The Jesus So Few Know

Why is the Christianity people see so different from the Jesus Christ of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ.? Could it be that many have a fundamental misunderstanding of His teaching?

As the memorial of Jesus' death and resurrection approaches, a Christian's mind should naturally turn to Jesus Christ. It is a sobering, yet joyful time of year.

Yet an observer comparing the modern-day beliefs and conduct of the average Christian with those of Jesus and His disciples might very well conclude that much of so-called Christianity has lost its way. Mahatma Gandhi once summed up this skeptical view when he said: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Let's face it. Many today have a bad impression of Christianity. From their political activism to their political correctness, from those who say the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. is the literal Word of GodThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. to those who seem to hardly believe anything in the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. at all, those who claim to belong to Jesus Christ have been under a good deal of scrutiny. The results have not all been flattering.

A steady stream of scandals involving the clergy in recent years has not only shaken many of the faithful, but for an increasingly secular Western society, these revelations have given many all the more reason to think Christianity is no longer relevant to them. The message of "Don't do as I do, do as I say" resonates with a skeptical generation, but not in a positive way.

In reality, the public relations problems with modern-day Christianity aren't confined to those in the ministry. Most who call themselves Christian just don't seem to be living up to the example of Jesus Christ. How could this be?

Who did Jesus claim to be?

Just who was Jesus Christ anyway? The recent resurgence of the ancient heresy of gnosticism in popular culture, in books and movies such as The Gnostic Gospels, The Nag Hammadi ScripturesThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18)., Dan Brown's best-selling The Da Vinci Code and the so-called GospelThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament . of Judas, only further clouds the issue for a largely biblically illiterate public.

However these writings offer nothing new. The apostle John battled early gnostic influence as well: "By this," wrote John, "you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God" (1 John 4:2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
See All...).

In the latter part of the first century, the apostle John was confronting the ethereal gnostic belief that Jesus did not have a physical body but appeared only as an illusion—in which case He wasn't physically born nor was He really crucified and resurrected. John's advice for dealing with gnosticism, and heresy in general, was to have nothing to do with it or its proponents (2 John 7-10).

But the philosophical fog of gnosticism is only part of the problem in our lack of understanding Jesus Christ and, ultimately, Christianity.

To understand Christianity, real Christianity, we must first understand its foundation: Jesus Christ. To many—even those who claim to be Christians—Jesus was just a good man or a profound Jewish teacher. Still others see Him as a revolutionary, a nonconformist, a deceiver or a fraud. Yet Jesus' claim, and that of His followers, was straightforward. He was Immanuel—"God with us" (Matthew 1:23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
See All...), the Christ, the MessiahA Hebrew word meaning literally "anointed one," synonymous with the Greek word christos, translated Christ. "In ancient Israel both persons and things consecrated to sacred purposes were anointed by having oil poured over them ... The Israelites did not think of crowning a king but of anointing him when he was enthroned ... [The future Messiah] is to destroy the world powers in an act of judgment, deliver Israel from her enemies, and restore her as a nation. The Messiah is the King of this future kingdom to whose political and religious domination the other nations will yield. His mission is the redemption of Israel and His dominion is universal. This is the clear picture of the Messiah in practically all of the OT passages which refer to Him" (The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, "Messiah")., the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15-17 [15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

See All...).

Jesus backed up His claim by fulfilling more than 130 messianic prophecies in the Old TestamentThose books that make up the Hebrew Bible generally accepted by Christians, Jews and to some extent Muslims. It contains a threefold division: the Law (the five books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings., by healing the sick, by raising the dead, by forgiving sin. He did not claim to be yet another teacher or merely a good man. Jesus said He was God.

Those who sought and eventually brought about His death understood His claims quite clearly, as we can read: "The Jews answered Him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God'" (John 10:33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
See All...).

As C.S. Lewis wrote: "Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to" ( Mere Christianity, 1980, p. 52).

Now if you are not a Christian, that claim at least deserves some careful study to see if it is really so. (For some insight into who Jesus really was, download or request our free booklet Jesus Christ: The Real Story .) But if you claim to be a Christian, as a follower of Jesus you need to understand something more than just who Jesus said He was. You need to understand what He did and what He commanded His followers to do.

The power of Christ's example

Is there a difference between the Jesus Christ revealed in the pages of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ.—who He was, what He said and what He did—and those whom the world sees as Christians today?

Many Christian apologists would argue that any shortcomings on a Christian's part are merely because he or she is "saved" but not yet perfect. Others would point out that the problem with most Christians is that they "come as they are" and stay that way. Indeed, something seems to be missing. As Gandhi said, there is a difference between Christ and Christians—and it is noticeable.

During the last Passover that Jesus spent with His disciples, He set a powerful example. Jesus humbly knelt down to wash His disciples' feet (John 13:1-10 [1] Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
[2] And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
[3] Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
[4] He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
[5] After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
[6] Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
[7] Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
[8] Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
[9] Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
[10] Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

See All...). And presenting the wine and unleavened bread of the Passover as symbolic of His shed blood and broken body that were to soon be a reality (Matthew 26:1-30 [1] And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
[2] Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
[3] Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
[4] And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
[5] But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
[6] Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
[7] There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
[8] But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
[9] For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
[10] When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
[11] For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
[12] For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
[13] Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
[14] Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
[15] And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
[16] And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
[17] Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
[18] And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
[19] And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
[20] Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
[21] And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
[22] And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
[23] And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
[24] The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
[25] Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
[26] And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
[27] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
[28] For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
[29] But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
[30] And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

See All...), Jesus moved His followers out of their comfort zone, out of conformity to the society and its customs.

Those customs had only a short time earlier caused many to be repelled by Jesus' teaching on our need to partake of the symbols of His blood and body in the Passover service (John 6:47-66 [47] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
[48] I am that bread of life.
[49] Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
[50] This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
[51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
[52] The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
[53] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
[54] Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
[55] For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
[56] He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
[57] As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
[58] This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
[59] These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
[60] Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
[61] When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
[62] What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
[63] It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
[64] But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
[65] And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
[66] From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

See All...). Quite simply, Jesus' disciples were in the process of being converted. They were shown that the humanly devised teachings and traditions they had grown up with were invalid and needed to be replaced with what Jesus was showing them.

Many claim to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Yet the moment that the Jesus revealed in the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. becomes meddlesome by calling on them to make changes in how they live, their religious life becomes neatly compartmentalized in a convenient corner. This is not Christianity, it is religious hobbyism.

What Jesus Christ calls on His followers to do involves nothing less than a total transformation of how they think and act. As we read in Romans 12:2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
See All...: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

The transformation of which the apostle Paul speaks involves change, real change. But if we are not to conform to society around us, if we are to change the way we have been conducting our lives, what are we to be conformed to?

What did Jesus do?

Today, many extol the slogan "What Would Jesus Do?" It's common on colorful rubber wristbands, T-shirts and bumper stickers. But far too many don't know the answer to that question because they do not know what He did. They are familiar with stories about Christ, but not the example He set as a lifestyle for Christians to follow.

Think for a moment. If you were to become a part of any group or organization, one of the first things you would want to know is what is required of you. What are the rules? For the Christian, whose goal is to be with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God, the rules are simple and consistent. When a young man asked Him what good thing he should do to have eternal life, Jesus told him to "keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
See All...).

Jesus sharpened the focus and deepened the requirements of God's law, setting the bar even higher for His followers. His is a call not to the laissez-faire, "Kumbaya," once-a-week, feel-good Christianity that is so commonplace. Rather, Jesus Christ expects obedience to the same commandments He obeyed.

His close friend and apostle John plainly confirms this in 1 John 5:2-3 [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
[3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

See All...: "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

Will we do as He did?

