What #JesusFollowers Believe

Many Christians throughout the ages have spoken aloud and put down in writing what they believe. And it is good to know what one believes, if you believe it strongly and actually care about what you believe. And it makes sense to let others know what you believe, as well.

But many Christians today can no longer believe what was believed in darker ages, in creeds written by men influenced by their previous pagan philosophies and by men and teachings other than those of Jesus. Requiring millions of faithful people to believe these words has led millions of them to abandon God and turn their backs on Jesus. That's a tragedy!

The emerging #JesusFollowers organization has been seeking for a while now to lay out an alternative path, one that follows the teachings of Jesus alone, influenced only by the moral teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures, which had been the prime influence on his teachings.

So, let’s take a moment to lay out some principles on which a new Church can be founded, and one in which Jesus is put ahead of all others.

Following Jesus, we love God and Serve Others, Working Righteousness.

We follow Jesus Alone – The words and teachings of Jesus, not any other teacher, savior, preacher, or theologian, are at the core of our beliefs.

Jesus is God's Chosen, Adopted, and Anointed Spokesman – God set Jesus apart from other men, Anointing and Adopting him as a special spokesman at his baptism.

Jesus teaches us to repent from sin, and follow God – Repentance (turning away) from actions that separate us from God was the core of Jesus' teachings and ministry.

Jesus is our perfect moral example in life and death – The life, teachings and death of Jesus inspire us to follow Jesus' example.

Jesus teaches us to selflessly love God and others completely – Love of God and love of Others is the core of Jesus' teaching on Love, and summarized the teachings of the Jewish prophets and Law.

Jesus challenges us to do Works of Righteousness – We are called upon by Jesus to do Righteous deeds, by which we will be judged by God, and which bring about God's Kingdom on earth. The Gospel challenges us to do better, be more than what we were, to seek Righteousness through Good Works of service.

And to seek God's forgiveness when we stumble – We will not immediately become perfect when we start (and continue) to follow Jesus' example and teachings. But when we forgive others who sin against us, we are forgiven by God for falling short of His goals.

God gave us Reason and the ability to obey Him – Reason is a God-given gift we use to discern His will, and we are fully able to follow Jesus' challenge to live our lives for God. We have no excuses with this moral ability.

God, Our Father, is One God – God (the God of Israel and of Jesus) is One God, not many – eternal and completely indivisible. God’s spirit comforts us but is not a separate Being to be worshiped.

God speaks through Jesus and the wisdom of Hebrew Scriptures – The Hebrew Bible and the words of Jesus, interpreted through Reason, faith and discernment, are our guide and comfort, and God speaks to us through these writings.

God gives us spiritual gifts: wisdom, love and moral strength – When we speak to God, God encourages us to obey Him and the one whom He sent, Jesus. God does not promise material wealth or perfect health, but gives freely His wisdom, love and moral and spiritual strength.

To build God's Kingdom here on Earth, as in Heaven – We are called to build up God's Kingdom here on earth, as it is in Heaven.

We yearn to live with God forever – When we persevere in our Faith, doing what we are called to do by God and His Servant, Jesus, and humbly rely on God's forgiveness when we falter, we may live with God eternally, but this is God’s decision to judge us, not for us to judge ourselves, nor that others should judge us.

Jesus: Chosen, Adopted and Anointed by God

 

Who was Jesus? Was he one of many good philosophers throughout history? Was he a violent revolutionary? Was he a counter-culture teacher who preached free love and destroyed "restrictive" rules? Was he God disguised as a man, who came from heaven to die a ritual death and “buy” our souls from Satan? Was he a deity who only appeared to be human?

All of these theories have been preached and taught throughout history. But can all of them be true? Are none? Just who WAS this man? To learn this, we should probably listen to his own words, and to those who knew him.

In a previous weekly message, we introduced the opening sentence of the Jesus Followers' Statement of Belief, "We follow Jesus Alone." Now, we continue with the second of 13 Statements, which states that Jesus is, "God's Chosen, Adopted, and Anointed Spokesman."

It's clear that God set Jesus apart from other men, adopting and anointing him as a special spokesman at his baptism: chosen by God, anointed by God, and sent by God. Jesus himself is clear about this, the Gospels attest to it, and the Apostles taught it. And yet these truths are shockingly absent from today’s Christian pulpits.

