There were many who had the name Jesus when Jesus was born. So if we only say we believe in Jesus, we haven’t said enough. And if we think Christ is just a last name, we still don’t understand.

The name Christ identifies Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, the Son of God, the Anointed One.

The name Christ reveals who Jesus is. You can’t believe in Jesus as a human being that is anything less than the Messiah without cancelling your faith altogether.

Consider John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” This is major. This is a part of Jesus’ prayer for those he was about to die for. Understanding who Jesus is has everything to do with finding our eternal salvation.

Peter was possibly the first to understand that Jesus was the Messiah. Read Matthew 16:16-18 – “’But what about you?’ he [Jesus] asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ ¹⁷ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'”

The Roman Catholic Church interprets this scripture to mean Peter is the “rock” and the first Pope of the Catholic Church. Most Protestants, however, interpret the belief in Christ as the Messiah, the Son of the living God who is the Rock, the foundation of our faith.

I Go to The Rock by Travis Daniels