What is the importance of Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ?  Most creator-based religions use the Bible as a source for their faith, while Christianity uses the Bible as the source for its faith.  Likewise, these religions recognize the existence of Jesus as an important religious figure.  However, there are various views on the importance of Jesus.  In the Bible, we find Jesus asking Peter the question “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15b NIV)  This same question remains today among religions – who is Jesus Christ?  The main creator-based religions are Judaism, Islam, Christianity, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Baha’i Faith.  Some of these religions teach Jesus Christ was a prophet, a teacher or a false messiah.  Others refer to him as the archangel.  Yet some believe Jesus is a person who became a god.  While others believe Jesus Christ is God. 

Judaism teaches that Jesus Christ was a false messiah who was merely a prophet or a teacher.  In the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah predicted that the messiah, or the “anointed one,” would be a descendent of King David (the son of Jesse [I Samuel 17:12]) with the words – “A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit…In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the people; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:1, 10 NIV)  Additionally, Isaiah prophesied about a deliverer who would come from a virgin birth – “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).  Judaism believes this prophecy has already been fulfilled by the deliverance from the Israel-Syria coalition during the invasion of Jerusalem around 735 B.C., rather than the prophetic birth of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 8:3-4)

Islam teaches that Jesus was a prophet who served as a Messenger of God to guide the children of Israel with a new message.  The virgin birth of Jesus is referenced in verses 16-21 of the chapter of Mary (Maryam) in the Quran.  In verses 19 and 20 of the Book of Mary, Gabriel tells Mary "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy." and she responds with the words, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"  In verse 21, Gabriel responded back with the words, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us.  And it is a matter [already] decreed.'"  Further on in verse 30, Jesus speaks the following words as an infant, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah.  He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet….”  (Quran 19:19-21, 30.  Sahih International Translation) 

Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is God, the Son, and that there is only one true holy God of love eternally existing in three persons – God the Father, God the Son [Jesus Christ] and God the Holy Spirit.  The three persons are equal in all divine perfection with one another.  Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the deliverer who would rescue the people from their sins.  In the Book of Genesis, after God created the earth, the concept of a triune Godhead is inferred with God’s words, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness….” (Genesis 1:26 NIV)  The Prophet Isaiah later spoke the following words of the Lord, “…I am the first and the last; apart from me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6 NIV)  In the Book of Matthew, Peter responds to Jesus, “You are the Christ [or Messiah], the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 NIV)  Isaiah’s prophecy that the Messiah would be a descendent of King David is fulfilled through Jesus’ lineage. (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1, 6, 16)  Similarly, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is considered the spiritual fulfillment of the Prophet Isaiah’s prophecy concerning a deliverer called Immanuel who would rescue the people from their sins. (Matthew 1:18, 21-22)  In the Book of Revelation, Jesus Christ equates himself to God with the words, “…I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One….” (Revelation 1:8 NIV)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) teaches that Jesus Christ was the begotten son of God who became a god.  In the Book of Genesis, the Lord refers to the people as “the sons of God.”  (Genesis 6:2 NIV)  In the Book of John, Jesus apparently reiterated this point when he responded to the Jews with a quote from Psalms 82:6, “I have said you are gods?” (John 10:34 NIV)  According to Section 131 of the LDS book – The Doctrines and Covenants – a man must be married in the temple in order to become a god.  “In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.”  (D&C 131:1-3)  In Section 132, the following conditions must also be met in order to become a god – “And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations…” (D&C 132:7)  Further along, verse 20 of Section 132 explains what the highest degree of heaven is for men who meet these aforementioned conditions, “Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them.” (D&C 132:20)

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was Jehovah God’s archangel – Michael.  According to New International Version of the Bible, Jesus is “…the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:15 NIV)  However, the New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses corrected version of the Bible) of the same verse reads, Jesus is “…the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15 NWT)  In Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul describes how Jesus “… will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel…” (I Thessalonians 4:16 NIV)  The New World Translation has also corrected this verse to say, “…the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice….” (I Thessalonians 4: 16 NWT)  In the New Testament, Jude refers to “the archangel Michael.” (Jude 9 NIV)  In the Book of Revelation, while there was a war in heaven, “Michael [the archangel] and his angels fought against the dragon….” (Revelation 12:7 NIV)  Therefore, by deductive reasoning, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus and the archangel Michael are synonymous with one another.  

The Baha’i Faith teaches that Jesus Christ was an important religious leader, equivalent to other leaders such as Moses, Buddha, Confucius, and the prophet Muhammad.  According to the writings of Shooghi Effendi, the Guardian and appointed head of The Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957, he lists Jesus Christ as one of the prophets of God with the following words:  “The divine origin of all the Prophets of God—including Jesus Christ….”  (The Promised Day is Come, p. 107, 1980 revised edition)  Baha’u’llah, the founder of The Bahi’i Faith, also wrote that God revealed himself through different persons, to include Muhammad and Jesus – “As to the matter of names, Muḥammad, Himself, declared: ‘I am Jesus.’ He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and testified that they were all of God.” (Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 21, 1990 pocket-size edition)     

Overall, there are major differences among the creator-based religions concerning their answers to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15b NIV)  The one thing all of the creator-based religions, other than Christianity, have in common is that they teach you must do good works to earn your salvation, because they believe Jesus was only a prophet, a teacher, an archangel or a man who became a god.  Conversely, the key factor that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions is everything is done out of thankfulness and gratitude to God, since it teaches salvation is a gift from God through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul clarifies this position with the words, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)