4 Teachings Of Jesus That His Followers (Almost) Never Take Seriously

It’s no secret that those of us who claim to follow Jesus Christ consistently fall short of living up to the way of life of our Rabbi. Being a disciple of Jesus is a lifelong journey towards conforming ourselves to the image and way of life that Jesus taught. However, so often, followers of Jesus chose to blatantly ignore some of the clearest instruction of our Rabbi and obscure it with vague theology so that we can get off the hook. Other times, followers of Jesus are taught something explicitly contradictory to the plain words of Jesus and then spend their lives obeying the instruction they received instead of the commands of Jesus.

However we end up at the place of disobedience, all of us who claim to be followers of Jesus struggle to obey the commands of our Lord. One of the most transformative periods in my faith was when I took time to re-read the Gospels of the New Testament and get reacquainted with Jesus’ himself, in his own words. As I studied the words of Jesus, I discovered that so much of what he asks of us as his disciples is incredibly clear and yet so much of it was new to me. I had never heard it in church or Sunday school or actually heard someone teach the exact opposite of the words of Christ. It was during that season of my life where I took inventory of how I lived and what I believed and aligned to the person and teachings of Christ that my faith was radically transformed for the better.

Below I have compiled a short list of 4 clear teachings of Jesus that most of us who exist within Evangelicalism have either never heard, refuse to acknowledge, or believe the exact opposite of. It’s my hope that by rereading these teachings of Christ, you will be inspired, like I have been, to return to the Gospels and begin to reshape your faith and life around the way and teachings of our Master, Jesus. Get ready and buckle up, because most of what Jesus says is pretty bold and potent. It’ll shake up your faith!

1. Jesus, not the Bible, is God’s living and active Word that brings life.

“You don’t have His word living in you, because you don’t believe the One He sent. You study the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me. And you are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life.”- John 5:39-40 HCSB

The Christian life is one that is fundamentally rooted in the reality that Jesus Christ is living and active. He interacts with us on a day to day basis and desires that we cultivate an intimate relationship with him. The more we commune with the Spirit of Christ, the more life and truth we are exposed to and are able to comprehend. However, for many Evangelicals, we rely more on the Bible than we do on the living and active Spirit of God within us. We fear that following the Spirit could lead to confusion and subjectivity and so we root our faith in the Bible. The problem is that a faith that is rooted in the Scripture alone is not sustainable. It will dry up and wither on the vine. While the Bible is an important and authoritative guide for Christian faith and practice, it isn’t the foundation or center of our faith- Jesus is. And if we truly believe that he is alive, we should also have faith that communing with him will produce spiritual life within us. He is the living Word that we can ask anything to and expect, in faith, to receive and answer. Sometimes he will speak through Scripture. Other times he will speak through our friends and family. Other times he will find unique and special ways to reveal himself to us. But in order to maintain a vibrant and living faith, we must not make the Bible our substitute for communion with the living Word of God. Studying Scripture is valuable, but nowhere near as valuable as cultivating a day to day relationship with the God incarnate.

2. The only way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is through DOING the will of God.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 ESV

“An expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”“What is written in the law?” He asked him. “How do you read it?”He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.“You’ve answered correctly,” He told him. “Do this and you will live.”- Luke 10: 25-28 HCSB

“We are saved by faith alone, apart from works!” This is a very popular Protestant catch phrase. The doctrine of sola fide (faith alone) was developed by the Reformers in response to the Roman Catholic Churches corrupted teachings that emerged in the 16th Century teaching that one could gain favor with God and shave off years in Hell and Purgatory by giving money to the church or doing acts of penance. The intention of the doctrine of faith alone was very good- to correct the error that our salvation could be earned or that God’s grace could be manipulated. But like most doctrines that are formulated in response to another group’s doctrine, it often goes too far. One of the clearest teachings throughout all four Gospel accounts is that the way to enter the Kingdom of God is through living in obedience to the Law of Christ. Time and time again, Jesus makes very clear statements that condemn those who think that they will be saved because they believe the right things or do the right religious rituals. Jesus responds to people who believe they are religious and deserve heaven by saying that their outward religiosity is detestable to God and the only thing God desires is that they would exercise their faith by obeying the command of God- to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. (Micah 6:8) Jesus says if anyone claims to be right with God but doesn’t serve the poor, needy, oppressed, marginalized, sick, diseased, and sinful, then they do not have a relationship with God. No matter what they proclaim with their lips. No matter how religious they may appear. Jesus says those who don’t obey will have no part in his Kingdom. He makes very clear that the way to “inherit eternal life” is through loving God and loving our neighbor. Isn’t it astonishing, then, how many Christians today have been taught that salvation comes through right believing instead of right practice- a message that is fundamentally contrary to the words of Jesus. (And even more to his little brother James who says, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” James 2:24 ESV)

