The Names and Titles of Christ
The most commonly known name of Christ is Jesus. The name Jesus appears 683 times in the New Testament, while the name of Christ is found 312 times. The name Jesus is used before His death, burial, and resurrection while the name Christ is found afterward. The name Jesus is used most often in the Gospels while the name Christ is used most often in the Epistles. The name Jesus in the Gospels emphasize His humanity while Acts and the epistles emphasize his exaltation. In the Gospels Christ is pictured as the King of Israel while in the Epistles Christ is pictured as the head of the Church. The name Jesus Christ is a title of our Lord that combines His personal name with His title, Christ. He humbled Himself (Jesus) and now is exalted (Christ). He is also called Christ Jesus. He who was exalted (Christ) was once humbled (Jesus). We can see this in Philippians 2:5-8.
Jesus is the personal name of the Lord, the earthly name under which He was born, lived, and died. It is a name of humiliation, suffering, and sorrow. The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew word Joshua which means "Jehovah our Saviour." This is the name that was nailed over Him on the cross. Before Calvary, it is Jesus who is emphasized and after Calvary it is Christ that is emphasized, Acts 2:35. It is at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, Philippians 2:8-11.
Does believing in Jesus make one saved? Most of the world believes in Jesus, including Muslims, and cults. This does not mean they are saved. On the other hand, most of the world, Muslims, and cults, do not believe in the "LORD Jesus Christ". It is at the name of Jesus that every knee should bow and confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord", Philippians 2:10-11. Never did unbelievers call the Saviour Lord, they called Him Jesus. Never did the believers call Him Jesus, with one exception, Luke 24:19-21. Jesus is Lord (Jehovah, God, Master), He is the Christ, the Messiah, the annointed One, that came to provide salvation for all that believe on Him, and confess with their mouth, not Jesus, but, the "Lord Jesus", Romans 10:9-10.
Please note that while Christ was on earth the men of the world, the lost, and the demons of Satan, all addressed Him as Jesus, but never as Lord. Universalism, Unitarianism, and Christian Science believe in Jesus but say He cannot save. They claim there is no sin to be saved from, but this is not what the Bible says, Romans 3:23. All false religions have the Lord Jesus Christ as the point of its attack, they reason away sin, and the need of a Saviour. In other words, they falsely believe that Jesus did not have to die, He died needlessly and therefore could not have been the Son of God. They assault the deity of Christ.
There are many who believe in God and in Jesus but this doesn't mean they are Christians. A Christian is one that believes that Jesus is the Christ and that He is Lord, giving Him the title of LORD Jesus Christ. A person is saved by declaring that Jesus is Lord, Romans 10:9, and believing that God hath raised Him from the dead. Sin does have a price to pay, one that we can't pay and go to heaven, Romans 6:23. Here it is speaking of the second death, eternal separation from God, Revelation 21:8. Much is said about the Gospel, the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to pay for our sins. This Gospel is defined by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as the death burial and resurrection.
The name Christ means the anointed one. Christ is used in the New Testament while Messiah is used in the Old Testament, also meaning the anointed one.
While Jesus is the personal name of the Lord, Christ is the official title of the Son of God. Christ has been anointed a Prophet, Acts 3:22-23. He has been anointed Priest, Heb 4:14-15, and anointed as King, Luke 1:31-33. We can see in the Gospels that Christ is pictured as King of Israel, but in the epistles He is also Head of the Church.
The name Lord is Christ's title of deity and authority. In the Old Testament. The word God comes from the Hebrew word Elohim, which is the office of God. The word LORD comes from the Hebrew word Jehovah, and is the personal name of God. The word lord or Lord comes from the Hebrew word Adonai, meaning Master. Now note that in the New Testament the word Lord comes from the Greek word kurios and is translated as Lord, God, Master and Sir. The New Testament quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures using the word Lord while the Old Testament word is LORD or Jehovah, Matthew 4:7. In this verse we can also see that Elohim (God) is ascribed to the Lord, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning that Jesus is God.
Jesus was also known as "I AM". This is a title brought forth from the Old Testament into the New Testament. Jehovah God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and at the end of that appearance we see God saying to Moses that "I AM that I AM" and to ". . . tell the people of Israel that I AM hath sent you", Exodus 3:13-14. In John 8:58 Jesus said he was the great I AM, and also in Colossians 2:9, it is clear that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus. Jesus is also know as the Son of God. Luke 1:35 says the Holy Ghost shall come upon Mary and that which shall be born of her shall be called the Son of God. Jesus Himself claimed to be the Son of God, John 19:7, 5:18. Jesus is the Son of God by relation, but a Christian is a Son of God by regeneration and adoption.
Jesus is The Seed of the Woman Genesis 3:15.
Jesus is The Stone of Israel, The Stone rejected by the builders, The Corner Stone, A Stone of stumbling" Genesis 49:24; 1 Peter 2:8; Ephesians 2:20; Luke 20:17.
