That we may learn that our LORD Jesus Christ is unique, clearly distinguished from all prophets and leaders of all other religions of the world.
All the prophets and leaders ofthe great religions ofthe world claim to have a revelation from God. They also claim to know and lead the way by which their followers can enter into peace and favour with the Supreme God. In appraising the claims of these great leaders of religion, it is important to relate their messages with their life history and testimonies. When this is done, we will see clearly that our Lord Jesus Christ is unique. For this reason, we should attach utmost value to His teachings, claims and promises.
He is different from every other in the following ways:
He was born in a way that no other human being was born. Naturally, a baby is conceived as a result of a sexual relationship between a man and a woman. Put in modern scientific language, we will say a baby is conceived when a woman's egg is fertilized by a man's sperm.
In the case of the conception of Jesus, His mother Mary did not have any kind of sexual connection with any man. She miraculously conceived the baby Jesus by the power ofthe Holy Spirit. So Jesus had no biological father. That is why He can rightly be called THE SON OF GOD (Luke 1:35).
For the 33 years He lived as a man on the planet earth, Jesus lived a sinless life! It was frue He was falsely accused on several occasions. However, He was never convicted of breaking any moral or civil law. Then, according to God's plan, it was time for Him to be crucified. Before Govemor Pilate was arm-twisted to sign His death warrant, he examined Him thoroughly. Then he declared publicly and repeatedly that he did not find Jesus guilty of any offence (Matthew 27: 19-26; Luke 23:13-24).
No other Prophet or religious leader in human history is known to have never committed any sin all his life (Romans 3:9-12; 1 John 1:8). This being the truth, only Jesus Christ qualifies to MEDIATE between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5, 6), since He alone has no case to answer in God's court.
Naturally when a person sees death approaching, he runs for his dear life. No sane person will allow his opponents to kill him, especially when he knows that it is within his power to defend himself effectively and stay alive. The response of Jesus Christ to the approach ofdeath was different.
It wasn't that His enemies rounded Him up and He could not escape. As matter of fact, He refused to defend Himself or be defended by any Of His well wishers (Matthew 26:47-51). He then went ahead to demonstrate His UnqUestionable capability to vanquish His assailants there and then, if He had wanted to (John 18:3_ 9). Why then did He die?
Jesus died as a substitute for you and me. He voluntarily suffered the shame, pain and death that is due to you and me. As He died sacrificially, His sinless blood that was shed on the cross became a sacrifice acceptable to God for the forgiveness of the sins ofall who believe in Him (John 1 :29; 3: 16).
Because ofHis unique sacrifice for the sins ofthe world, 'there is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). He himselfassures us that He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
In different places and at different times, there have been reports of people who came back to life after they had been certified dead. No doubt those were miracles. In all such cases, however, the individuals concerned eventually died again.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was unique. In all of human history, Jesus Christ has been the only one who died, was buried, rose from the dead and never die again! Unlike all others, He remains alive for ever after His resurrection (Hebrews 7:25).
This unique Jesus will soon come back to earth. At His first coming, 'He suffered and died so that we will live and not perish. Till now, He is still knocking at the door of every heart that is yet to accept Him as Saviour and Master (Revelation 3:20). He is pleading that they accept His love, so that His sacrificial death on their behalf will not be wasted, and that they may not perish but have everlasting life (Matthew 11:28-30).
When He comes back, He will not come begging and pleading again. Rather, He will come to judge the living and the dead, based on how they responded to His loving appeal while they had the opportunity (Acts 17:31).
