Which Jesus?
Jesus said, “If you continue in my word you shall be my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” The question is “Which Jesus are you following?” Is he the Jesus of Orange County or Jesus of Nazareth?
Erwin Lutzer wrote a book, “When a Nation Forgets God,” comparing what happened in the church in Nazi Germany and what’s happening in the church today. If we have witnessed God’s truth, then we must bear witness of our Lord Jesus Christ. As our nation turns is back on God, we’re learning that the consequences are much deeper than previously thought. However, hope springs eternal. We’re encouraged not to focus on the trajectory that the nation has chosen, but that the God of hope will fill you with all joy and faith in believing. Nazi Germany teaches us lessons from the dark days when the church suffered from the false doctrines it embraced. Nazi Germany was fed by streams of myths and heresies accepted by the masses. The holocaust was precipitated by evil that pervaded the political and religious trends that made the holocaust possible. This evil was rooted in the belief that man is the end result of godless “evolution”… of the accidental convergence of blood and soil. This “doctrine of the devil” led to the ultimate atrocities of nihilism philosophy. The rulers of Nazi Germany concluded that life and the earth that sustained life was worth nothing and therefore worthy to be destroyed. The same godless values that destroyed Germany are being taught in secular universities today.
The major message of Lutzer’s book is a warning to be ready to confront the evil that is sweeping over our culture. God always calls a remnant of men of God to stand in the gap for such a time as this. Some will bear up under suffering, called of God to uphold the truth of the Word of God.
When God called Pete to be a pastor, He said, “Preach Jesus Christ and him crucified and let the chips fall where they may.” He also said, “You’ll need to spend a lot of time with me.” Pete was called to preach a “crucified” Christ, not a “feel-good” sanitized Jesus of Orange County. According to the Apostle Paul, we preach Jesus Christ and him crucified: To the Greeks foolishness and to the Jews a stumbling block, but to them who are called the power of God and the wisdom of God.
According to Philippians 2, “Jesus Christ, who being in the form of God….made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even unto death on the cross.” The mind of Christ gave up his rights and humbled himself even unto death.
Jesus of Nazareth said, “there is a narrow way and few there be that find it.” The Jesus of Orange County says, “everyone will go to heaven and there is no such thing as sin.” Jesus of Nazareth said, “Broad is the way that leads to destruction.”
The Jesus of Orange County stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity. The emphasis is in equality of outcome and all-inclusiveness for material riches, the so-called blessings of this world. Jesus of Nazareth says, “Take heed and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things that he posesseth.”
Holiness starts with exclusivity. Sanctification starts with separation. Jesus’ narrow way is exclusive…holiness means “separated according to the purpose for which God intended.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the father except by me.” The greatest sin is the sin of omission…failure to accept the Saviour from sin. Holiness is according to His terms, not the world’s. Jesus said after he had washed the disciples’ feet, “keep each other clean from the contamination of an unclean world.”
Luke 14 is about the cost of following Jesus. The example is a man who started to build a house but in the middle of construction ran out of funds and didn’t finish the work. The key is to finish strong. Jesus’ strength was not in being crucified, but in praying for those that drove the nails into his hands and feet, “father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The strength is to bear up under suffering…to bless them that persecute you.
The politically correct call evil good and good evil. As Joshua said when he entered into the promised land, “choose ye this day whom ye shall serve. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”
The world’s Jesus says, “come on your own terms.” Jesus of Nazareth said, “whoever follows me must forsake his own will, forsake his mother, father, sister, and brother, take up his cross and follow me.” The Jesus of the OC preaches people-centered messages. Jesus of Nazareth preaches God-centered messages. Jesus of the OC says “God owes you an explanation for violating your rights.” Jesus of Nazareth says, “God requires extreme obedience with no complaining on your part and no explanation on his.”
In Germany they never dreamed that the holocaust could ever happen. However, when the Word of God is compromised by social, scientific, and political doctrines of this world, the Devil will have his way. He takes captive the children of disobedience against their wills.
The apostle Paul said, Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men… After the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. According to Ephesians 4, God gifted men with ministries and gave them to the church: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. Their purpose is for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, that we henceforth be no longer children, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
Jesus of the OC says, “you can have what you want and you can have it now.” Jesus of Nazareth says “by your patience, you possess your soul.” As Isaiah said, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”
Jesus of the OC says, “truth is relative.” Jesus of Nazareth says, “sanctify with them with thy word. Thy word is truth.” Jesus of the OC says, “I’m my own Lord.” Jesus of Nazareth says, “Jesus is Lord.” For we preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ and him crucified. For he has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
The world will demand allegiance. However, Jesus of Nazareth said, “thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serve.” Jesus said, “apart from me ye can do nothing.” There is nothing that will last into eternity except for that which is done according to the will of God. He has called us to be lights in the darkness of a fallen world. The prayers of the believing saints will last forever. Prayers are a sweet smelling fragrance unto God into eternity.
Our hope is in the resurrection and in the blessed return of our Lord Jesus Christ. This wold is not our home, we’re just a-passing through. Our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The witness we have is the witness of the resurrection of our Lord. To live in the resurrection we must die to self. Then we can testify like the Apostle Paul, “I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live, I live by faith of the one who loved me and gave himself for me.”
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael