Freeing Truths: Loving Jesus

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Loving Jesus

We so often hear, “It’s not about rules and regulations; it’s about relationship, about loving Jesus”

Yes. And no.

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. John 14:21
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19,20

Loving Jesus isn’t only about raising your arms in worship but also about keeping his commands. Wait a minute, you say, I thought you were adamant about not putting Christians under the Law. That’s right! The Lord doesn’t want us under Mosaic Law which was against us (Colossians 2:13-15) but under the “law of the Spirit of life. (Romans 8:1,2)

You can’t be someone’s follower and not do what he says.

Most of us who are called by Jesus’ name are quick to insist, “It’s all about Jesus!” But do we truly believe what he said? Do we truly believe that he meant it for us? Are we doing it?

Are we loving our enemies and blessing them? Or are we dehumanizing them with labels and derision?

Are we storing up treasures in heaven? (Matthew 19:21) Or are we storing them up on the earth where they’ll rot?

Do we really believe Jesus’ statement that adultery is the only reason for divorce? Or are we saying, “God wants me to be happy”? (Matthew 5:32)

These are just a few examples. Following Jesus was never meant to be easy, (freeing yes, burden light…) after all it is a narrow road but it’s The road that leads to life.

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About Me

I’m Joan C. Thomson, a writer, artist, and speaker but most of all, I’m a follower of Jesus and all that I am flows from there. I used to parrot what I heard in church and the American culture but the more I read the Bible, the more questions I had. I saw that a lot of what I heard didn’t add up with what I read (though some did). Somewhere along the way, God gave me the gift of knowing when something doesn’t add up—or when it does, along with a drive to find out what the Truth is. I’ve been studying the Bible personally and in many classes for over forty years but my understanding jumped into a higher gear when I took a Bible institute introductory Hebrew and Greek class. There I learned to use Biblical reference books to see what the Bible truly says.

I invest a lot of time and Biblical research into everything I believe, write—even in many of my art pieces. I put everything that comes my way through the filter of Jesus’ teachings (the New Testament of the Bible). Like an archaeologist, I dig into the Word and report what‘s there and sooner or later, I’ll probably step on everyone’s pet teaching. Why go to all that trouble? First, it’s what I do, it’s who I am as a follower of Jesus and I am utterly convinced that it’s crucial to believe the right thing (Biblically) and then live it. It can be a matter of life and death—spiritual or physical. And freedom from the unnecessary heavy weight of false teachings—well-meaning though they may be, gives freedom to take up Jesus’ teachings.

Though I’ve participated in quite a few denominations over the years I don’t identify with any denomination, nor with “conservatives” or “liberals”—I’m simply a follower of Jesus.

My hope for this blog is that you too, will want to know what the Bible truly says on a given subject and that you will read what I have written as a prompt to dig more deeply yourself, as a signpost of where to look. I encourage you to be like the Bereans, who “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11) Don’t take my word for it, look it up! Paul wasn’t threatened, nor am I—preachers shouldn’t be either. And talk to me about it if you still can’t agree—don’t just get mad and/or write me off. Come join me in the quest to follow Jesus more closely.