“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (John 9:35) The gospel of John records that Jesus opened the eyes of a man who had been blind from birth. The Pharisees later put the man out of the synagogue for his unwillingness to renounce Jesus. Jesus then found him and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Dear friend who reads this, let Christ put the same question to you. Do you believe in the Son of Man? Ponder the question in four ways.

 Do you believe in His identity? Christ here called Himself the Son of Man. It is the title by which He most often referred to Himself. It identifies Him as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel in which the Son of Man was given everlasting dominion and a kingdom in which all peoples, nations, and languages serve Him (Daniel 7:13-14). The term emphasizes both His divinity and His humanity. Witness another occasion of its use by Christ: “He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” (Matt 16:13-16). He is the great Prophet who is the Word of God incarnate. He is the great High Priest who takes away the sins of His people. He is the Messiah who is the King of the nations. He is the Son of the living God, equal in essence with His Father. He is the One by whom all things were created (Col 1:16) and who upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Col 1:17). He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is Jesus, the Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

Our condition before God is determined by what we believe about Christ. The scriptures say, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). The stakes are no less than eternal life. Jesus Himself said, “unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). How much, then, depends upon our belief in the person of Christ! An eternity! Eternal blessedness or eternal destruction! How, then, will you respond to the question? Observe the blind man’s response: “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” (John 9:36). This was not willful ignorance but a sincere desire to grow in understanding. The man was willing to be taught the identity of the One in whom he should believe. “Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshiped Him” (John 9:37-38). Dear friend, do you, as this blind man, believe in the identity of Jesus? Will you bow to Him and become His follower? Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Do you believe in His work of salvation? The angel Gabriel heralded Jesus to Joseph by saying, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). His very name means “The Lord saves” or “The Lord is Savior.” His work of salvation is the purpose for His coming. He came into the world not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). As Paul told Timothy, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim 1:15).  And in defining the gospel by which people can be saved, Paul said, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). Our only hope for forgiveness is found in Christ. It is His death on the cross that alone can save. He suffered once for all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). When Christ was in Samaria, a woman encountered Him and spread the news of Him within the city. Many Samaritans believed because of her testimony.  But after hearing Him, they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). Dear friend, do you, as those Samaritans, see that Jesus is the only Savior? Will you confess your need of His salvation and believe in His finished work on the cross? Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Do you believe in His ability? A man may believe in a Jesus who is great but is not Lord. He may believe in a Jesus who is a prophet, a priest, or a King, but not the Son of God. He may believe in a Jesus who is mighty but not Almighty. Paul even had to rebuke the Corinthians for the ease with which they would accept the preaching of another Jesus (2 Cor 11:4). Why? Because any Jesus who is not the true Jesus cannot save. But thanks be to God, the true Jesus has power to save! While on earth, He said of Himself, “the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” (Matt 19:6). The scriptures say of Him now in heaven, “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25). He is the Lord, mighty to save and able to cleanse those who come to Him by faith. He is able to rescue you, and if He sets you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph 3:20). He is able to make all grace abound toward you so that you may have abundance for every good work (2 Cor 9:8). He is able to keep you from stumbling (Jude v24) and to keep that which you have committed to Him against that day (2 Tim 1:12). During Christ’s earthly ministry, a leper came to Him and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40). The man’s physical leprosy very much pictures our sin and corruption in the sight of God. Dear friend, do you, as this leper, believe that Christ is able to cleanse you of your sin? Do you believe in His ability to save you, to keep you, and to provide for you? Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Do you believe in His promises? A man may believe in the ability of Christ but not believe in His willingness. Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). He promises salvation and peace to those who come to Him. He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He promises eternal life, but to inherit it we must believe Him. When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” they responded, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31). And God promises, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). The scriptures are filled with God’s promises, and by faith we must believe them. We must believe “that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). We must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). We must believe that He works all things together for good to those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). We must believe that He will supply all of our needs (Phil 4:19) and that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Cor 10: 13). We must believe that His Word is truth (John 17:17), a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). We must believe that He rules in righteousness and that what He does is right.

When Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus, He said to Martha. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (John 11:25-27). Dear friend who reads this page, do you, as Martha, believe in Christ’s promise of eternal life to those who come to Him? Do you believe that He came to save sinners? Do you believe that if you come to Him, He will by no means cast you away? Do you believe that He will supply all of your needs if you put your faith in Him? Dear friend, do you believe in the Son of Man?

If you would like to receive further information concerning these matters, please contact Joseph Montalto.