The early church spoke of Jesus as a man, chosen by God. In Peter’s sermons in Acts, he speaks of him as, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God" (Acts 2:22.) At the Transfiguration, no less than God is quoted as saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" {Luke 9:35).

As the Kings and the prophets of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) were set apart and "anointed" by God to be his servants and messengers, so, too, was Jesus anointed by God, and in his first sermon, he says specifically, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me." (Luke 4:18) and in Acts, Peter says, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth." (Acts 10:38.)

Thus anointed and chosen, this Jesus was adopted by God as His unique "Son." At his baptism, God’s voice says, “This day, I have begotten you,” (Acts 13:33, Luke 3:22 Codex Bezae vers.) thus becoming his father by adoption.

Jesus said himself that it was God who “sent me” (Mark 9:37, Luke 9:48, John 5:37-38) and so also taught the first disciples of Jesus, who went out preaching his words.

Jesus, therefore, isn't merely a philosopher with his own theories, but a spokesman for God. “My teaching is not mine,” he says, “but His who sent me” (John 7:16.) Nor can he be a non-human hybrid, through which we can live with God eternally if we simply believe in Jesus’ death, but ignore his words, which he said would “never pass away” (Matt. 5:18, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33.)

The early Church that gathered in Jerusalem after the death of Jesus and his return to God in the resurrection, saw Jesus as a man (Acts 2:22) chosen by God, sent by God and adopted by God at his baptism to proclaim a Good and Beneficial Message to mankind, the Gospel. They recognized this message as calling on all to repent and turn back to God, seeking God’s perfect standards, living meekly and in holiness, and being a light of Righteousness to all the world. We can do no less today if we call ourselves Jesus Followers.

Has Christianity Become Everyone's On-Demand Religion? #JesusFollowers

Modern Christianity can seemingly work magic. It can be made to serve our deepest desires. It can It can even Bring Left and Right together as politics fails to do!

How is that possible, you say?

Christendom has become a sophisticated, multi-billion dollar industry, complete with Mega-Churches that fulfill every need and desire. It's become, for many, a set of easy and easy-to-accept beliefs that make little or no demands on its members.

And for each and every interest group or belief, Christianity is flexible and its doctrines fungible enough to be made to “fit” every belief and whim.

To the Religious Conservative, Christianity is EASY! Just say the right magical formula - a "Salvation Prayer" - believe that the ancient creeds say what must be said to ensure eternal salvation, have an emotional experience in church each week (where we go to hear great bands, too) and that’s it! Nothing else is required of us by God. And don’t you let anyone DARE try to tell you that you should be “good” or follow “commandments,” because rules and work restrict our freedom, and salvation cannot be EARNED by us. Right?

To the Religious Liberal, Christianity is EASY! Just be polite to other people and express a vague “Love” to everyone, and that’s all that’s required by God (however we choose to personally define this “God” figure, if we choose to define Him/Her/It at all.) And never mind all those mean "commands" Jesus spoke about. He just wants us to crush our political enemies and be political and social activists in his name. Right?

To the Businessperson, Christianity should have ROI, a Return on Investment. Every dollar put into that collection plate should be shoveled back into programs we can see in the church building – programs for my teen, my preteen, my spouse, myself, support groups for my divorced parents, rehab support for my uncle, and a great music program for us all. We need to get what we pay for, and WE are the audience. Right?

To the Televangelist, Christianity promises ease, comfort, wealth, and success. God and Jesus promised all these things and more, if you only look in the right (cherry-picked) Bible verses, and if you buy the latest self-help CD from the TV ministry for $149.95. That’s how we will force Christ to come back and smite all our enemies. Right?

To the New Age fan of the “Secret" and the Word Of Faith crowd, Christianity’s God can be made to act like a magic Genie. If we wish for something really, really hard, we get it from the Universe, because we deserve rewards – and deserve them here and now! 

And what’s the Universe (“God”) for, if not to satisfy our every need, wish and deeply felt desire? God’s Universe can be manipulated to acquire new clothes, a new car, perfect health, jewelry, riches, fame, and of course, sex with a fully compatible mate. That’s how the Universe works. Right?

