Our World Belongs to God Part 5 of 10 | Christ: Verses that Inspired the Testimony for Comparison, Study, Meditation, and Prayer
Previous posts on how and why it is good to know that "Our world belongs to God":
Preamble | Creation | Fall | Redemption
If, like Psalm 24:1 says – "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it" – then it is good to see how all of the Scriptures not only declare this good news, but how Jesus showcases the fulfillment of such good news because we have a good God who has not only created our beautiful world, but is fully invested in healing the brokenness through His redemption and restoration.
Our World Belongs to God – Christ
23. Remembering the promise to reconcile the world to Himself, God joined our humanity in Jesus Christ—the eternal Word made flesh. He is the long-awaited Messiah, one with us and one with God, fully human and fully divine, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
24. As the second Adam, Jesus chose the path we had rejected. In His baptism and temptations, teaching and miracles, battles with demons and friendships with sinners, Jesus lived a full and righteous human life before us. As God’s true Son, He lovingly obeyed the Father and made present in deed and word the coming rule of God.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5:12-21
God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” He also said, "I will put my trust in him,” that is, “I and the children God has given me.” Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus ... preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” – Hebrews 2:10-18, 4:14-5:2; Mark 1:1, 14-15
25. Standing in our place, Jesus suffered during His years on earth, especially in the tortures of the cross. He carried God's judgment on our sin—His sacrifice removed our guilt. God raised Him from the dead: He walked out of the grave, conqueror of sin and death—Lord of Life! We are set right with God, given new life, and called to walk with Him in freedom from sin's dominion.
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. – Hebrews 5:7-9
“I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” – Matthew 28:5-7
Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” – 1 Corinthians 15:23-27
26. Being both divine and human, Jesus is the only mediator. He alone paid the debt of our sin; there is no other Savior. We are chosen in Christ to become like Him in every way. God’s electing love sustains our hope: God’s grace is free to save sinners who offer nothing but their need for mercy.
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. By the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. – 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:11, 14-15; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 1:3-4
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. By the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. – 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:11, 14-15; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 1:3-4
27. Jesus ascended in triumph, raising our humanity to the heavenly throne. All authority, glory, and sovereign power are given to Him. There He hears our prayers and pleads our cause before the Father. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
I am writing this to you
so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate
who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who
is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. Because we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So
let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will
receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it
most. – 1 John 2:1-2; Hebrews 7:25, 4:14-16
I also pray that you will
understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe
him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now
he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything
else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And he raised us from the
dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms
because we are united with Christ Jesus. Since you have been raised to new life with
Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in
the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. – Ephesians 1:20-22, 2:6; Colossians 3:1-4
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