JESUS IS THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH

Who is an author?

An author is a person who starts or creates something (such as a plan or an idea)

Who is a perfecter?

A perfecter is a person who completes, or makes something whole and perfect

An Author according to this definition has sole ownership over something. Rather He chooses how and when it is done. It is his and it is up to him how it is ran and managed. Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2).

It is not only in the book of Hebrews that Jesus is rightly claimed the Author and the perfecter of the faith. The book of Hebrews only made it quite easier to understand and perceive. But on many occasions, Jesus taught that everything concerning this faith is up to Him. He started it, He paid for it and He manages it. Jesus possesses all the rights over this faith.

That Jesus is the perfecter of the faith means that He is not only the Author of the faith, but that its very success depends on Him. In Him is all that is required to make the faith work all through. Without Him in it, it is not, and it is an assured way to fail.

How is Jesus the Author and perfecter of this faith?

Jesus is the Author and perfecter of the faith because it all started with Him. There can't be a thing called Christianity if not for Jesus Christ. He is the perfect sacrifice that made it possible that this faith becomes reality. He suffered overwhelming humiliation and pain so we can have it. He paid full price for it by way of His shameful death on the cross (Matthew 27:32-56), (Luke 23:26-43), (John 19).

And when He rose from the dead, He rightly claimed all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He had paid in full price. He bought us back to God. It is of Him to sustain us all through. Upon this, it is only in and through the name of Jesus that we pray. And the authority that is housed in His name by way of His sacrifice and His perfect being, makes it that when we pray in His name, it so happens as we pray (Matthew 21:22), (Mark 11:24), (John 14:23, 14:13-14).

How does Jesus run the church yet He is not literally on earth?

Jesus is the head of the church. The church is of Christ and upon this, it is to be called the Church of Christ.  The headquarters of the church is in heaven. When Jesus went back to heaven, He did not entrust the management of the church to anyone else.

Take for example the case of the disciples. They had been with Jesus all the way to the cross. They ate with Him and shared much with Him. They met with Him when He rose from the dead. They saw Him ascend to heaven.

Yet all this was never good enough to sanction them for Christ and ready for ministry. Rather despite all that, the disciples could never do a thing until when Jesus set them off by sending them the Holy Spirit. Upon this, He commanded and directed them to go to the upper room and wait on the Holy Spirit who would empower them to perform. And indeed, it was after they were sent the Holy Spirit that they began to minister and act boldly (Acts 2).

So, simply having seen and been with Jesus is not reason to be His minister. There is some other power which a person is supposed to receive from Jesus as proof that he has been called to minister. This power only comes by the pouring on of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32).

How Jesus directs the Church

Jesus directs the Church through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does nothing that He is not been directed from Jesus (John 16:13-14). So, even when the Holy Spirit comes, He testifies of Jesus (John 15:26). Rather The Holy Spirit does not act on His own. He passes on only that which He is been instructed by Jesus. For Jesus has all the authority over the faith.

Yet this is not to imply that the Holy Spirit can go wrong, or that He can lead us in the wrong way. No not. How can He when He is God? So, each of the three (Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) in one has a role to play. The Holy Spirit plays His role by identifying for and accomplishing us in the matters of God.

So, Jesus instructs us not to labor what to say or to make meaning of what we say (Luke 12:11-12), (John 14:26). For we can't and it is not of us to. But when the Holy Spirit comes, He empowers and directs us so that we become strong and irresistible (Matthew 10:18-20).

In this then, Jesus is the Author and the perfecter of the faith because He has done everything that makes Him so. And any and everything concerning this faith rests with Jesus.

Jesus is the light set before us which keeps burning and which guides us in the way of God. We look to Jesus for spiritual progress and strength.

The Faith is Christianity. This Faith is founded on the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Christ and so He is the reason Christianity is. Those therefore who follow in Jesus' footsteps are called Christians (Acts 11:26).

The term Christian means to be like Jesus in spirit and character. Jesus therefore is the one setting the example for Christians. Everything that Christians engage in or do must have been done or instructed by Jesus who also is the Christ. For Jesus is the perfect example set before us (John 13:12-17). We are blessed when we obey Him (Jesus).

To this, Jesus does attest. He said He does nothing of His own. Everything He does, He is learnt from the Father (John 5:19-24). And the Father does indeed affirm that the Son is His. Upon this, God the Father instructs us to listen to whatever the Son instructs us (Matthew 3:17, 17:5), (Mark 1:11), (Luke 9:35).

But there are some looming questions to be answered. These questions if answered can guide us to a satisfying conclusion. And if well answered, it will give us the opportunity to stand the ground for what we believe or do not believe in.

•  Why or why not Jesus?

•  If not Jesus, who should it have been?

• Could another sacrifice be as perfect?

• Why is Jesus' sacrifice as perfect?

• Was Jesus simply appointed?

• Does Jesus qualify to be called Author and Finisher of our Faith? If yes, how?

Why or why not Jesus?

Jesus is the Son of God. To this, God the Father, the host of heaven, the men, and the demons do attest (Matthew 3:17), (Mark 1:11, 5:7), (Luke 1:35, 8:28, 22:70), (John 3:17), (Romans 1:3-4), (2Peter 1:17).

That our redemption required a God man could only be provided for by the same. Jesus is the Son of God. Only Jesus has the blood and the attributes of God. Scripture does attest that we are all sinners. If to be redeemed, it required one who is over and above sin and that is the God man Jesus Christ. For a criminal cannot stand surety for another.

Jesus is God (Matthew 1:23), (John 1:1-3, 5:23, 8:24, 8:28, 8:58), (Revelation 1:17-18). No human blood could have ever saved man. And yet the blood of animals could only be used to atone (cover upon). The blood of animals cannot cleanse away sin. It is the blood of Jesus which cleanses away sin. And it is sin which brings enmity between man and God.

But Jesus who also is the Son does nothing that He has not learnt from the Father (John 5:19, 5:30, 12:49). He listens to the Father pretty carefully. And in this, the Father is pretty pleased with the Son.

Who else pleases the Father like the Son does? Who else should have taken the place of the Son? How would you answer these questions? But if no one else pleases the Father like the Son does, then the Son qualifies for the position.

Well, it is not a wishful matter. The Son is well positioned and in addition to this, the same Son offered to manage the project. By the offer of the Son, the world is remitted of sin. And this is exactly what God the Father wanted to be done. And because the Son was there when the Father wanted Him, the world is restored. Thus God is now with us. For we are and always to be in the reign of Jesus Christ.

The Son is rightful and upright. All the rest of us are sinners. Only one stands out and that is Jesus Christ. Despite that many traps were targeted at Him, He did not succumb to any of them. For He remained rightful and upright even unto death.

It is thus upon this man that God the Father built this new movement. This new movement like its Head (Jesus Christ) is zealous for holiness and righteousness. Without holiness and righteousness, no man can see God or make it to heaven (Hebrews 12:14), (1Peter 1:15-16), (Romans 12:1), (Philippians 2:5), (2Timothy 1:9), (Ephesians 4:20-24).

Holiness and righteousness is the proof  of the presence of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31), (Mark 3:28-29), (Luke 12:10), (Acts 7:51), (Ephesians 4:30), (1Thessalonians 5:19). And when we are holy and righteous, then we bear fruit.

This man (Jesus Christ) authors and perfects our Faith by way of His holy and righteous nature. It is then Jesus who justifies and presents us to the Father. For Jesus' death was only a process of redemption.

For that, scripture calls this man (Jesus Christ) the Author and Perfecter of the Faith (Christianity). Whatever it requires to be Christian is with and in this man (Jesus). The energy, the rhythm, the love, the commitment, the passion and the faith to be Christian is derived from continually looking to Him (Jesus).

It will be severely punishable for anyone who denies Jesus (Hebrews 10:27-29). For in Jesus, the grace of God is manifested. Besides Jesus, there is only condemnation to eternal death.

When we cease to look to Him, we surely lose in all that makes us Christians. Rather the passion and the rhythm for holiness and righteousness is pretty lost. And this pretty much is a fact that a person has deviated from Jesus and His cause.

Jesus underwent drilling and approval exercises by the Father and the Host of heaven, and of men. Jesus was never found wanting in anyway. Looking to Him is the assurance to victory.

Jesus overcame any and every temptation (Matthew 4:1-11). For even when it required shameful death on the cross, He carried on doing just that (Matthew 27).

Jesus did not seek to retaliate in anyway; neither did He seek to revenge. Jesus' only revenge is that we are saved. He kept Himself to the mission. He excellently passed all the drills. We therefore do not just wishfully follow after Him; He surely gives us reason to do so.

If not Jesus, who should it have been?

If there was another, or rather if there is another who can add up, then we could have readily accepted and followed him. And if Jesus wasn't the Christ, it would have been rather as obvious. Yet who else can claim exceptional? Jesus is irresistible (John 6:68). Jesus said if we seek to avoid Him, then it is to our own detriment (John 5:43), (Matthew 10:33).

Well, everyone of us will continue to talk great, but we can only carry on doing the most ordinary and obvious things.  Rather we are all pretty vulnerable (John 8:34), (Romans 6:16). Jesus came to give us the strength to overcome sin. For because Jesus came, we are no longer slaves to sin.

Who is the mighty?

The mighty is not the one who claims he is. It is not the one people claim is. The mighty is not the pastor, the apostle or any other title in the body of Christ. For the mighty is the one who does the will of God. And the will of God is being in conformity to His commands.

