Who is this Jesus Guy?

With all the fun going on at CafeJesus, it is quite necessary to explain the reason behind the entire CafeJesus, and the reason behind millions of people's reasons for waking up in the morning. We do not believe Jesus Christ is a mere manifestation of every person's good will, nor is a myth that should be dismissed as an old fashioned storyteller's writings. We believe Jesus Christ was a real individual, a physical manifestation of God's one and only son, who came to Earth to die for our sins so that all who believe in Him would have eternal life in the spiritual world. We believe He and His father (also goes by 'God') are the creators of all things, and one day shall return to Earth and reign His people. Jesus Christ is the direct center of forgiveness of sins, the final authority on all moral values and standards, and the rock which millions turn to.

So what happened 2,000 years ago? Well God sent his son to manifest himself on earth. He did this through divine intervention with the virgin mary (you've all heard the story I'm sure)....he couldn't have just 'appeared on Earth' as God for some very good reasons. First of all, he had to come into this world as a man, so that he could conquer sin as a man, and take the place of man on the cross. If he had come into the world inhuman, his victory over over sin, and his taking our place on the cross would be invalid (would have been cheating). He also had to come into this world as all God so that the forgiveness of sins, annointings he gave, and his teachings were valid. So enter Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago through the virgin mary. He grew up knowing who he was (although his parents didn't fully understand). When he hit 30, he began the mission that he was sent to earth for. First, he overcame sin in the desert. That was a very important victory, for had he been a sinful man, he could not have taken our place on the cross, as he would have deserved the death he incurred. When he died on the cross, he died on the cross for all of us - He absorbed our punishment of God's wrath. That means that if you ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins, and accept him as your Lord and savior, than he forgives your sin and through Jesus' death on the cross, God (the father) sees you as sinless through the eyes of Jesus Christ.

Lets not forget the resurrection though.The resurrection was the most important part of Jesus' Mission on Earth, for if he had not risen three days later from the grave, then that would've meant he hadn't overcome death. If he hadn't overcome death, how could he have been God? If he hadn't been God, how could he have provided forgiveness of sins? Exactly. Christ's death on the cross was designed to put our sin to death, but the resurrection is what brought us a new life. Our new life with Jesus Christ. Here are some scripture verses to better describe the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ...

1PET:3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

ROM:8:10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

JOH:3:16 ś "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

How Does the Bible Apply to...

Homosexuality

This is probably one of the biggest controversial issues right now and unfortunately not every Christian seems to have the correct answer to this question. The truth of the matter is this: The world says that homosexuals have 'no choice' over their sexuality and believe it or not that is 100% correct. They are unsaved, do not have Jesus Christ as their Lord, and are in bondage to sin...

JOH:8:34 ś Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

This is what a lot of Christians, in my opinion, need to understand. Those who are not Christians have no power against sin. They are completely powerless. If you are unsaved, you yourself are a slave to sin, it has mastered you. BUT the great news that unfortunately isn't spread throughout the world as much as it should be, is that Jesus Christ IS what holds the power to change...

ROM:6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

ROM:6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

ROM:6:18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

ROM:6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

1 COR 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

But why change you might ask? Well that goes back to the fact that Jesus Christ is God. The man. Lord of Lords. God didn't create the human body for sexual sin. The act of homosexuality itself is an abomination to the Lord. This includes not only homosexuality, but also stems all the way down to premarital sex. Unfortunately a majority of the world would rather swallow its morals and believe that "its ok as long as you don't hurt anyone" rather than come to repentance. The Bible says that these people will face judgment in the end. Values have degraded so much in the world today that nobody is sure of what to believe, yet the rock solid values that Jesus Christ and the Bible represent have not changed throughout history, are not obsolite, and has proven to lead to a better and healthier life when followed. That's why Jesus created values; because only He knows what is best for us, even when we don't.

The "Good People go to Heaven" Theory

Now this I've heard so many times. "I'm a good person, and I don't see any reason why I need forgiveness for my sins, or to turn to Jesus". Well, that statement alone is sin enough to facilitate the need for forgiveness. From a purely logical standpoint, just the fact that you have rejected Jesus Christ, the son of God, is a sin deserving hell. Each one of us is faced with the option of either accepting or rejecting Jesus Christ as our Lord. If you don't accept him, you reject him. This is basic thought pattern concept. From a scriptural standpoint, I'll let the word of God speak for itself...

ROM:4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

EPH 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

What Do I Have to Give Up?

If you're asking that question, then your heart may need to re-read the part about Jesus coming and dying on the Cross to forgive our sins. I am a firm believer in 'grace by faith' and not good works, however there needs to be a dark line drawn in the ground when it comes to leading a life worthy of Christ. (Phil 1:27). Jesus never once told people to come to him for eternal life, and then go back to your old lifestyle. We are new creations in Jesus Christ! When we choose to make Jesus our Lord, that entails following him. Yes, there are struggles and things we need to change in our life, but when you make Jesus Christ your Lord, your old self dies with him on that cross, and you are given a fresh new life. Faith doesn't come from sacrifice, rather faith should produce the desire to sacrifice all for the Lord. We need to realize how much love it took for Jesus to die for our sins. It wasn't a picnic. People were spitting in his face. Even on the cross a crook next to him spat on him, yet what kept Jesus going was the thoughts of each person in this world who would become on if his Children. His love should break us. When you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord, you will hopefully see even more of this Love, and come to understand it. Our mindset should not be "What do I have to give up", rather it should be "What can I give up". The answer to the question is your will. You need to give your will to Jesus Christ and let him lead the way in your life. He will give you the power to overcome your sin, and he will give you more faith in Him as time goes by. Jesus wants you to turn your will over to him. LUKE 22:42 "Not my will, but yours be done".
Faith in Christ can start out small, as of the faith of a child. If you are afraid of not being able to give up your sin, don't let that stop you from coming to Christ. Ask him to give you the desire to serve him. He will help you.

Recap of the basics

Just to recap the foundation of Jesus Christ, here is a small outline to consider...

Jesus Christ came to earth from Heaven, through Mary, who was a virgin
Jesus Christ led a sinless life
He had foreknowledge of his death on the cross as a means of redemption
After dying on the cross, he rose from the dead three days later
He appeared to more than 500 people, including the apostles
His death on the cross gave us redeption and reconciliation to God through him
Those who choose to reject him and not follow him will not be forgiven of their sins and will face the punishment due them

It is important to note that we all deserve to burn in hell. The bible says that we have all fallen short of the glory of God (no matter how good we are) and deserve death, but the gift of God is eternal life. When you come to Jesus, he forgives you for your sins and makes you presentable before God. This is the only way to enter heaven. Otherwise, we get what we deserve - hell. Hell is a very real thing even though not many people like to think about it. it's not "the devil's home", it's actually a place of punishment created by God. Satan will one day be thrown into it.

Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. He wants to speak to you through prayer, obey him, and follow his leading for your life. He's not some impersonal "being" that just sits in heaven. He's so huge, that he can have a relationship with you personally, and this is what he wants.

Further Study / Committing your life to Christ

If you're interested in learning more about Jesus Christ, Click on one of the links below...

What it Means to Believe	Dissertation on faith of an analytical mind; written by Krioni
Ten Reasons to Believe	A good resource for all the basic questions about faith
Who is Jesus?	Campus Crusade for Christ's Explanation
Four Spiritual Laws Website	Translations in Every Language Conceivable