Throughout the realm of religious beliefs, there appears to be a thread that runs through them all. Jesus rarely finds a place of nonexistence, but for the small minority who would hold to the belief that Jesus never existed, they simply are not embracing the facts. Ignorance is a mark of a man who would dare to say, “Jesus never existed.” As a result, virtually everyone would find some way in their theological grid to explain the nature of this Man.
When it comes to the Hindus, they would quickly elevate the name of Jesus and embrace Him as one of many gods. However, the Bible would not say that Jesus is one of many gods, but rather that He is the one true God and the only God. If you were to talk to a Muslim, you would encounter a person who would also believe in a form of Jesus Christ, but who would go on to say that Jesus was not God or the Son of God but only a man who was a great prophet and teacher to the Jewish race.
If you were to bring things seemingly closer to home and ask a Jehovah’s Witness what they thought about Jesus, they would not make much of the Savior, but rather tell you that Jesus existed as Michael the Archangel before He came to earth. They would say He was never God nor will He ever be God, but rather He was just a man who lived a good life. Yet again, if you asked a Mormon to tell you about Jesus, he would tell you Jesus is one of many gods and that you could be a god like Jesus one day if you embrace Mormonism and hold to its teachings.
Even the atheist would have something to say about Jesus. Only an atheist that totally denies historical facts would come to a conclusion that Jesus never existed. Therefore, even those who hold to a belief that there is no God would still properly come to a conclusion that Jesus actually existed and even that Jesus was a man who was crucified on a cross.
All of this is startling as the Man Christ Jesus is readily seen as someone Who really lived and really walked on the face of the earth. So the question is not, “Did Jesus really exist?” The question has a modern twist but goes something like this, “…Who do men say that I the Son of man am?” (Matt. 16:13). Let us not forget the answer that was given: “And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets” (16:14). While many people had their own thoughts concerning Who Jesus was, it was those who knew Him best that knew rightly. Scripture says, “He saith unto them, ‘But whom say ye that I am?’ And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:15-16). Peter emphatically declared that Jesus was the Savior of the world and the Son of God.
Seeing the Savior
In the book of 1 John, the author is John himself. He is battling against false teachings that have found their way into the church. A primary focus in John’s epistle is John’s attesting to his witness of Christ and also the apostles’ witness of Christ. At this point in history, John was the last apostle standing. Church history would allude to what appears to be the martyrdom of the other eleven apostles (plus that of Paul himself).
So here is John, standing alone, fighting the good fight of the faith. The teachings that he was up against consisted of thoughts that were reminiscent of Platonic thoughts but were what may have been the beginnings and foundations of Gnosticism. Church members were being told that the spirit is good and that matter is evil. Therefore, Jesus could not have come in the flesh but rather was only made to appear as though He did. It is possible they thought that Jesus would have appeared as a phantom or something of that nature. Therefore, Jesus’ physical body did not actually die on the cross either even though it did appear as though this occurred.
Yet again, what can be seen here in the book of John is another group of people seeking to define who this great Man Jesus Christ really is. The defining never seems to stop. However, who would actually be the ones capable of telling the world Who this Jesus really was? Would it be Hindus (who were not with Jesus during any point in His ministry)? Would it be Muslims (who hold to the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings, although he lived 600 years after Jesus and never met the man)? Would it be Jehovah’s Witnesses (who hold to Charles Taze Russel’s teaching, although he lived during the 1800s and is separated from Jesus by nearly two millennia)? Would it be Mormons (who hold to the teachings of Joseph Smith, who also lived during the 1800s)? Could atheists possibly know the real Jesus and find Him through the scientific method?
John’s witness
What makes sense is to ask those who were actually with the Savior. John’s witness goes something like this (in 1 John 1:1-4): “I know there are others who say they know who Jesus is. However, they do not have the credentials that I have. I spent three years with Jesus each and every day, and during that time, I heard His voice. I also saw Him perform many miracles and perform many amazing feats. Along with that, I actually touched Jesus with my own hands. He was not a phantom; He had real flesh. I know Who Jesus is, and so do the other apostles. Believe what we are telling you about Him – we were the ones who knew Him best.”
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for the witness of John. Thank You for giving me Your Word and for the many accounts within it that attest to Jesus being my Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.