Jesus is a person.

Greetings friends,

Some follow-up thoughts to yesterday's post. After I wrote it, I spent some time thinking about how we try to pretend that our theology or our doctrinal statement or our denomination is the source of absolute truth, when in fact it's Christ, and Christ alone, who occupies that position in our world. I was thinking about it a bit, and the same sentence kept playing itself over and over and over again in my head.

"Jesus is a person."

A few specific points that need to be mentioned about a sentence like that:

1. Jesus is a person.

One of the things that bothers me more than most is when Christians refer to Jesus as though everything he was happened 2000 years ago. My friends, we do not worship a historical figure. We do not worship a dead man. We worship a LIVING God, a Christ who is as much alive today as he was 2000 years ago, not to mention at the beginning of the world. This is one of the biggest ways the Christian Spirituality separates itself from the other faiths of the world, our God is still with us.

2. People are meant for relationships.

If I approached my relationship with my wife the way some people approach their relationship with Jesus, I doubt very much that we'd still be together! Knowing facts about my wife is not the same as knowing my wife. Having a theology or doctrine statement about Christ isn't the same as having a relationship with Christ.

Don't get me wrong, facts and theology and doctrine are important. I'd be in as much trouble with my wife if I didn't know ANYTHING about her life and world. But if all I have is that framework for understanding a person, then the relationship isn't in fact all that deep.

I think for some of us it's time to stop talking about Jesus and start talking to Jesus. It's time to stop figuring out how Jesus works and start working for him. It's time to treat Jesus less like an idea, and more like a person.

3. Relationships aren't static.

I think one of the ideas that gets us in the most trouble is the concept of Jesus being the same yesterday, today, and forever. It's an absolute true statement, but I think we've forgotten something. We are not the same yesterday, today, or forever! We are static humans, our ideas and opinions and world views and personalities are constantly on the move. So while our savior is always the same, we are not, and so our relationship with him shouldn't stay the same for too too long.

Honestly, it's one of my favorite parts of my faith. It's constantly on the move, Jesus is the same God every day, but the way I approach him and the things I lean on him for and how I respond to him are constantly changing. Some people would have us believe that this is the sign of a weak faith, but I disagree. I honestly think it's a sign of a mature faith, one that's open to allowing Christ to do with them as he pleases.

Just some initial thoughts. I'd love if you'd share yours!

Godspeed,
Jason