Another Jesus

2 Corinthians 11:3-4, "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may well put up with it!"

Paul's admonition here to the church at Corinth seems to have a special importance to us today. Paul warns sternly of us as the church accepting "another Jesus," one not revealed by the bible, and then states that unfortunately, for many reasons, many in the faith will put up with this heresy. Why?

The Greatest Commandment tells us that unless we love God first and foremost, and then our neighbor as ourselves, we cannot be right with God. Today, maybe more than at any time in history, we seem willing to set aside the Jesus of the bible for the sake of unity regarding issues we hold dear. These may political issues, moral issues, personal issues; but when we do this we set up idols in our lives, as our opinions and personal desires have taken the place of God being first and foremost in our lives.

Who is this other Jesus, and what is this other gospel? Well, as Paul says, it's any Jesus or any gospel that is not revealed to us through scripture. The Jesus of the bible was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died for the sins of all mankind and will save any who have faith in Him and His atoning sacrifice. He was buried and rose from the dead on the third day an His presence was witnessed by hundreds. He ascended into heaven where He is now seated at the right hand of the Father and one day He will return to this earth the judge the wicked and establish His kingdom. Any other Jesus is another Jesus!

This is the Jesus of God's inspired word. He is a Jesus that said of His work upon the cross regarding our forgiveness of sin, "It is finished." Nothing but the blood of Jesus is needed for our sins to be forgiven. Any Jesus that says we need works, is another Jesus. Any gospel that says we need sacraments, is another gospel. Any belief that does not declare Jesus is fully God and fully man, is a false belief.

Paul writes in Galatians 1:8-9, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Yet as Paul warned, we seem more willing than ever to put up with another Jesus and another gospel than ever before to further personal ambitions.

The question we must ask ourselves, is which Jesus is being proclaimed? Is it the Jesus of the bible, or another Jesus? Jesus warned that many would come in His name saying; "There He is." Paul warned us again in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles for Christ. And no wonder, For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." For the Christian, the first question we must ask when the discussion centers upon God is; are we speaking of the Jesus of the bible? Or, is this another Jesus?

The only Jesus who can save is the Jesus of the bible. The only Jesus who can forgive our sins is the Jesus of the bible. The only Jesus who will return is the Jesus of the bible. So what of those who accept and follow another Jesus? Well, Jesus Himself tells us of their fate. In Matthew 7:23 Jesus says, "And I will declare to them, "I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." Is the Jesus you know the Jesus of the bible?