Another view of Jesus

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.” (Jn. 5:39,40).

To have a revelation of Jesus, even just one view, is enough to begin building the kingdom of God in the soul. With that first vision, we know what to look for in the Son of God; from then on to the last day of our life we will follow up that first picture as Abram did. With that vision we also know what’s possible of God’s love because Jesus revealed the Father. He revealed His Father’s mercy and His majesty.

When our mind’s eye once comprehends the blending of mercy and justice in Christ’s character and life, then as we continue reading the Bible, characteristics of Jesus appear to us, and He begins to take shape throughout its pages. As the fire flashing forth from the many aspects of a finely cut diamond, we see Him in many different biblical situations, through many different biblical people, in their actions or words. We see Him in Paul; we see Him in Moses. We see Him in Joshua and Samson and Boaz and David and Solomon. We see His humility and readiness to inform and aptness to teach in Naaman’s servant girl. We see in Ruth His sincere attachment to us, and in Abram His steadfastness and need of love. Every scripture testifies of Him. Even the principles of righteousness delineated for us in Old and New Testaments describe our Lord.

1Timothy 1:5 describes Jesus. Why should He expect of us less than of Himself? Therefore, we can conclude that the Son of God had charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. Is that a new picture of Jesus? But, will we dwell on these pictures of His character? Do we, as it were, chew the cud, dissecting His person, analyzing His core purpose, and relishing each smaller nuance of His impeccable and loving nature? Do we eat and drink His flesh and blood, and thus, live by Him? “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ.” (Gal. 2:16).

His heart was always compassionate for the weak, the downtrodden, the poor, and especially for the poor in spirit—those who were suffering under the curse of God’s condemnation without a Pharisee or priest or rabbi to give them assurance of His forgiveness. Their negligence was not like Aaron, who had “compassion on the ignorant, and on them that [were] out of the way.” (Heb. 5:2). Christ sought to relieve each one in their varied necessities, but especially those who had received the conviction of sin, had wrestled long and hard with it, and were humbled and prepared for the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ conscience was in perfect health. Never once had He bruised His conscience, yet often did it smite Him as He witnessed the sights and words from those around Him, even in His closest disciples. This painful intercession provided the Father renewed access to lost humanity. But, Christ’s conscience being unsullied by even a remotest thought of sin, kept His openness to God’s law in perfect strength and thus His communion with His beloved Father in perfect constancy and fullness. This is what so well pleased the Father in His Son.

The combination of Jesus’ pure, selfless grace and His perfect conscience toward God, gave Him a faith empty of all pretence. He was free from the multitudinous human social constructions that conflicted with the Law of God. And to those practices that Moses had originally given them and that still retained some resemblance to God’s will, Jesus freely demonstrated far beyond human expectation. He was a quickening spirit; He brought new life to the ancient statutes of the law. His songs poured forth from a heart full of pathos as if no one else were listening but His Father. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” (Rom. 14:23) and everything Jesus did was in faith─perfect communion with His Father. His praise stunned His disciples and shamed the religious leaders, even striking fear in them as they realized the full requirement of God to love Him with all their heart and soul and strength.

Because of this unique Galilean self-made rabbi, the Pharisees found themselves perverse in the eyes of the people, and to the Sadducees His faith was a total embarrassment, which they had no desire to imitate. While Christ’s open faith toward God in all things and at all times appealed to His disciples and drew their hearts to His in ties that could not be broken, even they felt the constant discomfort of conviction because they did not have the ardor toward God and service toward man which their Master displayed every waking moment.

But, so long as they were willing to follow Him, living under the heat of His perfect example and hearing His gentle, but pointed reproofs─ especially those in His closest circle of twelve─His disciples, near and far, would gradually, naturally, adapt His life of liberty. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.… And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8:31,32,35,36).

He would make them free. They had not the power to liberate themselves from the heathen corruptions Satan had woven into the Hebrew laws. The innumerable aspects of life in this world the god of this world had distorted in order to wrap humanity in his wicked net. We are equally powerless to escape the complex system of taboos and rules made to appeal to our natural love of self. Neither do we have the courage to face the barrage of complaints and criticism and ostracism that accompany the breaking free from the devil’s prison house.

But, when we catch a vision of Jesus, who is the living exemplification of the law of liberty, and continue therein, the Holy Spirit imbues us with the divine energy that bursts our bonds to sin and leads us out to a light that grows brighter and brighter. We need Jesus at the beginning and every step of the way to freedom.
“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isa. 40:29-31).

The Lord says to His disciples today, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33). Fixating on the world will destroy all faith and hope of escaping this world’s power to prevent our obtaining Jesus’ divine nature, which few ever find. But, looking to Jesus and His victory over the world will allow the transfer of His nature into our fallen, weakened nature, through the mighty working of the Holy Spirit.

We need to see Jesus, not as some Hindu god apparition hovering in nirvana bliss, or as a western religious icon in “heaven”. We need to see Jesus as He was in His life here, among regular people, touching them, advising them, reproving but searching carefully for signs of repentance. We need to see Him supplicating His Father, seeking His Father’s communion and His assurance that He was measuring up to the plan of redemption. We need a real Jesus, but a full Son of God.

“Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 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.” (1Jn. 4:2,3). We need to catch His visions, not as a glorious personage in heaven, but on earth, made in our likeness, walking among men and women and children, breaking to them the bread of life, and developing in them faith in His Father. Then we will be safe with other worldly views of Him walking among the candlesticks.

Then, as we repeatedly see Him in earthly scenarios and in His heavenly work in that far country, we will walk in the light of His love and become like Him. We will follow the Lamb wherever we go and His name will forever be in our forehead.