Who Is Jesus Christ? The Eternal Son, the God of Israel, and the Word Made Flesh

Every doctrine of Christianity ultimately rests upon a single question: Who is Jesus Christ?

If Jesus were merely a prophet, His words would offer guidance. If He were only a moral teacher, His life would provide an example. But if He is who the scriptures declare Him to be—the Eternal Son of God, the God of Israel, and the Word made flesh—then His mission carries eternal significance for every person who has ever lived.

The Bible and the Book of Mormon unite in bearing witness of this remarkable truth.

The Eternal Son

The Gospel of John opens with one of the most profound declarations in scripture:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John does not introduce Jesus as someone who came into existence at Bethlehem. Instead, he reaches back before creation itself and reveals that Christ already existed. Before the earth was formed, before Abraham, before Moses, Christ was.

The Apostle Paul teaches that all things were created by Him and for Him. Christ is not part of creation; He is its Creator. He stands at the beginning of history and remains unchanged throughout eternity.

The Book of Mormon echoes this same testimony. When the brother of Jared encountered the premortal Christ, the Lord declared:

"Behold, I am Jesus Christ... I was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people."

Redemption was not an afterthought. The mission of Jesus Christ was established before the world began.

The God of Israel

One of the most striking themes found in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon is the identification of Jesus Christ as the covenant God of Israel.

In Isaiah, the Lord declares:

"I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."

Yet in Revelation, the risen Christ announces:

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

The same divine titles belonging to Jehovah are applied directly to Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon is equally clear. After His resurrection, Christ appeared to the Nephites and declared:

"I am Jesus Christ... I am the God of Israel."

This is a remarkable witness. The Lord who covenanted with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same Lord who came into mortality, suffered for the sins of the world, and rose again in glory.

The Bible and the Book of Mormon do not present two different Gods. They present one Redeemer—the God of Israel revealed in Jesus Christ.

The Word Made Flesh

Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is found in John's declaration:

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."

The Creator entered His creation.

The Eternal Son took upon Himself mortality. He experienced hunger, fatigue, sorrow, suffering, and death. Yet He remained who He had always been—God.

The Book of Mormon describes this event as "the condescension of God." King Benjamin taught that the Lord Omnipotent would come down from heaven and dwell among the children of men. Abinadi declared that God Himself would come down to redeem His people.

These teachings reveal a profound truth: God did not remain distant from human suffering. He entered it.

Jesus Christ knows our weaknesses because He experienced mortality firsthand. He understands pain because He bore it. He can redeem because He willingly descended below all things.

Why This Matters

Understanding who Christ is changes everything.

Because He is eternal, His atonement has eternal power.

Because He is the God of Israel, His covenant promises can be trusted.

Because He became flesh, He can perfectly understand and redeem humanity.

The scriptures testify that Jesus Christ is not merely a historical figure. He is the Eternal Son, the covenant Lord of Israel, and the Word made flesh. He is the Creator who became Redeemer, the God who descended among His people, and the risen Lord who reigns forever.

The central message of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon is the same:

Jesus Christ is the Eternal God who came to save His children.

And because of Him, every person may receive forgiveness, covenant blessings, resurrection, and eternal life.