Why Some Folks Have Created a "New Jesus"

There have always been false views of Jesus. Paul wrote about this problem in 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, and it continues today. For example:

"Mary" is someone I value, so I was deeply grieved when she recently told me she decided she's bisexual.(1) We'd studied God's Word together, and we'd previously shared the same biblical views on issues like homosexuality. 

I wanted to keep the lines of communication open, so I assured Mary that I still cared about her and wanted to remain friends. 

But she said she didn't want to be friends with anyone who follows the Jesus I follow. She claimed that she follows the "real Jesus" who accepts her bisexual lifestyle.(2)  

Mary's response isn’t unusual. Those who reject biblical principles often characterize Christians as unloving. But it was Mary who cut off the relationship, not me. Please see How to Respond When You're Called a "Hater."

The "Jesus" Mary is following is actually God's enemy in disguise (Matthew 7:15; John 10:10). He presents himself as forgiving, tolerant, and loving, but he's none of those things.(3)

The real Jesus (the biblical Jesus) loves Mary enough to warn her about a lifestyle that damages her body and soul. And, as His followers, we should do the same.

Please pray for my friend and others like her. 

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(1) Not her real name.

(2) Did Jesus accept all lifestyles?

There were homosexuals during the time of Christ. If Jesus wanted to affirm the homosexual lifestyle, He would have done so. Instead, He made human sexuality very clear:

Matthew 19:4-6: “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Jesus also told us that after His death, the Holy Spirit would teach us more truths about the Kingdom of God, and the Holy Spirit-inspired authors of the New Testament made it clear that any sexual behavior outside heterosexual marriage is against God's commands and God's design. See John 16:13, Paul's Letters are Scripture, Biblical Teaching on Homosexuality, What the Bible Teaches about Transgenderism, and Gay Revisionist Arguments.

Sometimes people say they only trust the words of Christ, and they point out that Jesus didn't mention homosexuality. Some go as far as my friend, claiming Jesus approves of same-gender sex. This is illogical on three counts:

#1 - If a person can't trust the human authors of Scripture, they can't trust the words of Christ because human authors recorded Christ's words. Either all of Scripture is God's Word or none of it is.

#2 - If a person only believes the words of Christ, they lose much of the gospel message. They can only accept those portions of the Old Testament which Christ specifically addressed in the Gospels. They can't trust beloved passages like Psalm 23 and Romans 8:28, and the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Nor can they quote passages like Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 3:24 when explaining salvation.

#3 - Christ probably spoke about homosexuality because "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (John 21:25). 

(3) 2 Corinthians 11:13-14: " For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."

Bible Love Notes