The Lord Jeus Christ isn't your good buddy.

[twin1954]

How often do we hear people talk about the Lord Jesus Christ as though He were a personal friend of theirs that they can approach as though He were just another man who they can be close to? Folks claiming to hear from Him in dreams and visions, speaking of Him as though He is not God and so many other ways that just denies His Godhood and Kingship.

When we read in the Scriptures of the Lord in His pre-incarnate appearances as the Angel of the Lord or read about Him in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we never find anyone approaching Him except on their face before Him. He is first and foremost the God of all creation sitting on the throne ruling all things by the word of His power. He deserves the reverence and worship of God not the careless approach of your buddy.

You will never truly know the Lord Jesus as Savior until you know Him as God of all creation who is sitting on a throne with power to save or to damn. He is God, full of mercy and love and compassion to be sure but He is always God who rules.

All true believers seek His mercy because they know that it is up to Him to give mercy. We hope in His love and desire His grace but we first must find His mercy.

 

[JM]

Reminds me of...

..sure puts an end to "Jesus is my homie" kind of Christianity.

 

[twin1954]

Reminds me of...

..sure puts an end to "Jesus is my homie" kind of Christianity.

Something I stole because I ain't smart enough to have an original thought: He always comes as Conqueror before He comes as Comforter.

What that means is that He will come to the sinner as the King who is judge and ruler with all authority and power over you and conquer your rebellion before He comes to you as a Comforter and gives you peace. He destroys all your refuge of lies and walls of defense against Him as the conquering King before He extends His hand of mercy and grace. His terms of peace with the sinner is not lets work this thing out but simply and forcefully "SURRENDER OR DIE". He doesn't waste effort on trying to convince you to bow to Him He shows you His great power over you and rips your heart out with fear before He ever comes to you in peace and love. You will bow before Him in fear before you ever bow before Him in worship and love.

 

[John Robie]

So is the whole "I call you friends" thing a sham?

 

[miamited]

Hi twin,

You and I sure have a different understanding of Jesus' nature. And for the record, he did come as comforter before he's coming back as conqueror. That's a Scriptural truth! I'll add with john's complaint, was it also a lie when he said that those who believe are his brothers, sisters, and mother. For me, that relationship seems kind of personal.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[DawnStar]

Some people just seem to like the idea of a destroying vengeful god I guess. That is not my God though. Conversions based upon fear do not tend to be genuine conversions.

 

[twin1954]

So is the whole "I call you friends" thing a sham?

Not at all. He is not only a friend to believers but their elder brother who rules all of Creation. I am not talking about being familiar with Him at all (in the sense that believers can come boldly to the throne of grace) I am talking about not having reverence for who He is.

 

[John Robie]

Not at all. He is not only a friend to believers but their elder brother who rules all of Creation. I am not talking about being familiar with Him at all (in the sense that believers can come boldly to the throne of grace) I am talking about not having reverence for who He is.

Fair enough.

 

[twin1954]

Some people just seem to like the idea of a destroying vengeful god I guess. That is not my God though. Conversions based upon fear do not tend to be genuine conversions.

(Pro 1:7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 

[twin1954]

Hi twin,

You and I sure have a different understanding of Jesus' nature. And for the record, he did come as comforter before he's coming back as conqueror. That's a Scriptural truth! I'll add with john's complaint, was it also a lie when he said that those who believe are his brothers, sisters, and mother. For me, that relationship seems kind of personal.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Actually in His incarnation He came as both and did both. But all that came to Him for comfort came knowing that He was more than just a man and reverenced Him. Not one came to Him and told Him that they were going to let Him do a wonder for them by healing them. And you are right we do have a different understanding of who He is. I see Him as the LORD Jesus Christ who sits on the throne with all power and authority King Of Kings; who also loved me and gave Himself for me that He might bring me into His glory as His Bride and body. I see Him as the Sovereign God of all Creation who chose me and saved me without anything from me. I see Him as the Lord who can just as easily damn me as save me but purposed to have infinite mercy on me.
I see Him as actually God not some pygmy god who wants and wishes and hopes that people will allow him to do something for them.

 

[miamited]

Actually in His incarnation He came as both and did both. But all that came to Him for comfort came knowing that He was more than just a man and reverenced Him. Not one came to Him and told Him that they were going to let Him do a wonder for them by healing them. And you are right we do have a different understanding of who He is. I see Him as the LORD Jesus Christ who sits on the throne with all power and authority King Of Kings; who also loved me and gave Himself for me that He might bring me into His glory as His Bride and body. I see Him as the Sovereign God of all Creation who chose me and saved me without anything from me. I see Him as the Lord who can just as easily damn me as save me but purposed to have infinite mercy on me.
I see Him as actually God not some pygmy god who wants and wishes and hopes that people will allow him to do something for them.

Hi twin,

Well, I don't see him as your derogatory words seem to portray either. I certainly don't know and understand Jesus as some 'pygmy god'. You do have a slight tendency to use inflammatory words to describe someone else's position. It's fairly common, but I just wanted you to be aware that I'm familiar with that ploy.

Instead of claiming that Jesus isn't our friend, you choose to couch your effort in the words 'good buddy'. Now, maybe you've heard him addressed that way by others (perhaps a group of CBers that you converse with), but you won't hear him described that way by me either. However, the complete understanding of what you have written, as I understand it, is that you're just throwing out the words 'good buddy' as some derogatory name, but your complaint would seem to be also referring to Jesus not being a believer's friend or that he shouldn't be understood as a brother, even though the Scriptures also make that claim.

