Everything through Jesus

Jesus is first and foremost, the Lord and Saviour.

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.[1]

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”[2]

Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?”[3]

…for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.[4]

And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.[5]

…so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.[6]

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.[7]

…and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.[8]

…for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.[9]

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,[10]

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.[11]

…in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.[12]

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,[13]

…even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),[14]

…and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,[15]

…and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.[16]

…in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,[17]

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.[18]

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.[19]

…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.[20]

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.[21]

This is by no means an exhaustive list of statements indicating that everything pleasing to God is through, or, in Jesus.

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.[22]

Religions that do not confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, are not pleasing to God, nor do they honour God.

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.[23]

One’s thoughts might easily turn toward Islam or Judaism as both of those religions deny the Lordship of Christ. People invested in either Judaism or Islam are not servants of God, because the scripture is clear that only people who confess Jesus as Lord have access to God. Jews claim they serve Yahweh and Muslims honour Allah, that’s too bad, because pleasing God can only be accomplished through Jesus. It is impossible to please God while bypassing Jesus. Jews have the Hebrew Scriptures in which Jesus was foretold to be the Messiah. Muslims have the writings of Mohamed, and that’s all the Quran is, the writings of a man, and much of that is material plagiarized from other sources. The Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) along with the Jehovah Witness and other cults are manmade religions that diminish Christ.

The more insidious depreciation of Jesus is within Mainstream and Evangelical Christianity. The Universal Church of Christ, or Roman Catholic Church, positions itself as the true Church, existing from the first century to present day. In truth the Roman Catholic Church was born out of the Counsel of Nicaea convened by Constantine. At first the popes were appointed by the Emperor, but quickly they grabbed power and the Church became as much political as it was religious. Papal authority was a major factor until the late eighteen hundreds, when all the Papal States were lost except the Vatican City. The Roman Catholic Church brought shame to the name of Christ through the corruption and immorality of its leaders and its perverse doctrines. According to the Roman Church the pope is the Vicar of Christ, and his word when speaking “from the throne” is infallible. The Catholic Church through its history has dishonoured Jesus. The elevation of Mary to deity absolutely disregards Jesus and his teaching. The current pope demonstrates more “Christian” qualities than most of the popes before him.

Traditional Protestant Churches vary in their response to Jesus as the risen Lord. The United Church as a religious institution in Canada is spiritually impotent. Evangelicals use Jesus’ name as a mantra, and treat religion as a public display of personal piety. Conservative groups focus on exactness of doctrine, to them the Church is the supreme and exclusive means of accessing God’s pleasure.

The institutional Church has diminished Christ by focusing on its own agenda. Despite widespread institutionalism some believers are able to practice discipleship within the realm of Protestantism. Some believers live within the Catholic empire, but do not accept all the pompous trappings of its pope and priesthood. Some believers exist in Evangelical and Conservative groups, participating in fellowship, but not succumbing to their exclusivity and doctrinal bigotry. There are believers in most denominations who have figured how live as citizens of God’s kingdom while at the same time, disregarding the nonsense of institutional religion. There are many others who have left the ranks of organized religion, preferring to worship in small groups or family situations.

Most Churches teach the “Great Commission” – go and preach to the unconverted and bring them into the Church. Jesus never gave a “Great Commission”, that was specific to that time and to those people. On one occasion Jesus responded to a question from his audience;

Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”[24]

Jesus knew that God required people to believe in him as Lord, and from the list of scriptures provided it is abundantly evident that Jesus is not only primary, he is absolute; nothing is to have priority over Jesus. That includes, religion, Church, doctrine, Church leaders, or preachers. Of all the scriptures establishing Christ’s priority this is the most simple and straight forward;

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”

The shadow of the Catholic Church has blanketed Christian beliefs like a pall of death since its inception in the fourth century CE. The Catholic Church persecuted and murdered true believers, obliterating all who opposed its control. The Reformation spawned Protestantism and subsequently all other denominations including those that claim they are not a denomination. The struggle against Catholicism had the effect of spreading the disease of institutionalism, causing it to spring up in Churches disguised as “true doctrine”. “True doctrine” is nothing more than revamped Catholicism. Some Churches claim to have a contiguous link going back to the New Testament church, others claim to have replicated the New Testament church. Upon close examination it can be seen that all Christian Churches in the West have the DNA of the Catholic Church at their core. Reformation and Restoration were human attempts to improve on the Catholic Church, the result has been only cosmetic. The basic structure and premise remain the same as the Roman Church. In a nutshell, the problem with the institutional Church is its belief that the Church is essential. Every Church is founded on the belief that it can offer people something other Churches don’t have; otherwise, why would they exist? Theologians, scholars, monks and preachers will vehemently deny that they put the Church before Christ, but they do. Putting Christ first and foremost would change the entire nature and purpose of the Church and of Christian religions.

