Jesus Christ is the same
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
In the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi reminds his people that God does not change, “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). He goes on to speak of God opening the windows of heaven to pour out “for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it” (v. 10).
God has poured out His blessing upon this world since its creation. And after a 400-year silence, Matthew and Luke record the wonder of the birth of Jesus Christ. There was never a moment when heaven was opened so widely. It was the time when the eternal, unchangeable God revealed the wonder of His character of love and grace in the birth of the Saviour, Jesus.
The recent centuries have brought tremendous changes to the world. Most of these changes were gradual. Science has brought about remarkable improvements, but its progress has also introduced changes that have endangered our planet. Some of these dangers were not intended; others, like nuclear armaments and chemical weapons, were. In the past year, we have lived through a year of frightening change and worldwide uncertainty.
At the beginning of Hebrews we have the outpouring of the heart of God in His Son, who is “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He adds, “You know Him and have seen Him” (v. 7). When Philip asks Jesus, “show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us”, the Lord answers, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (vv. 8-9).
We have the full expression of God in the Lord Jesus, who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”. When the Lord appeared in resurrection to the disciples in John 20 and showed them His hands and side, it says, “Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord” (v. 20). Who did they see? The same Jesus. He took the disciples to Bethany at the beginning of Acts to witness His ascension to glory. They continued gazing into heaven as He was carried up. Who was going into glory? The same Jesus they had known on earth. And the angels promised them, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). In John 14, the Lord promises, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth … He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (vv. 16-18). The word “another” used in this verse does not mean someone different, but a Person who is just like the Saviour.
As we look back, we see Jesus in all the unchangeableness of His eternal Person and grace towards us. As we look up each day in faith to Him, we find Him eternally the same. And as we look forward to eternity, we see Jesus is the same forever. Change can be frightening. Through Christ’s unchangeableness, we know the peace of His eternal love:
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3).
