Do you know Christ?
Be aware! This is not overly simple material. (Heb_5:11-14)
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Surely everyone will answer yes to that question, or will want to. Please consider something Jesus said, however, that should make us all seriously evaluate our answer! Jesus said of "the last day," or the "judgment day": (Matthew 7:22, 23) 22 Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?' 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness. Jesus also said: (Luke 13:24-27 and verse 28) 24 "Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able, 25 when once the householder has got up and locked the door, and you start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Sir, open to us.' But in answer he will say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' 26 Then you will start saying, 'We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.' 27 But he will speak and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness!' 28 There is where your weeping and the gnashing of your teeth will be, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside."
Everyone should take note: Many of the people who rejected Jesus were proud and arrogant students of the Jewish Faith. They thought they could identify Jesus based on one or a few scriptures they knew from the Bible, without making a through examination of what God's word teaches. (John 7:40-44 GNB) Some of the people in the crowd heard him say this and said, "This man is really the Prophet!" (41) Others said, "He is the Messiah!" But others said, "The Messiah will not come from Galilee! (42) The scripture says that the Messiah will be a descendant of King David and will be born in Bethlehem, the town where David lived." (43) So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. (44) Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
These people were fortunate to be eyewitnesses to the son of God healing the sick, (Mat_15:30-31) raising the dead, and teaching them as no man had ever done before. (John_7:45-49) Even so, they remained pleased to rest in their own self righteousness and arrogance based on their imagined knowledge of the scriptures. They refused to recognize Jesus as the one sent by God to bring them life by explaining those very scriptures to them. (John_12:49 & 8:28 & 17:20-26) They rejected Jesus because they judged he was not from Bethlehem, when in fact they had not bothered to gain all the facts. (Luke_2:1-7) (Note in John 7:48 above: they were most pleased their religious leaders rejected Jesus.)
Is a consideration of those scriptures a little unsettling for you? If they don't make you reflect on who you are in your inner person, the person Christ Jesus sees you to be, it might not speak well of you! (Jas_1:22-25; Mat 7:21-23) Jesus is talking in Mat. 7, and Luke 13 (quoted above) about men and women who would feel justified in approaching him, actually believing (or maybe just wishing) they were about to receive help. They even went so far as to remind Jesus they had been in his company. The fact they were rejected by him should lead us all to ask ourselves the very same question: Do I really know Christ Jesus?
In reflecting on any scriptural matter, it often helps to consider excerpts (or stories) from the Hebrew Scriptures (or Old testament - OT). The Bible explains the Jewish Law Code is a tutor leading to the Christ. (Gal 3:23-25) The Law exposed our need for the Messiah, and the OT's many prophecies gave information to help identify him when he arrived. The OT also provides the ancestry of the Messiah. We can really think of the whole of the Hebrew scriptures, then, as God's tutor leading to the Christ. In Genesis 3:15, after our first parents joined Satan in giving birth to rebellion and sin, God promised He would raise up a seed from the woman (Joh_5:25-27; please note verse 27) who would crush Satan's head. After the OT concludes, in the first four Bible Books of the Christian Greek Scriptures (or New Testament - NT), Jesus appeared, presenting himself in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as that promised Jewish Messiah.
In evaluating our own relationship with Christ, one of the accounts from the Old Testament we do well to consider is one about a man who thought he knew King David of old. The ancient nation of Israel was prominently used by God as the nation chosen by him to produce the Messiah. (Eze 34:30) Jesus was born a Jew. (Mat 1:1) For a period of time, God used men to govern Israel who would sit representatively on God's throne, ruling His nation of people. David was the second of those earthly kings. Although David committed some grave and serious sins, he was known as a man of outstanding faithfulness during most all of his life. To one of King David's forefathers, God had expanded on and clarified the Messianic promise He gave at Genesis 3:15. He pledged to faithful Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed by means of Abraham's seed. (Gen_22:18) The primary seed of Abraham, the individual who would bless all the peoples of the earth, was Christ Jesus. (Gal_3:8) Christ was born of Abraham through the line of King David. (Mat 1:1) King David's rule proved a blessing to God's nation, and by helping people from other nations to know יהוה
[God's Hebrew Name: Sounds like
to English speakers],
David blessed those other nations as well. On a smaller scale than what Christ would do, and for the 40 years of David's rule, the prophecy to Abraham was thus fulfilled in King David. Because of that, and David's great loyalty to God, God promised the appearance of the one who some scholars refer to as the Greater David, because God said He would appoint that one to sit on David's throne forever. (Isa_9:7) Christ Jesus is the one appointed to sit forever on David's throne. (Lu_1:32-33) King David loved the truth. That is to say, he loved God's Word. (Ps_119:97-112) Our king Christ Jesus also loves the truth. (Luke 4:16-21) A reasonable question should be, do you love the truth? (Joh_10:29) Can you really say you know Jesus if you don't? Do you perceive, and are you able to share in, the same wondrous joy Jesus had in his expression at John 10:29: His soul stirring expression that what his Father had given him is "greater than all other things"? (Joh_6:38-40 ; Joh_17:17 ; Joh_17:6-8) Jesus said everything his Father had was his. (Joh_16:15a) What could be the thing picked out by Jesus, then, that was greater than all other things? It was the wondrous opportunity to glorify his Father's name! (Joh_12:27-28 ; Joh_7:18) Jesus said he came to make his Father's name known. (Joh_17:25-26) He said it was his purpose in life. (Joh_18:37 ; Joh_17:3-5) He said his food (or what sustained him) was to do his Father's will. (Joh_4:34) Long ago, Satan told all creation God was a liar and was bad. Satan said God was withholding good things from his children. (Gen_3:1-5) The knowledge and opportunity given Jesus to eternally clear his Father's name of that reproach, then, is the gift that is "greater than all other things." (Joh_17:26) Jesus, in turn, gives us you the opportunity to share in that work of exposing the lies Satan tried to attach to our Father. (Joh_17:7-8) You can share in receiving what is greater than all other things: That you can personally know and have a relationship with our Heavenly Father, through your faith in his son, (Joh_16:26-27) that gift is made available to you only through Jesus's teachings. (Mat_11:27) Share it by simply by talking with others about what you learn from the Bible.
David was a good king. The nation prospered under his forty year rule. Him being an outstanding King over יהוה 's nation of people makes it easy to understand why God would use him as a prefigure of our King Jesus Christ. That knowledge helps us understand why we should wisely look to the following example in David's life, to help us understand how to avoid being among those people expecting Jesus's help, but finding themselves condemned. (Mat 7:21-23) This example can help us understand how these people could think they knew Jesus when they didn't.
To really comprehend and benefit from this drama taken from David's life [which God had recorded for us in the Bible (2_Pet_1:21)] we also need to know King Saul. Saul was the first king of Israel and ruled prior to David. Both kings were specifically chosen and anointed by יהוה as kings over his nation. (1_Sam_9:16-17_&_10:1 ; 1_Sam_16:11-13) Saul started out as an excellent king, but later became arrogant and disrespectful of God. Finally, he used his moral freedom to become bad, and he was rejected by יהוה . (1_Sam_15:26) Very different from Saul, David became more and more faithful to יהוה all through his life.
David first appears on the Bible scene during Saul's rule, while the Jews were at war with the Philistines. David, as a young man, was sent by his father to where the armies were drawn up in battle, to carry supplies to his brothers serving in the army. It was at that time the Philistine giant, Goliath, came out to taunt the battle lines of Israel; asking what champion they would bring forth to do battle with him. David was shocked that no one replied. David viewed this spiritual enemy of the God he worshipped as little more than a dog. (Remember: David served Jehovah as a member of the Jewish Nation. God had clearly identified that nation as his servants. He was protecting the Jews while He used them to produce the Messiah. So, God helped his people fight against the enemies of His arrangement of worship for their day in time. Christianity replaced Judaism and is very different. (Mat 23:37-39) Christians do not kill God's enemies nor can we even judge who they are. We just need to learn what Jesus taught and exercise faith!) Young David spoke up to say he would strike Goliath down. David's killing of Goliath put him in good stead with Saul and the whole Jewish nation; and he soon became Saul's attendant. (1 Samuel 17:1-18:5)
Over the years that followed, as Saul turned away from יהוה and chose badness, his love for David changed first to jealousy and then to hatred. For years after that, Saul hunted David like an animal as he tried to kill David. On two different occasion during those years, David had opportunity to kill Saul. Although David was being forced to flee from Saul, and David had publicly cried out in front of both their armies that יהוה would strike Saul down for seeking David's life, David would not personally do him harm. "How could I thrust out my hand against the anointed of יהוה ," David asked, "and come away unharmed?" (1_Samuel_24:2-15) David loved יהוה , and he trusted in God to deal with wicked Saul. That does not mean David hid Saul's sin. David boldly told everyone יהוה would strike Saul down for his wickedness, but since יהוה had anointed Saul as King, David would not personally do him harm! David loved Saul and likely hoped Saul would heed David's warning and turn back from his bad way. (1_Samuel_26:1-25) (David thus manifest the Christian spirit toward Saul 1000 years before the birth of Christ. David well knew Christ's Father.)
Finally, though, Saul went up in battle against the Philistines and an archer's arrow found him. Fatally wounded, and in fear his enemies would find him alive and abuse him, Saul asked his armor bearer to put him to death. When the man refused, Saul fell upon his own sword and killed himself. (1 Samuel 31:1-6)
Now we come to the point of this scriptural consideration, and to the Bible example we encourage you to consider. Three days after Saul's death, a young man came to King David to report what had happened. Possible hearing about, or even having witnessed what happened to King Saul, and knowing how Saul had hunted David for years seeking to kill him, this young man thought he knew David. He emboldened himself to tell David King Saul had been wounded, and had asked him to put him to death. Though the Bible tells us what he said was not true, he no doubt imagined his skewed or embellished view of events would bring him favor with David. So... The young Amalekite man told David he had heeded Saul's request, and had killed him. David then asked the man who he was. This might have been an opportunity for the young man to plead ignorance for what he had done. Still not knowing David, however, the young man proudly volunteered he was an alien resident of Israel. As a resident, he should have known the law code and how important it was when a man was anointed as king directly by יהוה God. David then ordered one of his attendants to strike the young man down, because he had testified out of his own mouth he had put the anointed of יהוה to death. (2 Samuel 1:1-16)
This young man thought he knew David, but he learned at the cost of his very life, he didn't know King David at all! He had heard the things people had told him about David, and imagined that meant he knew him. The man should not have made the leap to think he knew David intimately, because of what he had heard people say. If he was going to thrust himself into a relationship with David that required he know him intimately, he should have been very serious about being sure he really did know him. Before we were even born, we were all put into a similar scenario with our King Christ Jesus. It is a relationship which requires that we know him intimately. Like the young Amalekite man, we must be sure we aren't just claiming to know Jesus based on what others have told us about him. (Mat 7:15-20) They may be well meaning but wrong! (Mat 7:21-23)
Do you now see the importance of evaluation whether you really and truly know our King Christ Jesus? Do you understand what it requires on your part to be certain you do? Do you know the answer to the question he asked a crowd of people when he was teaching them? (Mark 12:35-37 MWT) 35 ... Jesus began to say as he taught in the temple: “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is David’s son? 36 By the holy spirit David himself said, ‘ יהוה said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet.”’ [referring to Ps 110:1] 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ so how is Jesus also his son?” And the great crowd was listening to him with pleasure. Saying we know Jesus Christ implies we know him personally. Unlike these hypocritical religious leaders, then, we should know Jesus is David's son (Mat 1:1) because David is an ancestor of both Joseph (Mat 1:6 & 1:16) and Mary. (Luke 3:23 & 3:31 - This scripture mentions Joseph as the son of Heli but Joseph was actually his son-in-law, as Heli was apparently Mary's father.) As well as being David's son, Jesus is also his lord because Jehovah resurrected Jesus and appointed him as lord of all the earth. (Eph 1:19-21 ; Mat 28:18 ; 1 Cor 15:24-28) Thus, David will also be subject to Christ when he is resurrected. Christ is also called "the Son of man" because he is "the seed of the woman." (Gen 3:15) Actually then, the Son of God has many titles. Reading what he taught in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is the only way we can really come to know him; and be certain within ourselves that we do. While David probably didn't understand all he was inspired to sayprophesy about Christ, using our glasses of history, we can. Those individuals Jesus talked about, those who would approach him saying they had cast out demons in his name, they thought they knew him, but they really didn't. They had apparently listened to other humans but had not really remained in Jesus's word. (John 8:31-32) They failed to hear and take to heart God's only later day command. (Mat 17:5)
How could they have deceived themselves so? That answer is easy: They didn't know what the Bible teaches. (Mark 12:24) They hadn't listened to what Jesus really taught. That is what modern day religion is stealing away from their members. They find young any people who are sincerely interested in learning about God, and then steer them aside to being concerned with membership in their group. (Mat 23:15) All "religions" seek to ensnare you in their teachings rather than encourage personal study of the words of Christ. Membership in any of such varied groups is useless at best! You must personally seat yourself at Jesus's feet, and listen to what he taught. Don't waste your time studying what men say, and then heeding their teachings, or sitting at our feet for that matter. Prove what we say comes from the Bible. (Acts_17:11) You can only do that by reading Christ's words. What Jesus actually taught is contained in the four short books by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Apostle John. Read them! Sit at Jesus's feet by reading those books over and over; until you are familiar with what he taught. Then, YOU will know Christ Jesus; and you will know you know him. When someone claims Jesus said some thing or the other, you will be able to say "Amen!", or to ignore ignorant speech when there is no Bible support. (Gal_1:8-9)
Bible knowledge sets those having it free of the malicious and deceitful, or ignorant, influence of others; while also helping them overcome their own weaknesses and sinful inclinations. Knowledge of truth sets us all free, if we simply listen to what Jesus taught; and then do our best to live accordingly. Don't imagine, though, you know what Jesus taught if you haven't personally taken the effort to read his sayings for your-own-self! The poet Maya Angelou asked why the caged bird sings, and then reflected: It doesn't sing because it has the answer, it sings because it has a song. That was her beautiful expression to help understand or explain some of the pain surrounding our lives. The teachings of Jesus give you a song which actually is the answer. (Joh_8:31-32)
It ain't rocket science! The Truth of the Bible provides the same simple and beautiful solution to all our problems; for each and every one of us. Knowing Christ is opening your eyes one day to have the blackness replaced with such wonder as to be nearly unfathomable. Knowing Jesus means realizing the sum course of your life has brought you to a knowledge of the sayings of Christ; his words then bringing into focus the wonderful purpose of your life: To love life and see good days. (1 Peter 3:10-12) Sing, sing, sing...
A related point we are well served to understand is this: Organizations don't worship God. It is individuals who worship God! (Some will, of course, assert all followers of Christ do indeed comprise an organization. That is true only in the sense they make themselves part of, or join themselves to, God's organization in heaven.) Our point is this: Contrary to what many assert, no memberships among men represent those loved by God. Approved membership judgments rendered by men are the supreme manifestation of class distinction. In the mind of those who render or follow such judgments, their memberships judge between those who are loved by God and those who are not (or at least those who are approved by him - they will say). Such sectarian judgments are the opposite of the teaching by Christ Jesus to "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" and to encourage others who express faith alone. (Joh_8:1-11; Luke 9:49-50)
Remember, if you render your judgment that others of some "group" are righteous, you take responsibility for what they are doing. Organizational worship was exemplified in Judaism, and when one did wrong under their group worship, they were all responsible. (Joshua 7:4-26) But that arrangement was done away with and it is individuals who worship God acceptably in our day! Among the things Jesus came to do was to help us understand that simple truth. In trying to scripturally verify that is true, (Acts 17:11) we review another Bible example, this time from the Book of John. In John chapter 4, we find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman at a well. Jews and Samaritans had different religious beliefs. Born a Jew, Jesus grew up studying the Jewish Law Code and teachings. (Luk 2:41-49) He well knew יהוה , the God of Israel, and he was familiar with their Jewish form of worship. After the woman at the well perceived Jesus had miraculous power, she asked him about "religion," specifically about his versus hers. At John 4:20 she said to him: "Our forefathers worshipped in this mountain, but you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where persons ought to worship." To let the woman know his Jewish form of worship was the one which had previously been acceptable to God, Jesus said to her: "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation originates with the Jews." (Joh 4:22) Jesus then went on to explain group worship was coming to an end, as he said to her: "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming and is now, when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you people worship the Father... the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. God is a spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth." (Joh 4:21_&_23-24) The formalized group worship of both his forefathers, and her forefathers, was being brought to an end and replaced by a form of worship carried on by each individual through their own personal faith in Christ. (Mat_23:38) Christians worship in spirit because they must first be drawn to Christ by his Father's spirit. (John 6:44a) They worship in truth because Jesus came to bring truth. (John 18:37b) In John 17:11-21, Jesus said something in a prayer to his Father that sheds more light on what was about to happen after he went away: explaining his worshipers would worship the Father directly, as individuals, through their personal faith in him as God's son. They would no longer approach God through any group of men. That Christian arrangement of individual worship, established by Jesus, remains to this day! (Joh_15:8-15 & 15:16) Jesus also said he would leave his followers a helper, the spirit of truth, to help them remember and understand what he had taught them. (Joh_14:15-17 & 26) If you sincerely try to understand God's word, the spirit of Christ manifest in his teachings will help you.
The Bible tells us that mere oppression makes even a wise person behave like a crazy person. It also says a bribe destroys the person. (Ecc_7:7) Ignorance amounts to spiritual darkness, and darkness is the worst form of oppression. Is it any surprise there are so many people acting like crazy persons in our day? If you can keep someone in total darkness (surrounded by lies and treachery), they will accept anything that gives a glimmer of light, even if it is a projector giving off light depecting what is not real. That is what people do when they promote their own teachings, claiming what they teach comes from Jesus. They project lies and false hopes! The greatest bribe, then, which can be offered to any person, is to make them believe they are wise in joining such a group of men; while all the lesser and unwise nonmembers remain in darkness. The bribe is the wisdom that the group asserts it's members manifest in joining. That is what modern day religions are doing to their sheep! They project a false light based on their own teachings, and then bribe members by assuring them they manifest wisdom in joining their group. Satan doesn't care which group he can keep you joined to, while their leaders whisper "Jesus, sweet Jesus," in your ear (2_Tim_4:3-4) and promises your membership puts you among those being saved. Their approved membership is the important thing for them! They want it to be what is important to you. That is the test of good and bad fruit: (Mat 7:15-20) Do people direct you to read and take to heart Christ's words, or do they direct you to an approved group membership? These groups are all holding up manipulated light illuminations of teachings dreamt up by them, while they cry out, "Follow us, we have the sayings that lead you to the door into daylight and life." No matter what they say, Jesus is the only door to light and life! (Joh_1:6-13 ; Joh_10:1-5) The only group we can join is the very old one Jesus started about 2000 years ago. Joining is a personal choice made in your own heart to follow Jesus Christ. Modern groups (and the individuals who comprise them) who rely on memberships, seem to be failing to evaluate themselves to see if they really do know him. Most are just telling each other how great and how favored they are (Joh_5:44) to be Christian members of their group, but are not really sitting at Jesus's feet. As you read John, ask yourself: Are groups of men who have actually come to imagine salvation is tied to membership in their sect, are they listening to what Jesus said at all? Do they really know him? If they knew Christ, they would realize their approved memberships among groups of men have no value. What does have value, is personal faith in Christ, based on knowledge of what he taught.
