Short answer
Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, the promised Messiah and the Saviour of the world. Born of a virgin, He lived a sinless life, died on a cross for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, ascended to heaven and will return in glory.
A real person in real history
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth and taught in Galilee and Judea around two thousand years ago. He healed the sick, welcomed outsiders, confronted hypocrisy and told stories that people still repeat today. He was executed by the Romans and, His followers insisted, seen alive again three days later.
The Gospels were written by eyewitnesses and those who interviewed them. Luke says he set out to write an orderly account
(Luke 1:3-4) so that his reader could have certainty
(Luke 1:4) about what happened.
More than a teacher
Jesus made claims no ordinary teacher would make. He forgave sins, accepted worship and said that to see Him was to see the Father (John 14:9). When Peter said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God
(Matthew 16:16), Jesus did not correct him.
The word Christ (Messiah) means “anointed one”: the King God had promised for centuries. Everything in the Old Testament was pointing forward to Him.
Why He came
Jesus said it Himself: The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many
(Mark 10:45). His death was not an accident. It was the rescue that God had planned all along, and His resurrection is the proof that it worked.
How this connects across the Bible
The Bible is one story. Here is how this theme runs from the Old Testament to Jesus:
- God promised David a son whose kingdom would last for ever (2 Samuel 7:12-13); the angel tells Mary her child will receive David’s throne (Luke 1:32-33).
- Isaiah spoke of a virgin conceiving a son called Immanuel, “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14); Matthew shows this fulfilled in Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1:22-23).
- Micah named Bethlehem as the ruler’s birthplace (Micah 5:2); Isaiah described the suffering servant (Isaiah 53:3-5); the Gospels record both (Matthew 2:5-6, Acts 8:32-35).
- Daniel saw a Son of Man given everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13-14); Jesus takes that title for Himself before the high priest (Mark 14:62).
- On the Emmaus road the risen Jesus explains that all the Scriptures speak of Him (Luke 24:27).
What we believe at Spring Valley
We believe in the virgin birth, sinless life, miraculous ministry, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, triumphant ascension and abiding intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His personal, visible, bodily return in power and glory.
Your next step
The best way to get to know Jesus is to read one of the Gospels for yourself. Mark is short and fast-moving; start there. Then read Is Jesus God?
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Read the Bible free in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, English and many more languages at bible.com.