So, what’s wrong with all this? Why NOT believe what these members of modern-day Christendom believe?

- Jesus said, unambiguously, that we must obey the commandments and do Good Works in order to be saved for eternity. (Mark 10:17-22) 

- Jesus specifically said mere words and vain professions would NOT be enough to secure eternal salvation. (Matt. 7:21; Mark 6:7; Luke 6:46; John 3:19-21) 

- Jesus called out and censured the Rich and preached against their greed and excesses, and said those who loved riches more than God should give up their riches and repent. (Matt. 6:19-20, 19:21; Mark 7:22, 10:25; Luke 6:24, 12:15) 

- Jesus had no place to lay his head, let alone a fancy multi-million dollar sanctuary in which to preach. (Matt. 9:20; Luke 8:58) 

- Jesus said we must give God 200% of our love and devotion, not just our platitudes and lukewarm friendship. (Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27) 

- Jesus said we must love our neighbors not with niceties, but with EXACTLY the same love we give to ourselves, and nothing less. (Matt. 22:39; Mark 12:31) 

- Jesus said people would hate those who followed him, would spit on them and persecute them and even kill them, as they killed him, which is far from promising ease and comfort. (Matt. 5:12-13; Luke 21:17) 

- Jesus specifically said that he was Chosen, Anointed, and Sent out by God to preach repentance from sin, not to act as a militaristic, enemy-slaying General, either then or any time in the future. (John 18:36)

But these facts of the ministry of Jesus are only problems if one wishes to follow the actual teachings of Jesus – the teachings that he said would never pass away; the teachings which Jesus said would lead to the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth and eternal life after we leave it.

If we care about Jesus, and claim to follow him and use his name, we must start actually listening to his words, and we must renounce Christendom and its arrogance, greed and lies told, and believed, in the name of Jesus, God’s Anointed One.

Who’s ready to become a Jesus Follower?

What #JesusFollowers Believe

Many Christians throughout the ages have spoken aloud and put down in writing what they believe. And it is good to know what one believes, if you believe it strongly.

But many Christians today can no longer believe what was believed in darker ages, in creeds written by men influenced by their previous pagan philosophies and by men and teachings other than those of Jesus. This has led millions to abandon God and turn their backs on Jesus himself. That's a tragedy!

The emerging #JesusFollowers organization has been seeking for a while now to lay out an alternative path, one that follows the teachings of Jesus alone, influenced only by the moral teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures, which had certainly influenced him.

So, let’s take a moment to lay out some principles on which a new Church can be founded, and one in which Jesus is put ahead of all others.

Following Jesus, we love God and Serve Others, Working Righteousness.

We follow Jesus Alone – The words and teachings of Jesus, not any other teacher, savior or man, are the core of our beliefs.

Jesus is God's Chosen, Adopted, and Anointed Spokesman – God set Jesus apart from other men, Anointing and Adopting him as a special spokesman at his baptism.

Jesus teaches us to repent from sin, and follow God – Repentance (turning away) from actions that separate us from God was the core of Jesus' teachings and ministry.

Jesus is our perfect moral example in life and death – The life, teachings and death of Jesus inspire us to follow Jesus' example.

Jesus teaches us to selflessly love God and others completely – Love of God and love of Others is the core of Jesus' teaching on Love, and summarized the teachings of the Jewish prophets and Law.

Jesus challenges us to do Works of Righteousness – We are called upon by Jesus to do Righteous deeds, by which we will be judged by God, and which bring about God's Kingdom on earth. The Gospel challenges us to do better, be more than what we were, to seek Righteousness through Good Works.

And to seek God's forgiveness when we stumble – We will not immediately become perfect when we start (and continue) to follow Jesus' example and teachings. But when we forgive others who sin against us, we are forgiven by God for falling short of His goals.

God gave us Reason and the ability to obey Him – Reason is a God-given gift we use to discern His will, and we are fully able to follow Jesus' challenge to live our lives for God. We have no excuses.

God, Our Father, is One God – God (the God of Israel and of Jesus) is One God, not many – eternal and completely indivisible. God’s spirit comforts us but is not a separate Being to be worshiped.

