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Identifying the Christ

1 John 2:2 and 1 John 5:1

 

If you trust a false Christ, you are antichrist. If you would trust the Christ of God, you must know who he is. You cannot trust an unknown Christ. This is what the Book of God says. — ÒWho is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.Ó If you trust the Christ of God, the Christ revealed in the Book of God, you are born of God. — ÒWhosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God

      In one verse of Holy Scripture (Daniel 9:24) a clear, unmistakable distinction is made between the Christ of God and every false Christ. By the things recorded in this one verse of Holy Scripture we are given all that is needed to identify the true Christ from all imposters. Here is a prophecy concerning the Christ of God, the Messiah, of whom all the Law and the Prophets spoke throughout the Old Testament. Here are six things God the Holy Ghost tells us the Christ must accomplish, six things JehovahÕs righteous Servant must perform for the salvation of his people.

      In the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Daniel we have DanielÕs great prayer which he offered to God for himself and the children of Israel, confessing the sins of the people, extolling GodÕs greatness and majesty as God, and seeking his mercy. Then the man Gabriel appeared to Daniel, assured him of the coming of Christ and of our SaviorÕs great accomplishments as our Savior at GodÕs appointed time (Daniel 9:20-24).

      In verse 24 GodÕs prophet declared these six things by which the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the divinely inspired Word of God, has saved his people from their sins. — ÒThere is no other God that can deliver after this sort!Ó

 

Finish the Transgression

First, Gabriel told Daniel that when the Christ appeared, when the Messiah was cut off, crucified and slain at Jerusalem, in the midst of the 70th week he would, by the sacrifice of himself, Òfinish the transgression.Ó That is precisely what our blessed Savior did when our transgressions were laid on him, made his, and borne by him, when he carried them all away in the stream of his precious blood, when he made satisfaction for us. They shall never be seen or brought up again!

 

An End of Sins

Second, the Lord Jesus came here in our flesh to Òmake an end of sins.Ó Yes, our blessed Savior abolished the sins of his people forever when he paid to the full the price of our ransom, by the sacrifice of himself! He made an end of sins, all the sins of those people for whom he suffered and died (1 John 3:5). No charge can be brought against us. No curse of the law can reach us. No sentence of the law can be executed upon us. No punishment can be inflicted on us. We are entirely and completely saved from all our sins and all the evil consequences of them forever!

 

Reconciliation for Iniquity

 

Third, the Son of God came into the world to save his people from their sins by making Òreconciliation for iniquity,Ó by making blood atonement for it. By his precious blood, by the sacrifice of himself, by his sufferings and death, the law and justice of God were fully satisfied, full reparation was made for the injury done by sin, for all our iniquities (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

 

Everlasting Righteousness

Fourth, our dear Savior came here Òto bring in everlasting righteousnessÓ for his people, to restore that which he took not away, righteousness by which he magnified the law and made it honorable. He earned righteousness for us by his obedience and bestowed righteousness upon us by his grace. It is his righteousness that we receive by faith in him. And it is an everlasting, indestructible righteousness. This righteousness is a robe of righteousness that will never wear out. Its virtue to justify will continue forever. It is perfect righteousness, the very righteousness of God!

 

Seal Up the Vision

Fifth, by his obedience unto death and his resurrection from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ Òsealed up the vision and prophecy.Ó That is to say, ÒHe fulfilled all the law, all the prophets, all the types, and all the promises of the Old Testament Scriptures.

 

Anoint the Most Holy

Sixth, Christ came here Òto anoint the most Holy,Ó not the most holy place, but the most holy people (Galatians 3:13-14). GodÕs elect, Christ redeemed, being born again, are Òmost holy,Ó not comparatively holy, but Òmost holy,Ó perfectly holy, absolutely holy. Being washed in his blood and born of his Spirit, we have in him, with him, and by him that Òholiness without which no man shall see the LordÉChrist in you the hope of gloryÓ (Hebrews 12:14; Colossians 1:27).

Imagine that! Poor, ruined, wretched sinners like you and me are called by our God Òthe most Holy.Ó Washed in the blood of Christ, clothed with his righteousness, and sanctified by his Spirit, we are in union with the Lamb of God, Òthe most Holy!Ó

ÒWith His spotless garments on,

Holy as the Holy One!Ó

Rejoice, O my soul, rejoice! — ÒFor he hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Ó (2 Corinthians 5:21) — ÒWhosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.Ó (1 John 5:1) — And ÒWho is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.Ó (1 John 2:22) — ÒHereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.Ó (1 John 4:2)

I believe, I confess, joyously I confess that Jesus is the Christ. He has accomplished all that God in the Book has declared the Christ would accomplish. He who saves after this sort, He alone is God; and He alone is the Christ, the Messiah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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