…in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…

“God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way.”(CEV) Jesus the man, God in the flesh, is the only avenue through which people can approach God. It is impossible to reach God apart from believing that Jesus is God’s Son and Saviour. Many of us have grown up knowing more about the Church than Christ. It has been more important to be a member of the Church in good standing, than a citizen of God’s kingdom honouring our Lord Jesus. For many of us it is hard to conceive of life without Church; it has been such an integral part of life and devotion. It is not impossible to be a citizen of God’s kingdom and a member of the institutional Church, but in most Churches it will be difficult not to have split loyalties. Since God has put all things in Jesus, and he alone is the way, it seems only reasonable that we should get to know Jesus so that we can try to become more like him. Jesus never asked people to attend Church services, or to be involved in Church programs. Jesus is not interested in part-time discipleship, he wants our complete lives 24x7. Church affiliation is not a substitute for a lifetime of citizenship. Being a citizen of God’s kingdom is not a calling, its living. Being a citizen of the kingdom is a forever scenario, it starts in the here and now, but goes on into eternity; the Church is a human institution and will not carry over into eternity. Citizenship is not doing something or another, it is living who you are, where you are, all the time, representing God’s grace and love. Church is ok as long as it is a time of encouragement and fellowship supporting the citizens of God’s realm. Church is not ok if all it does is promote itself and use God’s people for its own benefit. Becoming more like Jesus has nothing to do with diet, clothing, or customs, it’s living with a spiritual focus, loving people, honouring God.

The Catholic Church, Protestant Churches, Evangelical, or Conservative Churches are not the “bride of Christ”; they are all human aberrations. The ekklesia of Christ, like the ekklesia of the Old Testament is a kingdom of God’s people. That kingdom, Jesus taught and died for. It is incumbent on all believers to know and believe Jesus; a disciple follows his master in everything.

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.[25]

 

Although not intended, the greatest compliment paid to the apostles came from their accusers;

“…there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.[26]

To be recognized as having been influenced by Jesus should be every person’s goal. It doesn’t matter what Church, if any, one attends; who cares if you are known as Catholic, Protestant or Evangelical, surely what’s important is, that Jesus can be seen in your life.

People look at the Church as though it is a vehicle destined for heaven. Like a bus, going non-stop to the Promised Land. Outreach is the activity of getting people to climb aboard; the whole focus is to crowd as many people onto the bus as possible. Little to no thought is given to the comfort of passengers –a little suffering can be expected on such a trip. There are few provisions for passengers, very little to sustain them on the journey. There are programs and activities to keep passengers busy, but nothing of real consequence. Songs are sung about the wonderful place to which passengers are traveling, lectures are given on the importance of the bus and its maintenance, and passengers are required to lend a hand, and cash to keep the bus in good shape. Other vehicles appear on the road from time to time, some are bigger than the bus you are on, others smaller. Occasionally a limousine will race past slower vehicles, its occupants waving and calling raucously from open windows. Once in a long while the bus might pass a pedestrian who had refused the offer of a ride; the bus conductor will address passengers, pointing out the folly of the pedestrian trying to go it alone –they’ll never make it! As for the other busses, they don’t have the right credentials to enter heaven; this bus alone has all the necessary documentation. A true, but very sad depiction of the Church.

We are all sinners; no one on his or her own merit is able to approach the Creator. There is nothing any of can do to earn the right to be in God’s presence. There is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus. Even at our best, washed a thousand times, disinfected by a myriad ointments, or purified by fire, we can never do enough to stand before God. But, in Jesus we have confidence to approach God’s throne.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.[27]

Being in Christ is to be clothed in him, only those adorned by Jesus are accepted into God’s presence. It seems redundant to point out that, being a Church member doesn’t cut it. Jesus does not offer group insurance, he is our insurance on a personal level, strictly individual, and only in him.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.[28]

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[1] John 1:17, 18

[2] John 14:6

[3] Joh 14:9

[4] John 16:27

[5] Rom 5:11

[6] Rom 5:21

[7] Rom 7:4

[8] Rom 8:17

[9] Rom 14:17, 18

[10] 1Co 1:4

[11] 2Co 3:4

[12] 2Co 4:4

[13] Eph 1:3

[14] Eph 2:5

[15] Php 3:9

[16] 2Ti 3:15

[17] Heb 1:2, 3

[18] Heb 12:1, 2

[19] Heb 13:20, 21

[20] 1Pe 2:5

[21] 1Pe 4:11 

[22] Php 2:9-11

[23] Act 4:12

[24] Joh 6:28, 29

[25] 1Jn 2:21-25

[26] Act 4:12, 13

[27] Gal 3:26-29

[28] Php 2:5-11