Published in the Twin Falls Times News on Saturday, February 4, 2017
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There is little argument that the most familiar name in all of history is a man named Jesus.
What is at stake however, is who this Jesus is.
The Muslims have a Jesus, the Mormons have a Jesus, the atheists have a Jesus, Jehovah Witnesses have a Jesus, Universalists have a Jesus, and evangelicals have a Jesus. It may not be popular to talk about it, but all of these (and more) have at the core, a different Jesus.
What do you do when there is not enough space in the column to show how different all beliefs are? You look at one source and compare all others to that Jesus. I will do this by looking at the Jesus of the Bible.
Consider a few claims made in the bible…
- Jesus is the third person of the one triune God (John 14:16, 24)
- Jesus is the one and only begotten son of God. (John 1:14)
- Jesus is the creator of all things. (John 1:3)
- Jesus is the image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15)
- Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Jesus. (John 14:6)
- Jesus is the redeemer of repenting sinners. (Matthew 1:21)
- Jesus is uncreated. (John 1:3)
- Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:11)
If we get this wrong: that Jesus is eternal, uncreated, creator, redeemer, the image of the invisible God, and more claims made in the Bible, we get everything wrong. Everything!
Don’t just take my word for it. Look at the Bible and compare this Jesus with the Muslim Jesus, the Mormon Jesus, and a secular Jesus.
Honest and truthful conversation today is what is most needed. It helps us unearth truth. It is more helpful to acknowledge that there may be some things that appear to have similar emotions and thoughts, but faiths built on feelings rather than truth is the most dangerous action one could ever take. It is a clear truth: we don’t have the same Jesus.
The same Jesus cannot be the Jesus of Bible and at the same time truthfully be the same Jesus of all the others.
Don’t get this wrong. If truth is being pursued, then search with all of your being for truth.
Come, let us speak and listen honestly.
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