Tough Love Jesus

John 2:13-15, “And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables.”

The Jesus Most People Don't Want To See

As the webmaster (webservant) of Jesus-is-Savior.com, I receive lots of e-mail. At present, I am receiving a couple hundred e-mails per week (praise God!). I thank God for giving me the opportunity to reach people with the truth using the internet. It is my privilege to help people. At present, this website is receiving over 20,000 visitors weekly (80,000 now in 2009). Wow! By God's grace, the truth will continue to get out. It is a warm feeling to know that while I'm sleeping at night, thousands of people are awake on the other side of the planet finding the truth on my website. Though my souls have been reaped (brought to the Lord Jesus Christ) through this website, most of what I do is to sow seeds in people's hearts. A lot of people leave this website angry, but it gets them thinking. Sometimes you have to shock someone with the truth to get them to take the blinders off. It works! Thank you Lord Jesus for using this undeserving sinner to reach people with the truth.

One of the things that I hear quite a bit in the e-mails people send to me is that I'm not loving like Jesus. There's not a day that goes by where someone doesn't e-mail me to tell me that I'm filled with hatred, but Jesus was loving and understanding towards sinners. They accuse me of failing to be like Jesus. I would like to address such allegations against myself and others like me who stand uncompromisingly against the evils and wickednesses of our time. I would like to present to you some Biblical FACTS about the Lord Jesus Christ, facts that you've probably never heard before (or have heard, but never wanted to accept). The FACT is that Jesus was NOT always the loving pacifist that so many heathens and immature believers would like to make Him out to be.

Jesus Did Get Angry, Sometimes Even Violent

The FACT is that Jesus did get angry sometimes...real angry...so angry that He actually fabricated a whip of cords, went into the temple, and started beating people. Jesus started flipping their tables over, hurling everything onto the temple floor. People were fleeing the temple for fear. They probably said, “This guy has gone crazy, we're out of here!” Jesus let their doves go free (costing them a financial loss). He threw their money all over the floor...

John 2:15, “And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables”

Can you imagine? Is this our Precious Saviour acting like a mad man? Yes, it most certain is. Jesus was very angry to put it mildly. What do you think would happen to someone who did today exactly what Jesus did back then in the temple that day? The person would immediately be arrested and charged with created a public disturbance, assault with a deadly weapon, trespassing, vandalism of public (private) property, et cetera. The judge would force the person into mandatory psychiatric counseling. If an undercover police officer were present at the time of the violent incident, the person would probably have been killed on the spot. So don't tell me about how loving Jesus was all the time. Yes, Jesus was more loving than any person who ever lived, but He also hated sin like no other...

Hebrews 1:9, “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Jesus was a perfectly balanced individual, He loved righteousness and equally hated sin. Ninety-five percent of all Christians love righteousness far more than they hate sin. In fact, MOST professed Christians don't hate sin at all; rather, they live in it. Jesus did not go to gay parades and pass out pizza. Jesus never would endorse Harry Potter like Christianity Today magazine does. Jesus hated sin and preached against it.

Jesus Wasn't Hesitant to Offend People with the Truth!

I. Jesus reminds a woman about her adulterous affairs

Many people have accused me of being unloving, failing to be like Jesus. Why?Simply because of my direct approach. Was Jesus direct? In John chapter four we read about the Samaritan woman whom Jesus met at the well. In John 4:18, Jesus tells her that she is an adulterer (Matthew 5:32). Wow! Can you imagine meeting someone for the first time and they bring up your adulterous relationships?

II. Jesus hurts someone's feelings

Did you ever read that passage of Scripture where Jesus made someone sorrowful...

Matthew 19:21-22, "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.  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."

The truth needed to be spoken!  Jesus didn't kowtow and beat-around-the-bush.  No, Jesus said what needed to be said.

III. Jesus calls a group of religious people “evil” snakes

It was not uncommon for Jesus to speak harsh words to those whom He felt needed to hear them...

Matthew 12:34, "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

Wow! Jesus called those religious people “evil.” Doesn't sound like a very nice thing to do, huh? The diversity committee wouldn't have liked Jesus' outbursts of contempt and hate speech very much would they? Jesus would have been very unpopular in today's apostate world. Jesus even called them “vipers” (deadly snakes).

IV. Jesus calls one of His own Disciples "Satan"

Jesus didn't discriminate, He evidently seemed to hate everyone, even His own disciples. Listen to what Jesus said to the Apostle Peter when Peter showed concern for Christ's well-being...

Matthew 16:23, "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

Wow, Peter was only trying to be a friend. Peter couldn't have been anymore sincere. Gee Whiz, you'd think Jesus would have been a little more understanding with those closest to Him. Rather, Jesus called Peter “Satan.” Wow! Talk about “hate speech.”

V. Jesus accuses one of His disciples of being "a devil"

Jesus, while at the dinner table with His disciples, called one of them a "devil"...

John 7:60, "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

Jesus' didn't seem to regard His own family either:

Matthew 12:47-48, "Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.  But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?"

