When you see people make comments about what kind of person Jesus is, it is often interesting how inaccurate they are. People have in their minds a picture of who Jesus is, but so many have not allowed the word of God to actually paint that picture. Instead, people believe they understand Jesus based on their own imagining, on poorly painted murals, on Hollywood films, on TV depictions of religious people, or on moralistic misunderstanding.
Let me show you one thing that Jesus says about himself that the world basically ignores.
Luke 12:51-53 – 51 “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
One of the pictures that the world has of Jesus is of a wimpy, uber-tolerant, sappy character who just wants everyone to be happy in whatever way comes to their minds. The world’s picture of Jesus is that of someone who would never cause human conflict or create division based on theology or behavior. But that picture is utterly false.
Look at what Jesus said. He knew that his arrival on earth and his mission and identity would cause strong division. Jesus knew that his teaching and his claims about himself would divide even families, making enemies of parents and children, brothers and sisters. The Savior knew that his work would not make everybody on earth get along. Jesus knew he would not make us an undiscerningly tolerant people. Jesus would actually make things difficult.
How is this the case? Jesus made absolute claims about himself and his ministry. Jesus came to be the one and only way for a person to be forgiven by God. Jesus came to be the Lord of our lives, not just an addition for those who like his ways. Jesus came to claim ownership of us and of the universe. And for all who refuse Jesus and refuse his ways, there will be a separation from the Lord and from those who sincerely are wanting to follow the Lord.
If that all seems hard to imagine, just consider any normal part of human life. When people see contradictory things as true, there must be some sort of conflict. There is no just getting along. Imagine that you park your car and get ready to walk into a store. Then, imagine that a stranger walks up and decides to claim your car as her own. Will there not be conflict? The car cannot be both yours and the stranger’s. One of you has right of ownership. The other is a thief. We cannot just be tolerant of that claim. The truth of ownership must be established, and at least one of the two of you must ultimately be shown to be wrong.
Similarly, Jesus says he is our only way to God. Jesus presented a clear set of teachings about how children of God live. If a person has a picture of Jesus that denies the teaching of Jesus, that is a problem. If a person presents a picture of Jesus that denies his claim to be the only source of our salvation by grace through faith, that person is dividing against Jesus and his ways.
The funny thing is, our world and our culture has a faulty view of tolerance. Tolerance means that we do not attempt to attack and subdue others who believe differently from us. However, tolerance does not mean that we have any obligation to agree with the views of others or accept their views as valid alternative truths. No, Jesus did not come for that reason. He came knowing that his exclusive claims would cause division. And if we miss that truth,, we are probably missing Jesus.
Pastor Travis Peterson 