God speaks through Jesus and the wisdom of Hebrew Scriptures – The Hebrew Bible and the words of Jesus, interpreted through Reason, faith and discernment, are our guide and comfort, and God speaks to us through these writings.

God gives us spiritual gifts: wisdom, love and moral strength – When we speak to God, God encourages us to obey Him and the one whom He sent, Jesus. God does not promise material wealth or perfect health, but gives freely His wisdom, love and moral and spiritual strength.

To build God's Kingdom here on Earth, as in Heaven – We are called to build up God's Kingdom here on earth, as it is in Heaven.

We yearn to live with God forever – When we persevere in our Faith, doing what we are called to do by God and His Servant, Jesus, and humbly rely on God's forgiveness when we falter, we may live with God eternally, but this is God’s decision to judge us, not for us to judge ourselves, nor for others should judge us.

Jesus Calls Us to Love God Completely And Serve Others Selflessly

During his ministry, Jesus taught us to selflessly love God and others completely. As Jesus followers, these two “great commandments” must be at the heart of all that we do, think and say. It should guide our actions and inform our motives. If we claim to be obedient to the will of God, as expressed in the life and teachings of Jesus, these teachings be at the forefront of our Faith.

Love of God and love of Others is the core of Jesus' teaching on Love, and summarized the teachings of the Jewish prophets and Law.

“Teacher,” Jesus was asked, “which is the great commandment in the Law?” His answer? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:36-40.)

While many Christians have heard these words before, many, if not most, don’t take them to their fullest meaning, and others lessen their importance, either by minimizing their intended impact, or by de-emphasizing them entirely.

Much of what Jesus taught was extremely simple to grasp, while being extremely challenging, in the sense that his teachings challenged us to actively pursue righteousness in our actions and to seek God by pursuing Godliness in our hearts.

And while this summary of the Law and the Prophets did simplify the message God sends to His people, it was never meant to mean that religion only means that we need have “warm feelings” for both God and for our fellow human beings and that we can leave it at that. Nor does this crucial saying end the necessity for Good Works nor nullify any of God’s Moral Law, as evangelical Christians often assert.

The nature of the Great Commandment is to reiterate the basics of the faith the Jews had inherited from their Fathers. It wasn't about the hundreds of man-made rules and regulations that the Pharisees and other groups had created over the centuries. Jesus condemned those and said they separated men from God.

But while some would like to believe Jesus said, “Just acknowledge God’s existence and be nice to one another,” (or who deny that anything further than mere acknowledgement is possible for a human being) the Great Commandment asks for more than that.

The Great Commandment is a challenge – and a rather radical one. Namely, that God must become the absolute center of our lives – and not just on Sunday at 11 o’clock in the morning. God must be loved with ALL our hearts and ALL our soul and ALL our mind, at all times. One hundred percent is required, no less.

This is a call to do good - a call to serve Others, just as Jesus served others. We are able to serve just as Jesus served, we are commanded to do so, and Jesus confirms this with his words (John 14:23-24) which will never pass away (Matt. 24:35.) Only those who DO what is right, as Jesus has commanded, is righteous, just Jesus was righteous (1 John 3:7.)

We have no right to claim to be a follower of Jesus if we don't strive to love God completely and serve others just as Jesus did. Nor may we "claim" our eternal salvation from God if we don't consequently seek to act righteously as both He and His Chosen Spokesman commanded.

We are to be the hands and words and comforting arms of God's Kingdom here on Earth. We are called by Jesus to be a People of God, to serve Others in the name of God's Anointed servant, Jesus. And we are called to forgive others, if we expect to be forgiven by God (Mark 6:14-15.)

There are some who go on to deny that we can ever do this, being lowly human beings, weak in our flesh. But they forget that our flesh was created by God, and that God knows us and would not command that we do what we are unable to do.

God adopted, chose, anointed and sent the man Christ Jesus, to both proclaim our ability to do what God asks us to do, and to demonstrate by his selfless and perfectly moral life that Godliness may indeed be manifested in a human being, and that ALL may do as Jesus has done. This is Good News, and we must proclaim it to the world.

