Knowing the Real Jesus

By Doreen Virtue

“And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

Every false gospel begins by distorting who Jesus is. That’s why the most important question you’ll ever answer is the one He asked His disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). Everything in your life, especially where you’ll spend eternity, depends upon how you answer. Only by believing in the real Jesus will our eternity be with Him.

To know the real Jesus, you have to understand the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ came to earth as truly God and truly man. He was the only one to live a perfect sinless life of obedience. He was the spotless Lamb of God who died a substitutionary death for sinners on the cross, taking the punishment that we all deserve since we’ve all sinned (Romans 3:23). Jesus physically rose from the dead on the third day, defeating sin, death, and the devil.

When you trust in Jesus alone for salvation by repenting of sin and believing that His sacrifice is sufficient, you’re forgiven, justified, and reconciled to God. You’re given His righteousness, not because of your merit, but because of His mercy.

The Gospel is a free gift from God and divine rescue from eternal death. That’s why Paul warned against “another gospel,” because only the true Gospel saves (Romans 1:16; Galatians 1:6–9).

Repentance is a change of heart and direction that happens when the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. You recognize that you’ve rebelled against God’s holiness, and you turn away from that rebellion to follow Christ.

When God opened my eyes to my sinfulness in 2017, I immediately repented. Prior to that moment, I believed that God was pleased with my New Age work since people said that it comforted them. I had no idea that I was an abomination to God using condemned practices until He lifted the veil of my spiritual blindness when I read Deuteronomy 18:10–12. Until I realized I was a sinner, I could not repent and know that I needed Jesus—the real Jesus, not the “ascended master” New Age counterfeit Jesus I’d been following—as my Lord and Savior.

Jesus exhorted, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). The false Jesus claims that you can do whatever you want, while the real Jesus calls you to be born again. The new birth is a complete transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible Reveals the Real Jesus

If you want to know the real Jesus, you must study the Bible. Every verse of Scripture points to Him. He told the Pharisees, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me” (John 5:39).

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one continuous story of God’s plan to redeem sinners through His Son’s substitutionary sacrifice. The Old Testament anticipated Jesus, the Gospels revealed Him, the Epistles explained Him, and Revelation glorifies Him.

You can’t separate Jesus from His Word. Any Jesus that contradicts Scripture is false, as He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The Holy Spirit, who inspired the Bible, will never lead anyone to believe something contrary to it.

The real Jesus is eternal. Long before the manger, He was present in the creation of the world. “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3).

In the Old Testament, Jesus appeared in foreshadows, prophecies, and types that pointed toward His coming. He was the promised Seed who would crush the serpent (Genesis 3:15). He was the ark that saved Noah’s family from judgment. He was the ram provided as a substitute for Isaac. He was the Passover Lamb whose blood shielded God’s people from wrath. He was the manna in the wilderness, the Rock that gave water, and the bronze serpent lifted up for healing.

The sacrifices, the tabernacle, and the priesthood all pointed forward to Him. As Hebrews 10:4 says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins,” so every offering foreshadowed the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of believers.

The Old Testament contained hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah, and every one of them was fulfilled in Jesus.

• Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)
• Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
• From the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10)
• Entered Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)
• Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12–13)
• Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16)
• Garments divided by lot (Psalm 22:18)
• Died with the wicked yet buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)
• Rose from the dead (Psalm 16:10)

No human could fulfill these prophecies. They reveal that Jesus is the promised Redeemer who came exactly as God foretold.

The Real Jesus and the Trinity

Knowing the real Jesus also means understanding who He is within the Trinity. God has revealed Himself as one God in three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-equal in essence and distinct in role.

The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. The Spirit is not the Father. Yet all three are one God, co-eternal and co-equal in glory.

The false Jesus is often described as an enlightened human being. The real Jesus was fully God and fully man. He is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) and “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3).

The Holy Spirit is not a force or energy. He is God who indwells believers to convict, regenerate, and sanctify them.

The Real Jesus Is God in the Flesh

The false Jesus is portrayed as merely a created human role model. Yet “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus did not simply show the way—He is the way.

Jesus performed miracles as evidence of His divinity. He forgave sins, calmed storms, cast out demons, and raised the dead. At the cross, He took the punishment we deserved. On the third day, He rose bodily from the tomb. The empty tomb stands as God’s eternal declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord.

How God’s Word Points Us to the Real Jesus

The Bible is God’s Word, breathed out by the Holy Spirit through human authors. It never contradicts itself, nor has it been corrupted. It is God’s unified revelation pointing to Christ.

• In Genesis, He is the Creator and promised Redeemer.
• In Exodus, He is the Deliverer.
• In Leviticus, He is the High Priest.
• In Numbers, He is the lifted-up Healer.
• In Deuteronomy, He is the Prophet greater than Moses.
• In Joshua, He is the Captain of Salvation.
• In Ruth, He is the Kinsman-Redeemer.
• In Psalms, He is the Shepherd and King.
• In Isaiah, He is the Suffering Servant.
• In Daniel, He is the Son of Man.
• In the Gospels, He is the Word made flesh.
• In Acts, He is the risen Lord building His Church.
• In Revelation, He is the conquering King returning in glory.

When you know the real Jesus, the Holy Spirit transforms your desires, priorities, and values. Though we are not saved by good works, once we are saved we desire to obey God.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” (John 10:27–28).

Doctrine guards your heart from deception. The early church understood this and fought to defend sound teaching. Paul instructed Timothy, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (1 Timothy 4:16).

Knowing Jesus is a lifelong pursuit. The more you know Him, the less appealing false gospels become. The Word of God becomes your compass and anchor.

There is only one real Jesus—the eternal Son of God, the Savior of sinners, and the risen Lord who reigns forever. Every woman deceived by false religion or counterfeit spirituality can find forgiveness and peace in Him.

If you long to know the real Jesus, open your Bible to the Gospel of John. Pray, “Lord, show me who You are.” He will answer through His Word.

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Knowing the real Jesus—and sharing Him with others—is the most exciting and important way to live.

For more from Doreen please visit her page at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.