It is amazing that few understand Jesus, even those who claim to follow Him. There is so much deception regarding Jesus and most of it is associated with those who call themselves Christian. They are not Christians because they do not hear His commands but hear what men have taught in relation to His commands. Even the most basic of things has been distorted and below is one example and most “Christians” will say it does not matter. Everything in relation to God is holy and there is no room for men’s inventions. God’s ways are higher than man’s and that is the most basic of principles as delivered to mankind by our creator and we think we have the right to portray Jesus as we like, to portray His message as we like and we do not! If you are a Christian you should understand the most basic principles God has revealed regarding Himself. What is acceptable and what is not in relation to His commands are things you should understand.

The physical appearance of Jesus as a handsome man simply shows the disrespect people have for God. Isaiah points out that Jesus would not have a handsome appearance but the opposite, even an appearance that would be unpleasant, not desiring to look upon Him. Jesus could have come to earth as the most attractive person ever to walk on the face of the earth. He could have ruled as a king on earth and had every possible thing a person could desire. All the admiration, all the power, all the riches could have been His. This might be what humankind would think would be appropriate. The Jews wanted the Messiah to come in wonder and power and restore Israel to greatness, conquering all their enemies. God’s ways are different than men’s ways. God explains this in Isaiah and in Proverbs.

Isaiah 55:9

9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 14:12

12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

God’s ways are indeed infinitely higher and it may seem to man that there would be a better way – make Jesus appear as exceedingly handsome, change the Gospel of Christ as related to the kingdom and salvation so it can be more appealing, more attractive and easier to achieve but this is exactly the opposite of God’s way. Men/women fail the test God devised and behind it is a pride and selfishness that places their present desires above God.

God had His reasons for bringing Jesus into the world with an appearance that was unappealing. His appearance was so negative that the implication is that He was despised and rejected on that basis. The reason may have been because people needed to respond to the message and not the appearance of Jesus. I do not really know but I do know that portraying Jesus incorrectly is just one of a long line of deceptions regarding Jesus. Coming to a correct understanding of God and His purpose for life will help you understand many things regarding God’s actions.

Understanding Jesus Requires Understanding His Message

Jesus reveals a great deal about life in His (New) Testament. God’s ways do not align with what man envisions about God. This should not be surprising for two basic reasons:
1) God’s message is related to a test for mankind
God is all powerful, all knowing, and perfect in every way. God devised a perfect test for mankind and it challenges men/women to select God and His ways or to reject God. It would seem obvious that God had to create man with a free will intellect in order for man to make choices. The things that allow you to be successful in life are quite different than the character God looks for and is testing you for during your lifetime. Thus poor alignment in terms of what you envision about God.
2) God’s message is not easy
God’s plan for man requires man to make decisions and part of that will be to make difficult choices. If mankind cannot see beyond the the things of the world then mankind will miss life’s true purpose. The many religions of the world amount to little more the desire of some to place their personal beliefs in a position of honor (usually as well as themselves). You have the ability to sort out truth from error and you desperately need to find the truth. So many people miss out on the truth. Although many desire to hear the truth, to go to heaven when they come face to face with the truth there are usually difficult choices and they look elsewhere. This desire to have all the world offers and find heaven are incompatible. The difficult message results in poor alignment in terms of what you envision about God.

God’s Message – The Great Divider

It was the Holy Spirit who Jesus sent to assure the message came to man correctly. Jesus pointed to the “world” as the enemy of God’s people. There is the normal separation into just two categories:
1) The children of God
2) The children of the devil or the children of the world

The latter despise the children of God according to

John 15.18-25

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.

Jesus makes this distinction between those who are God’s children through obedience and those who are of the world. We do not like to think of the world as opposed to God but ultimately every person will make the choice between living in the world or living according to the principles of God. The case of the rich young man is an example many like to ignore or say that was then but it is different now.

Matthew 19:20-24

20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Many people even those calling themselves Christian try hard to live getting the most from what life (the world) offers and also live the Christian life but God rejected the rich young man and He will reject the lukewarm of the world. In fact, the lukewarm are most despicable because they know the way of righteousness and choose this half-hearted approach as though they can fool God.

God from the beginning choose to reconcile men to Him along the lines of obedience to His Son, Jesus.

God’s plan from the beginning as He revealed it.

So it is along the lines of Hebrews 5.9 that God divides mankind for eternity.

Hebrews 5.9

9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him

Obey the Gospel ………… For Forgiveness of past sins, For entering the kingdom, to become a child of God