Six Reasons Why Jesus Was Not A Very Good Christian

In the Christianity of my youth and young adulthood I was taught many things about the morality and ethics of the Bible. So, like all others, I tried to play along and I think I did a pretty good job at it. I was sincere and earnest in my pursuit of Christ and the good. It wasn't until many years later however that I realized that Jesus was really not a very good Christian! Here are six reasons why I say that.

1. Jesus drank wine and even made his own.

In Southern Baptist circles we were taught that drinking alcohol is a sin, yet here Jesus is, disregarding that. But what's far worse is that he made his own and then encouraged others to drink it. I mean, he didn't put to their lips, but what did he expect to happen making wine at a wedding party (John 2:1-11) and then only after the guests were very well soused? Apparently they could still tell that his was the good stuff but that misses the point.

Then a couple years later he decides to institute his own supper covenant with none other than...you guessed it...wine again! He must have known that alcohol was the only drink that would still be around 2100 years later. But that doesn't make it forgivable and he must have drunk plenty himself since his critics called him a wino (Matt 11:19). I know one thing for sure...Jesus wouldn't be caught dead drinking wine in some of my old churches.

2. Jesus hung out with the wrong crowd which is a terrible witness.

How can anyone believe you love God if you spend all your time with people from "the other side of the tracks"? That's what they were called when I was younger but the Bible calls them "sinners and tax collectors" (Mark 2:15).  Same thing. Apparently this was a very bawdy crowd and not the kind of people you want to introduce to your mother.

My pastor used to say that he never saw one good apple change a whole barrel of rotten ones and he was right.  Me neither. And Michael Jackson said that "one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch girl". What was Jesus thinking? Even the Apostle Paul said "bad company corrupts good morals" (1Cor 15:33).

Either Jesus didn't know that or he didn't care. Given his rebelliousness he probably didn't care.

3. Jesus had the wrong view of Scripture.

In my first five years of the faith I memorized hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Bible verses. I was a memorizing maniac for which I am still very glad. The words of the Bible are God's words. I studied them religiously and literally in Bible College.

But when Jesus came upon the same type of people he insisted that the Scriptures were secondary to God. He ignored the fact that we can't know God apart from the Scriptures. He even criticized the Bible believers of his day by telling them then they search the Scriptures for eternal life and missed the point entirely...which is him (John 5: 39).

What in the world was he talking about? We find God IN THE BIBLE! If we can't find him there then we can't find him anywhere. What does he mean that the Hebrew Scriptures point to him? I've read the Old Testament many times and you sure could have fooled me. It is this type of fandangling with the Bible that gets many Christians into trouble. He eventually paid for this misinterpretation. Every good Christian must have a correct understanding of the Bible. Jesus didn't.

4. Jesus disrespected his mother and family...even in public.

Once when Jesus was preaching somewhere his family, like any good family, wanted to visit him and give him support. But when they got there and ask to see him, he said to the entire crowd, "Mother who? What family?"...as if he didnt know them at all and you know that Mary's heart must have stung (Matt 12:46-50) and probably tears welled up in her eyes. He could just as easily pulled them aside quietly and told them that he would explain everything later...but he didnt.

That wasn't the first time that Jesus ignored his family either. When he was a precocious 12 year old they all visited Jerusalem but it was three days into the return home before they realized that Jesus was missing. They frantically retraced every step back with their hearts in their throats until they found Little J discussing theology in the temple (Lk 2:41-47).

Even then Mary his mother couldn't understand why Jesus was being so petulant. Why didn't he tell them? Why did he let them travel for three whole days? Jerusalem is a dangerous city and he could have been killed. He had everyone worried sick and he should have done something out of simple respect. He was too busy discussing theology with the grownups while dismissing the fact that the Bible says a child should honor their Mother and Father. It's right there in the Ten Commandments!

5. Jesus lost his patience quite a bit.

Over and over again Jesus lost his patience, not only with the Pharisees, but with the disciples too. Let's face it...anyone can lose his cool with the people who hate you and your message and want you dead. That kind of thing can wear a person out and it would have taken the patience of Job to continually endure their attacks.

But the disciples too?  Really? Come on! These were the good guys. These were Jesus' handpicked friends and you don't treat friends that way. Sure they were slow to understand sometimes (Mk 4:13)...again (Mk 6:37)...and again (Mk 6:52)...and again (Mk 8:17)...But does a misunderstanding warrant demonizing someone as Jesus did to Peter (Mt 16:21-23), especially when (just before) Jesus commended him for recognizing that he was the Messiah and then praised him like he was the greatest thing since sliced bread?

It really wasn't necessary to call Peter the Devil. No good thing can come from name calling. It is certainly not something I would want my child to do...If I had one.

6. Jesus resorted to violence.

When Jesus walked into the temple and found that people had turned it into a Walmart he got really mad and started yelling. It is understandable that Jesus did not like thieving money changers in the same place where he worshipped. That makes sense. But getting so angry that you lose control and destroy other people's property can never lead to anything good (Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 15:18, Ecc 7:9). I know this personally because I have lost my temper before and felt terrible about it afterwards. At least I asked for forgiveness. There is no evidence that Jesus did.

The anger of course is the least of it. It is the violence that takes it over the edge. Jesus apparently made a really big scene at the temple and tried to scare the hell out of people but it didn't work so well since he repeated it again sometime later. And that's the point. Violence is never effective. God is a God of love and not wrath. Jesus' behavior is at the very least, embarrassing, and at the very worst, totally unchristian. The only thing I can think of is that he must not have read the New Testament.

Why There Is No Truth Without Love

Most people it appears believe, in regards to love and truth, that truth is the content of the message while love is the motive. But Jesus negates that idea in Mark 12: 30-31 and reverses it by saying but the entire truth of the Old Testament is in loving God and loving others. (The Apostle Paul goes further by saying that the scriptures are summarized in simply loving others Gal 5:14). The point seems to be that love is both the content and the motive.

Let me explain further. In saying that the Hebrew Scriptures are summarized in the one word love, Jesus radicalizes ancient Judaism and therefore puts truth in love's service. In seeking love one finds truth but not vice versa. The entire purpose of scripture is love; just as the entire purpose of scripture is Christ. They are synonymous. Therefore,  the communication of the gospel is less about Bible facts and all about Bible love.

The point is that too many Christians mistake facts for truth. It may be a fact that Memphis, Tennessee had 150 killings in 2013, but that is not truth. It may be a fact that Jesus was crucified, but that is not what Jesus was referring to when he called himself the Truth. Truth is not acknowledgement of the fact of Jesus Christ but rather is surrender to the person of Jesus Christ. This type of truth, like love, can only be grasped existentially or, more accurately, truth and love must grasp us existentially. This is what the Apostle Paul implies when he says that the love of God compels him.

When Jesus called himself the Truth, he removed truth from the realm of propositional statements and ideas and into the realm of personal relations. Truth can no longer be about correct thoughts, but rather about loving actions in relation to God and others. In other words, the Bible was not given in order to find truth, it was given in order to find love.

Many Christians treat the scriptures as if their primary purpose is to form doctrine rather than the creation and promotion of loving communities. They treat the Bible as the end in itself. Jesus addresses this issue in John 5:39 when he tells his hearers that they study the scriptures in order to find eternal life while missing the point entirely that the scriptures are about him.

However sincere Jesus hearer's may have been, they had their noses face down in the map because they mistook the map for the destination. It is like mistaking breadcrumbs on the path for the sumptuous feast to which they lead. The written word leads us to the Living Word.

Biblically love precedes truth, to the degree that truth is related to factual data. The Scriptures tell us that the entire inner life of the Triune God, the very essence of God is love (1 John 4: 8)...love within the Trinity. I John 4:8 also states that "whoever does not know love does not know God...and not the other way around. (John is always pushing the envelope).

To the degree that love and truth in the scriptures are are relational and interpersonal terms to that same degree they are interrelated and inseparable. Biblical truth is likewise relational and only has meaning as it refers to emotional and psychological honesty...the complete integration of one's entire being into love. In other words, integrity. That is why Jesus is "the" Truth and not "a" truth.

Marshall McLuhan said many years ago that the medium is the message. I say that their is no truth without love.