Many modern day Evangelical preachers spend a lot of time talking about the kinds of people that God is opposed to and who he condemns. They spend time talking about how to transition from a position of condemnation before God to a position of Grace through believing the right things about Jesus. They often talk about those who disagree or live contrary to their understanding of what is “righteous” as those who are under condemnation from God. But what’s funny is that as one examines the teachings and life of Jesus, we find him not only befriending, loving, and affirming some of his societies most despised and vile people, but chastising the religious leaders who condemned them for their sin. Whether it is Jesus’ conversation with Rabbi Niccodemus in John 3 where Christ explains that it is his mission to redeem the world and not to condemn it or the instance where a woman is caught in the act of adultery and is taken outside to be stoned by the religious officials (as the law required) and Jesus steps in to stop the condemnation and proclaim freedom and forgiveness to the broken woman, it is clear that Jesus is not in the condemning business. Instead, it seems Christ is in the business of restoring humanity to the most broken and wicked of people. It seems that his passion is to see the weak, sick, and broken become strong, healthy, and whole in his Kingdom. It seems that he spends very little time (almost none) telling sinners why they’re wrong or speaking words of condemnation over them, but rather practically loving and extending grace to the most screwed up of individuals. Maybe we Evangelicals, who are known for our condemnation of entire people groups with whom we disagree, could learn something from Jesus on this point.

4. You’re supposed to sacrifice yourself and speak words of blessings for those you disagree with the most.

It seems like every week there is a new major controversy taking place within the Church. Most of the time, the situation revolves around one group of Christians disagreeing with another and then taking to the internet to write slanderous posts about the other. If it’s not infighting, then it is Christians engaging in culture wars, working to defeat those whom we disagree with politically and socially by painting them as soul-less monsters. But that response is absolutely contrary to the way of Jesus. Jesus calls his followers to love the people they disagree with most and to speak blessings over them when all we really want to do is curse them out. No matter what the situation is or what kind of enemy we have, Christians are called to bless the people who hurt us the most. This includes in theological battles, political disagreements, national wars, and personal conflicts. Christians are called to a radical position of nonviolence and forgiveness, grace, and even blessing of our enemies. There is no way around it. And when Christians chose to ignore these clear teachings, our hypocrisy is glaringly obvious to the watching world. Want some proof? Take a couple minutes to watch this clip of the famous Agnostic Comedian, Bill Maher, talk about Christian’s refusal to obey the teaching of Jesus. (Contains explicit language)

That video may be hard to stomach but Bill Maher is 100% correct. “If you ignore every single thing Jesus commanded you to do, you’re not a Christian.”

The point of this post is to encourage those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus to reexamine how we are living our lives and practicing our faith. It is so easy to get so caught up in the flow that we fail to recognize just how far away from shore we have been carried. The words of Jesus are pretty darn clear, but oftentimes in our zealousness for our faith, we often get pulled away from the basics and eventually end up living in a way that we believe is honoring to God, but is actually contradictory to everything he has taught us.

In this post, I have offered just four examples. There and hundreds of teachings contained in the 4 Gospels of the New Testament, teachings that, if we obeyed, would absolutely flip our lives and world upside-down for the glory of God and the good of all people. What the Church as a whole and Evangelicals in particular desperately need in this age is a return to the plain teachings of Jesus. We need to be willing to set aside out theological debates and meanderings for a season and focus on simply reading, conforming, and obeying the will of Christ, both as revealed in Scripture and as we are led by his Spirit. The world is desperately longing to encounter Jesus through us and for far too long we have been giving them a cheap knock off that we have exported under his name. But it’s clear to everyone that what is passing for Christianity today is almost totally divorced from the teachings of Jesus Christ.

My prayer is that we would all turn our faces towards our risen Savior and seek to selflessly follow his commands. I am convinced that the Jesus’ way is the only way that will heal our broken world. I am convinced that the whole earth is groaning as it waits for men and women to take of their crosses and follow in the way of redemption. I am convinced that when those of us who call ourselves “Christian” re-orient ourselves in Jesus, the power of God will flow through us in an unprecedented and miraculous way that will bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Oh how I long for that day.

‎“Those who aren’t following Jesus aren’t his followers. It’s that simple. Followers follow, and those who don’t follow aren’t followers. To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus into a society where justice rules, where love shapes everything. To follow Jesus means to take up his dream and work for it.”
― Scot McKnight

As I noted in my previous post, the interpretations that you prefer place contradictions in the word.

All I note is that you do not post scripture backing your point.

More study needed.

Assuredly.

But who can be “in his hand” if they depart of their own volition?

If they depart of their own volition then obviously Jesus is of lesser power then they themselves: for they themselves are snatching themselves from his hand.
But obviously that is untrue: if he will lose none of those given him by the father, then none of those who (after having be given him) leave can actually be lost, otherwise he is a liar. (This is not to say that we cannot deceive ourselves, that is another topic altogether and human experience has shown the great capacity for self-deception that humanity has.)

Lets work with the true quotes, OK?

He is clearly speaking of his core disciples:

John 17:

[12] While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
[13] And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
[14] I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
[15] I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
[16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
[17] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
[18] As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
[19] And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
[20] Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

John 18:

[8] Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
[9] That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

It couldn't possibly be clearer that he is speaking of the eleven.

One and Two are just plain wrong, and 4 is situational.

It’s ridiculous to claim that the scriptures are not God’s word. (1) These folks can’t distinguish between the scriptures and the organizing principle of the universe, The Word.

It’s ridiculous to claim that works precedes grace. (2) By grace are you save through faith. All is of grace.

And giving one’s life depends on the circumstance, as Paul ably points out to the Philippians. (4) I’d like to go on to be with God but it’s more needful that I remain here.

Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. His own words.

It couldn't possibly be clearer that he is speaking of the eleven.

Except what I posted was in John 6 and John 10, what you post is in John 17 & 18, in completely different settings:

John 6:35-40 is not directed at the Twelve, but at the crowds after the feeding of the five thousand sought him out the day after, and is his reply to their inquery about the bread of life. (Link)
John 10:16 (about the sheep of the other pen) is part of a reply to the Jews, who were divided about his reply (see v. 19).
John 10:28 is directed at the Jews as part of a bigger speech on who Jesus is and what he is doing, in the temple (v 22) and the response the Jews had was to attempt to stone him (v. 31) and arrest him (v. 39).

So, obviously the claim that these particular things were directed at the Twelve is absurd, the claim that these were strictly about the Twelve is a lie.

You continue to misrepresent the true content of the scriptures!

“I will in no wise cast out” is not a promise that many would not simply depart on their own, and in this chapter (6) it plainly says that many did: “[66] From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

And again, “believe on” as used in the NT is not intellectual belief, but the true belief of a disciple that dedicates his life to following the teaching.

Twist as you will, the clear meaning of scripture will not change.

The teaching that you appear to want is not the teaching that Yeshua gave.

>> “Were they given to him by the Father?”
>> “Were they ever in his hand at all?”
>
> These are the excellent questions I was trying to get you to see.

Then why did you claim that he was talking about the Twelve?

They are the ones that blow big holes in your man made theology.

Really?
Where has my man-made theology been inadequate? The words were spoken by Jesus, and I was quite plain in Post 181 that the self-perceived state of being in his hand could well be self-deception.

You, on the other hand, said in Post 180 that Jesus didn't say that he would lose none of those given him; in Post 177 that this assurance was only to the Twelve (ironically, in Post 182 wherein you were trying to support this you bolded the underlined Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; which is obviously not the Twelve) — which is easily disproven.

Why then should I hold that your understanding of Theology is better than mine? Or that your condemnation of it (as man made) is of any merit?

So, every Bible believing Protestant is assured of the Holy Spirit assisting them with their personal interpretation of Scripture yet the Catholic Church is not given the same benefit.

I'm not about to claim that no Catholic has had the Holy Spirit assist them in such a manner, as to do so would be to claim that no Catholic is Christian.

But it seems absurd to me to claim that the Catholic Church, as an organization, has the interaction/revelation of the Holy Spirit while denying that the Holy Spirit can/does speak to individuals — the smallest possible group and, incidentally, requisite for an organization at all.

And if you kept up with the thread, I was informed that my Church is “corrupt” which seems to be a rather prevalent protestant dogma.

Satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking those to devour and he's crafty; it would be stupid to think that any church (in the organizational sense) cannot be subverted, either into accepting lies/untrue-doctrine or having their drive turned to unprofitable endeavors (e.g. intra-congregational feuds, self-righteous attitude, singing a little louder, etc) or both (e.g. works-based theology, etc) by the enemy. (Pride goes before a fall.) — Given the size of the Catholic church it would be particularly foolish to claim purity on the organizational scale, heck, that's true for even the small 4- or 5-member churches. (All our good works are as filthy rags.) — The Catholic church has taught some things that, IMO, are very suspect (e.g. if not outright Mary worship then damn close: co-redemptrix, Queen of Heaven, etc).

In fact that was the start of my line of questioning to begin with. The article is based on falsehood of catholic teaching, which so far nobody has bothered to answer.

Which in particular?

>>Keep on reading, the new commandment of verse 8 is shown to be contained in the original commandments;<<

Yeah, did that plus other passages. In verse 9 it mentions the light. Who is the light? It's Christ. It does NOT go on to talk about the law.

>>The terms Law an Commandments are essentially interchangeable in the NT, as all of the commandments of the NT are demands of obedience to the “first things.”<<

Nonsense and not consistent with the rest of scripture. The commandments are NOT the laws given to Moses. Let's go back to Exodus and Deuteronomy to see the difference.

When the ark was commanded to be built by God specific things were to be put in the ark. One of those things was that tablets with the ten commandments.

Exodus 25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

What was the testimony that He was to give them?

Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Those of course were the 10 commandments. Note in Exodus 26 God said to put them into the ark. The ten commandments were put inside the ark under the mercy seat. Now let's see where the laws of Moses were placed.

Deu 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it beside of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.>/font>

The laws of Moses are NOT the same as the commandments nor are they given the same place. Notice also that the laws were 'a witness against us". But that's another subject.

Now, knowing that the commandments of God are NOT treated the same as the commandments let's look at what Jesus said.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

He then goes into describing the attributes of each of the ten commandments. Jesus tells us to keep the commandments NOT the law.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

We are NOT told to keep the laws of Moses. We are told to keep the ten commandments. >>Your attempt to differentiate Law and Commandments has to be facetious.<<

Not according to what God said. I listen to God, not that fraud Michael Rood. He works for the enemy trying to put man back under the law which separates them from Christ.

How is it that the Holy Spirit can tell some folks it’s OK to marry sodomites and others that it is an abomination?

That there exist liars, false teachers, and false spirits should be of no surprise to anyone.
Each of those explain how someone could claim that the Holy Spirit approved.

So, which is right? Yes, the vast majority of us know it is an abomination but using protestant logic, who is the authority that is going to tell someone what the Holy Spirit allegedly ‘revealed’ or said was “ok” to them?

In Mathematics it is common to check your work by means of another method; the same can be applied to Spirituality and, indeed, the Berean Jews were commended for doing just this:

(Acts 17:11)
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

They had the Scriptures, which they knew to be the Word of God, if there was a discrepancy they would have not accepted Paul's message; indeed John says that we're to test the spirits… in fact, the portion of scripture containing the command explains the phenomenon:

(1 John 4:1-6)
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming; and now it is already in the world. Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

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