1244. No Man Ever Claimed What Christ Claimed
No Man Ever Claimed What Christ Claimed
"I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father" (Joh_16:28).
We would stand astounded at the claims of Jesus Christ, had He been a common man.
1. What Christ claimed as to His advent. Christ said unto Nicodemus: "No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man which is in Heaven."
Christ said to the Jews: "I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven."
Christ said to the disciples: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world."
Where is the man who has ever spoken thus? We know that all other men have come into the world through natural birth, but Jesus Christ seldom spoke of His birth; He did speak frequently of coming forth from the Father.
2. Christ claimed equality with the Father. He made Himself more than man, yea, more than the greatest of men. He made Himself equal with God.
He made Himself more than man when He said: "A greater than Solomon is here." The Lord accepted Divine worship, which God commanded man should not receive. He said, "Ye call Me Lord and Master, and ye do well." He said unto the disciples: "All hail! and they came and held Him by the feet and worshipped Him."
He said concerning His equality with God, "I and My Father are one." "As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." He said, "The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works."
3. Christ made claims as to His Deity in the use of the striking term, "I am." Christ said: "I am the Door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." No other man would have dared make such a claim.
Christ said: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." No other man ever dared to breathe such words.
Christ said: "I am the Bread of Life," "I am the Bread that came down from Heaven, He that eateth of Me shall never hunger." No other man ever made such a claim.
Christ said: "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die."
Other men made foolish claims to deity, but they belied their claims. With all their claims, even Caesar, or Alexander, or any pope would never have dared to claim what Christ claimed. The strength of all Christ's claims, lies in the fact that they were all verified. There are millions to-day who proclaim Him the Door, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Bread, the Resurrection and the Life.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR