Are We Listening To Jesus' Teachings? #JesusFollowers

Should we be actively building a better and a more Godly world, or should we simply do nothing and wait for God to make it better? Should we seek our own advantage, or put other's needs ahead of our own? Should we do Good things, or just call ourselves “good?” (Or are we allowed to even CALL ourselves that?)

If we read the words of Jesus, the answers to these and other questions are clear. But if we listen to today's church, the answers are unclear.

The teachings of Jesus are clear, consistent and powerful.

Jesus said his words would last forever - would not pass away. And his teachings about how we should act in this world were clear.

If we understand that, we would naturally put Jesus clear, plain teachings at the center of our Faith, and they would obviously be placed at the core of any teachings about that Faith.

And yet, modern Christianity has been bogged down with man-made words and man-made doctrines that muddle Jesus' teachings and message, and often obscure it entirely, making them of no effect and importance.

Today’s Churchmen and theologians speak words Jesus never uttered: "Justification," "Sanctification," "Total Depravity," "Original Sin," "works-salvation." But these clever words give birth to man-made doctrines that turn Jesus' religion toxic.

Jesus never said that children are born "unable not to sin." Instead, Jesus tells the disciples to allow children to come to him, since they represent the purity of God's Kingdom.

Jesus never even hinted that human beings couldn't perform Good Works from birth. Instead, he says we MUST seek to do Good Works - deeds of the heart that help our neighbors and show them God’s love.

Jesus said we are to begin acting NOW to build up God's Kingdom, "on earth as it is in Heaven." We aren't to wait for any special signs from God, or to wait at all.

We are justified, says Jesus, not by our vain words, or our intentions alone, or even by faith alone, but rather by our acts, which are judged only by God.

Jesus says we become holy by DOING what is holy, good and righteous. Holiness and Righteousness are ACTS we do, not a mere THING we can get by simply claiming Jesus' holiness as our own, as some teach.

Jesus calls us to turn the other cheek, to not seek our own advantage, to follow the narrow and difficult path of his religion, and that those who seek to be first will be last. Modern preachers, however, often say the goal of faith and religion is to only get our SELVES into Heaven, and that it can be done easily, without effort. This is wrong.

Our goal isn't to simply to "save" ourselves, says Jesus. Those who seek to save themselves, in fact lose themselves. But if we deny ourselves, and lose ourselves in serving others, we gain victory, eternally and in this life. (Matt. 16)

Far from condemning Good Works, Jesus calls us to do them, without pride, because Godliness is our natural state. (Matt. 6)

Jesus assures us that we will be judged by God according to our Works - the deeds of our hands - and even then, we'll be judged by a merciful and holy God. (Matt. 7)

Our Works will light the world, says Jesus, and they will reflect our spiritual journey towards Righteousness as we repent continually for falling short of the Ideal Jesus sets for us. (Matt. 5)

That is a path Jesus calls us to seek and follow, in his footsteps. And it's a path that is easily understood even by a child.

By twisting and adding to Jesus' simple words and teachings, modern theologians and ministers make Jesus confusing, alien, and strange. He becomes someone who cannot be understood without the help of a Priestly class. Again, that's wrong.

Jesus tells us that neither God nor his teachings were ever meant to be seen "through a glass, darkly." Jesus is a window we can look through to see how God wishes us to live.

Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him, to do JUST AS he did, and even greater things than he did.

This isn't the call of someone who condemns Good Works, who says, "always wait for God to act, don't act yourselves," or someone who wishes us to simply admire Jesus' righteousness, but not emulate it in our daily lives.

Instead, we are clearly and decisively called by Jesus to go and work Righteousness in this world, doing all we can to be an example of the light of God that was born within us, kindled by the example of Jesus, our teacher.

When we begin to see Jesus as an example we can follow, he becomes a Master we can also love as a brother.

So, let us go out and work Righteousness in this world, doing all we can to be an example of the light of God that was born within us, kindled by the example of Jesus, our teacher.

Is Obedience Necessary to Obtain Salvation? #JesusFollowers

Salvation is placed within the attainment of every individual of the human family. God, who gave us existence, designed that existence as a blessing, and He grants every degree of power and instruction necessary to enable us to obtain the reward of our virtuous efforts.

By the mediation and ministry of Jesus, everything has been accomplished for our salvation which is consistent with our intellectual and moral natures.

