It is often reported that 94% (or so) of the American people believe in God. At first glance such a fact might be considered encouraging-until the realization dawns that so many people have their own definitions and concepts of God. Many who claim to believe in God have seldom opened the Bible; they have merely formed their views from conversations and reading (mostly secular).
Jesus and the Holy Spirit fare no better than the Father in being understood: the Holy Spirit (Author of the bestselling Book of all time) is frequently misquoted and misunderstood, while Jesus (about Whom He wrote) is likewise characterized in ways totally foreign to the New Testament.
For example, on the Wednesday of our recent lectureship (November 13), a letter to the editor of the Denton Record-Chronicle was published which contained several misconceptions about Jesus. Since such misinformation frequently finds its way into print, it is important occasionally to refute such erroneous ideas. The name appearing at the end of the letter is that of J. L. Penton. All statements will be given in their context.
However, it is crystal clear that Jesus was a nonconformist. It was Jesus who ate with sinners and tax collectors, Jesus who talked to the Samaritan woman at the well-a shocking thing to do at that time. In fact it was Jesus flaunting with the mores of his society which led to his crucifixion (8A).
To say that Jesus was a nonconformist is true-but only partially true. Why was He a nonconformist: just to be different and to draw attention to Himself?
Jesus was a nonconformist because He distinguished between traditions of men and the Truth of God. He, for example, never violated the Sabbath day; in fact, He stated unequivocally that no one had the right to “break one of the least of these commandments” or to teach anyone else to do so (Matt. 5:19). Yet both He and His disciples were accused of such because He violated their traditions (John 5:16-18; Matt. 12:1-14). Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy in setting man-made traditions above the commandments of God (Matt. 15:1-9).
In other words, Jesus did not challenge society’s customs merely to be controversial: He ate with tax collectors and sinners because they were sick spiritually and in need of a physician; He talked with the woman at the well for the same reason-she was a soul in need of salvation. And although the spiritual leaders of the Jews did want to kill Jesus for healing on the Sabbath day (a violation of their traditions, not God’s law), they crucified Him out of envy. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, “the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation'” (John 11:47-48). Even Pilate knew that “because of envy they had delivered Him” (Matt. 27:18).
Traditions of men that Jesus would challenge today would be unauthorized holidays such as Christmas and Easter, sprinkling babies (or adults, for that matter), and offering fellowship to those not in fellowship with God (Matt. 15:12-14; 1 John 1:7; 2 John 9-11).
Jesus and Homosexuality
Jesus, it seems, was concerned with only one thing: that people love and help one another. Jesus would not rant and rave about homosexuals. He would be concerned about the fact that we have so many poor in this country of plenty (8A).
On what basis would anybody conclude that Jesus was concerned about “only one thing”? He came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, which included the message, “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). He also affirmed: “I am come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus further explained: “For this cause was I born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). The apostle John adds: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
The fact is that Jesus came for several purposes-not “only one thing.” It is true that He did teach that people ought to love one another; He called it the second greatest commandment. It stands right behind one that most people have forgotten-loving God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds (which means devoting ourselves to learning and living His teachings-Matt. 22:37). He also taught the disciples that they should love one another as He had taught them (John 13:34-35). And he taught an oft-repeated lesson about the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). But teaching about love and helpfulness was not His only goal.
And, while He showed compassion on the poor, He did comment that we would always have them with us (Matt. 26:11). Although physical food is necessary for survival, spiritual food is profitable for eternity (Job 23:12; John 6:26-27). Jesus thought preaching the gospel to the poor was worthy enough to tell John when he wanted to know if Jesus was the Christ (Matt. 11:5).
How does the writer know that Jesus would not speak about homosexuality? Jesus spent most of His time preaching to Jews who did not practice this perversion. But Jesus upheld the law of Moses, which commanded that homosexuals be put to death (Lev. 20:13). This sin is included in the word translated “fornication” (Matt. 19:9). The observant Bible reader will notice that Jesus never shied away from any moral or ethical problem: certainly His teaching on divorce and remarriage (Matt. 19:3-9) was unpopular, yet He boldly articulated the Truth on the matter without apology of any kind.
If the writer is insinuating that Jesus would not speak about current issues of morality and would only stick to the subjects of love and helping the poor, he really does not know the Jesus of the New Testament. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles to condemn homosexuality (Rom. 1:24-28).
