We need the Truth, not falsehoods no matter how soothing

Jesus, wonderful, wonderful Jesus.

He was famous to some, he was infamous to others, he was sent of God to earth as a babe knowing life as a created being, becoming a creature, and yet the creator.

John
{1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God.
{1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Stepping out of endless time and space into a finite body, giving up the infinite and taking on the body whose sole purpose has become to live for a short while then deteriorate until death. Taking off perfection and putting on a cloak of flesh prone to cold, to heat, to sickness, accidents. Living forever painless and yet taking on a body subject to pain.

How many people would truly trade places with an animal? We see movies where people turn into dogs and such, but in reality, how many would choose to leave their humanity behind and become an ant? You shake your head and say no way, it would have to be a being like me- that's what Jesus did. He didn't become something unlike Himself, we are made in the image of God and part of us is spirit so we can relate to the spiritual, whereas an ant hasn't the thought processes, or anything spiritual to relate to us with. I can't argue with that. What I can say is would you find the most downtrodden of all people, a person abused daily, suffering hunger and thirst constantly, living life with nothing but pain and heartache, would you find that person and trade places with them? You can't say they are not like you, that you couldn't relate to them, you could. You'd feel their pain and understand their heartache. Would you trade places? On a much grander scale beyond anything we can fully comprehend, Jesus took on human form leaving His spiritual self and became a man. It wasn't some little ruler domination game either, testing to see how the little people live and then hurrying back to a life without any of the pain of being sin proned as humans became after the fall in Eden.

It wasn't curiosity that caused Jesus to shed his non-corporeal form and become corporeal. It was love.

Jesus offered salvation from the beginning.

A contingency plan was in place, a plan that no one wants to have to use, hoping the first plan would work without a hitch. The hitch came and the contingency plan was needed. That is why Moses could point the way to the Messiah coming, that is why the prophets of old could prophesize of the savior, that is why the books of the Bible available during Jesus' life here on earth, what we know as the Old Testament tell of Jesus' coming and suffering, a savior who would have to die to save.

That is why John the Baptist could herald the way of the coming Lord and bore witness of Jesus, all because His arrival was a plan in place from the beginning and unfortunately it became necessary to be enacted after man chose sin over God.

Jesus said...

John
{5:32} There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

**
He's speaking of John the Baptist that he bore witness of Him and that witness of Him was- true.

John
{5:33} Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

**
Witness unto the truth.

Jesus said that John bore witness of Him, that he bore witness to the truth.

Jesus is the truth, this is something that can never be forgotten or trivialized. It can't be thought of in an abstract way, but must be realized fully.

Jesus IS THE TRUTH!

Is life messed up and confusing to you? All around you is there pain and heartache? Do you grieve for the life you are living and the life you know isn't supposed to really be this way? Are you grasping at things to bring you some measure of peace? Are you shoving aside the things that prick your heart and conscience? Do you really want the truth or would you rather remain without the truth, living a lie of false and very temporary happiness that isn't even partially good the majority of the time? We can cling tight to things that give us temporary happiness because the truth is too much to handle, but the lies will never save us. The lies will never give us peace everlasting. The lies will destroy us forever, you who are will be no more, and while part of you might think that's a good thing- to not be, to no longer exist in any way, shape, or form, to be blotted from existence is something most of us simply cannot understand because we do exist. The truth is found in Jesus, the truth all about life now and everlasting. The truth is there to embrace or deny.

Jesus went on to say...

John
{5:34} But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
{5:35} He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

**
John the Baptist was brilliant and rejoicing in the light of his brilliance as he herald the coming of the Lord was something many did without qualm.

John
{5:36} But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

**
While John was a wonderful witness, he was just that, a witness to the truth, he was not truth himself.

John
{5:37} And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
{5:38} And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
{5:39} Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
{5:40} And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
{5:41} I receive not honour from men.
{5:42} But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

**
What's all this? Jesus knows that because He didn't come in a kingly, majestic form to rule with His greatness as some imagined a Son of God doing, because He didn't wrap Himself in glorious earthly trappings and insist men bow down to Him, because of all that, people would not believe He was the Messiah. The love of God is so totally and completely not how mankind envisions love, equating love and kingship with power and domination. God NEVER EVER wanted to rule man out of fear and domination. God NEVER EVER wanted to be dictator, controlling all life and all action. Oh, He could if that's what He wanted, but He's not like that! God is love. God wanted people to love Him out of love and reverence as their creator, but He wasn't about to force the worship, what's forced isn't love.

Jesus knew that people filled with sin and darkness couldn't, wouldn't, didn't want to believe that the God they worshipped was there to serve and not be served. That went against all they imagined.

John
{5:43} I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
{5:44} How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only?

**
It's easier for people to follow and believe in someone that glories in the honor bestowed upon them by others, than a humble servant, God revealing love to all of mankind.

John
{5:45} Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust.
{5:46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
{5:47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

**
In truth, Moses was given the laws, all of them. Two Commandments contain the harmony and fullness of the Ten Moral Laws given. Love God. Love Man. The sacrificial system of laws given pointed to Christ and His great sacrifice. Other laws given were to guide to and in harmony with the moral laws.

Love.

Truly we cannot believe in Jesus and all He's done, if we can't believe in Moses and that Moses was too led by God- and this is something Jesus Himself said plainly.

John
{5:46} For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
{5:47} But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

**
The truth is Jesus. John bore witness of the Truth, of Jesus. Moses wrote of Jesus, of the Truth.

We need the Truth, not falsehoods no matter how soothing to our ears they may be.