Repent from Sin and Follow God

Jesus began his ministry saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 4:17) And, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

Jesus says of his ministry, “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in [my] name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47) And when Jesus sent out his disciples, it is said of them that, “They went out and preached that people should repent.” (Mark 6:12)

So it would seem that repentance is something we need to understand and take very seriously if we call Jesus our Master.

To repent means that we decisively act to turn away from our old ways and embrace a new path. Jesus teaches that this path, this “Good News,” is the way of God, and the way of Righteousness.

“If any man will come after me,” says Jesus, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)

The Gospel writers used the Greek word “metanoeó,” for “repent,” which means to “change one’s mind,” and (in a deeper sense) to “turn around.” This is consistent with Jesus’ call for us to change our minds – literally, to think differently about our lives – and to turn it around, to turn our face to God and to obey His will for our lives, using the life of Jesus himself as a template.

Repentance it is not merely feeling bad for past sinful acts (though it is that) it is a commitment to act righteously, and in accordance with God’s will after repenting. Only those who practice righteous actions are righteous.

Righteousness is an act, not a thing that can be claimed without effort (1 John 3:7.)

Jesus calls us to repent, to change entirely, to dedicate our lives to serving other human beings and God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30.) He assures us that we can do the will of God (Matt. 7:21) and that it is our duty to do it, and that we will be judged by God according to our acts (Matt. 16:27.)

Jesus did not come to praise the righteous among us, but to save those who were sinning, and to call them back to Godliness. (Luke 5:30.) Repenting is the starting-point of our journey towards God with Jesus as our guide, our template and our mentor.

And then, we must continually rely not only on the God-given gifts which we already possess, but also seek God's face daily in prayer to strengthen us and help keep us from sinning.

No one who claims to have Jesus as their Master will knowingly and recklessly keep sinning. (1 John 3:6)  And if we fail to agree to stop sinning by repenting of our past sins, God cannot forgive us and we cannot fully follow God.

The Hebrew Scriptures instruct us that God takes no pleasure in our sins and wishes us to turn to Him, and save ourselves.  “In repentance and rest we will be saved; in staying calm and trusting will be our strength,” says the Prophet Isaiah (30:5) and again, “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.” (1:16)

“Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall,” warns Ezekiel, speaking for God. “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” (18:30-31)

Let us, therefore, commit ourselves to conforming our walk of faith to that of Jesus, the servant of God and our guide in all things.

Jesus: Chosen, Adopted and Anointed by God

Who was Jesus? Was he one of many good philosophers throughout history? Was he a violent revolutionary? Was he a counter-culture teacher who preached free love and destroyed "restrictive" rules? Was he God disguised as a man, who came from heaven to die a ritual death and “buy” our souls from Satan? Was he a deity who only appeared to be human?

All of these theories have been preached and taught throughout history. But can all of them be true? Are none? Just who WAS this man? To learn this, we should probably listen to his own words, and to those who knew him.

A few weeks back, we introduced the opening sentence of the Jesus Followers' Statement of Belief, "We follow Jesus Alone." Now, we continue with the second of 13 Statements, which states that Jesus is, "God's Chosen, Adopted, and Anointed Spokesman."

It's clear that God set Jesus apart from other men, adopting and anointing him as a special spokesman at his baptism: chosen by God, anointed by God, and sent by God. Jesus himself is clear about this, the Gospels attest to it, and the Apostles taught it. And yet these truths are shockingly absent from today’s Christian pulpits.

The early church spoke of Jesus as a man, chosen by God. In Peter’s sermons in Acts, he speaks of him as, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God" (Acts 2:22.) At the Transfiguration, no less than God is quoted as saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" {Luke 9:35).

As the Kings and the prophets of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) were set apart and "anointed" by God to be his servants and messengers, so, too, was Jesus anointed by God, and in his first sermon, he says specifically, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me." (Luke 4:18) and in Acts, Peter says, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth." (Acts 10:38.)

Thus anointed and chosen, this Jesus was adopted by God as His unique "Son." At his baptism, God’s voice says, “This day, I have begotten you,” (Acts 13:33, Luke 3:22 Codex Bezae vers.) thus becoming his father by adoption.

