"He Gets Us”! But, Does He Take You As You Are?

Some people with good intentions have created an advertisement named, He Gets US! I am sure many have seen it. I admire the effort to spread the name of Jesus, but I am disappointed in their content and implied message. Is it a proper depiction of the cause of Jesus Christ for mankind? Does Jesus approve of us the way we are?

Just because Jesus was God in the flesh and lived as mankind, endured the hardships of the downtrodden, was persecuted even unto death does not mean all who feel they are treated similarly will be accepted into the fold of God without an effort to do the Will of God. Jesus will not take the unrepentant. They must do something to be seen by God. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Many nations are experiencing hardships because they have turned from the will of God to following after the Whore of Babylon. God punishes nations who follow after Mystery, the Whore of Babylon with pestilence and other forms of destruction by nature. Many wonder why so many physical forms of destruction are occurring by acts of nature. There in 2 Chronicles 7 and also in Amos 4 do we read of physical acts of nature which are controlled by God and are used to punish evil members of mankind.

The implication of this advertisement: He Gets US! does not indicate any necessity for reform of human behavior in order to be saved into the afterlife. May we use this advertisement to continue a dialog of saving instruction to those who are seeking to find peace and salvation from evil perpetrators. This should be used as an opportunity to direct the seeker to find truth in God’s will for their life. Luke 9:49-50. 49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Let’s take a look at a few messages from Jesus Christ teaching what a seeker should know about their life’s situation in order to conform to the Will of God. Matthew 5:20. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Scribes were certain people who copied the scrolls from one to another so the Law could be shared among the Jewish Nation. They were to know the law having copied it over and over. They should be able to quote it verbatim. The Pharisees were people who were the form of judges concerning the rule of the Law. They dispersed their rulings to the people for the people's behaviors to obey the laws of the Jews. Jesus is inferring the scribes and Pharisees were not as pure in their own behaviors as God would have them. Their righteousness lacked much.

Therefore, the righteous believer must be more righteous than these people. Often, even today, a seeker should aspire to be more righteous than many who teach the Will of God as the Pharisees. What was wrong with their behavior? Why did Jesus say their righteousness should be better that the teachers?

Mt. 23:1-10, 13, 25-28, 33. 23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?