“Why They Hated Jesus” Part 2

Posted: August 25, 2015 in Christian Life, Cults, Decision Making, Gospel, Gospel of John, Hell, Lordship Salvation, Resurrection, Salvation, Security

It’s hard to believe that so many people actually hate the Christ of the Scriptures and/or reject His offer of forgiveness and salvation. Most people want to earn their own way to heaven by their good works. Other religions and the cults have twisted the truth about Jesus and have other paths to God (Acts 4:12). Being lawless, they don’t like the rules that God has imposed on mankind. In fact many people inwardly shake their fists at God (Psalm 2). Sadly, some Christians act like atheists by dismissing God from their thinking and failing to take Him into the decisions they make each day (James 4:13-17; See Proverbs 3:5, 6).

Hated. Not only did the religious leaders of Christ’s day hate Him because He broke their Sabbath rules that they, the scribes and Pharisees had added to God’s standard, they also hated Him because He made Himself equal to God (John 5:18; 10:.30-33). Can men ever become gods? Is this the lie from the devil that many people believe (2 Thessalonians 2:11; See Romans 1:25). Was God once a man like us? In what way will Christians become like Christ when they see Him in all His glory (1 John 3:2)?

Questions. Is Jesus fully God and equal to God the Father? Is He the Jehovah of the Old Testament (Colossians 2:9)? Did He divest Himself of His deity when He came to earth to live among us (Philippians 2:5-11)? If Jesus were running to be the President of the United States, would you vote for Him? Would you be willing to live by the rules that are found in the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7)? Before you say that you would, it might be advisable to read it again and interpret it normally (literally) for what it says. Do you know why the rules are so strict? Will Jesus be voted in as the King of kings and Lord of lords by us? Why did He turn down the Jew’s offer to make Him their King (John 6:15, 26; See Psalm 2:6)? When will He set up His literal 1,000 year reign/kingdom on earth (Zechariah 12:10, 11; Matthew 21:9; 23:38, 39)? Will the church usher in Christ’s kingdom after converting the world to Christ? What do the Jews have to do before their Messiah comes to rescue them from being exterminated (Acts 3:19)? Why are they called “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13)?

False Christs. Before He went to the cross to die for our sins…and rise again, Jesus answered His disciples questions and told them that in the future many false Christs would come and deceive many people (Matthew 24:4; See 2 Corinthians 11:4; 2 Peter 2:1ff). One of cults teaches that Jesus and Lucifer were/are brothers. Another cult teaches that Jesus was once the archangel Michael. Another cult teaches that Mary is the mother of God. Some people believe that Jesus was just a prophet or a good teacher but not God manifested in human flesh (John 1:1-18).

Deity Of Christ. Was the angel mistaken in referring to Jesus as Immanuel, which is translated “God with us” (Mathew 1:23)? Was Jesus actually blaspheming when He referred to Himself as the “I AM” (i.e. Jehovah) of the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58)? Was He wrong in referring to Himself in these “I AM” statements: The Bread of life (John 6:35), the Light of the world (John 8:12), the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and the true vine (John 15:2)? Why did the Apostle John record for us the sign miracles of Jesus (John 20:31)? Why did Jesus accept the worship of others if He wasn’t God (Matthew 8:2, 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9, 17; John 20:28)?

Condition For Salvation. When his jailer asked the Apostle Paul what he had to do to be saved, he said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31, 32). Then he spoke the word of the Lord (i.e. the Gospel) to him and to all who were in his house (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4). The title “Lord” means that Jesus is God Himself (Romans 10:9). “Jesus” refers to Him as the Savior of the world (Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 4:10). “Christ” refers to Him as the promised Messiah and the glorified One who sits at the Father’s right hand in heaven (Mathew 16:16; Acts 2:36; Ephesians 2:20-23).

Warning. Jesus and His apostles warned us about false teachers who would come proclaiming another Jesus and another method/way of salvation (2 Corinthians 11:4, 13-15; 2 Peter 2:1ff). Some people are adding the conditions for discipleship (i.e. sanctification and spiritual maturity) to the conditions for salvation and are causing a lot of confusion in people’s minds. Don’t put “the cart before the horse.” If you do this, you will never know if you’ve done all that God expects of you to be saved and you won’t have assurance of salvation in this life (1 John 5:13; Romans 8:16).

Keys. Without the right key a lock won’t open. Figuratively speaking, without God’s key you won’t be able to enter heaven. Instead you will suffer forever with the devil and his angels (demons) in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41, 16). God doesn’t and we don’t want anyone to go to that awful place (1 Timothy 2:4). God’s key: Grace + Faith = Salvation + Works (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Man’s key that doesn’t work: Grace + Faith + Works = Salvation. Which key are you using?

Decision. The most important decision that you and I have to make in life is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior through the message of the complete Gospel. Many people leave out the bodily resurrection of Christ (Luke 24:39-43). It is an essential element of the Gospel (2 Timothy 2:8-10). Without a risen Savior, we have no hope of being raised from the dead and spending eternity with God in heaven(Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:19). If you haven’t placed your faith in Christ alone yet, why not now? You might not be alive tomorrow to make that decision before it’s eternally too late. Once you’re dead, there are no second chances to be saved (Hebrews 9:27).

Share. If you’ve been saved, can God count on you to share the Good News about the Lord Jesus Christ with others who haven’t heard the Clear Gospel (Acts 1:8)? You can do this through a personal testimony or a clear Gospel tract. We also have “God’s Simple Plan Of Salvation” in 24 languages on our website: www.kelseypeach.com. Now, after all He’s done for us, how could we do any less than give Him our best (Romans 12:1, 2)?