"The opinion of the majority is not the final proof of what is right.” ~ Schiller
I have been blessed and spiritually enriched by the ministry of the author, Frank Viola. He is my source for the two quotes above. This is what he said about the Scripture passage: These words – “He saved others but he can’t save himself” – were uttered by those who didn’t recognize who Jesus of Nazareth was. As He hung on a bloody cross, these words were spoken by the leaders of Israel in a mocking tone. But they contain a truth that the people who spoke them didn’t realize. Jesus didn’t exist to save or please Himself. He existed to serve and save others. (https://www.thedeeperchristianlife.com/saved/)
Jesus is literally living proof of the quote from Shiller. The majority thought he was a dying fraud whose bag of tricks held nothing for himself. Yet, he arose from death and lives today, and still, the majority don’t believe it - even a majority of so-called “Christians.” This may seem like a harsh assessment, but when we honestly weigh the words and deeds of churchgoing Christians against their relationship with the living Lord Jesus Christ, there is little evidence to indicate they believe He is with them, in them, and through them, affecting the world.
What would you post on social media if Jesus was sitting next to you, looking over your shoulder? What would you say about those with whom you disagree? What if Jesus were sitting next to you while you talked on the phone? Or while you watched television and talked back to the commentators? How would your thoughts change if you felt sure Jesus could read your mind? How would your attitude about your sin be transformed if you had a living relationship with the Lord - like the relationship of a husband and wife?
God’s plan for creation culminates in the marriage of His Son to the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ in that it comes from Him like Eve came from Adam. As Christians, we are His betrothed, which, in Scripture is a relationship as binding. Therefore, think about your relationship with Christ as if it were a marriage. Then, consider the marriage relationships you are most familiar with. Do some couples manage to coexist for decades “for the sake of the kids”? Are some couples passionately in love, even after many years? These are only two examples of extremes, but they will cause reflection upon the nature of our most precious human relationships. It will be worthwhile to frequently meditate upon this topic in the coming days because, as painful as it is to acknowledge, it says much about our relationship with Christ.
When I was in high school there was a contemporary Christian song with a chorus that said, “When it’s all been said; when it’s all been done - God will ask, did you know my Jesus? Did you know my Son?” I can hear the music in my mind, but could not quickly locate the source - it has been over 40 years!. Beloved, the song is old and so am I, but the question should be as fresh and convicting as ever. Do you KNOW him?
It makes little difference in the eyes of the world, the eyes we see in the mirror, and in the eyes of God if we have assented to a statement of belief in Christ’s atoning death and the promise of life beyond the grave. Everything Jesus said and did was designed to make a relationship possible. We were created for this!
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