Dear Skeptics: Who is Jesus?

At True North Church we welcome skeptics with open arms. We know that putting everything aside and believing in God seems hard, that it's so easy to wrestle with questions, find answers, and overcome doubt. But that's the beauty of faith. Once you take the leap, Jesus wipes the rest away.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" - Isaiah 1:18

We are here for you during your exploration of Christianity and what it means to follow Jesus. Whether you read the blogs, email us, or join us on a Sunday, we are here to help you process and answer questions. Let's first start with the basics:

WHO IS JESUS?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

Jesus is the son of God. Our Savior of the world who died on the cross for our sins, paying the ultimate sacrifice so that we might find Him and our place in Heaven. He has authority over all and it's through his sacrifice and resurrection that we know he even has authority over death.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." - Matthew 28:18

So let's start from the beginning. When God created humanity, he didn’t create us to be controlled. Adam and Eve were the first humans to walk with God and enjoy all of the goodness that God had intended us to live in, free from sin and darkness. But the Devil, who is our enemy, came and tempted Adam and Eve to sin by disobeying God.

This is where the Gospel begins. The actual word “gospel” means “good news" and the good news is that due to sin, we are so lost and broken but God became flesh and paid the ultimate price for our sins. He became a man, Jesus of Nazareth, who lived an ordinary human life, distinguished only by the fact that he never once sinned. He kept all of God’s laws, both internally and externally, and having done so, he transferred all the credit for that obedience to those who love and trust him... us. It is because of what Jesus did for us on the cross that we even have the ability to have a relationship with Him.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Tim Keller said it best, "Being reunited with God … doesn’t depend on our own efforts. It is not the quality of our faith that saves us, but the quality of the One in whom we put our faith: Jesus."

Now believing in Jesus, the son of God, who paid our ransom on the cross, our savior, the King of Kings isn't easy and it's not free. There will be skeptics out there who want to distract you from the freedom from sin and unconditional love. It's a battle against sin and darkness. But guess what? By giving Jesus our lives and believing that He gave His, we are protected; clothed in an impenetrable armor.

SO WHAT'S NEXT?

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9

If you have more questions or if you feel you are ready to take the leap and receive salvation through faith, then reach out to us via the contact form or email us at info@truenorthpgh.org. We believe that every person, no matter what they have done, will experience tremendous life change once they feel and experience the amazing love of Christ.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" - Ephesians 2:8