Some in the state of probation wisely improve their knowledge, piety, and virtue, and thereby qualify themselves for the happiness of heaven; others pass the period of their probation without improvement, and in the day of account they will be found destitute of the qualifications of Christian character.

We, in different proportions, possess the powers of intellectual and free agents; and hereafter an account will be required of the way in which each of our talents has been managed.

We are accountable for what we have and have not done. Our future rewards will be proportioned to what we’ve done under our various circumstances. To all observations of this nature, some may reply, "Moral preparations are indeed absolutely requisite for salvation."

No one will be admitted to heaven, who in the present world is not conformed to the image of God. We must become the children, before they can be made the heirs, of God. 

The very question is: Can we of ourselves acquire the necessary qualifications for heaven? Can we, in our own power, form in their souls the image of their Creator? 

I answer: We possess nothing which we did not receive; and if we received all our powers from God, why should we glory as though we haven’t received them?

Our Maker formed us as free moral agents and has appointed the way by which the true end of our existence may be obtained. God has fitted the earth to yield its increase for the present support of humanity, and we plow the ground with our labors. But those who don’t work won’t harvest.

God in mercy has, by Jesus, promised eternal life to all who by a patient continuance in the ways of well doing, seek for glory, honor and immortality.

The Gospel is altogether calculated for us with our present powers of action; and we are capable of complying with its demands.

The idea that humanity is unable to comply with the conditions of acceptance with our Maker reflects the highest dishonor on the wisdom, benevolence, and justice of God.

When we represent the Gospel as being adapted to human capacity, and requiring from us a service we possess the power to perform –  when we state that God grants all the well-disposed subjects of His government the assistance which is suited to the capacity of an accountable being, and at the same time requires them to co-operate with Him, by the proper exercise of the strength he has given them – we attribute to God the glory of an affectionate parent, the glory of a merciful and benevolent governor, and a just and righteous judge.

The works of each person, God will render unto them, and cause everyone to be rewarded according to their ways.

Christianity places all people in a state of salvation; but it does no violence to our moral ability. It suits its requirements to the present abilities of human nature; and it makes human endeavors necessary to qualify us for the enjoyment of its final rewards.

The gracious provisions of the Gospel fully show the goodness and mercy of our God; and they furnish the highest motives for gratitude, love and obedience in us. God is the parent of our lives, and the author of all our blessings.

God bestows His favors in the most disinterested way, and with the same parental regard beholds all the members of the human family.

By His son Jesus He has provided a remedy for the pollutions of guilt, instructed us in the duties of life, and promised to support his dutiful children under all the trials of the world; and to conduct them to honor, glory, and immortality in heaven.

These blessings, when realized, must move the hearts of all who seriously reflect on them.

When we diligently study the Gospel, we find that it’s fitted to kindle the flame of gratitude and devotion in our hearts, and lead us to a life of piety, righteousness and sobriety.

So, let’s not satisfy ourselves with the words, “Lord, Lord,” but let’s be careful to do the things Jesus has commanded us to do. Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, let us live soberly, righteously and piously in this present world.

(Adapted from a sermon by Rev. Aaron Bancroft, 1822)

Our Great Capacity to Do Good #JesusFollowers

Human beings have an amazing, in-born capacity to do good, to serve and to love others. We are called by Jesus to put these abilities to use, building God's Kingdom here on this earth, while becoming the spiritually complete human beings God wants us to become.

Jesus calls us to a life of active service of others, knowing that we are capable of what God asks if us. It is not too difficult, not are His tasks hard, if we prepare ourselves, and then act in obedience. (Deut. 30:11-14.)

In his Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13) Jesus tells of seeds (his teachings) falling in hard ground, on rocks, and on receptive soil. In the same way, we must let ourselves become fertile, receptive soil to the teachings of Jesus, and let them take root in our souls, so they bear fruit in the world.

Jesus also taught that spiritually Good treasure comes from those who have stored up goodness in their hearts (Matt. 12:35.) We should in this same way cultivate and grow Goodness within us, so we can share it with others, as God intends us to do.

In his Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25) Jesus says that those who bury their gifts, rather than sharing them fully, do not please God, because our God-given gifts are not being put to good use in the service of others, as God intended.

God has given us great gifts, and we are called to use those gifts to serve others, not to bury them, or to ignore what we have been given. We prepare our minds do Good Works when we recognize our gifts, and then commit to use them to actively follow Jesus' teachings.

