Jesus is More Than Just a Really Nice Role Model
If I hear one more person, especially a "christian", promote Jesus as a "role model" I think I am going to explode.
"Oh... yes... Jesus was a good example. He showed people a better way to live."
True, Jesus was a good role model but that was not his intention for coming to earth!
Jesus came to be God's sacrificial lamb to rescue his elect (Rom. 8:30, Rom. chapter 9, Eph. chapter 1) back to himself through his death of crucifixion and through his resurrection from the dead. This is what everyone seems to be getting away from. This however IS the gospel and this IS the reason for God miraculously becoming man while still remaining God to be the blameless and perfect payment for our sins which the one and only holy and just God required due to the fact that he can not tolerate any sin because of his unapproachable holiness. If you showcase Jesus simply as a good role model, you are degrading and insulting him. You are not seeing him as he really is and thus you are creating God in your image and are guilty of idolatry since the god you think you are worshipping is, in fact, not the real God, but a false image of him. You might as well build a golden calf.
Did Jesus go through all that he went through for us to reduce him to just another good example of a good person which God hoped we would follow? If that's what you think he is all about then WOW, you have a lot to learn about who this holy God is. This easy believeism and easy new gospel has got to go. Following Jesus and being sanctified truly is the narrow way and it is not easy. Repentance is not easy. It's easy to receive but it is not easy to go through. It hurts to face your sin. It hurt Jesus to become man and live with what would equate to living with worms.
Why would John in Revelation 1:17-18 say when he saw the glorified Jesus:
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Is this something you do when you face a good role model for people to follow so their lives will be better or is this something you do when you are in the presence of the Almighty and Holy sovereign God--Jesus Christ?
If you only see Jesus Christ as a role model or a good example of humanity and do not recognize him as God worthy of worship, I strongly urge you to find out who He really is (before it's too late) by reading the books of John, Hebrews, and Isaiah. Then read the book of Romans.
Don't insult Him.
THIS POST on Herescope illustrates one example of how Jesus has been downgraded to accommodate people's whims.
Here is an excerpt:
"…this subtle switch from the Lordship of Jesus Christ to the ‘modelship’ of Christ deceptively exchanges the truth of Who He is and what He did for the principles that He lived. Thus the Gospel of faith is effectively transformed into a false gospel of works, and the Lord Jesus Christ is replaced with the universal “Christ” or “Jesus” of the counterfeit kingdom."
...."The new message which replaces Lord with “model” has given today’s movements new impetus. It is much easier to get the masses to follow the example of a “model” than it is to get them to bend the knee to the Lord."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh... yes... Jesus was a good example. He showed people a better way to live."
True, Jesus was a good role model but that was not his intention for coming to earth!
Jesus came to be God's sacrificial lamb to rescue his elect (Rom. 8:30, Rom. chapter 9, Eph. chapter 1) back to himself through his death of crucifixion and through his resurrection from the dead. This is what everyone seems to be getting away from. This however IS the gospel and this IS the reason for God miraculously becoming man while still remaining God to be the blameless and perfect payment for our sins which the one and only holy and just God required due to the fact that he can not tolerate any sin because of his unapproachable holiness. If you showcase Jesus simply as a good role model, you are degrading and insulting him. You are not seeing him as he really is and thus you are creating God in your image and are guilty of idolatry since the god you think you are worshipping is, in fact, not the real God, but a false image of him. You might as well build a golden calf.
Did Jesus go through all that he went through for us to reduce him to just another good example of a good person which God hoped we would follow? If that's what you think he is all about then WOW, you have a lot to learn about who this holy God is. This easy believeism and easy new gospel has got to go. Following Jesus and being sanctified truly is the narrow way and it is not easy. Repentance is not easy. It's easy to receive but it is not easy to go through. It hurts to face your sin. It hurt Jesus to become man and live with what would equate to living with worms.
Why would John in Revelation 1:17-18 say when he saw the glorified Jesus:
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Is this something you do when you face a good role model for people to follow so their lives will be better or is this something you do when you are in the presence of the Almighty and Holy sovereign God--Jesus Christ?
If you only see Jesus Christ as a role model or a good example of humanity and do not recognize him as God worthy of worship, I strongly urge you to find out who He really is (before it's too late) by reading the books of John, Hebrews, and Isaiah. Then read the book of Romans.
Don't insult Him.
THIS POST on Herescope illustrates one example of how Jesus has been downgraded to accommodate people's whims.
Here is an excerpt:
"…this subtle switch from the Lordship of Jesus Christ to the ‘modelship’ of Christ deceptively exchanges the truth of Who He is and what He did for the principles that He lived. Thus the Gospel of faith is effectively transformed into a false gospel of works, and the Lord Jesus Christ is replaced with the universal “Christ” or “Jesus” of the counterfeit kingdom."
...."The new message which replaces Lord with “model” has given today’s movements new impetus. It is much easier to get the masses to follow the example of a “model” than it is to get them to bend the knee to the Lord."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
posted by kennyo at 12:15 AM
5 Comments:
I posted something along the same lines that may intest you.
http://judahslion.blogspot.com/
Agreed. Saying he is just a role model or a teacher - or "just" anything besides the one and only Savior - mocks the cross as well as the blood of the martyrs.
When the world says Jesus is "just" something it irritates me, but I expect that from the world. When those who claim to be Christians say there are other paths besides Jesus I ask them to picture themselves telling that to Jesus while He was was on the cross.
Great post Rick, I like this comment:
"When in the company of lost people we sometimes look into the night sky and proclaim "God made those stars", and even an unregenerate person who is not an atheist will nod in agreement. But if you say, "Look at all those stars, Jesus made them all", you may well find that the Holy Spirit has used that to garner the attention of a sinner. Many people will credit Jesus with being a great teacher, a good example, and even a divine man, but when confronted with Him being the Creator they might have to stop and think about that one."
Every time I see people peddling the "modelship" of Christ, it is associated with a message of salvation by works, one way or the other. It's nice jargon, but it doesn't save.
Jesus is NOT my model, He is my Savior because I cannot follow His model. Once He is my Savior by faith alone in Him alone, then I can follow Him by the power He gives with His indwelling Spirit.
It's SO SIMPLE and it's made so difficult by the enemy -- and some well meaning but deluded Christians. I'm so sick of a muddled message that leads unsaved people into confusion. How can unregenerate beings who are dead spiritually follow Jesus? We need to be CLEAR and stop repeating cliches that are meaningless.
A severe lack of true worship, centered around Christ, leads to this kind of thing. When we come around the table at the Lord's Supper, we are called to remember Him, do share about what Jesus did, not how nice of a guy He was, how great a Teacher, but that He was God on earth, the only begotten Son of God. Jesus didn't come to show us a better way, but to pay sin's penalty for all mankind.
This is one of the most dangerous things about the Rob Bells and such of the world. They paint Jesus as a fun guy, but Jesus said "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword!"
We need to reverently bow before the King of Kings and Lord or Lords. He alone is worthy of our worship, and He certainly is not pleased with how people have been perverting His Word, to be sure.
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