Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:18-23
The Annunciation
In this Gospel of Matthew account of the birth of Jesus Christ, he declares that the angel of the Lord announced that this Son would be called both “JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins,” and “Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Just as God’s presence was with the Children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings (Exodus 25:8; 29:45), God would now be physically with us in the person of Jesus Christ which is referred to as the Incarnation.
The Incarnation is a view that lies at the very foundation of the Christian faith. This is the basis for the belief that the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, willingly took on human form and revealed Himself as fully God and fully human at the same time. This theological mystery is encapsulated in the prophecy by Isaiah.
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
Isaiah 9:6-7
In the opening verses of the Gospel of John we again see this doctrine laid out as the first foundation stone for understanding the plan and purpose of Jesus Christ on the earth.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:1-4
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:10-13
Jesus reiterated this understanding concerning Himself by constantly making claims that only God should make. When asked the direct question regarding His claim of being the Messiah, Jesus answered them in no uncertain terms.
Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. “But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”
John 10:22-30
At the core of this doctrine is the revelation of the heart of God. The redemption of humanity through the personal sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the chief objective of this divine visitation. The apostle Paul writes,
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
The Incarnation enables believers to experience a restored relationship with God, marked by forgiveness, grace, peace, and the hope of eternal life. Because this truth is so important to the divine process of the redemption of humanity, Jesus warned His disciples during His end-times discourse. “…Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4,5
John the apostle declared the importance of the doctrine of the incarnation of Jesus by stating,
“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
1 John 2:22, 23
The Attack
From Eden to the end-times scenario, Satan is following a predictable pattern of deception. The apostle Paul unveils this demonic deception by stating,
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”
1 Timothy 4:1
A doctrine is defined as “a principle or position or the body of principles in a branch of knowledge or system of belief.”1 Simply put, a doctrine is the formalized expression of a foundational belief.
What are these “doctrines of devils” Paul warns us about? Satan often relies on deception through disinformation. Misinformation is defined as accidental un-truth where disinformation is the intentional misrepresentation of the truth. Therefore, doctrines of devils are creeds that offer counterfeit truths.
Paul expressed his fear for the wayward church in Corinth by saying,
“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!”
2 Corinthians 11:3,4
Another Jesus
The deception of the antichrist is to present a “pseudo-Christ” (an alternative Christ). Not everyone who names the name of Jesus mean the same person as revealed in the Bible.
The Jews say they believe in Jesus. They accept that He was a historical figure but do not accept Him as the Messiah. Judaism teaches that it is heretical for any man to claim to be God, part of God, or the literal son of God. The Jerusalem Talmud states explicitly: “If a man claims to be God, he is a liar.”2 The Jewish scholar Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204) commonly known as Maimonides states, “Jesus of Nazareth who aspired to be the Mashiach and was executed by the court was also alluded to in Daniel’s prophecies, chapter 11:14 which states: “The vulgar among your people shall exalt themselves in an attempt to fulfill the vision, but they shall stumble.”3
The Muslims say they believe in Jesus. But they identify Jesus as “Isa. “His message was pure Islam, ‘surrender to Allah.’”4 They go on to assert that, “Isa’s original disciples were also true Muslims, for they said ‘We believe. Bear witness that we have surrendered. We are Muslims.’”5 The Quran states, “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, (“Be!” – and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Ruh) created by Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: “Three (trinity)!” Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allah is (the only) One Ilah (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son.”6 Although the apostle Paul claims that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the true Gospel,7 the Muslims claim that although Christians believe “Isa died on a cross, and Jews claim they killed him, in reality he was not killed or crucified, and those who said he was crucified lied.”8
The Mormons say they believe in Jesus. But they do not believe that Jesus was born of the virgin as described in the Bible.9 They proclaim that “the birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood - was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers.”10 They go on to say that “Jesus is the literal spirit-brother of Lucifer, a creation.”11
The Jehovah Witnesses say they believe in Jesus. But they teach that “the Son of God was known as Michael before he came to earth.”12 In the JW version of the Bible, John 1:1 reads, “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” They suggest that Jesus “was a powerful godlike one. Clearly, Jesus is not Almighty God.”13
The Roman Catholics say they believe in Jesus. But in their veneration of Mary, they define a diminished Jesus. The Jesus of Roman Catholic doctrine is eternally connected and dependent on His mother Mary. She is “the Queen over all things,”14 our “Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix,15 who is “full of grace,”16 the “Mother of God and our mother.”17 It was Mary who “crushed the poisonous head of the most cruel serpent and brought salvation to the world”.18 It is she who “delivers our souls from death,”19 and “continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation”.20
The Cult’s Critique of Jesus
It would seem that every major religion in the world has some kind of statement concerning the person of Jesus Christ. I do not know that any other character associated with a religious practice has been maligned as much as Jesus.
