Articles
Do You Know Jesus?
Do you know Jesus? How do you know? How can you know if someone else truly knows Jesus and is a Christian? With social media and the recent push from religious groups putting lessons online, I have heard more people claiming to be Christians and claiming to know God’s teaching than ever before. We truly live in a wonderful time where we have so many opportunities to learn about God and the bible. With so many voices claiming to speak the truth how do we know what to believe?
In my own lifetime I have seen a shift in the teaching of many so-called churches. There has been a push to undermine God’s teaching, focusing only on parts of the truth instead of the whole truth. These people often only seem to talk about God’s love and mercy but never talk about our responsibilities toward God. Too often we see people talking about being Christians yet also supporting sinful behavior and lifestyles. How can we know the truth surrounded by so many voices?
The bible teaches us how to recognize a true Christian. The bible teaches us how we ourselves will know when we are truly a follower of Jesus Christ. There is a big difference between liking a story we heard, and that story changing your life. So many seem to like the idea of God but don’t want God to change them.
“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6)
How will we know if what we are being taught is the truth? When we learn the truth and follow the truth we will be like Jesus. The “Word”, the bible, changes our lives and we can not stay the same. To know Jesus means we understand and follow His commands. Only through the study of God’s word can know Jesus. ~Brad Tolbe
