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People may know the name of Jesus from the festivals Christians celebrate, such as Christmas, Easter, or Good Friday. But have you considered who Christ claimed Himself to be? Not from the perspective of a religious person or from someone who claims to be a “Christian,” or what you may have heard on TV, movies, or the internet. Here are a few claims that Jesus made about Himself in the Bible.

1. Jesus claimed that He never had a beginning and that He is God:

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5). “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but also said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18). In contrast, we cannot claim ourselves to be equal to God. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10-12).

2. Jesus claimed that He was sinless:

Jesus, when confronted by the religious leaders of His day, said, “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?” (John 8:46). No one could find fault with Christ; even Pilate, the Roman governor during His trial, declared, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4b). But we cannot say that we have never done wrong against God, who is perfect in holiness. God does not want us to bear false witness—that is, to lie, desire something which is not ours, or have a hateful thought towards someone. Have you lived in perfection all your life? We have not been able to do that. “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). We have broken God’s perfect law.

3. Jesus claimed that He was life and hope:

Not just the Giver, but He Himself was that life and hope and the only way (door) to have our relationship restored with our Creator. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:9-10).

4. Jesus claimed that there is a Heaven and that there is a Hell:

He warned regarding the seriousness of that literal place called Hell when He said, “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-48).

5. Jesus claimed that He would die and rise again:

“Then he [Jesus] took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18:31-33). “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:6-7).

6. Jesus claimed that He was the ONLY way to the heavenly Father:

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus 3:5a).

7. Jesus claimed that when we receive Him, we receive life, not only to live in victory over sin but also for eternal life after we die:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which 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). We receive new life and are born of God through a Person, not through a decision or an intellectual agreement to historical facts.

Dear friend, if you consider the claims of Christ, you soon realize that He was more than a mortal man; He was that One true God represented in human flesh, in the Person of God’s Son.

We also realize that we can never be perfect in the eyes of God, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And God says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20a), “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a), and “The wicked shall be turned into hell” (Psalm 9:17a). Has God shown you the truth that God’s perfect requirement can never be met by our good works, doing charity, keeping the “golden rule,” religion, or by any other means? Do you realize that your sin has offended a good God more than it has hurt others, and you stand guilty before Him? Do you see that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

If you have thus been convicted of your sin against God and you have been made sorry to God for it, God’s call for you is to “repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15b). “To repent” is to turn from your sin in willingness to forsake them and turn to Christ by faith, realizing the work He has done on your behalf in taking your place. He died for you that you might have life. Jesus took your place that you might be freed from the bondage of sin. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Do you see that your only hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you have the faith to believe that He is the way, that He is the truth, and that He is the life? Not based on a religion or a creed, or someone else trying to prove it to you, but because God Himself is revealing this truth to you by the inward persuasion of His Holy Spirit. If you have thus been convinced, flee to Him for mercy. The publican cried in submission, “God be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13b). God says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Cling to Christ to save you for He promised that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Christ will save you and bring sweet assurance by His Holy Spirit that you have passed from death unto life. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). Do not delay: “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2b). I hope and pray that God will impress these truths to your heart, for Jesus alone can satisfy the emptiness in your life.

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