Image source: Creativefabrica. I do not own the rights to this image.

I cannot think of a more controversial and misrepresented person than Jesus of Nazareth. He’s been white washed, Europeanized, modified to fit the religious narratives of oppression/racism/sexism, and his name used in vain to promote ungodly agendas. Jesus has plenty of fans and a committee of haters. He was the most hated when he walked the earth by the religious and political crowd. They were looking for a different kind of Messiah. They were seeking a king that would overthrow Rome and free them from all injustices. Jesus of Nazareth offended their religious mindsets because they thought they knew God and how dare he claim equality with God. How dare Jesus perform miracles on the Sabbath and break their religious traditions? How dare he be merciful to women and sinners? How dare he dine with the destitute and tax collectors? He did not fit their mold of who the King of the Jews should be.

Today, there are the same crowds that chant “Jesus is Lord,” while denying his lordship. Those who neglect the poor, widows, orphans, those in prison, the sick/dying, the immigrant and the refugee. How dare Jesus call us to love our neighbors and our enemies? How dare Jesus call us to deny our selfishness and to follow his example? It has always been easier to be a fan of Jesus than a follower. It has always been easier to seek another human being who is not the Christ to be our king. To seek out someone who who deal with all the injustices we perceive and outside of God’s ultimate will.

For thousands of years humans have pursued doing life our own way instead of God’s way. The end result has been wars, genocides, injustice, racism, sexism, abuse, brutality, gross selfishness and greed, lying, stealing, and compromising God’s will for our own way.

We live in a culture that proclaims boldly that something is God without any biblical justification. We live in a culture that stands behind politicians and religious systems that are antichrist. The justifications are that “No one is perfect. God can use anyone. What else am I supposed to do.” I believe based on study of Jesus of Nazareth that we are to stand with God more so than culture. I believe we are to listen to and adhere to the teachings of Jesus, more so than our religious upbringing. I believe we are called to know the scriptures for ourselves and have a personal relationship with God. I believe one of the primary reasons Jesus came was to reconcile a lost and dying world to the Father.

People debate me on the teachings of Jesus online and in person, when they are clear as day in the bible. What did Jesus say? What did Jesus model?

What did Jesus say?

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.-John 14:6.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.-John 3: 1-36 (read the full chapter).

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”-John 8:12.

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.-John 10:11.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” John 11:25.

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”-Luke 9:23–26.

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (cf. Matt 9:13; 18:11; Luke 19:9–10; John 3:17; 12:47). Christ warned, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? ‘And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”-Matthew 7:21–23.

There are no parts of scripture where Jesus winked at the sins of the people. Nor did he bow to the religoious and political agendas. He stood firm on the will of the Father. He told people to repent (change your mind about your sins) and turn to God. That the wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life. No mere human stands before God perfect and without any sin. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount brought even the self righteous to their internal sins of the heart. The beauty of Jesus of Nazareth is he provided a way for people to free of the penalty of sin and death. He said, “Repent. Place your faith in me and believe. Follow me.” He paid a price on that rugged cross that we could not pay. We cannot do enough good works to earn righteousness and holiness before God. There