Jesus said himself that it was God who “sent me” (Mark 9:37, Luke 9:48, John 5:37-38) and so also taught the first disciples of Jesus, who went out preaching his words.

Jesus, therefore, isn't merely a philosopher with his own theories, but a spokesman for God. “My teaching is not mine,” he says, “but His who sent me” (John 7:16.) Nor can he be a non-human hybrid, through which we can live with God eternally if we simply believe in Jesus’ death, but ignore his words, which he said would “never pass away” (Matt. 5:18, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33.)

The early Church that gathered in Jerusalem after the death of Jesus and his return to God in the resurrection, saw Jesus as a man (Acts 2:22) chosen by God, sent by God and adopted by God at his baptism to proclaim a Good and Beneficial Message to mankind, the Gospel. They recognized this message as calling on all to repent and turn back to God, seeking God’s perfect standards, living meekly and in holiness, and being a light of Righteousness to all the world. We can do no less today if we call ourselves Jesus Followers.

Following Jesus: A Mission Statement for Service

Organizations dedicated to serving God faithfully should never fear to spell out exactly how it will do so, and on what basis it does so.

In 2014, as the Jesus Followers organization moves out of the conceptual stage and into the “real world” as well as in the “virtual” world of the Internet, it’s fitting to spell out clearly from where it obtains its values and beliefs.

In the coming weeks, sermon/messages will focus on 13 Statements outlining the Jesus Follower organization’s faith, and a Mission Statement by which we will be guided.

This week, let’s take up the group’s Mission Statement: “Following Jesus, we love God and Serve Others, Working Righteousness,” which is at the same time simple and radical.

We are called, first and foremost, to follow Jesus. This isn't a mere word game, a passive commitment we can easily forget, or a look back upon as a past event. No, following Jesus an ongoing, substantial recognition that Jesus is a man whom God adopted and anointed as His son and prophet at his baptism, and sent into the world. Jesus says, “Come, follow me,” and expects us to not look back.

To Love God seems simple, and yet it is an all-encompassing command Jesus gives to those who say they will follow his teachings. Apart from acknowledging the absolute Oneness of God, Jesus makes it clear we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This doesn't mean that we simply “love God” the way we love a favorite food. This is a deep love that demands from us all that we have, and all we can give. 

When we learn that God our Creator has given us much, and learn from Jesus that we will be judged by God according to our deeds, we must take God’s Will for our lives seriously, and follow the example Jesus sets for us.

That we are called by Jesus to Serve Others as ourselves is a remarkably clear teaching. We are to become the servant of others, turn the other cheek, and serving in humility. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it.”

Finally, we are clearly called by Jesus to perform Works of Righteousness, not in a spirit of pride, but in a spirit of the pure service to which we are called by God’s servant, Jesus. As followers of Jesus we are, he says, to let our light “shine before others, so that they may see your good Works and give glory to your Father, Who is in Heaven.”

So, let us go forward together in this New Year with joy in our hearts for the work we must do as servants of God as called by Jesus, His servant, and our Teacher. 

Christianity: The On-Demand Religion

Modern Christianity can seemingly work magic. It can be made to serve our deepest desires. It can It can even Bring Left and Right together as politics fails to do!

How is that possible, you say?

Christendom has become a sophisticated, multi-billion dollar industry, complete with Mega-Churches that fulfill every need and desire, and a set of easy and easy-to-accept beliefs that make little or no demands on its members.

And for each and every interest group or belief, Christianity is flexible and its doctrines fungible enough to be made to “fit” every belief and whim.

To the Religious Conservative, Christianity is EASY! Just say the right magical formula, believe that the ancient creeds say what must be said to ensure eternal salvation, have an emotional experience in church each week (where we go to hear great bands, too) and that’s it! Nothing else is required by God. And don’t you DARE try to say we should be “good” or follow “commandments,” because rules and work restrict our freedom, right?

To the Religious Liberal, Christianity is EASY! Just be polite to other people and express a vague “Love” to everyone, and that’s all that’s required by God (however we choose to personally define this “God” figurehead.) Except for political action on behalf of our party’s favorite causes and interest groups. That’s required, too. Because that’s what Christ taught. Right?

