Admitting that Jesus is the Messiah, Lord and Savior, is the decision all Christians make before they can move forward in faith.
So, Peter acknowledges this in the study reading from Mark 8.
But, Who is Jesus Christ?
He asked the disciples who other people, and they thought He was.
In these Bible verses from Mark, Peter finally admits that Jesus is the Messiah.
Who do you believe He is?
Peter Confesses Christ and Admits He is Messiah
Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?”
They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.”
And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
And He warned them to tell no one about Him. – Mark 8:27-30 NASB
Jesus the Messiah according to Peter
From this Scripture, we learn that, who other people say Jesus is counts very little when it comes to our own personal belief.
Christ wanted to know what other people said about Him. But, most importantly, He wanted to know that the disciples knew the truth.
Our Personal Savior
We cannot count on the opinions and beliefs of others for our salvation.
Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is a personal decision. So, each of us has to make that decision in our own way – and in our own time.
No one else can do it for us.
Free Will to Accept or Deny
God gives us free will and does not force himself on anyone.
Although we can tell others about Jesus, and/or pray for a person to come into the light, we cannot do it for them.
Truth is, we can’t save anyone! Only God can save.
Our job is to love, serve and share; gently.
Intellect and Curiosity vs. Faith
Just being curious about Christ, reading about Him, or even admiring His work and ministry is not enough.
Crowds followed Jesus throughout his ministry. And, some believed.
But, others just wanted to see the “show“, which consisted of miracles and teachings – such as they had never heard before.
Don’t Become One of the Crowd
We must refrain from being just “one of the crowd” and make a personal commitment to accept Christ. And, we must believe that He is our personal Savior.
After we become disciples, we must then be a light and example to bring others into the kingdom of God.
Jesus – More Than Messiah
When Peter admitted Jesus was the Messiah, he was speaking from a Jewish background. Now, we have the advantage of knowing the rest of the story.
In reality, Jesus was more than the Messiah. According to John, He was God in flesh.
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as ofthe only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
So, our relationship with Christ is the same as our relationship with God.
The Commandments of Christ
Jesus commanded us to:
- Love God
- Love each other
- and make new disciples of Christ.
If we can accomplish these three (simple) things, we will have fulfilled the commandments and will receive a blessing from them.
Do you only admire Jesus and His work? Or, do you truly believe He can save you from sin?
The decision to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus is yours and mine alone.
So, let’s make the right choice.
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to go here.