For spiritual wisdom or the wisdom of God for that matter is doing the will of God (Matthew 6:10, 7:21-23), (Luke 6:46), (John 6:38-40, 7:17), (Romans 12:2), (Ephesians 5:17), (1Thessalonians 5:18), (Hebrews 13:21-23).

Happy and blessed is he who listens to, understands and keeps the word of God (Luke 11:27-28). For it is not for the one who is a pastor or an apostle. Rather it is not for the one who preaches powerfully, nor is it for the one who has a big command.

This pretty implies that it does not matter what position you are. Holiness and righteousness is not a matter of what position one is. For it is a matter for those who look to God for every bit.

Who is like Jesus???!!!

Could another sacrifice be as perfect?

Well, apart from being as perfect a sacrifice, not one else has ever offered an alternative. But even when offered, the offer has to be justifiable. Rather, not every offer or gift is justifiable. For it must measure up. Jesus' sacrifice is just as perfect (Matthew 27:24), (Luke 1:35), (John 8:29, 19:4), (2Corinthians 5:21), (Hebrews 10:1-18), (1Peter 1:18-19).

Was Jesus simply appointed?

The answer to this is an outright NO. At this point, I believe that we have examined every bit. We have done a dichotomy by way of scripture. We have dissected this man (Jesus) and inside Him, we can only testify holiness and righteousness. Questions have been asked which no one can answer either way. And there is empirical scriptural and historical evidence that can't be disputed a bit.

Jesus is indisputably tried, tested and duly proven. For God wanted exactly this type of person. And Jesus is that man (the God man). For it is Jesus' character that surpasses human understanding. It is this man who by way of His perfect sacrifice offered to die on the cross for the remission of sin. Jesus surely is exceptional.

Why is Jesus' sacrifice as perfect?

Jesus' sacrifice is as perfect because Jesus is holy and righteous. We have already said and examined that not every offer or gift is justifiable. For this is not a wishful matter. It required certain specifics which not everyone can afford. Say for example, it is not true that a doctor or accountant or any profession is born so. It is not so that everybody can be everything. Jesus is the Savior.

For being doctor or accountant comes by training or nurturing. But Jesus was born a Savior. Rather He was born for the purpose of remitting the world of sin. Jesus' purpose was predestined by the Father. For prophecy about the coming of Jesus is right way back in the Old Testament (Genesis 3:15, 9:26, 12:3, 17:19, 18:17-18).

Does Jesus qualify to be called Author and Finisher of our Faith? If yes, how?

If all evidence points in the direction that Jesus is the Christ by way of His person and character. And that He is tried, tested, and proven. Adam failed terribly. And sin found its way in all the rest of us.

For by the disobedience of one man, we are all made sinners. And by the obedience of one man (Jesus Christ), we are counted righteous (Romans 5:19). The righteousness of Jesus is imputed on us from Him (2Corinthians 5:21). It is this sin which separated us from God and put us in spiritual darkness.

The second man (Jesus Christ), unlike the first man (Adam) came and passed all the trials, the tests and the temptations. And that He extremely excelled in all these extreme encounters and restored the relationship between us and God the Father. It is then reliably satisfactory beyond doubt that He is the Author and Perfecter of our Faith.

Rather Jesus answered the BIG question. The question is: how is man reunited with God? And the answer is; man is reunited to and with God by way of submission to Jesus Christ who also is the God man and the perfect sacrifice for the remission of sin. And this He did by crucifixion on the cross. Thus the cross is the point of renewal by way of Jesus' offer on it. For at the cross, we are forgiven and reunited with God.

In Jesus is every promise that benefits and nourishes the spirit (John 16:33), (Romans 8:16-17), (Galatians 3:18, 3:29), (Philippians 4:6-7), (1Timothy 4:8). The promise of eternal life is only real in Jesus Christ. It is so because it is only Him who promised to die and rise again. Jesus is alive.

But if He did not die like some people do falsely claim, it is still reasonable for me to believe on and in Him. For who else has lived for two thousand years???!!! So then, looking to Jesus is the assurance of a sound start and a successful race to the finishing mark.

In the same spirit, as followers of Jesus, we should expect to be tested of the same, if we are to be approved for Christ. But if we cease to look to Him, we surely lose in all strength. Thus Jesus admonishes us to follow in His footsteps if to make it.

We ought to understand that there is no profit in putting all our hope in this world (Matthew 16:24-26). We can only have everlasting peace in Jesus Christ. For if Jesus overcame, we are assured that if we submit to Him (Jesus), victory will be on our side (John 16:33). A Christian must keep relevant to Jesus by following right in His footsteps.

Jesus is the cornerstone of all those who love not only to be called Christians, but those who love to meet the Father (Matthew 21:42), (Acts 4:11). Without Jesus, any house surely collapses. If we keep with Jesus, then we can build a lasting house of faith. Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our Faith. The only man (God man) to ever live without sin. To the glory of the Father.