Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

John 14:6

It doesn’t matter what version you read it in, Jesus is the way, He is THE Truth, and He is the life, the only life.  The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all that believe (1 Peter 1:5).

You must not ever take a part of Jesus, and make it the whole.  While we always need to understand parts of Jesus, our God, and we will always use metphors and boxes to help to try to describe and relate to a part of Him, no box will ever fully contain Him, no paradigm will fully match Him, and no explanation will ever fully grasp Him.

So, when we approach our Lord, He is who He is, no more, no less.  He is not ONLY the Jesus I know, but will never be another.  Some of the pictures I have of Him may be incorrect on some details, but, as with any relationship, we grow in our understanding of Him.  And, even as I am fully known by Him today, someday, when He comes, I shall fully know Him the same way (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The foundation of God’s throne is righteousness and justice (Psalm 97:2).  If you remove either of these foundational pillars, the whole seating of God’s very throne of government would become unstable.  That is to say, if God ever did fail at either perfection of righteousness or of justice, which He never will, His whole government would be in jeopardy.

But, consider, for a moment, when you begin to talk about condemnation.  Many people do not like condemnation to be talked about at all.  But, let us consider the scriptures.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:18

We know of a certainty that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He changes not!  We know that God has not abdicated all judgement with the advent of Christ, even as Ananias and Sapphira were judged for their sins.

But, what do these say?  In very true fact, a Christian stands in no grounds to be condemned.  All feelings, thoughts, and accusations of condemnation for a Christian are to be considered fiery darts from the enemy.  Why?  Because, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ.  The legal code against us HAS BEEN (past tense) taken away, and, in fact, nailed to the cross of Christ.

But, what of the unsaved?  Very clearly, they stand condemned already.  There is no if’s, and’s, or but’s.  Hell is real, punishment is Eternal (Hebrews 6:1-2), and it is not a place that any of us want anyone to go to, except the devil, who hates your very soul.

So, what about a Christian who objects to talk about condemnation?  Very simply, push the issue.  That’s right, push it, if you have courage to do so.  Why?  It’s the very thing they need to bet set free.  Let’s look at this.

A person who objects to talk about condemnation is either immature, in denial of the plain truth of scripture, or they have an inherent woundedness and/or fear of condemnation.  If they are immature, plain, unaffected  instruction is simply what they need to hear.  They simply need to hear the true Word of God.  If they are in outright denial of the scriptures, they have no place to stand.  Jesus said clearly that those who hear his words and obey them shall stand the storm.  Be someone’s storm-front, and blow down their house of cards.  Stand on the Word, don’t back down, and see who’s standing in the Holy Ghost and who’s not.  And, finally, those with an inherent woundedness or fear of condemnation.  Why better way to set them free?

If you want to be someone’s friend, eternally, tell them the Gospel truth, on whatever level.  The world, and unbelieving Christians will sit in their little world, happy and numb, until the end, unless someone preaches the Word.  So, what if you preach to an unbeliever the true, righteous condemnation of God?  What if they feel some of that pressure and weight of condemnation?  What better place to show them the ONLY source of light, truth, and escape?  Why not press it so hard, that they have no place to turn, but up?  Why not give them such a taste of where that true condemnation lies, that they are forced into the loving arms of the savior, who didn’t come to condemn, but to free those who were already sentenced to death?  (John 3:17).

You will not win any friends, eternally, if you do not have an Eternal message in your hands.  If you get that religious demon offended, you’ve done a good thing, because it is the only thing that will let them know they have a problem.  Jesus didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword, to bring division (Matthew 10:34).

This isn’t some “Velvet Elvis” festival.  There is a real Jesus, and though we might not all see Him perfectly, and though we might have flaws, each is responsible for their own revelation, or lack thereof.  If we seek Him, we will find Him, and there IS a right answer.

God’s Name, Eternal, is the I AM THAT I AM, He is who He is, not who we make Him out to be.  We will be judged based on our faithfulness to the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), based on how well we adhered to His heart, His vision, and His goal.

The very thing that people object to is the thing they need to hear.  Without condemnation, there is no salvation from it.  Without oppression, there is no deliverance.  Without a wound, there is no healing.

Jesus Himself said that only the sick need a Physician (Luke 5:31).  If you bring the REAL Jesus, the WHOLE Jesus, you will offend, you will break all ties except those who choose Him first over you, but those are the ONLY ones you want (Matthew 10:37).

If they object to your talking about sin, talk about it louder, and bring them Jesus when they can’t stand it anymore.  If they object to talk about judgement and condemnation, push it harder.  You will offend them.  The very ones that trying to tell you that you are supposed to be loving will be the ones that are yelling, reviling, and hating you.  The very ones who cannot stand the reproach and shame caused by the light you bring will either try to kill you or beg you for your rock, for your source, your light.

Jesus is the only way, the only truth, the only life.  No one comes to the Father, but by Him.  Take away all other props but Him, and see who stands.  Only those who have loved truly.