We should allow our minds and hearts to be open to others’ needs - cultivating the soil of our hearts to be attuned to their needs.

There are those who claim that human beings are too weak to do good, or that we have an in-born, inherited disease that prevents us from doing good. Others demean the capacity for good works God has given all of us at birth. Both viewpoints greatly slander and demean God.

Seeing ourselves - God's creations - as lower and weaker than we are doesn't make God any bigger, which apparently is the motive for this mistaken belief. Instead, it makes both human beings and their creator seem smaller, weaker, and unjust.

If God had commanded us to be do Good, yet knows that we can never do the Good Works He commands, that would make God an unjust ruler, out of touch with His creation.

But we know that God is perfectly Holy, Just and reasonable to His creations. His judgment is tempered by mercy, and He has always known His creatures are capable of more than we, ourselves believe ourselves to be capable.

God and the one He chose as an example for us, Jesus, have commanded us to seek Righteousness, to do Works of Goodness, and to love our neighbors and our God with EVERY spiritual, mental and material gift that we have been given.

If we need courage and encouragement to serve others, we need only reflect on the gifts we've been given by God, our Creator, including the inspiring and perfect moral life of Jesus. And just as Jesus did, we may seek God's face in prayer for further strength, and we know that we can obtain it.

Because Jesus did all that God called him to do, God was "well pleased" with him, and called him His Son. Because Jesus, a man like us, was able to do what God commanded, we may be assured that we, too, may also become the people God wishes us to become.

Jesus is our template and model in all things, and his words and life are proof that we may do all that God requires of us. When we keep our eyes focused on his teachings, and when we obey them, we become more spiritually complete.

We should respond to his call to do Good Works with enthusiasm, knowing that God has given us what we need to do what He asks us to do - at birth, and through His chosen son, Jesus, and continually through God's spirit, which inspires us always to do more for our fellow human beings.

No, Jesus Doesn’t Want Us to Be Fools #JesusFollowers

This Easter Sunday has the odd distinction of sharing the date with April Fool's Day.

Jesus never told us to be fools on his behalf, or to believe things that are hard to grasp, irrational, or impossible to believe. Instead, God chose for us a Master and Teacher who teaches us to love God with our minds as well as with our hearts.

The teachings of Jesus can be understood by a child and are MEANT to be this easily understood.

From his first teaching to his last, he displays a deep knowledge of human character, and an adaptation of his lessons to our needs when speaking about God, His worship, His will for our lives.

There is no foolishness, and no confusion to be found in his words, only clarity.

We are called to simply follow the teachings of Jesus, the one whom God chose to be our example in all things. Jesus taught us the way to enter God's Kingdom, God's ideal way for us to live together, and the way we can live with God forever after our earthly lives end, if God judges us worthy of entry.

We need never apologize for seeking to honor and follow the “simple” teachings of Jesus, because the simplicity of the teachings testifies to the great wisdom of the Teacher.

By comparison, all of the complicated teachings of men seem to be mere corruptions of God's simple plan, and Jesus' simple, childlike teachings. In other words, truly foolish.

When theologians tell us that we must believe their dogmas, just BECAUSE they are absurd and impossible to believe, we know these doctrines cannot represent the spirit of God.

Theologians and pastors seek to make complicated and "mysterious" those teachings that God's chosen one, Jesus, made simple and plain to understand. For example,

Our minds have little trouble grasping that God is One, and that He is all-wise, and all-loving, and all-Merciful, and is an eternal spirit, not a man, like us.

And we should never see ourselves as foolish when we proclaim that Jesus was a full and proper human being, like us, chosen by God to be our example and moral guide, adopted as God's Spokesman and Son at his baptism.

We aren't the foolish ones for thinking that we were born equipped to begin the task of obeying God, seeking to do what is Righteous, good, and holy, because Jesus calls his disciples to do just that.

We aren't the fools for trusting Jesus when he tells us that we may do just as he has done.

We're not fools for celebrating knowledge, using our minds, and honoring wisdom and Reason, because these are God’s gifts, celebrated by His Prophets and by Jesus, our teacher.

We aren't foolish for believing Jesus' simple teachings about the Kingdom of God, which we are challenged to help build by serving one another, living in peace together, and thinking of others’ needs before our own.

And we are never to think we're foolish for thinking that doing Good Works pleases God, and that our works alone are the basis for our judgment by our merciful Creator, because we are repeatedly told this by our Teacher, and by the Hebrew Scriptures that he honored.