Modern research tools along with deteriorating world conditions (Visit: JustBibleTruth.com/URAwake.pdf) have resulted in a brilliant revelation of the teachings of Jesus for our day. The bright light of Bible truth is painful for those men and women who have misapplied the scriptures to convince their "sheep" to follow them; convinced them they are dependent upon their group for salvation. (2_Pet_2:1-9) They don't want those they have subjugated to hear the truth. Truth is also painful for those who like things the way they are. Some like having religious leaders tickling their ears by assuring them they are saved and everything is fine, as long as they remain approved members of the group. They don't want to be told they need to learn what Jesus taught and to live accordingly. (2_Tim_4:3-4) For those who do love truth, however, our day is a wonderful time to be alive. All the peoples of the earth are today being divided into two groups (Visit: JustBibleTruth.com/YouAreMarked.pdf) by their response to the words of Christ Jesus. (Joh_12:48 ; Mat_25:31-33 ; Mat_10:34-38) Knowing what Jesus taught makes that clear through eyes of faith. (Mat_24:23-25 ; Rom_1:17) The truth Jesus taught will set us you free of being ensnared by even well-intentioned men and women who remain ignorant of truth. (John 8:31-32)
Another common failing among religious groups of men lies is in their convincing members they must suffer now and be happy later. Jesus said his followers would be happy now: His teachings would make them happy! (Joh_15:11 ; Joh_14:25-31) He did not say bad things wouldn't happen to those who do know him, mind you, but they would be happy. (As God's protection for the survival of the tribulation picks up, Christ's friends will be protected. - Psa 91:1-10) If you know and follow Jesus's teachings, you will be happy. (Joh_13:15-17) If you can greet someone, anyone, and realize you can help them because you have knowledge of truth (not that you know everything, but you understand Christ's teachings are the source of truth) and you can thereby know you don't have to fear being misled by them; how can it not make you happy? When we truly believe the sufferings we witness around us, for us or for others, are temporary and are being done away with by Christ Jesus, (Isa_11:1-12) how could that not make you happy? Your eternal life is directly linked to your happiness! [Please visit: justbibletruth.com/Observations/HowCanFaithHelp.html]
So then, don't be deceived or be misguided. Realize how very simple it is to protect yourself: All you need is to become familiar with what Jesus taught in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In doing so, you will know by means of your own Bible based faith that you know Christ Jesus intimately. Knowing Jesus is also to know the theme of the Bible! The Hebrew Scriptures exist in large measure to announce the Messiah. The books after the Gospels are the accounts of the early Christian men and women who tried to apply Christ's teachings in their lives. To know Christ, then, is to know the theme of the Bible! That all comes from sitting at Jesus's feet, doing so by reading the Gospel accounts of his teachings, over and over and...
Best to all who will love life and see good days. (1 Peter 3:10-12 MWT) 10 For, "he that would love life and see good days, let him restrain his tongue from what is bad and [his] lips from speaking deception, 11 but let him turn away from what is bad and do what is good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For [the] eyes of יהוה are upon the righteous ones, and his ears are toward their supplication; but [the] face of יהוה is against those doing bad things." The above words of Peter were a reference to Psalms 34:12-16 LITV:
(12) Who is the man who desires life, who loves days in order to see good?
(13) Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile;
(14) depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
(15) The eyes of Jehovah ( יהוה ) are on the righteous; and His ears are open to their cry.
(16) The face of Jehovah ( יהוה ) is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth.
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