Jesus is Shiloh (peacemaker) in Genesis 49:10.
Jesus is referred to as a Star and a Scepter in Numbers 24:17
Jesus is known as the Son of Man. Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man in Luke 9:58. We can call ourselves a son of man, but Jesus is "the" Son of Man. Jesus is also known as the Son of Abraham. In Matthew 1:1 we see Christ as the son of Abraham, and again in Galatians 3:16 as the seed of Abraham. Christ was to be a Jew, and was a Jew because He was a Son of Abraham.
Jesus is the Son of David. Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as the Son of David in Mark 10:47.
Jesus is the Son of the Highest. In Luke 1:32 we see that Jesus is not only the Son of David but is given a pre-eminent title as the Son of the Highest.
Jesus is the second man. The first man was Adam, and was of the earth, and earthly, but the second man is the Lord from Heaven, 1 Corinthians 15:47.
Jesus is the Last Adam. The bible mentions two men as Adam, and Jesus, as the Last Adam, so no other man of this type is to follow. All the world is divided between these two men or headships, Adam and Christ. All mankind is of Adam by natural birth. Those that are of Christ are only those who have experienced a new birth, 1 Corinthians 15:45.
Jesus is also known as Emmanuel. The word Emmanuel means God with us and is another proof that Jesus is God, Matthew 1:23. The Lord Jesus is "God with us" and who will never leave or forsake us, Hebrews 13:5-6.
Jesus is referred to as the "Word" in John 1:1-2.
Jesus is referred to as a "Saviour" in Luke 2:11.
Jesus is called a Rabbi in John 1:38. Rabbi comes from the Hebrew word meaning teacher.
Jesus is referred to as Master in Matthew 9:11. The meaning in this verse is an instructor. The world today recognizes Christ as a great teacher and the Muslims acknowledge that he is a prophet, but they will not own Him as Lord.
Jesus is not only our instructor, He is our God, our Jehovah, our Lord. Jesus is called God and and also Lord, John 20:28.
Jesus is called Messiah, the one of the Old Testament that would deliver mankind from sin and death, who the Jews were looking forward to, John 4:25-26.
Jesus was the Alpha and Omega, These two letters, or words, begin and end the Greek alphabet. This describes the eternal nature of God, the beginning and the end, Revelation 1:8; 22:13.
Jesus is known as the "Redeemer" which is one who delivers another from bondage by paying a ransom price. The ransom price in mankind's situation is death, Romans 6:23, and this is the reason that Christ died on the cross, Mark 10:45; Titus 2:14.
Jesus is called the "Light of the World". He brings the only true light- the knowledge of God- and those who do evil hate the light because their deeds would be reproved . Men love darkness because their deeds are evil, John 3:19-21; John 8:12.
Jesus is called the "Lamb of God". This is a reference to the Old Testament sacrificial system where God accepted the blood of animals as a covering until the Lamb of God would be sacrificed, John 1:29, 36. It is the blood of Jesus, who was sacrificed as the Lamb of God, that makes atonement for sin - and cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:7.
Jesus is called the "Bread of Life". Jesus supplies our true spiritual nourishment, John 6:35.
Jesus is known as "The Way", "The Truth", and "The Life". Jesus is the only way to heaven and is the only source of truth, and is the foundation of life, John 14:6.
Jesus is referred to as "The Chief Corner Stone" and there is no salvation in any other name. This chief corner stone is the only way to salvation. Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:6; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Matthew 21:42; Psalms 118:22-23.
Jesus is know as the God of Abraham, God of Jacob, and God of Isaac. Jesus said, "I am God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, Matthew 22:32.
Jesus is called, "God of the Whole Earth", Isaiah 54:5.
Jesus is "The Good Shepherd", John 10:11, 10:14.
Jesus was known as "The Great Shepherd", Hebrews 13:20.
Jesus is known as "The Great God", Titus 2:13; Nehemiah 8:6; Deuteronomy 10:17; Proverbs 26:10.
Jesus is known as "The Lord of lords", 1 Timothy 6:14-15
Jesus is known as the King of Kings 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Revelation 17:14; Matthew 2:2.
Jesus was known as the "Prince of Life", Acts 3:15.
Jesus was known as a "Prince", Acts 5:31.
Jesus was "Prince of the Kings of the Earth". This is found in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Revelation 1:5.
Jesus is known as "The Righteous Judge", 2 Timothy 4:8.
There are dozens more, but from those above we can see that Jesus is God, that He is the Son of God, that He is our Savior, our righteous judge, He is our redeemer, and many more things. Jesus gave His life to pay for our sins. Today we must choose between life, John 3:16-18, and eternal separation from God in a lake of fire, Revelation 20:12-15. This decision must be made while we are living, for immediately upon death comes the judgment, Hebrews 9:27. To put off your decision is a decision, a decision for eternal separation from God in a lake of fire.
