Jesus Was Not a Hippie

It seems now days that many think that Jesus was someone who went around preaching love, peace, and tolerance. The don’t offend, tolerate anything, Hippie Jesus. Well, that Jesus only exists in their imagination, and it is not the Jesus revealed in Scripture. Jesus is God! God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, the Triune God. Jesus has always been, and has always been God. If you think Jesus is this hippie, read the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation. Same God, he hasn’t mellowed out! The God of love indeed, but also the God of wrath! Our duty is to serve Him, not He serve us. He is not a genie that will give you your best life here. So much of what is called preaching today is nothing more than self-motivation and self-improvement seminars. The Tony Robbins type in a Christian wrapper. They preach a watered down gospel that makes the hearers feel good, but never convicts of sin. Without the conviction of sin there can be no repentance, therefore no conversion. These Churches are full of the unconverted. If they started preaching the unvarnished truths of the Bible, they would lose most of their congregation, and they know it.

Many of these false teachers advocate an ecumenism that would remove the exclusivity of Jesus as the only way in order to join in fellowship with false religions and the apostate “Christian” Church. These false teachers avoid dealing with the controversial topics of our time, such as abortion, and the militant Homosexual and Transgender agenda. If they do address these topics they do so very tepidly with empty slogans such as “we are for Biblical marriage” or “we are pro-life”, and avoid the clear teaching and warnings in the Bible of the consequences of these abominations, and do so in the name of Love!

People that are taken in by these false teachers demonstrate the unprecedented Biblical illiteracy of so many that claim the name of Jesus.

In an even more blatant disregard of Scripture, many “Churches” today are embracing the LGBTQ agenda and striving to “accommodate” these people in their sin and make them feel comfortable in their sin. This is not love! If someone was on fire would you go warm yourself by the fire and compliment them on the beautiful fire? No, if you loved them you would snatch them from the fire.

I have compiled the following Scriptures that directly contradict the current feel good, seeker friendly false teaching that so permeates modern Christianity today, and gives us a Biblical picture of Jesus. These verses are samplings, the Bible is full of these truths, we only have to look.

The Apostle Paul predicts a time, which we are now in, when people will not tolerate the truth. They will tolerate all kinds of sin, but have no tolerance for the truth.

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

A little glimpse of the Holy Spirit in action.

Judges 15:14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. 15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.

Dire warnings directed at New Testament Christians regarding some of God’s dealings with sin from the Old Testament.

1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

New Testament descriptions of the current glorified Jesus. Definitely not a hippie.

Revelation 1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.

Revelation 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

This is not Jesus teaching how to have your best life now, your purpose driven life, your life of self-realization, quite the opposite!

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Our personal happiness and even our most cherished loved ones pale in comparison to the devotion that Jesus demands. Here Jesus is using drastic language to bring home the point that our relationship to Him should, by comparison, outweigh any other relationship.

Luke 14:25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Jesus’s substitutional sacrifice was to save us from the justified wrath of God that we deserve! Not to make us comfortable in this sinful fallen world.

Romans 5:6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

The following is an apt description of the debased and depraved world that we are living in today. Notice versus 26 and 27.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Moses rejected the good life as a son of Pharaoh, and choose instead to live the rest of his life in the wilderness leading the mostly ungrateful chosen people of God. Because, he looked forward to his reward.

Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Our God does not wink at sin or treat it lightly. Notice that cowardice ranks right in there with murderers. Cowardice, not love, is what motivates the apostate and lukewarm church to avoid challenging our decadent and depraved society.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Revelation21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

No doubt you have heard the saying “Hate the Sin, but Love the Sinner.

The Church, in general, has almost completely forgotten the hate the sin part, and seems to not be able to distinguish the difference. Make no mistake, God hates sin, and so should we. Because sin destroys, and Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil. In fact if you love the sinner, you will hate the doctrine that enslaves them and that will eventually destroy them. I can love and have compassion on the sinner caught in the sin of Homosexuality, but hate a doctrine that advocates and promotes this destructive sin and lifestyle. This also goes for the Transgender and Multiple Gender madness, which are children of the militant Homosexual movement and the radical Feminist movement.

Jude 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Revelation 2:15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Born again, Bible believing Christians are the Children of God. Non-believers are described as the children of disobedience and children of wrath. I hear people all the time making the seemingly tolerant false statement that “we are all children of God.” It is a fallen society and a lukewarm Church who can’t see the difference.

1 John 3:1  Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

I have attempted to dispel only some of the false teachings and beliefs shared by the world and many who profess to follow Christ. Sin is horribly destructive and in the end brings eternal death, torment, and separation from God. The Devil is a liar and mostly presents himself as an angel of light. He often wreaks havoc and destruction in the name of love and tolerance. Because so many that profess Christ don’t know their Bible, they are easily taken in. You expect this of the world, but it should not be this way with those who profess to follow Jesus. The modern “Christian” Church is full of those who profess to Follow Christ but do not obey Him. In actuality they don’t know Him, and never did. There will be multitudes upon multitudes who will hear those awful words from our Lord, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’