Christ Himself

 

In this age of the falling away from the faith and hybridizing religions into one like Methodist Buddhism, it is not religion that is going to help you stand firm to the end (Matthew 24:10-13). When tribulation is upon you, when troubles provoke you, and attending church will not quiet your trembling soul. When dark times of thievery, violence, persecution, and devilry descend, upon you doctrines and memorizing them will not comfort your depressed mind. When food shortages, political upheaval, Pandemics like Covid, job loses, and unrest settle in, even the Gospel and preaching it will perhaps take backseat to survival. 

To make it through it is crucial that we know the person of Jesus Christ in an intimate relationship. It has to transcend Scriptural knowledge and doctrinal expertise, it has to be a vital connection, friendship, and relationship. If we treat are Lord like a mathematical equation of Our Father prayers or know the depths of complex doctrine without knowing Him, we will miss Christ himself. For only by  knowing Jesus and His love personally will we make it through.  The devil will have arguments for your doctrine, trials to unravel your intellectual fortitude. He will try to make you blame God, curse God, and Hate God; when that moment of testing happens, Scripture knowledge will help, but what will see you through it Christ himself. Only knowing Him and trusting that relationship will you make it to the end. For when you know Jesus you know love, “For God is love,” (1 John 4:8). When you know the person of Christ, the God Man, all pales in comparison, for communing with Him you feel unconditional love, no shame, total acceptance of every aspect of who you are even your dark self, and a euphoria of his presence that makes any drug, vintage (buzz from alcohol), and other pleasure seem barren and empty, truly the words of Skillet, “Your better than drugs, your love is like wine!” (Skillet, Comatose Album). 

 I am not saying doctrines are worthless or that church attendance is pointless. No, we need to know what we believe, and we should “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25). What I am saying is when the trials, tribulations, and accusations that seek to test your trust in Christ come, it isn’t these things alone  that will get you through; what makes one endure is a bond with Christ, a relationship. Remember we are His bride (Revelation 19:7-9), and a bride doesn’t just know the bridegroom intellectually or via sermons, but knows the Bridegroom in every way; the intimacy of husband and wife. 

I believe we must keep preaching the Gospel and doctrine, Jesus commands it so, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20). But what is the gospel? Is it seminary? Is it to make people a member of a church? No, the Gospel is “God so loved us, He sent His Only Son and if we believe in Him we shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). The Evangelion is to believe in Christ yes, but also to know Him, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3). These words are Jesus’ own, in red letters. Notice he adds Know, not just believe, because to keep believing, to keep trusting in Him to the end you got to know Him, not just know about Him. As the apostle says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8). 

Now I speak not against doctrine, for how can you get to know Jesus personally if you don’t know who He is and what is the truth about Him?, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them” (Romans 10:14).  I speak not against gathering in a church, for Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). What I mean is yes, know doctrine, and keep gathering together, but if you are to endure to the end in your faith, you will have to know Christ himself, because like in some countries now, they shut off your access to doctrine, and the Covid Pandemic has made gathering for church impossible for some congregations. So what will you do when isolated from texts and worship together? The answer is you better know Jesus himself, having a relationship where He talks to you and you to Him. Learn all you can, memorize Scripture, and Sound Doctrine, even preach it! Gather if you can in churches or house churches. But make sure you have firm foundation of friendship with Jesus and knowing Him personally; knowing Him yourself. Amen.