Proverbs 30:4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Revelation 20:11–15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Romans 10:9–13 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 14:1–3 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

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