Buddhism teaches, “The doctrines of the divinity and the resurrection of Christ are outside the province of rational thought .... Christians are schizophrenic.”21
Transcendental Meditation teaches, “When Christ said, ‘Be still and know that I am God,’ He also meant ‘Be still and know that you are God.’”22
Scientology teaches, “Neither Lord Buddha nor Jesus Christ were Ots, that is, Operation Thetans, enlightened beings according to the evidence. They were just a shade above clear that is, relatively low on the Scientology scale of spiritual advancement.”23
Edgar Cayce said, “He is an example for man, and only as a man, for He lived only as a man, He died as man.” 24
Christian Science teaches, “Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus Himself declared, but is the Son of God.”25
Way International teaches, “We, as well as Jesus Christ, were with God in His foreknowledge, but not in existence, before the world began. Neither did Jesus Christ”26
The Unification Church (Sun Myung Moon): - “It is a great error to think Jesus was God Himself. Jesus is no different from other men.”27
Church Universal and Triumphant teaches, “Jesus was both the actual and symbolical representative of this Christ Self. Jesus was the example, the one who self-realized the Christ Mind and was at one with It at all times.”28
Christadelphian teaches, “Jesus is a man, not God. He was the Son of God and salvation requires acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour. Christadelphians believe that since Jesus died, he cannot be God, because God cannot die.”29
The Masonic Lodge teaches, “Freemasonry carefully excludes’ the Lord Jesus Christ from the lodge and chapter, repudiates His mediatorship, rejects His atonement, denies and disowns His Gospel, frowns upon His religion and His church, ignores the Holy Spirit...”30
Unitarian Universalism - “do not regard him [Jesus] as a supernatural creature, the literal son of God who was miraculously sent to earth as part of an involved plan for the salvation of human souls.”31
Unity School of Christianity teaches, “Most of our religious beliefs are based on the [erroneous] idea that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.”32
The Divine Life Society Integral Yoga Institute (Sivananda/ Satchidananda): “Remember that Christ is not a person, It’s an experience-Christhood. Like Nirvana or Buddha. It’s an experience…”33
Why this Global Distortion?
Why is there so much deception surrounding the person of Jesus? Peter answers that question when John and he were brought before the Sanhedrin.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: “If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:8-12
In the end, Jesus is not defined by what others believe and teach about Him. He is defined by the revelation by Scripture only. Clearly, we are living in the days when there are so many misrepresentations of the Jesus of the Bible. If you are confused or have questions about the Biblical Jesus Christ, please review the teaching by Chuck Missler called
“Jesus: Who and Why?”
Notes:
2 Mishnah Ta’anit 2:1
3 Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 11
4 Surah Âl ‹Imran 3:84 (Quran)
5 Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:111(Quran)
6 4:171 Quran (Translated by Muhsin Khan)
7 1 Corinthians 15:3,4
8 An-Nisa’ 4:157
9 Matthew 1:22
10 Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115
11 Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15
12 Reasoning from the Scriptures, p. 218
13 You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, p. 40
14 Catechism of the Catholic Church 966
15 Ibid 969
16 Ibid 722
17 Ibid 2677
18 Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus
19 Catechism of the Catholic Church 966
20 Ibid 969
21 Noah S. Brannen, Soka Gakkai, Japan’s Militant Buddhists (Richmond, VA: John Knox Press, 1968), pp. 98-99.
22 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Meditations of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (New York: Bantam, 1973), pp. 178,123-24
23 L. Ron Hubbard: Ability Magazine no. 81 [c. 1959 p. 31.
24 Association for Research and Enlightenment, reading no. 900-10 from Circulating file: Jesus the Pattern and You, p. 53.
25 Mary Baker Eddy: Science and Health Key to the Scriptures, p.361
26 Paul Wierwille (Jesus Christ Is Not God pp. 31-32).
27 Young Oon Kin, Divine Principle and its Application (HSA-UWC, 1968), p. 75.
28 The Lost Teachings of Jesus p.241
29 Christadelphian Messenger no.46 The Word Made Flesh p.3
30 The Masters Carpet (Ezra Cook Company of Chicago, 1879), p. 87.)
31 Waldemar Argow, Unitarian Universalism-Some Questions Answered (pamphlet) (Boston, MA. Unitarian Universalism Assoc., nd.), p. 6.
32 Charles Fillmore, Unity (periodical), October, 1976, pp. 59-60.
33 Satchinananda Speaks p.47-48 June 17, 1975