Your position before Jesus seems to be one of great fear, and for the born again believer, there is no fear of God, but there is certainly righteous reverence for who He is. I think that Zachariah's song explains this relationship with God that we now have through His Son that is without fear.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Instead of claiming that Jesus isn't our friend, you choose to couch your effort in the words 'good buddy'. Now, maybe you've heard him addressed that way by others

It's not Twin's invention. There actually is a recent trend toward making Christ your "buddy," to use their own term.

 

[miamited]

Hi n,

I didn't mean to infer that the use of the phrase was twin's invention, although I can see how someone might think that. As I said, it was more what was said further in the post. The claim is made that people want to refer to Jesus as their friend and I don't see that that's a problem in light of Jesus' own words.

God bless you
In Christ, Ted

 

[twin1954]

Hi twin,

Well, I don't see him as your derogatory words seem to portray either. I certainly don't know and understand Jesus as some 'pygmy god'. You do have a slight tendency to use inflammatory words to describe someone else's position. It's fairly common, but I just wanted you to be aware that I'm familiar with that ploy.

Instead of claiming that Jesus isn't our friend, you choose to couch your effort in the words 'good buddy'. Now, maybe you've heard him addressed that way by others (perhaps a group of CBers that you converse with), but you won't hear him described that way by me either. However, the complete understanding of what you have written, as I understand it, is that you're just throwing out the words 'good buddy' as some derogatory name, but your complaint would seem to be also referring to Jesus not being a believer's friend or that he shouldn't be understood as a brother, even though the Scriptures also make that claim.

Your position before Jesus seems to be one of great fear, and for the born again believer, there is no fear of God, but there is certainly righteous reverence for who He is. I think that Zachariah's song explains this relationship with God that we now have through His Son that is without fear.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Going back and reading my first sentence again I can see how you would come to the conclusion that you have. I admit it fails to convey what I intended. I think, though, the rest of my post explained more of what I intended and you chose to nitpick my first sentence. I also think that the title of the thread set the tone so that my first sentence was not completely off.

And yes my position is one of great fear, as in reverence for who He is as God. He is my God in whose hands I am and He can do what He wills with me. But I am not in fear of Him. I have no need to be for He loved me and gave Himself for me.

 

[Crowns&Laurels]

I've always had a problem with people 'evangelizing' others to seeing Christ as a 'pal'.
Christ is the Alpha and Omega, King of Kings.

 

[twin1954]

I've always had a problem with people 'evangelizing' others to seeing Christ as a 'pal'.
Christ is the Alpha and Omega, King of Kings.

I see Him as Isaiah did in chapter 6, high and lifted up sitting on a throne. It is a throne of grace and mercy to be sure but it is a throne. Many people seem to forget that He sits on the throne and just because we who are believers can come without fear, boldly, unto the throne doers not mean that we can come without the proper respect and awe of His majesty and supremacy. He is, after all, God our Creator and Ruler. He is the One of whom the psalmist speaks in Psalm2:12;

(Psa 2:11) Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

(Psa 2:12) Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 

[Faithfulandtrue]

I understand what you mean. There needs to be a healthy balance in every believers walk where we still have a close relationship with God and we are called his friends, but we at the same time need to remember who God is and have a highest respect and honor towards God as the highest King of Kings and Lord of Lords that He is.
Makes the song "I am a friend of God"much more meaningful when we realize who He really is and that we don't deserve His friendship but he still offers it.

 

[Viren]

So is the whole "I call you friends" thing a sham?

Yeah, that's the verse that came to my mind too. Also, how he refers to his disciples as brothers and sisters.

 

[Gregory the NonTheologian]

How often do we hear people talk about the Lord Jesus Christ as though He were a personal friend of theirs that they can approach as though He were just another man who they can be close to? Folks claiming to hear from Him in dreams and visions, speaking of Him as though He is not God and so many other ways that just denies His Godhood and Kingship.

When we read in the Scriptures of the Lord in His pre-incarnate appearances as the Angel of the Lord or read about Him in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we never find anyone approaching Him except on their face before Him. He is first and foremost the God of all creation sitting on the throne ruling all things by the word of His power. He deserves the reverence and worship of God not the careless approach of your buddy.

You will never truly know the Lord Jesus as Savior until you know Him as God of all creation who is sitting on a throne with power to save or to damn. He is God, full of mercy and love and compassion to be sure but He is always God who rules.

All true believers seek His mercy because they know that it is up to Him to give mercy. We hope in His love and desire His grace but we first must find His mercy.

The beginning of wisdom is ....

 

[ToBeLoved]

How often do we hear people talk about the Lord Jesus Christ as though He were a personal friend of theirs that they can approach as though He were just another man who they can be close to? Folks claiming to hear from Him in dreams and visions, speaking of Him as though He is not God and so many other ways that just denies His Godhood and Kingship.

When we read in the Scriptures of the Lord in His pre-incarnate appearances as the Angel of the Lord or read about Him in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we never find anyone approaching Him except on their face before Him. He is first and foremost the God of all creation sitting on the throne ruling all things by the word of His power. He deserves the reverence and worship of God not the careless approach of your buddy.

You will never truly know the Lord Jesus as Savior until you know Him as God of all creation who is sitting on a throne with power to save or to damn. He is God, full of mercy and love and compassion to be sure but He is always God who rules.

All true believers seek His mercy because they know that it is up to Him to give mercy. We hope in His love and desire His grace but we first must find His mercy.

First of all, after a person recognizes Jesus as their Savior and Lord, who are you to judge what or how they think about God?

God wants us to come to Him and I have no doubt that many of the people who think of Jesus as their best friend come to Him often and daily.

You are making a terrible judgment saying that because someone is informal in their relationship with Jesus that they do not recognize Him as God.

A lot of assumptions that your assuming. Who does that?

Also, is your motivation towards them love or are they just wrong and you figured you'd let them know?