Back
Home
The purpose of this article is to examine our relationship with Jesus and ask how we should relate to him. It has been brought about by reading various articles where people have discussed or described their relationship with their Saviour and came to a head with one written by someone who said that it was only after leaving the Christadelphians that they really came to know Our Lord. I felt this was very sad indeed and have tried to understand what they meant by this statement.
Christadelphians have a deep reverence for God and for His Son, Jesus Christ. We know the Scriptures teach us that "God is love", "God so loved the world" etc. but Almighty God is not a one-dimensional Character. He is a God of justice as well as love.
In our relationship with Him, we should show respect, reverence and awe - all the more because in His great mercy, He allows us to call Him, Father.
Fear the LORD your God, serve him only (Deuteronomy 6:13 NIV)
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the king. (1 Peter 2:17 NIV)
As it is with our Father, so it is with our Saviour.
Occasionally, I have gone on training courses or seminars where you are required to write your name on a card and place it in front of you. I always write "Andrew" on the card, because that is my name. But some trainers or seminar leaders immediately act as if they have known you all their life and "Andrew" becomes "Andy". I have no huge objection to being called Andy by those who know me, but I do feel put out by this over-familiarity from someone who hasn't taken the time and effort to get to know me.
Is there a danger that we are like that with Jesus? In the Gospels, we have accounts of Jesus and his disciples. These are people who lived with him practically 24 hours a day for three and a half years, some of them probably knowing him for far longer than that. How did they speak to Jesus? How familiar were they?
Now this list could go on and on and when we had exhausted all the occasions when the disciples called Jesus "Lord", we could do the same with "teacher", "rabbi" etc. and find many more. So what about the term "friend"?
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."(John 15:12-14)
Jesus calls many people "Friend" (including Judas), but no-one called Jesus "Friend", it was always "Lord", which certainly shows respect and reverence. Further, Jesus says we will be his friends "if you do what I command".
It is widely accepted that the New Testament writers, Jude and James were brothers of Jesus Christ. In their letters, rather than claim any special relationship with Jesus, they described themselves as his servants.
Perhaps at this point, it is also worth remembering that when (in Luke 11), Jesus taught his disciples to pray, it was not to him, but to his Father, through Jesus, who is our High Priest and Mediator. Therefore, if people are talking to Jesus in prayer, then they are not following the example he laid down.