Wow!, Jesus sure had a different side to Him that most people don't see (and don't want to see). 

 VI. Jesus taught that many people will one day burn in Hell

Everyone likes to think about the "God loves you" Jesus, but no one wants to think about the "You're going to burn in hell" Jesus.  Well, here He is... 

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" -Matthew 25:41 

Huh? Can it be? Is the Loving Saviour actually saying that people will one day burn in the torments of an everlasting fire? Yes, that is exactly true.

VII. Jesus said, do it my way, or burn in Hell when you die!

John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

 Wow!, doesn't sound very diversified does it...do it My way or burn in hell!  In fact, Jesus was extremely adamant that there is ONLY ONE WAY TO HEAVEN...

Simply put, it's Jesus or hell. Oprah Winfrey is on the wrong path. Many people are on the wrong path. That means that the Roman Catholic Church is a false religion because they teach that the church, good works, the sacraments, the Rosary, and the blessed virgin Mary are all necessary to enter into Heaven. Catholicism is a bunch of lies. Jesus proclaimed that FEW people will ever make it into heaven...

Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Hell will be filled with religious people who mocked and scorned the precious name of Jesus Christ, while idolizing the mythical Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary didn't remain a virgin folks, she married and had children (Jesus had brothers). The Catholic Mary is a great illusion, a Satanic deception. You see friend, truth is INTOLERANT—it cannot be compromised. 1 + 1 = 2, nothing can change that. If some liar wants to teach people that 1 +1 = 3, it still doesn't change the truth. If some people are gullible enough to believe the lie, that is their misfortune; but the truth hasn't changed one bit—one plus one will always equal two. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but no one has a right to their own facts!

The Truth Of The Matter

After all the things I just showed you about Jesus from the Bible, you might be wondering about Jesus' character. Well, let me settle your mind. Jesus was justified in everything He ever said or did while upon the earth. According to God's Word, Jesus never sinned one time (2nd Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 4:15). There was a spiritual truth—heavenly reason, a greater purpose—behind every seemingly unkind thing Jesus ever did or said. Likewise, my website does offend many people, even appearing as “hateful” or “selfish” from a quick glance. The truth is that there is so much love invested into this website that no one apart from God Himself can possibly know my heart. I love people, but I equally love God. I love the truth of God's Word.

The problem with so many people is that they love people and things, but not God. We are living in a wicked world that speaks and sings of love, while simultaneously sacrificing God and His Word on the alter of sinful compromise. The wicked world wants to achieve unity between the righteous and the wicked, but there can be NO unity. Why? Because God's holiness cannot be compromised. God never changes (Malachi 3:6). The same God that hated homosexuality back in the Old Testament hates the same abominable sin today. Christ-honoring Christians will never stop preaching against the vile sin of homosexuality (or any other sin for that matter). Why? It is simply because God never changes.

Jesus expressed His love at times in unconventional manners that mad people angry or frustrated at Him.  John the Baptist was the greatest man born amongst women the Bible declares (Mathew 11:11). No doubt, Jesus loved John dearly. Yet, John didn't understand why he was rotting in a prison while God incarnate was walking the earth. I mean, John had done his very best to prepare the people for the Lord's coming, and now he's on death row locked-up behind bars. John became discouraged and even questioned Christ's legitimacy...

Luke 7:19, “And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”

Wow! Did Jesus even abandon His friends in time of need? We don't understand the spiritual significance of what was done, but God knows the reasons. We must maintain a complete Biblical perspective of the Savior. It is a dangerous thing to hold to a lopsided view of the Savior. Jesus loves people, so much that He died upon the cross for all of us (John 3:16). God would rather die than see you go to Hell! Yet, Jesus shelled the corn (preached hard) and spoke the truth when it needed to be spoken. Jesus was no wimp, no spineless coward, no compromiser. Jesus was a man's man, the only begotten Son of God, God incarnate. Jesus cared for others and loved His family and friends. However, love cannot supersede truth. True love occurs within the framework of truth. If love is not based upon truth, then it is not God's love. I love you enough to tell you the truth, even though I may risk becoming unpopular or being disliked for it.

So to those of you who think that Jesus never spoke a harsh word or never criticized someone else's religion—you are very wrong! Jesus was quite outspoken and didn't worry about offending people. Jesus was much rather willing to be divided over truth, than to be united by error. If you think that my website is lacking the Savior's love, then I suggest that you read the New Testament throughly  In so doing, you will discover that the loving Savior at times flipped over tables, threw people's things on the floor, assaulted them with a whip, and then drove them out of the building. If you don't like me, you'll hate Jesus. Jesus told some people that they would one day be weeping and gnashing their teeth after being cast into outer darkness (Matthew 8:12). You wouldn't have liked Billy Sunday either. Jesus was no respecter of persons and spoke the plain truth with apology. That's what you call “tough love.” Let us follow in the Savior's footsteps by doing the same. God deliver us from this weak-kneed generation of television believers.