Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 21.10.2000
On behalf of Jesus Christ
It is not popular to do something on behalf of someone. We might become interested in pleading some person's cause with our own authority, but it is a rare thing if somebody is willing to be only a humble messenger. The Christians, who don't humble themselves to act on behalf of Jesus Christ, prevent spreading of the message of Christ. The situation is pitiable: Men are groping in the dark, though the light is near them. The lamp is hidden behind the wall of a church organisation.
Church in the world
The Church of God is a society fully created by the Holy Spirit. Its members belong also to many church organisations, which represent this real church of God only partly. The purpose of a Christian Church is to light up the world with Jesus-light.
Jesus said to His disciples so that all others heard it: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matth.5:14-16
Look at the works of Jesus in His own. See what good He has done! Do not look at churches! They are nothing, but Jesus is good.
Often men see evil deeds of churches and believers and they curse the name of God because of those things. Occasionally they also see their good deeds, but often they don't praise God but men for them. Is it so that "the lights of God's city are hidden" and "lamps are under bowls"?
Seeking praises of men in Christian organisational activities has hidden Jesus from many.
The Church of God is a society fully created by the Holy Spirit. Its members belong also to many church organisations, which represent this real church of God only partly. The purpose of a Christian Church is to light up the world with Jesus-light.
Jesus said to His disciples so that all others heard it: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matth.5:14-16
Look at the works of Jesus in His own. See what good He has done! Do not look at churches! They are nothing, but Jesus is good.
Often men see evil deeds of churches and believers and they curse the name of God because of those things. Occasionally they also see their good deeds, but often they don't praise God but men for them. Is it so that "the lights of God's city are hidden" and "lamps are under bowls"?
Seeking praises of men in Christian organisational activities has hidden Jesus from many.
In Jesus -suit or in our own jacket
"Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." Rom.13:14 "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Gal.3:27
Nowadays public image is considered important. What kind of public image has a Christian church? Is it known for its Jesus -image? Unfortunately many believers and churches don't show at all the image of Jesus. The question is not only about keeping on view the name and the person of Jesus, but also following His attitudes and deeds in practical life.
A person's church is often recognised by one's life style. Surrendering to serve one's church often means clothing oneself with the identity of the church organisation. Oh dear! One doesn't often realise how much God detests those clothes. One must quickly undress the profane clothes and clothe oneself with Jesus Christ!
"Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." Rom.13:14 "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Gal.3:27
Nowadays public image is considered important. What kind of public image has a Christian church? Is it known for its Jesus -image? Unfortunately many believers and churches don't show at all the image of Jesus. The question is not only about keeping on view the name and the person of Jesus, but also following His attitudes and deeds in practical life.
A person's church is often recognised by one's life style. Surrendering to serve one's church often means clothing oneself with the identity of the church organisation. Oh dear! One doesn't often realise how much God detests those clothes. One must quickly undress the profane clothes and clothe oneself with Jesus Christ!
Do in the same way as God the Father did
God the Father has exalted Jesus in heaven, because He died on the cross for everybody. In the same way we must exalt Him on the earth. God has exalted the name of Jesus above every name. (Eph.1:21, Phil.2:9) We must do in the same way in our own actions. He has given all authority in heaven and on earth to man, Jesus Christ. Therefore we must do in the same way and obey Jesus in every case.
Commonly Christian church organisations don't consider Jesus as worthy as God the Father does. Yes, they appreciate something in Jesus, but they don't obey His teachings in every case. In some degree they honour the name of Jesus inside their churches, but they are too shy to exalt His name outside. When they inform about Him it is made with dimmed lights. The situation is pitiable: Men are groping in the dark, though the light is near them. The lamp is hidden behind the wall of a church organisation.
God the Father has exalted Jesus in heaven, because He died on the cross for everybody. In the same way we must exalt Him on the earth. God has exalted the name of Jesus above every name. (Eph.1:21, Phil.2:9) We must do in the same way in our own actions. He has given all authority in heaven and on earth to man, Jesus Christ. Therefore we must do in the same way and obey Jesus in every case.
Commonly Christian church organisations don't consider Jesus as worthy as God the Father does. Yes, they appreciate something in Jesus, but they don't obey His teachings in every case. In some degree they honour the name of Jesus inside their churches, but they are too shy to exalt His name outside. When they inform about Him it is made with dimmed lights. The situation is pitiable: Men are groping in the dark, though the light is near them. The lamp is hidden behind the wall of a church organisation.
Individual believer and church
An individual believer can be very Jesus-centric, but this cannot compensate church actions which exalt the name of Jesus. "God appointed Jesus to be head over everything for the church." Eph.1:22 Because God wants to stress Jesus over everything else, nobody else is allowed to be great among believers. Jesus wants to appear more among His own as a group than in just one believer. A church organisation must act in the name of Jesus so that it would be "a city on a hill".
Believers who rule a church with human authority rebel against Jesus. Often elders of a church force aside the Head of the Church. The most terrible thing is that doing so they say that they are doing everything rightly and biblically.
A Jesus-centric church helps a shy believer to confess Jesus as his Lord before men. He only needs to join a church whose public image is full of Jesus. In that way he becomes immediately stamped with the name of Jesus and not with the name of his church.
A church that hides Jesus helps a godless person, who only pretends to be a believer, to get on well in that church. When he joins a church that has no Jesus-image, he has no need to identify with Jesus whom he feels ashamed of.
However the best Christian organisations work on Jesus' behalf when they preach the gospel. Then they emphasise that they plead His cause. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2Cor.5:20
However this is not enough.
An individual believer can be very Jesus-centric, but this cannot compensate church actions which exalt the name of Jesus. "God appointed Jesus to be head over everything for the church." Eph.1:22 Because God wants to stress Jesus over everything else, nobody else is allowed to be great among believers. Jesus wants to appear more among His own as a group than in just one believer. A church organisation must act in the name of Jesus so that it would be "a city on a hill".
Believers who rule a church with human authority rebel against Jesus. Often elders of a church force aside the Head of the Church. The most terrible thing is that doing so they say that they are doing everything rightly and biblically.
A Jesus-centric church helps a shy believer to confess Jesus as his Lord before men. He only needs to join a church whose public image is full of Jesus. In that way he becomes immediately stamped with the name of Jesus and not with the name of his church.
A church that hides Jesus helps a godless person, who only pretends to be a believer, to get on well in that church. When he joins a church that has no Jesus-image, he has no need to identify with Jesus whom he feels ashamed of.
However the best Christian organisations work on Jesus' behalf when they preach the gospel. Then they emphasise that they plead His cause. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2Cor.5:20
However this is not enough.
All in the name of Jesus
Whatever believers do they should do it in the name of Jesus. "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Col.3:17 This means for instance that a believer does his work to Jesus not to his employer.
Own name is the bowl, which often is used to hide the brightness of God. It is so upsetting how often church organisations act in their own names and not in the name of Jesus. Once I belonged to a church and I wanted to put the next text to the end of a leaflet:
On behalf of Jesus Christ
Pentecostal church
The elders of the church denied the text and they demanded that there should not be the name of Jesus at all in the leaflet. I was so shocked. During many years I tried to bring Jesus forth there, but they had chosen their attitude completely knowingly not to act publicly in the name of Jesus. It became quite clear to me that Jesus is not allowed to be Lord in that church organisation. Although elders talked about Jesus, they did not take Jesus seriously in practice.
Because of the contamination of human glory I left them. Jesus said to me that there is not a clean place in that church organisation where His glory could appear. This doesn't mean that I would not accept them at all to my company. It only means that I don't yield to their authority, because they rebel against Jesus.
Do not go to be blessed under the hands of a person, who tries to lord over you. However if you go, it is possible that you share a religious spirit, which will finally separate you from the company of Jesus. Blessing that comes from God is able to flow only through the hands of a person who has submitted himself totally to God.
By the way, do you know that actually there is no for instance Pentecostalist at all? A Pentecostalist is only a disguised follower of Jesus or then he also can be a disguised godless. It is the will of God that His children live using their real name. Give away the names of churches for the glory of Jesus!!
On behalf of Jesus Christ
Erkki Kuisma
Whatever believers do they should do it in the name of Jesus. "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Col.3:17 This means for instance that a believer does his work to Jesus not to his employer.
Own name is the bowl, which often is used to hide the brightness of God. It is so upsetting how often church organisations act in their own names and not in the name of Jesus. Once I belonged to a church and I wanted to put the next text to the end of a leaflet:
On behalf of Jesus Christ
Pentecostal church
The elders of the church denied the text and they demanded that there should not be the name of Jesus at all in the leaflet. I was so shocked. During many years I tried to bring Jesus forth there, but they had chosen their attitude completely knowingly not to act publicly in the name of Jesus. It became quite clear to me that Jesus is not allowed to be Lord in that church organisation. Although elders talked about Jesus, they did not take Jesus seriously in practice.
Because of the contamination of human glory I left them. Jesus said to me that there is not a clean place in that church organisation where His glory could appear. This doesn't mean that I would not accept them at all to my company. It only means that I don't yield to their authority, because they rebel against Jesus.
Do not go to be blessed under the hands of a person, who tries to lord over you. However if you go, it is possible that you share a religious spirit, which will finally separate you from the company of Jesus. Blessing that comes from God is able to flow only through the hands of a person who has submitted himself totally to God.
By the way, do you know that actually there is no for instance Pentecostalist at all? A Pentecostalist is only a disguised follower of Jesus or then he also can be a disguised godless. It is the will of God that His children live using their real name. Give away the names of churches for the glory of Jesus!!
On behalf of Jesus Christ
Erkki Kuisma
The Bible version used in references is NIV