“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” — Matthew 16:16 There is something profound about the name Christ that every believer should understand. Jesus was not merely a good man, a prophet, or one of many people who were anointed for a particular assignment. He is the Christ—the promised Messiah and the Son of the living God.
The word Christ comes from the Greek Christos, which corresponds to the Hebrew Mashiach, meaning “Anointed One” or Messiah. Throughout the Old Testament, God's people looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. They expected the One whom God had promised to send—the One who would bring ultimate deliverance.
The Promise of the Messiah
The prophets spoke about the coming Deliverer, and the expectation of God's people was rooted in the promises of God. They understood that humanity had a serious problem. Sin had entered the world through Adam's disobedience, and the consequences of that fall affected the human race.
Scripture says:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” — Jeremiah 17:9
Humanity needed more than political freedom, material prosperity, or temporary relief from suffering. There was a deeper problem that required a deeper solution.
Human beings needed deliverance from sin, Satan's dominion, and the corruption associated with the fallen human condition. This is why the expectation of the Messiah was so significant.
They Already Knew About Anointing
The people of Israel were familiar with the concept of anointing. Moses was appointed by God. Priests were anointed for their sacred service. Kings such as Saul and David were anointed, and prophets were also appointed and empowered by God. Therefore, when the promise of the Messiah was given, the expectation went beyond simply another person who would receive an anointing.
They were looking for the One who would fulfill God's great redemptive plan.
In Christian understanding, Jesus is that promised Messiah. He is not merely an anointed man; He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and the One through whom God has brought salvation to humanity.
The Tragedy of Not Recognising Him
Yet when the promised Messiah came, many did not recognise Him.
The Gospel of John records: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” — John 1:11
Jesus stood before the people as the One the Scriptures had anticipated, yet many were looking for deliverance according to their own expectations. They expected the Messiah, but they did not fully understand the nature of the salvation He came to bring. Jesus did not come merely to change political circumstances. He came to deal with the deeper problem of sin and bring humanity into a new relationship with God. He is the Christ. He is the promised Deliverer. He is the One through whom God brings us into new life.
Your Deliverance Is in Christ
One of the beautiful truths of the Gospel is that the believer does not have to live as though deliverance is merely something to be achieved in the future.
Paul writes:
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” — Colossians 1:13
Notice the language of Scripture: “hath delivered us.” For the believer, deliverance is not simply a distant promise. In Christ, God has already brought us out of the dominion of darkness and into the kingdom of His Son. This changes the way we see ourselves. We are not merely people trying to become acceptable to God. In Christ, we have been given a new position, a new identity, and a new life.
You Are a New Creation
The work of Christ does not simply improve the old life. It brings us into something new. The believer is no longer identified merely with the old order of humanity. Through Christ, we have received a new life. This is why the Gospel is such good news. Jesus did not come merely to make us religious. He came to reconcile us to God and bring us into the life that God gives through Him. The Christ who was promised has come. The Deliverer has accomplished His work. And those who are in Him can rejoice in what God has already accomplished.
Christ Is More Than a Title
When Peter declared,
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”(Matthew 16:16), he was making a profound confession about the identity of Jesus. Jesus is the Christ. He is the promised Messiah. He is the Son of the living God. And He is the One through whom God's redemptive purpose has been revealed. Therefore, our confidence is not in our ability to rescue ourselves. Our confidence is in Christ. We do not have to keep looking for another Deliverer. Jesus is the Christ. And in Him, we have forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and new life.
A Life of Gratitude
Perhaps the most appropriate response to this truth is gratitude. The One humanity needed has come. The One promised through the Scriptures has been revealed. The One who delivers us from the power of darkness has brought us into His kingdom. So, believer, remember who Jesus is and what you have in Him. You are not waiting for Christ to become your Deliverer. He is your Deliverer. You are not trying to manufacture a new life by your own strength. In Christ, you have been brought into new life. Jesus is the Christ—the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God, and our Deliverer.
Blessed be God!
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