Friday, November 08, 2013

Marsha's Musings: Remember Jesus Christ...How?

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! (2 Timothy 2:8, 9 ESV)

Many religions remember Jesus Christ.  However, the key is this: How do they remember Him?  Who is He to them?

Paul qualifies it when he says, "...as preached in my gospel..."

Many people and religious groups remember a Jesus Christ who resembles the one Paul preaches about, but His character and attributes have been changed and he is not the same Jesus Christ of the Bible.

For example, some believe in a Jesus Christ who exists to make all their wishes come true.  Others believe in a Jesus Christ who merely made atonement possible for all men.  Some believe in a Jesus Christ who has a brother named Lucifer and whose saving act is only to pull you up the last bit into heaven after you have done all that you can do to save yourself.

None of these Jesus Christs are going to save anybody.  The only Jesus Who will save is the one Paul preached and Who is described in the pages of the Bible.

This is why Paul suffered.  He dared to stick to the true Jesus Christ and preach Him alone.  People don't like that.  If Jesus were in bodily form among us today, I dare say He would be murdered again because He would not match the Jesus Christ that people want Him to be.

This makes me take a closer look at my perception of Who He is. When I pray, what do my prayers say about Who I believe He is? Do I continually ask for temporal needs?  Maybe I believe that He is there to make me and others comfortable.  How often do my prayers center around Who He is and what He has accomplished in redemption?  How often do my prayers involve confession? How often do my prayers involve asking for spiritual growth and sanctification?

Our prayers can and do tell a lot about what we really believe about Jesus Christ.  Is it Biblical?  Do our prayers reveal the true Jesus Christ or a cosmic genie who is there to serve us?

No comments: