A Glimpse Into the Mind of God

[Ben Light] Much of the first four books of the New Testament are dedicated to the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth. They describe in intimate detail how He lived, how He taught, how He loved. They describe His death and His resurrection. They provide instructions for those who were there then and those who would come after. When we read these examples of the events that took place in Christ's life, how do we view them? Are they just a nice narrative, a story with a beginning, middle, and an end with rising action, a plot, and a climax? Is it a nice story that provides a moral and a lesson? Or do we recognize these stories for what they truly are, a glimpse into the mind of God?

Why is that important? Because it can help us make sense out of some of the chaos and the confusion in life. By studying the way that Christ lived, we see a series of instructions for us to live.

Now, while we're not given details into every aspect of the life of Jesus Christ, the approximate 3 and 1/2 years of His earthly ministry is preserved for us in four different gospel accounts. Each account written by different writers and for different reasons provide a view into the life of Christ that helps us to understand God more fully. Jesus Christ lived a life without sin.

Why does that matter? By examining His life, we can see areas where our own lives fall short.

In every example that we see within the gospel accounts, Christ never transgressed the law of God. There were times when His words and His actions rubbed up against the traditions of men which the Pharisees and others based their lives upon. But in every circumstance, Christ lived a sinless life as a perfect sacrifice, pure and without blemish.

The beatitudes recorded in Matthew 5 describe the mindset that followers of Christ are to strive for in their lives. The parables of Christ provide analogies to help us better understand what is expected of His followers and how to interact with the society and the world around us.

Do we see these passages as nice ideas, personal models or catchphrases without acknowledging the true power and example that is contained within these accounts? Belief must go beyond simply knowing about Christ. What are we doing in our lives to follow through on that knowledge and actually do the things that He taught and live the way that He lived?

Scripture is clear. Salvation can only come through one name. Christ is the door through which mankind is able to enter into relationship with the Father and there are no other doors only Christ. And so in that sense, Christ is not just a historical figure that we learn about. Christ makes salvation possible through His sinless life, His death, and His resurrection.

In chapter 14 of John's gospel, he records the words of Christ. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus is the way. He is the path. He is the road which leads to the Father. But even more than that, unless we're living in Him, actually on the path, we're just walking in the weeds. \

In the world around us, there are limitless numbers of competing truths in society. Pope Francis once described how he believed that all religions were simply different languages that led to the same source, advocating for an all roads lead to God sort of mentality.

Christ's own words establish that there is only one road, one way. And that means that we must model our life after His example.

How do we do that?

A little further down the page in John 14, Christ describes what it means to love Him. How we show love for God in our lives today by following His instructions. He wrote, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." We don't do this to earn salvation. That's God's gift through Christ. But when we truly love Him, we respond by wanting to obey Him, follow His way, let God's spirit change the way that we live. Christ is the way, the truth, the life, and our love for Him is shown through obedience, submission, and through following His commandments. As a result, a life that is truly in alignment with Christ is a life that illustrates the foundational aspects of the Kingdom of God now.

In the gospel of Matthew, we're instructed to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. That process of truly seeking the kingdom, truly seeking God's righteousness, requires His disciples today to be putting God and His way of life over those earthly things which go against His way. You and I have been called to live differently. We are citizens of a kingdom that is not yet here. We're strangers and pilgrims here on this earth. And as such, we are governed by a different set of expectations. Christ modeled those expectations while He was here during His earthly ministry. He illustrated the standard and He gave us the example.

So when we read the stories in the gospel accounts regarding the life of Christ, let's resist the temptation to just view them as a nice story with a nice moral, but instead see them for what they truly are. What Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, did in those unique circumstances as He lived on this earth.

Now, while we do so imperfectly and with continued need for God's help, we are being asked to resist the pulls and the influence of the society around us and to live the ideals of that kingdom as ambassadors of a better way of life today.

The Bible is more than just a story. It's the inspired Word of God and the example of God's way of life in action. Take it personally because in the end, the question isn't whether or not the world is influencing us. It is! The real question is whether day by day we're becoming more like the world around us or more like Christ who desires to abide in us.

If you're interested in learning more about Jesus Christ, his life and ministry, check out our Beyond Today video series, The Unknown Jesus. And if you've appreciated this content, follow Beyond Today and subscribe for more truth from the Bible.