The fair skinned, long-haired image which is commonly called “Jesus” is so prevalent that it is difficult to not confound that image with the real Jesus of the Bible.  This image is a lie.  Truth demands that this image be disregarded and purged from affecting our concept of the actual Jesus- the Judge of all whom we are each accountable to.

The real Jesus incarnate was not stylish.  He did not exhibit a rock star-like personality.  He was not a smooth talker who sought to draw people to Himself by flattering charisma (like the typical politician is).  Yet you would never know this by the popular and common fake Jesus image.  People who bear such an image also typically play “Jesus” in popular films, plays, and tv shows.

The fake jesus image puts forth the spirit of accepting people as they are, as the very look and expression give the impression that he wouldn’t want to get in the way of you living as you please.  Many today, even multitudes of church attendees, believe that Jesus would go into a bar and join the drunken party happening there.  They are encouraged and emboldened in this belief by the fake jesus image.

The fake jesus image actually reflects the spirit of the antichrist too well to think it a coincidence.  There are even brazen haters of the God of the Bible who take a lot of pleasure in dressing up as the fake jesus as they brazenly corrupt themselves and others in sin.  The compatibility here is not hard to see.  

The concept that Jesus incarnate was a friend (in terms of being a companion) of sinners in their debauchery was actually a false accusation made by His enemies.  You’re not going to actually find this concept in the Bible as anything besides a false accusation from His enemies.

Matthew 11:16-19: “But whereunto shall I liken this generation?  It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.  For John (the Baptist) came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.  The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.  But wisdom is justified of her children (my note- Jesus’ actual disciples did not remain gluttons, drunkards, swindlers, or persistent sinners in any form).

In making and worshiping the Golden Calf, the Israelites chose to believe in a god they were comfortable with rather than the fearful, holy God who had recently revealed Himself to them at Mount Sinai.  They still called the idol which they had made “the Lord.”  The fake jesus image has developed over time with much influence from how ancient Pagans portrayed their gods.  And as Romans chapter one speaks about, idolaters make corrupt versions of “God” because they refuse to properly glorify and show gratitude to the true, incorruptible God.  People thus make gods suitable to the desires of their own hearts which conveniently don’t have a problem with the personal autonomy and morally corrupt pursuits which they have chosen for themselves.  The especially wicked influence then in the fashioning of the fake jesus image is evident.

Since the most popular fake jesus image, and other fake jesus images abound so much in the world, and since these are influenced by Pagan degraded concepts of God, there are few people whose minds haven’t been affected by Pagan concepts of “God” by the means of the fake jesus images.

Fake jesus images neither inspire nor communicate the holy fear which witnessing the real Jesus would have communicated.  Moses breaking the tables of stone as he came down from the mountain and witnessed the idolatry and debauchery related to the Golden Calf must have been a fearful sight.  Yet seeing the One whom Moses served displaying zeal for His Father’s house must have been a vastly more fearful sight.

John 2:13-17: “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; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

The real Jesus, the Son of David, was also the Lord of King David.  Do you think that He, as an unfallen man with a fully sound mind that would have exercised the best possible judgment at all times, would have been a worse military commander than King David (or any other famous military commander) if He had found himself in circumstances where He had the chance to lead in an army in battle for a righteous cause?  Of course not.  And we’ve seen how Jesus was surely no pacifist like many consider Him to be.  The most common fake jesus image, and several other fake jesus images, communicate the lie that Jesus was a pacifist.

Even Jesus as a man, and even with supernatural intervention from heaven taken out of the equation, was hard to kill and would have even been very hard to stand before except that His normal mode of operation was to not intimidate people nor make a scene unless that happened to be the outcome of doing righteousness according to God’s Law in His particular circumstances.  

Consider the following:

Matthew 7:28-29: “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

Luke 4:28-31: “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.  But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.”

John 7:44-46: “And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.  Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?  The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man.”

The fake jesus images typically give the impression that Jesus wouldn’t deliver the Jews from the Romans because He couldn’t do so; or because He never condones violence under any circumstance.  The real Jesus could have done so and has no problem being violent consistent with God’s Law– yet He did not come to appease the pride of the Jews and make them happy.  

And besides that, the Jews were so wicked themselves in His time that siding with them against the Romans would not have been any more appropriate than it would have been for God to fight for the Jews against the Philistines in Eli’s time or to deliver the Jews from the Babylonians when the Babylonians took the Jews into captivity (and siding with the modern nation of Israel now after the Jewish’s nation rejection of Jesus and its destruction by God’s appointment in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD is downright wicked- Zionists who support modern Israel are in sin and need to repent).  

Many cultures around the world have sought to make Jesus like themselves.  Many promote a black jesus.  Yet this is very likely not accurate either.  And even if it were accurate, the real Jesus doesn’t show partiality to people based on skin color.  You’re only in His grace if you actually heed the instructions of His Word and regard no sin in your heart.  He’s not going to give you a free pass if your skin color matches His skin color when He was on earth.  

Distrust all portraits and images of Jesus (Exodus 20:4-6).  It is evil for man to fashion an image of God.

The Shroud of Turin is unreliable.  It was not even known before the 14th century AD in Europe (when things like relics were very popular and forgeries were abounding).  It is silly then to think the Shroud of Turin bears the real Jesus’ likeness in His incarnation.

John 1:14 says: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  

No artist or actor can ever replicate that- not even close.  

Scrap the common fake jesus image, along with any and all jesus images, from your mind completely.  They are all shallow, cheap, pathetic counterfeits of the real Jesus. 

A false jesus doesn’t have to be an artistic representation or a person claiming to be Jesus.  It could even be any mental concept of Him that is contrary to how He is revealed throughout the entirety of the Bible.  Any concept one has of God which prevents them from being under the true Jesus’ righteous authority and reign is an idolatrous substitute for the true God that robs of eternal life (see 1 John 5:20-21).

2 Corinthians 5:16b says: “Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.”

He will not come back in the likeness of a mortal man.  He will rather come back in His glorious, resurrected body to judge, rule, and reign.  Don’t think that He will show partiality at all nor go soft on unrepentant sinners for any reason.  He will not let sin prevail nor allow those who hold on to sin to mock Him.  He is a refuge now for repentant sinners who turn to Him in order to not be sinners anymore.  Get in line with His righteous authority to obtain His grace and stay in line in order to continue in His grace. 

Many Jews have missed Christ due to their expectation of Him to come as a military conqueror (in spite of the clear implications of Scriptures such Psalm 110:7 and Isaiah chapter 53 which demonstrate that the Messiah would endure humility on earth before being exalted).  

Yet many professing Christians also do not properly prepare for His second coming nor recognize His judgments in this age because they dismiss the truth that Christ is indeed a militant conqueror who will righteously judge and make war on His enemies when He returns.

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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