To the Businessperson, Christianity should have ROI, a Return on Investment. Every dollar put into that collection plate should be shoveled back into programs we can see in the church building – programs for my teen, my preteen, my spouse, myself, support groups for my divorced parents, rehab support for my uncle, and a great music program for us all. We need to get what we pay for, and WE are the audience. Right?

To the Televangelist, Christianity promises ease, comfort, wealth, and success. God and Jesus promised all these things and more, if you only look in the right (cherry-picked) Bible verses, and if you buy the latest self-help CD from the TV ministry for $149.95. That’s how we will force Christ to come back and smite all our enemies. Right?

To the fan of the “Secret,” Christianity’s God can be made to act like a magic Genie. If we wish for something really, really hard, we get it from the Universe, because we deserve rewards – and deserve them here and now! And what’s the Universe (“God”) for, if not to satisfy our every need, wish and deeply felt desire? God’s Universe can be manipulated to acquire new clothes, a new car, perfect health, jewelry, riches, fame, and of course, sex with a fully compatible mate. That’s how the Universe works. Right?

So, what’s wrong with all this? Why NOT believe what these members of modern-day Christendom believe?

• Jesus said, unambiguously, that we must obey the commandments and do Good Works in order to be saved for eternity. (Mark 10:17-22) 

• Jesus specifically said mere words and vain professions would NOT be enough to secure eternal salvation. (Matt. 7:21; Mark 6:7; Luke 6:46; John 3:19-21) 

• Jesus called out and censured the Rich and preached against their greed and excesses, and said those who loved riches more than God should give up their riches and repent. (Matt. 6:19-20, 19:21; Mark 7:22, 10:25; Luke 6:24, 12:15) 

• Jesus had no place to lay his head, let alone a fancy multi-million dollar sanctuary in which to preach. (Matt. 9:20; Luke 8:58) 

• Jesus said we must give God 200% of our love and devotion, not just our platitudes and lukewarm friendship. (Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27) 

• Jesus said we must love our neighbors not with niceties, but with EXACTLY the same love we give to ourselves, and nothing less. (Matt. 22:39; Mark 12:31) 

• Jesus said people would hate those who followed him, would spit on them and persecute them and even kill them, as they killed him, which is far from promising ease and comfort. (Matt. 5:12-13; Luke 21:17) 

• Jesus specifically said that he was Chosen, Anointed, and Sent out by God to preach repentance from sin, not to act as a militaristic, enemy-slaying General, either then or any time in the future. (John 18:36)

But these facts of the ministry of Jesus are only problems if one wishes to follow the actual teachings of Jesus – the teachings that he said would never pass away; the teachings which Jesus said would lead to the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth and eternal life after we leave it.

If we care about Jesus, and claim to follow him and use his name, we must start actually listening to his words, and we must renounce Christendom and its arrogance, greed and lies told, and believed, in the name of Jesus, God’s Anointed One.

Who’s ready to become a Jesus Follower?

A Note from the Jesus Followers - the Good and Beneficial Message

God chose and sent us a man, Jesus, His Anointed Prophet, to proclaim to us a Good and Beneficial Message (Gospel) and to be a perfect example in his teachings, life and death so that we would know, once and for all, that Righteousness may indeed be achieved by a human being. By becoming Jesus Followers, we accept the challenge Jesus gives to us to follow him, and to pursue God's righteousness.

We accept the Eternal God of Israel, the Creator of the Universe, as our God.

We accept the man Jesus as God's Prophet to us and our exemplar of Righteousness.

We accept the Hebrew Scriptures and the Words of Jesus as authoritative Scripture, using God's gift of Reason and context as interpreters of these words.

We have hope in Eternal Life with God, according to God's Judgment, not ours.

We call everyone to follow Jesus and pursue Righteousness, depending humbly on God's help and forgiveness and on others who serve God in his name.

Please support the message of the Jesus Followers by following this blog, "liking" our facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/theprophetjesus, and reposting/retweeting our posts. Thank you!

