The Biblical Jesus Offers Hope

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, 
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17: 3, ESV)

Do you know the only true God? Do you know the biblical Jesus whom God sent?

Why biblical Jesus instead of just Jesus? Because most major religions acknowledge Jesus as being only a great teacher and prophet. He is so much more. The Bible proclaims who Jesus truly is. He is the Jesus sent by God to rescue us, the Jesus who came to offer us abundant HOPE, out of love for us.

Who is the only true God?

 To discover the answer, let’s first consider what the Bible says about the Trinity.

The Trinity represents one God in the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[Jesus said to his disciples,] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Each of the three is God. They are united in purpose. They work together toward the same ultimate goal: to save sinners and teach us how to become more like Christ.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14, NLT)

God the Father is a spirit whom we cannot see. Jesus the Son is the same God, who God sent to earth as a human so we could better understand the true character of God from Jesus’ example.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Colossians 1:15, NIV)

The Holy Spirit is the same God, as an invisible spirit. After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, he sent the Holy Spirit to live within the hearts of all people who turn from sin and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

…so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:11-13, ESV)

[Jesus said,] “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17, ESV)

As a person, Jesus would not have been able to spend time with every person worldwide who would choose to follow him. But as the Holy Spirit, he can be anywhere with everyone who receives Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

[Jesus said,] “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:25-26, ESV)

The only true God is the God who loves people enough to sacrifice his Son to take the punishment for sin that we deserved. He is the God who offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life. He is the Father of all who receive Jesus by faith.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, ESV)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9, ESV)

The only true God is the God who wants us to live with him forever in an environment where love, joy, and peace abound. He is the God who offers abundant HOPE to those who trust him.

Who is the biblical Jesus?

Jesus is the Son of God.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17, NKJV)

He [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-17, ESV)

Jesus is God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:1, 14, 17, ESV)

[Jesus said,] “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30, ESV)      

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form… He is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10, NIV)

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being… (Hebrews 1:3a, NIV)

Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One.

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:25-26, ESV)

Jesus is the only Savior.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11, ESV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17, ESV)

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… (1 Timothy 1:15, NIV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV)

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12, ESV)

Jesus is Lord of all people.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, ESV)

Thanks be to God, for the biblical Jesus! For this Jesus has the authority to offer people HOPE that exceeds our comprehension. For the biblical Jesus is the Son of God. He is the only true God. He is the Messiah, the Anointed One. Jesus is the only Savior, and Lord of all people. What power, what authority he has to offer us HOPE!

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18, NIV)

The First Coming of Jesus

Jesus first came in humility with grace and truth as a servant of God, overflowing with love, mercy, kindness and compassion for people. He came to heal the sick, restore hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind. He came to seek and to save lost hurting people. He came to suffer and die, to take the punishment we deserve so that our sins could be forgiven.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6, NIV)

Most of all, Jesus came because he loves people. So great is his love, that he was willing to shed his blood and give his life so we could have HOPE of being reconciled to God. That HOPE is still available to all who turn from sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ.

…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

Has Jesus risen from the dead? Is He alive?

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6, ESV)

[The Apostle Paul wrote,] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, ESV)

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19, ESV)

…The Lord has risen indeed… (Luke 24:34, ESV)

The Second Coming of Jesus

Christ’s return to earth is imminent. This time he will come in power as judge to reward his saints and punish those who have rejected the Son of God. For those who chose to reject Jesus, all hope of salvation will be lost forever. That is not because God rejected them, but because they rejected God’s only Son.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:36, NIV)

At his second coming to earth, Jesus will gather those who have believed in him.

Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man [Jesus] coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:30-31, NIV)

God’s people will live and reign with him forever. It will be like God intended it to be from the beginning, and what humans have always longed for. No more crying or pain. Evil will be replaced with good. All hatred, sadness and fear will be gone, never to return. Instead, there will be eternal love, joy and peace. Life will be so much better than any human being can imagine, and it will last forever.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:3-5, NIV)

This is what the biblical Jesus has made possible for you and for me. This is the HOPE he offers to each of us. It is God’s will for people to experience the joy and peace of being in His presence forever.

[Jesus said,] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3, ESV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13, NIV

JEFF ROSENAU is founder and president of the ministry, Christlike Dialogue. He is the author of Christlike Dialogue and When Christians Act Like Christians. Jeff has over 30 years’ experience teaching biblical principles that equip people to engage in conversations that are honoring to God.