Jesus is not One Dimensional

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.” These are the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:37. It is truly a heart wrenching cry of hurt for a people that would not follow His leadership.

In Mark 10:21 Jesus was talking with a young man who had lived a good life and sought out Jesus for instruction. Jesus gave him the instruction he needed to hear, knowing the young man would not follow it. But the verse says, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.” I have found this to be very touching.

In Matthew 14:13-20 Jesus withdrew to a desolate place for some “alone” time only to have the crowds flock to him when they discovered where He was. Once again, hounded by the crowds, He had compassion on them and healed the sick. When the disciples suggested He send them away, Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” This is when the 5,000 were fed.

In Matthew 20:34 we are told of Jesus having compassion on two blind men that the crowd had rebuked so that he touched their eyes and gave them sight. On the occasion of Lazarus’ death, in John 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible adds much insight. Starting in verse 33, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.” So much so that in verse 35, “Jesus wept.”

The man, Jesus, was a compassionate, empathetic, loving man who “went about doing good,” Acts 10:38, which was totally in keeping with the character of the Son of God. Jesus was willingly in union with God, the father, when “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17.

This is the God we serve. This is the Christ who allowed Himself to be crucified on a cross to purchase our pardon from the sins that we committed and from which He was innocent. As one song says, Amazing love, how can it be? That you, my King, would die for me?”

God is love. Jesus was compassionate and loving. Jesus went about doing good. What a blessing for mankind to have such a God. Sadly, this is where “Christendom” stops its contemplation.

It seems a common theme that everyone will be saved. Jesus gets us. He’ll heal your broken heart, He’ll stand by your side. He’ll solve your problems. Actually He will do all of those things, but not unconditionally. Jesus is not only a loving God, He is also a just and righteous God.

In the passage quoted above when Jesus spoke of Jerusalem in loving tones, there was great sadness because He knew the people there were on the broad path to destruction and would not change their ways. He was sad when he looked at and loved the young man who came to Him and asked Him how to obtain salvation because He knew the young man would be one of those who would say, “Lord, have I not done many wonderful works in thy name.” Jesus knew He would have to say to him, “Depart from me. You work lawlessness,” because the young man did not do His will.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” This is the warning of the same loving, compassionate Jesus from the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 7:13-14. He gets harsher in verses 21-23, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

In John 2:14-16, we find the story of Jesus “cleansing” the temple. “In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.” Mark says in his account, “He would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple,” and he said, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

In Matthew 23 Jesus castigates the Scribes and Pharisees in the most brutal terms. He denigrates them for their pride, arrogance, and conceit, and calls them blind fools, and blind guides, serpents, a brood of vipers, and full of lawlessness. He pronounces seven woes upon them, mostly, but not only, for their hypocrisy. He gives them a tongue-lashing the likes of which are not seen elsewhere in the Bible.

What is the point? Paul states it in Hebrews 11:20-22. “They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Behold the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off.”

The religious world likes to dwell on the goodness of our loving God and His Son. But God and Jesus are not one dimensional. Their love toward us is indisputable and proven. But they are also holy and just, and have expectations of the people they are able to save. We have it on good authority that everyone is not going to be accepted into Heaven (see Matthew 7:21-23.).

This is why Peter says in 1 Peter 1:10-11, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Peter is concerned about people taking their salvation for granted, as an assumption of fact. He says that is not the way it is. Instead you need to make sure of your salvation, and not forget that you have been purged from your sins and understand that you can fall back into them again.

God and Jesus are good, loving, merciful and full of grace. They offer salvation to all through the blood of Jesus, but according to Matthew 7:13-14 far more will fail to enjoy this salvation than will take part in it. That is because they have not taken the responsibility to avail themselves of it.

God will not force salvation on anyone. He loves all. He has sacrificed for all. But some will not conform to His righteous requirements and are therefore going through the wide gate onto the easy path that leads to destruction. They think they are doing wonderful things but Jesus doesn’t recognize them as His people. In fact, He sees them as workers of lawlessness.

Yes, Paul says to behold the goodness of God. But don’t miss the severity, because it is real. We’ve seen the verses. Peter says we need to make sure we are on the right side of that line, the goodness side. Go through the narrow gate, and walk the difficult path. How? Not by paying lip service, “Lord, Lord.” But by doing the will of God as revealed in His word.