Abortion and Medicine
He would abhor abortion, he would also sorrow at the fact that so many sick people cannot get medical attention because they do not have insurance (8A).
Mr. Penton is correct about Jesus’ view of abortion, but he does not give the basis for his reasoning. No doubt, the feminists would challenge him on this one, and rightly so. After all, he just insinuated that social and moral issues were not nearly so important as people loving one another. And if Jesus would not “rant and rave” about homosexuality, why would He “rant and rave” about this moral issue?
Actually, since the Jews did not practice either abortion or infanticide, Jesus was relatively silent on these subjects, but both practices contradict the whole tenor of the Bible and the sanctity of human life.
That Jesus had compassion upon the physical maladies of people is obvious from the fact that He healed them, but it should also be remembered that He did not heal them for that reason alone (He could still do so from heaven); the miracles of healing bore witness to His Deity (Mark 16:20; John 20:30-31; Heb. 2:1-4).
“The Sermon on the Mount”
In essence, the meek, the poor, the hungry, the sick, the oppressed and prisoners: They would be the ones who would get his attention which is so well expressed in his “Sermon on the Mount” (8A).
Certainly, Jesus cares about all of these. But we dare not forget that Jesus spent a great deal of time preaching and training His disciples. Jesus never spent His time getting prisoners released or fighting against oppressors, except by teaching the truth concerning the way people ought to treat one another. If He had come to defeat oppressors, He would have led a rebellion against the Roman Empire (which is exactly what the Jews wanted Him to do).
Speaking of the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus taught about attitudes and influence, against anger, lust, and lying, against hypocritical religion, about the necessity of trusting in God, about material things not being our first priority, against being judgmental, about watching out for false teachers, and about the importance of obedience to God in all things (Matt. 7:21-27). Which of these subject areas shows that Jesus would give His attention exclusively to the poor and oppressed?
In this text Jesus states the sad truth that the majority of people will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14); from this emphasis alone it is clear that Jesus is more concerned about people’s spiritual welfare than their physical status. That is the reason obedience is so important.
“He Gave His Life”
The commandment “Love one another” would be much more important than labels such as liberal or conservative. He was neither in my opinion. He loved mankind. He gave His life.
It is interesting that “liberals” are usually the ones who find fault with labels. When Governor Dukakis was running for president in 1988, he was labeled a “liberal” by virtue of his membership in the ACLU (which would certainly so qualify anyone). When he protested the designation, the joke was circulated that when he was born, the doctor told his mother, “It’s a boy,” whereupon young Michael spoke up: “Please, no labels.”
The fact is that all people categorize others. Some are not very careful; they do so hastily and incorrectly (Matt. 7:1-5). Some become self-righteous in their labeling of others, such as the Pharisees who didn’t think it proper to associate with tax collectors and other assorted sinners (Matt. 9:9-13, Luke 7:36-50). Caution must be exercised.
Jesus labeled some as hypocrites (Matt. 23), blind (Matt. 15:14), and serpents (Matt. 23:33). Generally, religious conservatives are those who are regarded as holding to the Word of God (and the morality and doctrine it teaches); liberals go beyond what is written; they would allow divorce for every cause, homosexuality, fornication, abortion, women preachers, and anything else they set their minds to, because they do not believe that God means what He says. [That is not to say that every liberal believes in every one of the things mentioned above; many are inconsistent in their views or are only “liberal” in one viewpoint.] Jesus was completely conservative when it came to keeping the law of God and teaching others to do likewise (Matt. 5:19; 1 Peter 2:2).
The letter writer concludes by citing Jesus’ love for mankind-even to the point of giving His life, which is true. But there is nothing in his letter to indicate the fact that Jesus gave His life for a spiritual, rather than, a physical purpose. Perhaps he did not mean that Jesus died to raise mankind’s standard of living, but such appears to be the focus of his entire letter.
Jesus does love us-and He gave His life that we might be saved from our sins. Dear reader, what is your perception of God? Of Christ? Of the Holy Spirit? And where did you get those ideas? From friends? From conversation? From your own mind? Or from the Bible?
Only the Word of God explains the Truth concerning all spiritual matters. No one can know God or understand what the mission of Jesus was unless he opens the Scriptures inspired by the Holy Spirit and devotes himself to understanding them (Heb. 11:6). May we all have hearts that desire to learn and to practice the teachings of God; may we all strive to enter in at the narrow gate.