Jesus Christ, The Real Superhero

There are all kinds of superheroes that have been imagined by the human mind. When I was younger, my favorites were Batman and Superman and while they were fearless in disguise, they weren’t as much while their respective selves. Courage is a trait that we all search for and these two men exemplified it but in real life, courage is something that we find in ourselves and for many, buried deep within.

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:58 that “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable always abounding in the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” In other words, being courageous does not mean that we will never fear but rather, when fear comes, we stand up strong and there is no better way to stand strong than in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:10 instructs us to “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

The best example of human courage did not come from a man wearing a disguise or wearing a cape or even flashing a big sword and a shield but rather, it came from a man born into a world that He came to save. Jesus Christ, God born a man, came to save the creation that He made in His image despite the fact that most of His creation would turn their backs on Him, doubt Him, and deny and reject Him but 1 John 4:7-8 tells us that “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

Christ is the creator of this world and knows all things and transcends time so why would He come to Earth and go through the pain and torture that He was put through? First, we must understand that God’s way is perfect and so is His plan for salvation so when this question arises, we must not ask it in such a way that we question His ways but rather, to understand why and second, the only way a perfect God could save and redeem once perfect creation is with a sacrifice: Himself.

If Christ had not come to Earth to die and save us from what we, as sinners, deserve then none of us would have an opportunity for salvation. Romans 6:23 reminds us that “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Regardless of how good we think we are, compared to God, our righteousness is like rags and we are told as much in Isaiah 64:6 “But we are as an unclean thing. And all our righteousness’s are as filthy rags, And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

In order for those below to accept and understand His godliness, Christ had to come to Earth as a man, vulnerable and tempted like all the rest, and die in such a horrendous manner. Hebrews 8:14-15 tells us ”For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Romans 8:3-4 explains “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.”” Although we all fall short of God’s glory, God loved us enough to die so we could live again: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

In short, courage is not the absent of fear but rather, standing up to the fear. Mark Twain is known for saying “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear” and whether or not Jesus was afraid before His crucifixion is up for debate. We do know that He had the same temptations and vulnerabilities that “We the People” have so it would not be unbiblical to assume that Christ feared while in the flesh but what we are certain is that Jesus Christ is the ultimate superhero and He did not have to wear a disguise, put on a cape or flash any object to be victorious in battle. He stood strong in the face of evil and when it was over, Christ died but in doing so, He defeated the grave and conquered death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.”

–Romans 8:3-4