Whether in having no gods before the one true God, not worshipping graven images, not taking God's name in vain, keeping the Sabbath day holy or any of the other six Commandments, Jesus Christ challenges those who call Him Lord to conform to His likeness, to obey God's instructions in both the letter and spirit of the law, to allow God's law to truly be written in their hearts.

Jesus calls for us to be free from conformity to this society and its values. He does so, even as He challenged those of His generation to understand the difference between God's commandments and traditions devised by the religious leaders of Jewish society of that day (Matthew 15:1-9 [1] Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
[2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
[3] But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
[4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
[5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
[6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
[7] Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
[8] This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
[9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

See All...).

Jesus Christ showed His disciples a perfect example of how to properly worship God. How well do you know that example?

Jesus worshipped on God's Sabbaths (Mark 1:21And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
See All...; Luke 4:16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
See All...) and claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath, not Sunday (Mark 2:28Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
See All...). He observed the Holy Days of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. (Luke 2:41-42 [41] Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
[42] And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

See All...; John 7:1-39 [1] After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
[2] Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
[3] His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
[4] For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
[5] For neither did his brethren believe in him.
[6] Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
[7] The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
[8] Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
[9] When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
[10] But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
[11] Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
[12] And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
[13] Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
[14] Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
[15] And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
[16] Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
[17] If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
[18] He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
[19] Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
[20] The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
[21] Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
[22] Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
[23] If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
[24] Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
[25] Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
[26] But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
[27] Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
[28] Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
[29] But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
[30] Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
[31] And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
[32] The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
[33] Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
[34] Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
[35] Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
[36] What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
[37] In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
[38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
[39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

See All...). He even founded His Church on one of those days, the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4 [1] And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
[3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

See All...).

And after Jesus' final Passover, death and resurrection, the apostles continued to worship on the Sabbath and the biblical Holy Days (Acts 17:2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
See All...; 18:21; 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 [6] Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
[7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
[8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

See All...; 16:8).

Perhaps you thought you knew the Jesus of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ., but if you want to know more, why not request or download our free booklets Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep? and God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind for more information.

Strange as it may sound, Jesus would probably not recognize a lot of things about the religion that now bears His name, from its primary day of worship to the holidays it celebrates.

He never celebrated them. The question is, why should you? If your answer is, "Because it is the tradition of my church," Jesus would have you reassess that position (Mark 7:7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
See All...).

You see, sadly, the missing ingredient in most Christians' lives is Jesus Christ. They do not know who He really was, or take seriously that He is, in fact, God and has rule over our lives. As our Lord and Master, He calls us out of this society and its customs—even religious traditions we may hold near and dear—if they prove to be in error. As He said, "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
See All...).

The vital missing ingredient

If we look at the Christianity so many disdain, what is missing? From all we have seen, the missing ingredient is the example of Jesus Christ Himself.

You see, Christians need to have Jesus Christ dwelling in them (Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
See All...; Hebrews 8:10-11 [10] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
[11] And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

See All...). We need His mind to function as Christians and emulate the example He set for us (Philippians 2:5; 1 John 2:6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
See All...). And the example Jesus set plainly shows that though we may call ourselves Christian, if we are not obeying God's commandments in their broad, spiritual intent and following the same path set out by the Jesus of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ., we are kidding ourselves.

In a scathing rebuke of those who do not keep God's law, Jesus told those listening to His famous Sermon on the Mount: "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 [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.
[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?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

See All...).

As those who claim to be Christian ponder our Savior's death and resurrection at this time of year, let us not forget who Jesus really was and the example He set for us. Jesus' life and instruction set out what He expects of those who would be called by His name:

"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:18-20 [18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
[19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
[20] For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

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Perhaps if we as Christians would actually follow the example set by Jesus Christ, if we too would demonstrate heartfelt obedience to the spiritual intent of God's laws, others who might be watching would notice the difference. Perhaps one day, in another time and place, even Mahatma Gandhi will say: "I like your Christ, and your Christians. Your Christians are so very like your Christ." GN