A New Jesus

A New "Jesus"

Text: (Mat 24:4-24 KJV) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. {5} For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. {6} And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. {7} For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. {8} All these are the beginning of sorrows. {9} Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. {10} And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. {11} And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. {12} And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. {13} But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. {14} And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. {15} When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) {16} Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: {17} Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: {18} Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. {19} And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! {20} But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: {21} For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. {22} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. {23} Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. {24} For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

For many years I could never understand what Jesus meant by this statement, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matthew 24:5). Since I have watched this Scripture being fulfilled by much of the modern religious world, it is now seems clear to me. Jesus was prophesying that false prophets and false religious movements would use His name, preach with His name, and even confess faith in His name, but would be serving a different Jesus. I believe He was suggesting that the ultimate deception would be by men and women that actually say, "Jesus is the Christ," but do so only in name, not in reality.

The New "Jesus" has the same name and is preached or promoted with the same great Bible verses, but bears no recognition to the historic message of the cross. The cross-centered life, where the flesh is crucified and the self-life is denied, has no relationship to the flamboyant Christianity of today that looks more like Hollywood.

The Jesus of the Bible, the risen Lord, who is presently at the Father’s right hand, would be totally repulsed by the worldly hype, the godless singers, and all the fanfare that is the heart of today’s church world. He would march into these unholy temples and drive out the false prophets that preach for wealth and gain. He would call them "vipers" and "hypocrites." They would hate Him today just like the Pharisees hated Him in their day. Let’s look at a few clear differences between the Son of God Himself and the new "Jesus" of today’s deception.

The New "Jesus" makes people wealthy, famous, and provides them extravagant lifestyles.

The crucified Jesus says, (Mat 16:24 KJV) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

(Mat 19:21 KJV) Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

This New "Jesus" says, "Indulge yourself."

The Lord says, "Humble yourself."

(Mat 18:4 KJV) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

(Mat 23:12 KJV) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.