Jesus tells us that neither God nor his teachings were ever meant to be seen "through a glass, darkly." Jesus is a window we can look through to see how God wishes us to live.

Nor can we believe for one moment that we are called to be fools – not for Christ Jesus or for those today or in the past who claim to preach and teach in his name.

We seek to follow Jesus, who points us always in the direction of greater knowledge and understanding of God, our Creator.

Yes, Jesus says we will be called "fools" by many in this world for seeking to live Righteously, for putting others' needs ahead of our own; for going the extra mile, and for serving the weak and suffering when it would be easier to just serve ourselves.

But that isn't truly foolish at all. Instead, we may understand it as the kind of rational, natural and Godly behavior that is the wisest and most fulfilling path for human beings to tread.

Happy Easter To All! #JesusFollowers

Happy Easter! Today is the day on which we celebrate the return of Jesus to God after a mission of perfect obedience. We thank God for Jesus' example and teachings, which alone lead us to salvation!

Why Did Jesus Die? A Good Friday Meditation #JesusFollowers

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!" Matt. 32:29-31 (NIV)

"Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem." Luke 13:33 

Why did Jesus die? Jesus said explicitly why he was going to allow himself to be killed: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." (John 15:12-14)

So, Jesus died because laying down his life was the greatest form of love. For whom? His friends. Who are his friends? Those who obey his word, which will never become irrelevant (Mark 13:31.) Jesus' death was the ultimate fulfillment of his ministry of love, compassion and self-sacrifice.

This is Godly simplicity! And yet men want to make more, and at the same time, less, of the life, teachings and sufferings of God's Spokesman and our chosen example, Jesus.

Therefore, when Jesus says "It is finished" on the cross (John 19:30) it cannot possibly mean that our requirement to do Good Works is finished, or that our need to go to God to seek forgiveness is finished, or that our duties to serve others is finished. It cannot ever mean any of those things, or Jesus' ministry was in vain.

Let us remain always his friends by seeking to always follow his teachings. Let us not make his death be in vain!

#Jesus Calls Us To Follow His Teachings To Be Saved #JesusFollowers

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14)

Our Savior makes a sincere repentance of all past sins, and universal obedience to the divine will, necessary to our salvation.

It would not become Jesus' holy Father to receive us into His favor upon other terms; and holiness is in itself so necessary to render men truly happy, that without it, they cannot enjoy themselves, nor be prepared for a state of perfect happiness.

Accordingly, our Master did not only require men to believe in his name, but also exhorted them to forsake their evil ways, and charged those, who became his disciples, to distinguish themselves by their good works. “Let your light so shine before men,” he said to his disciples, “so they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, who is in Heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)

When he sent his apostles to preach the Gospel, he enjoined them to teach those whom they baptized, “to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them.” (Matt. 28:20) -  a commission they faithfully executed.

We must consider the case of those who hope to be saved by their faith in Jesus Christ, though they are destitute of those good works in which God has ordained, and in which, we should walk.

The Apostle James shows them that as it would be a pretense for someone to say he loved his brother, if he did not manifest his love by kind actions; so it would be mere presumption for anyone to rely upon their faith, if it was not producing good works.

Again, James says: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what good is that? In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:15-17)

“Works” here intended are undoubtedly Good Works, done in obedience to the will of God, and proceeding from faith in Christ Jesus; and he principally intends works of charity and mercy.

Some will therefore be most unhappily disappointed, who flatter themselves with the hope of heaven, because they believe in Christ, and rely upon his merits, but do not reform their lives. And yet is not this the unhappy condition of many Christians? For all hope to be saved by Jesus Christ, but few live in conformity to his precepts and example.

There are many things indeed, which are esteemed good works by some Christians, but are far from deserving this name; because they are contrary to the moral precepts of the Gospel, or have not the authority of Christ stamped upon them.

Observing all his commandments, according to the best of our knowledge and ability is necessary to our acceptance with him. We must not therefore content ourselves with doing some good things, while we live in the willful omission of other known duties.

We should imitate our blessed Savior, who fulfilled all righteousness, who did not only pray to his heavenly Father, but also went about doing good to all men; and, by submitting to John's baptism, has taught us to lay due stress upon every commandment of God.

(Adapted from a sermon by Rev. James Morris, “Faith without works ineffectual to Salvation,” 1757)