Why I Believe

 

To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory. 

Colossians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament 

The challenge was thrown down a few days ago by a friend who read my post titled "Being Jesus."  His challenge?  Prove to him that I know that Christ Jesus is in me.  At first this sounded quite a bit silly.  Why would I need to prove to another that which I accept and believe in my heart?  Yet, for the sake of a better conversation about Jesus, I will do my best to try and convince the doubters that I truly do believe in the indwelling Jesus in me.  My first piece of evidence is that scripture tells me that this is true.  Not only does Jesus promise me that He will be with me until the end of this eon {Matthew 28:20 CNT}.  I am assured that Jesus is with me until the time that this age ends, whenever that will be.  The apostle Paul also assures me more than a few times of the living Christ in me {Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27, Romans 6:8}.  Now, I would stop there and rest assured that Christ is in me, if it were not for the knowing I have in my heart that Jesus is in me.  We've all felt the assurance of something we feel very strongly about.  We know we love our family.  We know what we believe to be true.  It is this knowing which assures me that Jesus is indeed in me.  So it is that I have scriptures which speak to the indwelling Christ in me, as well as my deeper knowing that Jesus dwells in me.  What more do I really need?  There are numerous preachers out there who will argue in the defense of their beliefs, that's not me.  There was a time where I would turn even the most innocent conversation about God into my own personal defense of the Lord.  That is, until I realized that God does not require me to defend Him.  On the contrary, it is I who usually needs Gods defense.  

Philip is saying to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficing us."  Jesus is saying to him, "So much time I am with you, and you do not know Me, Philip!  He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and how are you saying, 'Show us the Father'?  

John 14: 8-9, Concordant New Testament 

Despite having been in the presence of Jesus for some time, Philip had the nerve to ask Him to "Show us the Father."  I can almost see Jesus' thinking when He heard this.  "Man, Philip, here I've been teaching and preaching all through the land, with you and the others along with me, and you have the nerve to ask Me to show you the Father"?  One can almost see the frustration of Jesus in Johns scripture as He addresses His disciple.  Philip was asking Jesus to show him proof of what He had been teaching.  My friend was asking me to prove what I believe to him.  This wasn't the only time the disciples doubted Jesus, of course, there was also that time on the sea of Galilee where they marveled at how the winds and waves obeyed His commands.  It seems that wherever we go, that others will be seeking to hear proof of why it is we believe.  Why is that?  What are they really looking for?  Do they want what we have?  Maybe, but by describing to others why we believe, we open the door to a deeper conversation about Jesus.  I think that it's safe to say that the name Jesus is one of the most recognizable names in history.  Yet, few actually know Him.  Paul referred to it as a mystery, to whom God wills to make known the secret among the nations.  Our expectation of the glory of Christ Jesus.  It is by the revelation of the Lord that one experiences the knowing of Christ in them.  Somehow, I don't think my friend will be satisfied with that answer.  

That they may all be one, according as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in us, that the world shall be believing that Thou dost commission Me. 

John 17: 21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~