With the continuous attention given to the Muslim religion in our culture who doesn’t know that Jesus is mentioned in the Koran as a great prophet and teacher. Yet no Mohammedan would dare call themselves Christian. It is obvious then that a basic issue of Christianity is not that you teach Jesus, it is how you teach Jesus.
It is not hard to find national publications, radio shows, or churches that teach Jesus. Yet to the doctrinal detriment of souls worldwide it is a rare thing to “hear the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the msytery” (Rom 16:25).
Teaching Jesus simply as a great teacher would be hiding the truth of who Jesus is. Teaching Jesus solely as the Son of God excludes the important purpose as to why he was manifest in the flesh to begin with. Even teaching Jesus as the King of Kings and Israel’s prophesied Messiah falls short of the glorious teaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.
We must preach Jesus Christ according to what he is doing now or we have missed Christ entirely. Paul declares that “last of all he was seen of me” (1 Cor 15:8). Christ made him the “apostle of the Gentiles” and gave him a mystery revelation for us (Rom 11:13; Eph 3:2).
Paul was careful to guard his spiritual children against other ways of teaching of Jesus.
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:” – Gal 1:6
“But I fear, … For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. ” – 2 Cor 11:3-4
The gospel of Jesus Christ which Paul taught was that Christ put on humanity, suffered, and died for the sins of every man who has ever lived (1 Tim 3:16). Through his blood atonement we are given reconciliation with God and the opportunity to receive eternal life and justification through faith apart from the covenants, laws, or special status of the nation Israel.
Instead of preaching Jesus according to the flesh and his position as King of the Jews, we preach Christ glorified as Head of the body, which is the church, made up of all saved men and women (Eph 1:22-23).
“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. ” – 2 Cor 5:16
Instead of preaching Jesus according to the gospel of the kingdom, twelve tribes, and the priesthood of Israel, we should be teaching him how Paul taught him: according to the revelation of the mystery (Rom 16:25).
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” – 1 Cor 1:23-24
Article Index Published: October 30, 2008
Last Modified: May 4, 2016