In a day and time when different Christian denominations seem to be all over the map regarding this question, it seems to me that the subject should be visited. If for no other reason than to let our readers know where we stand on the Person of Christ, we need to explore who He is, why He came, and what the future holds as regards Jesus and our relationship to Him. Our very future as Christians, and our future as an organization relates to this question, perhaps as no other facet of our life.
Here at Patriot Flyer, we believe the Bible is the Word of God, we believe it to be totally true, inerrant, and complete, without need for addition or modification. As an aside here, we have seen many Christian fellowships lately arguing for changing certain portions of Scripture, certain emphases of creed or mission statement, in order to "update" the Word to fit today's culture. Our immediate and urgent response to this urge is, "STOP!!" Hold on, folks, slam on the brakes, this is the wrong track, and it will lead to a train wreck of momunental proportions! The Word of God is true for all times, including our own. If there is any disparity between the Bible and our culture today, it is the culture, not the Bible, that needs changing! God does not change, nor does his word or His standards for us. So, who is God, and who is Jesus?
In Exodus, (3:14), when Moses wanted to know how to answer when people asked who had sent him to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh, God answered him from the burning bush, saying, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS." (NLT) Various translations render this, such as King James Version, "I AM THAT I AM," the NIV says, "I AM WHO I AM", and the NASB retains the same wording. However we explore that particular passage, we always find God's description of Himself to be the same: that he exists, that He has always existed without beginning or end, and that there is no one else, on earth or anywhere else in the universe, who can make the same or any even nearly similar statement.
Before we move on to Jesus' statements and His importance to us today, we must make one stop, to show his relationship to His Father. In the gospel of John, it is recorded that Jesus is spending some wonderful quality time with the apostles, when Philip, true to his character, asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus' reply, recorded in John 14:9-10, states, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been with you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'show us the Father?' Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words that I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work."
I love the gospels, the descriptions of Jesus dealing with the disciples, and their reactions to His obvious power over life and death, disease, and even nature. The one story I had in mind when starting out on this blog today is found in three of the four gospels: Matthew 8, Mark 4, and Luke 8. It is the account of the trip from one side of the sea of Galilee to the other, after Jesus had been teaching all day, and was quite tired. He fell asleep in the boat, and while they were enroute, one of those quick, violent storms for which the lake is so famous, started whipping up, tossing the small boat and its occupants all over the place. The waves were raging, wind howling, and the disciples frightened out of their wits. "Wake up!," they screamed over the wind, "Lord, save us! We're all going to drown!" Jesus opened his eyes, looked around, and then addressed his terrified followers. "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" He then got up, rebuked the winds and the waves, and the Bible says in all accounts that it immediately became completely calm.
Now I have spent a good bit of time out on the ocean in small boats. I've been in storms that had me praying
hard, and I have some idea of how the disciples felt. It's scary, to say the least! Try getting in that situation, and you'll promise God things that go far beyond anything else you've promised Him! But, when the wind stops, the seas do not stop rolling right away. I have yet to see such a thing happen. And so, I'll bet, are you waiting for such a result.
When Jesus exercised such total control over nature (He is, after all, Nature's God) that probably frightened the disciples even more. Imagine. Even the wind and waves obeyed Him! The Bible passage says that the men were amazed, and they discussed this among themselves, asking, "Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey him?" We should be asking the same questions today.
Instead of trying to change the Bible and the Church, and instead of trying to "update" our faith to reflect today's culture, we should be returning to Scripture, showing the world that we Christians are followers of one who commanded even the winds and waves of nature, and who was instantly obeyed by nature. Could it be that we should be obeying Him today, as does nature? This is the Jesus whom we follow: Lord of the universe, deliverer of those who seek him, and savior of all of us who go to him for the forgiveness of our sins!
So, what do you think?
