No one’s perfect and everyone will sin – miss the ‘mark’. Because of this and God’s desire to dwell with us, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. All we have to do is believe that, act appropriately out of our faith, and repent of sinful behavior for God to save you from His future wrath.

You’ll find several references in the Bible to Jesus: Messiah, the Christ, His Christ, our Christ, and Jesus. Why so many names and titles? It’s important first to understand that His name isn’t Jesus Christ.  It isn’t as though someone named Jesus was born to Mr. and Mrs. Christ.

The name of Jesus is just a loose translation of the Greek word Iēsous for Jehoshua, Jesus’ proper Hebrew name. The word Christ is a title, not a proper name, which comes from the Greek word Christos – anointed one, or Messiah.  So, Jesus Christ is a loose translation of Yehoshua the Messiah. Interestingly, the Bible also refers to Jesus as God’s Christ (His Christ):

And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” —Luke 23:35.

I think the reference to Jehoshua as God’s Christ is appropriately used to label the Son of God sent as the Christos – Messiah – to save mankind through His sacrifice and resurrection. God asked Him to do this; Jesus was obedient to live and die among men so God could raise Him on the third day to fulfill a promise and serve as a sign for all who would believe and follow.

So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”; just as He says also in another passage, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation —Hebrews 5:5-9.

Yehoshua’s reward for His obedience? A seat at the right hand of God the Father of Spirits, a right earned by redeeming and reconciling mankind to the one true God, which is certainly His one overarching will.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. —Acts 5:30-31.

Son of God. Redeemer. Savior. These are all good ways to refer to the one who has offered everlasting life. Believe and follow!

Keep an eye out for “Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don’t Discuss!” scheduled for a mid-2015 publication. There, you’ll find roughly 60 topics related to daily life (such as sex, religion, finances, tattooing, and everything in between!) along with practical application of God’s guidance for navigating those difficult waters!

And, for a very comprehensive and detailed study of the very important topic of God’s judgment to come and rescue from it, feel free to read my 2011 guide titled, “Finding the End of the World” available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and from www.ronbraley.com in paper and e-book formats. In the guide, you’ll find roughly 500 pages of building blocks to help you do your own complete and unbiased study based on Scripture and history!