Recently, I noticed that especially amongst some Bible-believing Christians, people do not speak too much of Jesus. And, when it comes to witnessing, we tend to talk about God because people are more readily open to hear about God. Perhaps this is because God's name has become generic, and people do not feel threatened at the mention of His name. But when we mention Jesus, sparks fly and people will shut down or react negatively. I find it disturbing and even alarming, and so I'd like to write about why we must never fail to mention Jesus, and to lift up His name. To fail to mention His name and to fail to openly identify ourselves with Him, aren't we taking on the same attitude as the disciples did when Jesus was crucified? It is well known that Peter denied Jesus three times. Are we any better than Peter?
I
want to add as well that from what I've seen and experienced in many
evangelical churches is that they will talk about God, and they may even touch
on the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). But except at Christmas
and Easter, the person and life of Jesus, many times, is not taught beyond
Jesus as a baby born in a manger, and Jesus dying on the cross and rising
again. Yet, by not teaching beyond these holy days, (which are the
cornerstone of the Christian faith), and talking about the pre-eminence and
personhood of Jesus, people are not receiving a true representation of who God
is. So I'd like to point out some important Scriptures to emphasize the
importance of proclaiming who Jesus is at every opportunity.
For
one thing, and this is an extremely important Biblical fact, we can only belong to or
come to know God through Jesus.
Joh 1:12 But
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Jesus said to Thomas that there is no other way to the Father
God without going through Jesus.
Joh 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou
goest; and how can we know the way?
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and
the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus said to His disciples that because they had seen Him,
they had also seen the Father.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it
sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with
you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest
thou then, Shew
us the Father?
Salvation
is only possible through Jesus. It is more than a casual belief in God.
We have to come to Jesus in order to be saved.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved.
There is something very important to consider. We cannot know God if we deny who Jesus is.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the
Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he
that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
As I've touched on
in a previous blog, people may say that we are all god. Some say that we
are all children of God and we all have His spirit in us. This is a grave
error and a very serious one. Jesus has followers, but not every one is
His child. One day He will say, "Depart from me, I never knew you."
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We cannot truly say that we know
God without knowing Jesus. We can know "about" God, but not
know God. As an example, I was raised in a Christian home and knew a lot
of the Scripture through Sunday School. I knew about God, but I didn't
know Jesus in a personal way. I didn't really "know" God until
I recognized that Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is how God manifests
Himself. Jesus revealed Himself to me and then I knew this is who God is.
I no longer saw God as a generic God up in heaven uncaring, cold, and
knowing nothing about me.
It's important to note that Jesus
came to me. He began talking to me and walking with me. This was outside
of the church walls. He came to me when I walked and I needed to get away from
the busyness of my studies at Bible School. He taught me about myself and
about Himself. I checked everything out in the Word, and verified that
Jesus words to me were true.
We must confess who Jesus is.
When people do not want to hear about Jesus, or talk about Jesus, they do not
belong to God, but are of the world. We do not want to fall into that category!
1Jn
4:2 Hereby know ye the
Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh is of God:
1Jn
4:3 And every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this
is that spirit of
antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is
it in the world.
We can only
begin to know the one and only true God when we hear the Word of God. The
Word of God will create a reaction in people. We will either receive it
and believe it, or immediately put up a fight and reject it:
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias
saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
We are only reconciled to God through Christ (verse 16). We
only have access to God through Christ (verse 18).
Eph 2:13 But
now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of
Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath
broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by
the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off,
and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the
Father.
We are bought with a price:
He loves us fiercely and unconditionally, and we owe Him our
life:
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day
long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The importance of confessing
Him before man is emphasized here:
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will
I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
It is a chilling thought to consider that if we deny Him, we
will be shamed on the day that He denies us.
The importance of confessing Jesus as Lord:
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
We have to give an account to God. We must take
every opportunity now to ensure that Jesus is at the front, center and core of
our being, that He is truly the Lord of ALL of our life. It is something we
need to work at every single day.
Scripture teaches that Jesus is above all, fills all things,
and He is Lord of all.
Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord
Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in
my prayers;
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye
may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of
his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the
exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the
working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the
dead, and set him at his
own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in
that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Finally, for every blood-bought believer of Jesus, we
must exalt Him, speak of Him, and share about the incredible salvation He
provides, so rich and free. Jesus must be exalted, for this is the only
hope of salvation for all that are lost.
Finally, we have every indication that He
is coming soon, and so we must be ready.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the
first and the last.
God Bless you today, and may God’s Word take root in our
hearts, and we respond accordingly.
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