Who is the real Jesus? Is he mercy in voice, "forgive them for they know not what they do?" (Luke 23:34). Is he justice in voice, "I never knew you, depart from me you workers of iniquity!" (Matthew 7:23). Who is the Son of God? Is He never ending mercy or never ending judgment? Is it to the cross or the throne that a Christian places their thoughts? While such a question may seem foolish, certainly all believers know Jesus is both, Merciful and Just, hung on cross and hearing pleas on the throne, the question stands for two reasons. Firstly Jesus Himself asked the question, "But who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:29). This question was not asked of unbelievers, doubters, and scoffers, it was asked of the Twelve Disciples, the most intimate of His followers.
The answer is not only crucial for our own salvation, but for how we relate to God. Many approach Jesus in garb of the Passion, always on cross, crowned with thrones and mercy and forgiveness running down his body to forgive. For these Christians Christ is ever ready to pardon, always understanding their frailty and weakness, never demanding them to change too much, because "It is Finished." (John 19:30). While this is true, Jesus Christ did die on the cross, His mercies are new every morning, and He forgives all our sins, there is another Jesus clad in priestly and kingly robes, who is always on the throne, crowned in gold, and justice and judgment are rolling down his scroll to all sinners and saints alike. For these Christians Christ is ever ready to preside in judgment, always upset over their frailty, and weakness, demanding them to change too much, because "the lukewarm I spew forth from my mouth!" (Revelation 3:16).
How can these two polar opposite christs be reconciled? One affirms salvation and forgiveness, while the other strictness, and fortitude? Again, isn't obvious that the two are suppose to be one and that Christ balances both His natures? Yes, and no. Theology or human thought says yes, I understand Jesus says, "who so ever believes in Him (Me) shall be saved," (John 3:16) and "but the one who stand firms to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13). In theory people understand the two sides, the two christs are One Christ, but in practice they don't. Most churches serve and obey only one nature, only one part of Christ and so create a false Christ, whom Jesus Christ himself said, "In those days there will be many false christs.." (Matthew 24:24). To separate Christ's love, mercy, and forgiveness from his law, majesty, and fraternity is to create two different christs. If a believer only sees Jesus on the mercy seat of the cross, they can fall into the trap of believing, "If His Grace abounds, then if I sin won't his grace abound all the more?" "God forbid! Do you not know that you were buried with Christ?" (Romans 6:14-19). In same way, someone who sees the Lord only as Lawgiver and King of Universe feels as if they never are good enough to approach the throne because they don't measure up.
There are three christs, and only one is the real Jesus. One christ is Mercy without Justice, where he always hangs on cross, and like the Ragamuffin Gospel is alright with you being "a drunk and dying in ditch because you just can't get over your sin." Another christ is Justice without Mercy, where he always has a throne and like the Eastern Orthodox Gospel is not alright with anything, and demands that you die to every fault in you now or risk being damned. These extremes eschew the real Emmanuel who is both Mercy and Justice, who shows compassion one moment and challenges us to change the next; knowing what each disciple needs at any given time. Just like a child who one moment needs a hug after a mistake, and the next needs to be held at distance on a time out; so it is with Christ who knows if we need a hug or time out. The Real Jesus is not mercy where people are never required to grow, die to sin, or pick up a cross, and He is not judgment where people are never allowed to rest, feel compassion, and be forgiven. Seeing Jesus in either of these extremes breaks His own words, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30). The real Jesus is Shepherd who carries a cross in one hand, and scepter of rule in the other. He knows what we need best, but make no mistake you as Christian will sense in the Savior Jesus absolute love for you as you are, and that you cannot contain, but also the word calling you to change your wicked ways and mature as the Messiah lives within you on this Earth.
Man makes a mess of the Messiah. They either make Jesus out to be hippy, who loves without boundaries and require no justice, no safety, no change for the better in the future, or they make Jesus out to be harsh task master who has boundaries no one can meet, justice without mercy, strictness, and change that never ends. Men separate the two sides of Christ, they make either Mr. Love or Mr. Lawgiver, love or legalism. When neither of them, when separated from the other is Jesus. To get Jesus you have to have both Suffering Servant and King of Universe, both mercy and justice, love and boundaries. Without the two being One, you end up with cults, those who serve Jesus who forgives without ever in future requiring change, even though repentance by definition means to "turn from it, and do it no more." The other cult being one that has people serving Jesus in such severity, and harshness to one day hopefully be forgiven for their sins. Neither is a right view of who Christ Jesus is.
The Real Jesus according the Gospels and New Testament will love you, forgive you, and be with you always. But that same Jesus also requires us to become more like Him, to change, and to endure I(keep the faith, follow Him) tell we repose or He returns. The two are compatible, it is our frail and weak minds that struggle. It is possible for Jesus to be both all Mercy and all Justice at the same time because He is God. (Colossians 2:9). We are to experience at all times His absolute consuming love and forgiveness, but also to make choices to change more into his likeness which is without sin not to earn the love or forgiveness, but to grow in union and closeness with Him and show Him to those who do not believe. When you love someone, you decide to stop doing what hurts them and gets in the way of the relationship, the same is with Jesus Christ. He married you in your sin and offered the forgiveness for it by shedding His own blood, and by His death you have been made clean; but now you need to stay clean by keeping your faith (keep believing his blood washes you clean) and letting that blood change your heart from the wickedness to becoming like The Word himself. Its a mystery, but it is True. Jesus loves you as you are: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8), and "faith without works is dead, and fight the good fight, run the race, and keep the faith." (James 2:17-Timothy 4:7). It is equilibrium in Emmanuel that as you relate, believe, and live in Christ you find the two sides of Merciful Messiah and Just Judge are One, and that both are beautiful. After the sprinkling of the Savior's Blood on you, in time you see the Judge not as separate and harsh, but as another side of Mercy, one that breaks you fee of your evil self, and makes you more like God and full of greater love, truth, wisdom, and more.
I hope this has helped. I am not saying people who focus on the Passion of Christ or Prince on the Throne are utterly deceived. Like many people, they get focused on one or the other in the place they are in spiritually. But the danger is that focusing on only one side of Christ can lead to misperception that shapes your faith journey in an imbalanced way. We need to see Jesus on Cross and on the Throne for different reasons and seasons, but never forget both are Jesus, both Mercy and Judgment are Him; and if we choose to embrace Christ in fullness of who He is, we will discover a balance in ourselves, For He lives Within Us (Galatians 2:19-21, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 John 4:13) and that balance will have us see Him rightly, and represent Him to the world as He is within the pages of The Holy Bible (NIV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, and TLB).
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