Without the Person of Jesus there is no Christianity! No one could replace Him as the proponent of The Way. Any other "prophet" could've founded any other system of religion, but Christianity could not have been started or endure with anyone but God the Son Himself. Jesus, in His very nature even from His birth, along with the other two members of the Trinity, is one of a kind.
See, Mohammed was just a man. Any devout Muslim will swear that it was in fact Mohammed that received the Islamic revelation, but there was nothing "of him" that made him irreplaceable. Allah could've chosen any man to receive their revelation just the same. Mormonism was founded by a fellow named Joseph Smith. There was nothing "of him" that made him irreplaceable. The Mormons will swear the Smith was in fact the one God chose, but God could've chosen anyone to restore true religion on earth. Roman Catholicism has a pope today. Anyone could've been the first pope or a pope throughout history. Sure, God chose Peter and the others along the way they'll say, but they all could've been anyone just the same. The Buddha could've been anyone on earth too. Anyone could have attained enlightenment; it was simply Gautama who did so first. And so it goes with just about every religion.
All of these non-Christian views have figureheads or proponents either today or at their start that were either chosen or were instrumental in their foundations, but are not at all required themselves.
Quite the opposite is seen in the light. Paul says, "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain," 1 Corinthians 15:14. It is Him they needed alive, and Him who we need alive just as much today. In John 15:5 Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Seems pretty clear, eh? I could probably cite hundreds of verses to establish this truth. My favorite right now must be John 14:6 which reads, "…I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." There is only one Christ, just as there is only one God.
The Apostles knew they were replaceable, 1 Corinthians 3:5. Their revelation was not (Ephesians 2:20) but they themselves, even like those in false religions, could've been anyone else just the same. Yes, it was Paul who received his revelation, but it could've been anyone just the same. Christ alone, by virtue of His very being, remains irreplaceable. This it true not only as in participation with truth, but as the very source of it.
This is just one more part of the truth that makes the very Person of Christ shine as the central figure of all human history, and as the head of His church.
Leave a Reply