More About Jesus

Life in a fallen world is often difficult, if not brutal. Heartache and hardship are at every turn. The very circumstances we find ourselves in lead us to question the validity of the good news. We ask, with the skeptic, "Where is this victory in Jesus we are always hear about?". We are tempted to seek another good news. However, the problem with that approach is that there is no other good news.

Paul exclaims, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ" (Gal. 1:6-7, ESV). Paul's statement reminds us that non-biblical approaches to deliverance will ultimately fail. In fact, Paul states that any attempt to find favor with God apart from trust in Christ and his completed work upon the cross will result in eternal condemnation.

The greatest need fallen people living in a fallen world have is the need for Christ. We don't need Jesus and something else to rescue us; we simply need Jesus. We don't need less of Jesus, but more. As Eliza E. Hewitt put it:

More about Jesus would I know, more of his grace to others show;
More of his saving fullness see, more of his love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn, more of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me.

More about Jesus in his Word, holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing his voice in ev'ry line, making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus on his throne, riches in glory all his own;
More of his kingdom's sure increase, more of his coming, Prince of Peace.

Chorus:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of his saving fullness see,
More of his love who died for me.

As Christians we need to grasp the greatness of Jesus. Although the salvation of the soul is often what we emphasis in our teaching and preaching, Jesus' work upon the cross accomplished so much more. Paul states, "And you, who once were aliens and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting for the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister" (Col. 1:21-23, ESV).

Thus, we have been reconciled to God through Christ. This reconciliation includes the forgiveness of our sin, but also includes our becoming holy, blameless, above reproach. Once we were aliens, now we are citizens. Once we were hostile in mind, now we are the friends of God. Once we were doers of evil, now we are doers of righteousness. Formerly, we were faithless and unstable, but having trusted in the gospel we have been made stable. At one time we were ignorant of the gospel, now we proclaim it to others. The gospel encompasses all of life. Salvation comes to the believer in every area sin affected: heart, mind, soul, and strength. We refer to the process of applying the gospel to every area of life as sanctification.

The gospel of Christ compels us to "count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2, ESV). Speaking of our hope in Christ, Peter states, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6-7, ESV).

In light of these truths, the solution to our difficulties is not found by pursuing something besides Jesus. The solution is to pursue Jesus with whole-hearted devotion. He invites us to pursue him. Jesus said, "Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30). The more we pursue Jesus through faithful obedience to his Word, the more we will come to understand that Jesus is all we need. More about Jesus, let us learn!