Jesus... Our Christian Mascot?
Understanding that the Bible is about Jesus is wonderful in helping people assimilate. However, the question that needs to be raised next is, "who do we say Jesus is?" The reason being, the way we define and understand the person of Christ will also have a lot to do with our assimilation. For example, is Jesus our mascot; is Jesus our moral or mystical spiritual example; is Jesus our motivational life coach? If people in the church body view Christ in any of the previous ways and we attempt to assimilate into Christ without addressing these presuppositions we are not sowing seeds of unity but merely are sowing seeds of false unity. We are uniting and assimilating into a false Christ or simply assimilating into Jesus in name only.
So who is Christ and who are we assimilating into when we say that we assimilate into Jesus? Listen for a minute on how Jesus defines himself:
- For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. (Matthew 9:13b)
- For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
- I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall live (John 11:25)
- I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)
- I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
- I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
- I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Very simply put, we assimilate and unit together on the basis of what Jesus says about Himself and how the scriptures define Him. For when we make Jesus into a moral coach, a mascot for Christianity or a helper/encourager of those struggling with self-esteem we are not seeing ourselves or Christ rightly and essentially, as previously stated, sowing a faulty foundation for assimilation.
So, "who is Jesus or what is Jesus to us?" We can answer this simply by saying, "Jesus is the Messiah and Savior who came into the world to serve and save sinful humanity with redemption and forgiveness. He came for me, a sinner, so that I might abide with Him and have the blessed assurance of eternal life with the Father." This is who the church assimilates into.
In conclusion to this section, the church must assimilate into the Bible as its only and final source for authority, guide for faith and conduct[1]. More specifically as we have previously stated, the church assimilates into a Bible that is viewed as Christ-centered. For the scriptures don't speak of Jesus as a mere moral example, mascot or motivational inspiration but rather the Majestic, Divine, Savior and Messiah of the world. A Messiah who redeemed mankind from the consequences of their self-chosen life to sin and freed mankind from the condemnation and wrath of God.
New converts, transfer Christians and the existing church body are continually assimilated into a Christ-centered Bible and a Christ-crucified view of Jesus... these are the interpretive values and message of the Bible for us.
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