Based on John 14:7-11 (New King James Version)
“‘If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’ Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.’”
This is probably one of the easiest messages to explain, but also, probably one of most difficult to accept for the majority of people (because practically everything in the Lord is understandable, intellectually speaking, but simply not accepted). For example, this was the same problem the Pharisees had, the so-called experts in Scripture. The problem is concerning the acceptance of Jesus as who He really is; as Lord and God. This is probably the dilemma that most people face within themselves.
Through the years, dealing with many people in different parts of the world, I have found that the great majority of people accept the notion of God, or at least, some form of god. Many do not have a hard time believing in God. And within that belief, they give themselves a great deal of flexibility because many believe that many religions believe in the same God. For example, many believe that the Judeo-Christian God (the One in the Bible) is the same God as Allah (which are not the same person). Notwithstanding, the majority of people, even though they can differ on a god, can accept the Judeo-Christian God as God, as Someone real that possesses more or less the characteristics explained in the Bible. But, when you start talking to them about Jesus, that is a whole different affair that can possibly turn into a big problem.
The first problem that many have, if they accept the existence of Jesus, is that they see Him in different ways that are inferior to God. There are some that see Him as a detestable or bothersome man, just as the Pharisees saw Him. Others see Him as a good man that did good things. Others see Him as a prophet (like the Muslims see Him, as an important prophet, but not as important as Mohammed). Others see Him as a teacher. There are people that denominate themselves as Christians that see Him as a very wise person, someone ahead of their time, like a scientist. There are many that see Jesus even as the Son of God, but as Someone inferior to God the Father. In the end, many people see Him differently, but not as the God He is.
Going even deeper, some may ask, “Is it not enough to just believe in Him, even though its in different ways?” And the answer is: No. And here is where many encounter a big problem. For one reason or another, many cannot come to believe with complete conviction that Jesus is God, God like God the Father. The Bible teaches us this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17. So, biblically explained, Jesus is God, the Almighty God.
Therefore, it is practically and directly an insult or heresy to not believe in Jesus as who He is. Let’s use a very simple earthly parallel so we can understand the issue. I believe we all understand what ranks mean in an army. There are different ranks in an army with the intent to describe the function and importance of each member. Now then, let’s suppose that an entry-level soldier treats as a sergeant, or as a lieutenant, or even as a colonel the highest ranking general of the army. How do you think things will turn out for that entry-level soldier? Let’s think about this also. What would happen to an entry-level soldier if he was insubordinate with an officer? So then, what good is it for a person to believe in Jesus as nothing of importance, or as a good man, or as a teacher, or as a scientist, or even as a prophet if He is God? Are you getting the picture?
There is something that I try to hit on all of times because it is a very common problem, the issue that a person believes that their opinion dictates reality. I don’t understand how that happens, especially living in an era where “supposedly” humanity is most advanced. It’s impossible for our opinion or way of thinking things will dictate what has already been established in the universe. And if a person refuses to accept reality, the only one that will come out losing is the person. The Bible continues teaching us even more truth: “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36. “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10. The reality that needs to be accepted and believed is that Jesus is God, and that this must be believed with all our heart and confessed with our mouth, that Jesus is THE LORD (or JEHOVAH in the Old Testament) for there to be salvation. So, coming to acknowledge and accept Jesus as Lord is not a favor, but rather, it’s an obedience, it’s acknowledging a fact, a reality. And by acknowledging that fact with all of the heart is that one can come to be saved. Contrary to that, if a person refuses to believe in Jesus as who He is, they shall not see life, but rather, the wrath of God abides on them. Therefore, if a person chooses to not believe in Jesus, they are not harming Jesus (because He does not cease to be who He is because of an opinion held by an insignificant being, because we are insignificant), but rather, the person harms themselves because there is no other solution, because eternal salvation cannot be found in anything else. In the end, it’s not God that casts a person to hell for their disbelief, instead, it’s the person that has made the decision to take God’s wrath upon themselves, by not acknowledging an irrefutable and unnegotiable reality. And their opinion will not change that reality. Things don’t happen how we want them to happen. They happen as they are supposed to happen based on what was established way before human beings came to existence (believe it or not).
So then, do you the faith you need to have in Jesus? Lord bless! John