Who is Jesus?

"I am the truth, the way, the life"

That's a pretty bold statement - claiming to be truth itself. How can a person be the truth? What does it mean to be the truth?

Here, Jesus is telling us that you can find the truth, the way to God, and eternal life in him. To make a claim like this, you'd have to be a grifter, a sociopath, or be telling the truth.

Do you think Jesus told the truth? If so, you ought to read what he said and abide by it. 

"No man cometh unto the father, but by me"

After claiming to be the truth, Jesus also claimed to be the only way to the Father (God). What are the implications if Jesus is the only way to God?

Jesus said that you can't find or know God without him. In other words, whatever idea you have about God is false unless you know Jesus and his teachings.

If your Jesus doesn't agree with this, you have the wrong Jesus. 

"Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"

Jesus travelled and preached to the masses. He told people to repent because without repentance heaven is not achievable.

This means: even if you think you're a good person, unless you repent and turn to God via Jesus, you have no hope at heaven.

If your Jesus says it's OK to be yourself and everyone goes to heaven, you have the wrong Jesus. 

"Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

The scribes and Pharisees were Jews in Jesus' day who were very devout, followed the Law of Moses very strictly and considered themselves righteous. Jesus told his disciples that if they were to earn their way to heaven, they'd have to be even more righteous than the most righteous among them.

In other words, Jesus was saying it's an impossible task to earn your way to heaven through righteousness and good works.

If your Jesus says, "be a good person and you'll go to heaven," you have the wrong Jesus.

"Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

When a person looks at another person with lust for them in their heart (pornography, catcalling, etc.), Jesus said they have broken the commandment against adultery through spirit rather than deed. Therefore, it's not enough to simply do well and avoid ACTING bad, your thoughts will also convict you before God.

This extends to all the commandments, not just adultery. Therefore, hating someone is the same as murder, coveting or envying someone's posessions would be similar to theft, and so on.

Do you realize all of the commandments you have broken and break daily in action and in thought? Did you know these are the basis for your judgement and whether you go to heaven or hell?  

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Mammon here is money and the worldly things of the earth. Jesus is telling us that you cannot both serve God and hold to your love of earthly things. This would also include obsessive fascinations, immoral pleasures, and sin in general. Therefore, if you're seeking God, you must seek to place God before these things and not try to mingle in both worlds as you will eventually be forced to make a choice between them, putting one above the other.

Do you spend more time with sports, fashion, movies, porn, chasing money, etc. than seeking God? If so, you're serving the wrong master and committing idolatry.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

This is often quoted out of context in order to claim that Jesus told us not to judge.

This saying is actually not Jesus telling us not to judge. But instead, he's saying to judge righteously. Don't play the hypocrite. Anything you judge others about will also be used to judge yourself. Therefore, if you're doing the things you're passing judgement on, when that judgement is turned on you, you'll be equally guilty. Jesus continues in the next 3 verses to tell us to remove our own sin so that we can better judge others and help them remove their sin.

If your Jesus only loves, but doesn't judge, you REALLY have the wrong Jesus. He came the first time to save sinners, but he's coming back to judge the world in fire.

You really must get your house in order before that happens!

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"

Another misused quote, usually by prosperity gospel teachers to claim that Jesus has promised us all anything we ask for.

In actuality, these things are promised to believers, but they must first seek Jesus. If you seek him, you will find him. If you genuinely look for the truth, you will find it. These are the things that are promised for you in this life. If you seek eternal life through Jesus, you will also be granted that promise. All other rewards are only promised in the eternal life. We are guaranteed tribulation during this life, and while we may receive prosperity in this life, it's not the carrot Jesus offered.

Jesus will be judging everyone according to their works, unless you have saving faith in him. All who do not seek this promise through faith in Jesus will be cast into the fire.  

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

This is an oft overlooked passage that indicates that plenty of people will not find the way unto life. Remember that Jesus said HE is the way and the life. Therefore, when he says to enter in at the straight and narrow way, he's telling us that way is through him. If you seek eternal life, there is a very narrow way to that life, and it's by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. All others will be cast into the fire.

Does your Jesus say all ("good") people everywhere are saved and get to go to heaven, even Hindus and atheists? How does that square with this statement he made? I think you might have the wrong Jesus.

"there is none good but one, that is, God."

When a young man came up to Jesus,  called him good master, and asked how to obtain eternal life, Jesus told him that there is none good but God. Jesus was speaking as a man and not as God, but his point was crystal clear - not one human alive can be considered good according to God's perfect standard set forth by the 10 commandments.      

This shows us that humans cannot be good when measures by God's perfect standard. We can change the standard and then proclaim ourselves good, but that won't fly when Jesus sits on the throne and judges all unsaved people according to the 10 commandments and sends them all to hell.

If you don't like the idea of an eternity in hell, it ought to be clear by now that no matter how good you think you are, you can't be saved by your own effort and merit.   

Faith in Jesus is the only way to obtain eternal life!

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"

Another misused quote, usually by prosperity gospel teachers to claim that Jesus has promised us all anything we ask for.

It's most likely that Jesus was referring to salvation and eternal life here. We all have blessings and tribulations in our life. This is not a passage saying that anything we ask for we will receive in this life. Instead, it's a promise that your desires and needs will be fulfilled fully in the next life if you believe on Jesus.

Jesus will be judging everyone according to their works, unless you have saving faith in him. All who do not seek this promise through faith in Jesus will be cast into the fire.  

"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

"And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

"They brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; 'Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.'"

"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

"Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole."

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."

"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law."

"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.""

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?"

"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

"and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."