HE was the Only One Who Could!
God allows trials for His purpose. Ultimately, an innocent man should never go to prison; should never be tortured; should never be falsely condemned; & most definitely, he should never be put to death.
Whenever we face a trial in life, the devil does not waste time, and he certainly does not waste an opportunity to tempt us with falsehood. Remember, the Lord Jesus Himself referred to devil as the father of lies, and that he tells us what he knows we just might believe whenever we face a trial.
However, Christian believers are to count it a joy when the devil tempts us and tries to make us stumble in all types of ways, for it is because the devil sees the person as a child of Holy God. When a person becomes God’s child, he becomes a threat to the devil.
- Personally, I find myself joyful at the premise that God’s children contain power over the devil’s lies. &
- In reality, I find myself ecstatic to know that the Holy Spirit fills us with God’s power to overcome all temptations the devil might throw our way. &
- Daily, we are reminded how we will one day each stand before Jesus and give an account for the way we lived our lives, for the sins we committed, for the testimony we shared—our relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ.
Consider a conversation Jesus shared, a discourse that provided Peter and the other disciples the opportunity to see the truth, one that helps us daily remember the truth.
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,
(The Gospel According to Matthew 16: 13-17 NAS)
He was asking His disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said,
“Some say John the Baptist;
and others, Elijah;
but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
He said to them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Blessed are you, Simon Barjona,
because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you,
but My Father who is in heaven.”
One day, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Jesus and give an account for that question:
“But who do you say that I am?”
When that day comes:
- The day of judgment will be too late for someone to change his answer.
- The day of judgment will not be a day of false testimony.
- The day of judgment will not be a day filled with lies.
- The day of judgment will reveal ONLY TRUTH!
There are two points needed for understanding—
First, JESUS, was the Only One Who Could Pay the Ultimate Sacrifice on the Cross!
He did for one reason: So mankind could stand as Peter did and proclaim: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Secondly, JESUS, was the Only One Who Could Stand before the whole council, the high priest, and Pilate—Totally Innocent!
- He did so, for one reason: So prophesy could be fulfilled!
- He did so, for you and me to come to know Him as our Savior!
Jesus Christ, the son of man & the Son of God was the one who faced his own false accusations, false testimony, and farce of a trial, and He did so—for you and me!
“Now the chief priests and the whole [Sanhedrin] Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
(The Gospel According to Mark 14: 55-59 NAS)
and they were not finding any.
For many were giving false testimony against Him,
but their testimony was not consistent.
Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying,
“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands,
and in three days
I will build another made without hands.’ “
Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent.”
Surely, God allows trials for His purpose. The innocent man Jesus should never have been placed on trial; should never have been tortured and scourged; & should never have been falsely condemned.
Most definitely, JESUS should never have been put to death!
Nevertheless, HE did & HE was!
Life happens when believers are walking daily through life, doing day-to-day tasks, rubbing elbows with friends, family, & colleagues. As we do (live) the devil does not waste time. He has one goal: tempt us with falsehood, for Satan knows THAT DAY, the judgment day of Christ, is coming! Satan is fully aware how his time is short. He is much aware that one day soon, each man, boy, woman, and girl will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, the throne of God, and give an account of the answer given to JESUS’ question: “But who do you say that I am?”
In the final book of the Bible, the apostle John was given a revelation of the judgment seat of Christ.
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it,
(The Revelation to John 20: 11-15 NAS)
from whose presence earth and heaven fled away,
and no place was found for them.
And I saw the dead, the great and the small,
standing before the throne,
and books were opened;
and another book was opened,
which is the book of life,
and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books,
according to their deeds.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it,
and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them,
and they were judged,
every one of them according to their deeds.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death,
the lake of fire.
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life,
he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
- JESUS was the Only One Who Could Stand Sinless & Who Could Pay the Ultimate Sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross!
- JESUS, the Son of God was the Only One Who Could Pay the Penalty for our Sins!
Easter Season will soon be upon us, and we will celebrate how the Savior has Risen from the Grave. Individually, each one of us must answer JESUS’ question—before THAT GREAT DAY OF JUDGMENT & BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!
Assuredly, JESUS asks each of us HIS question: “But who do you say that I am?” (The Gospel According to Matthew 16: 15 NAS)