"The merciful parent of the universe...sent the man, Christ Jesus." (Quote from Joseph Priestley)

"The merciful parent of the universe, who never meant anything but the happiness of his creatures, sent his well-beloved son, the man, Christ Jesus, to reclaim men from their wickedness, and to teach them the way of righteousness; assuring them, for their encouragement, of the free and unbought pardon of their sins, and promising a life of endless happiness to all that receive and obey the gospel, by repenting of their sins, and bringing forth fruits meet for repentance. This is the essence of what is called Socinianism; and though this simple doctrine may, on account of its excellence and simplicity, be a stumbling-block to some, and foolishness to others, I believe it to be the sum and substance of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the wisdom and power of God."

Joseph Priestley, "An Appeal to the Serious and Candid Professors of Christianity," 1827.

Welcome to The Jesus Followers Blog!

Welcome to the Jesus Followers Website!

We are launching a movement dedicated to Jesus, the Anointed (that is, "Christ") - God's spokesman and Prophet.

The Jesus Followers plan to launch a revolutionary Church dedicated to the revolutionary, relevant, timeless teachings of Jesus.

Our Beliefs:

1. God, our Creator and Father, is One God, an absolute Unity a Spirit, and indivisible; God calls us to serve and love Him, granting us wisdom and spiritual strength
2. Jesus of Nazareth, a fully human man, was Anointed and Adopted by God at his Baptism as a Prophet, and called disciples to follow him and obey the Father
3. Teachings of Jesus alone are the authoritative path for Jesus Followers by which we may attain Salvation from sin, an abundant Earthly life, and Eternal Life with the Father
4. Human beings are fully capable of obeying God, according to the challenge issued by Jesus’ Teachings, guided by Jesus' example, our God-given Reason, and God’s ongoing Grace and Forgiveness
5. Eternal Life with God is rewarded by God’s judgment alone, is according to our Works and by our Faith in God, and its accomplishment cannot be known to us
6. Scripture – the Gospels, the Letters of James and John, and Hebrew Scriptures – bear witness to God’s Truth; All Scripture is interpreted through scholarship, historical and literary context, and Reason
7. God’s Will for us includes Prayer, Seeking and Giving Forgiveness, Worshiping God and Serving Others according to His moral commandments; both individually and united together as a Church 

Seven "Distinctives" Of the Jesus Followers:
1. ONE GOD, OUR FATHER: God is One. There is one and only one God, the Almighty Father, and no other.

2. JESUS, A MAN: Jesus was chosen by God as His fully human servant and Prophet and his life is an example for our own lives.

3. SCRIPTURE IS WISDOM: Jesus' words alone are the center of his Gospel message; the Wisdom literature of the Jewish people are inspired by God and should inspire us to Godliness.

4. THE TRUE GOSPEL: Jesus taught that we are to love God and serve one another, loving even our enemies, and these acts are to be a light to the world. This is the Gospel Message.

5. HUMAN ABILITY: Because this fully human Jesus achieved moral perfection, we also may achieve the challenging goal of Righteousness that God, through Jesus, calls us to achieve.

6. GOOD WORKS REQUIRED: Actually DOING Righteousness through Good Works, in humility, is the core of the Gospel Message, according to Jesus.

7. SALVATION IS GOD'S: We are first saved from Sin when we obtain knowledge from Jesus and repent. Our ultimate destiny resides in God's hands alone, and is not for us to determine or demand.

Our Statement of Faith and Mission Statement:

We follow Jesus Alone:

     God's Chosen, Adopted, and Anointed Spokesman,

     Jesus teaches us to repent from sin, and follow God,

     Jesus is our perfect moral example in life and death,

     Jesus teaches us to selflessly love God and others completely,

     Jesus challenges us to do Works of Righteousness,

     And to seek God's forgiveness when we stumble.

God,Our Father, is One God, eternal and indivisible.

     God gave us Reason and the ability to obey Him,

     God speaks through Jesus and the wisdom of the Hebrew Scriptures,

     God gives us spiritual gifts: wisdom, love and moral strength,

     To build God's Kingdom here on Earth, as in Heaven,

And we yearn to live with God forever.

Mission Statement:

Following Jesus, we love God and Serve Others, Working Righteousness.


Legal:
Information posted on the Jesus Followers blog remains the property of the creators of the content and The Jesus Followers Church, and they retain all rights to the material posted here, regardless of where it is shared and by whom.