Why Jesus said, "My Father And I Are The Same!"

"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30 NIV)

This statement has triggered controversy for generations since many have not understood why Jesus said or to whom. The simple explanation is this--God the Father and God the Son are one in purpose and intent. They do not vary nor are they ever in conflict with one another. God is Spirit, and loved us so much He decided that the only way to reconcile mankind back to Him, was to make the ultimate sacrifice, the blood sacrifice that many recognized as atonement for sin, so He came--wrapped in flesh and born of a woman--to experience life as we do--tempted to sin, but didn't. Under the Law, a pure lamb was to offered and Jesus is the pure Lamb--sacrificed for the sins of man--for all who believe.

But let's go back and see what led to this statement when the Jews questioned Jesus' veracity.

John 10:24-29

v. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."

v.25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me,

v.26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

v.27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

v. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand,

v. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

What follows is the attempt by them to stone Jesus for blasphemy--accusing Him of claiming to be God when He was a mere man.

Some people--those who say they believe and those who don't--still do not understand that Jesus and God are one. When we pray to the Father, in Jesus' name, we are talking to both and Jesus said (in another verse of scripture), whatever we asked of the Father in His name, it would be given to us. When we attempt to separate God as one entity and Jesus as another, and Holy Spirit as another, we nullify the power of the three since they are One in purpose. I have never understood how people can say they believe in God and yet not believe God or in how they can establish, "Jesus Only," doctrines.

Before Jesus came (God in the flesh), God spoke to the people through the prophets or whoever else He chose to use. While He was here on earth, He was limited by His fleshly body to a point, but He knew what people were thinking and He knew all the Father had spoken to those of old and this is why the Pharisees were amazed at the knowledge He had since He had not been taught by them. Jesus is The Word so He would certainly know The Word as God spoke it to those who were before Him. Now, since His ascension back to heaven, we have access to Him through Holy Spirit and when we are filled with His Spirit and allow His spirit to guide us in all things, we no longer have need for others to "tell us" what The Lord says about anything. But this is for those who Believe! God is yet speaking to us, directly--and those who know His Word, know His voice when we hear Him and He knows all who belong to Him, by our obedience to His Word. Glory Hallelujah!

When we belong to God, we listen and obey. If we do not belong to God, we will not hear and certainly will not obey. So, when people claim to believe in God yet encourage or promote others to live in opposition to His Word, they are really saying they believe in a force greater than them, but since they do not what God has said, they cannot believe God.

Jesus is the Great Shepherd, I am one of the sheep who belongs to Him and I know His voice because I know what the Father has said. It is my relationship with God through His Son, that I can stand firmly on The Word as my foundation for living and knowing how to live--unconditionally, but also knowing that loving comes with the responsibility of correction, and instruction. 

God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ are one and since I belong to them, my purpose is the same as theirs--to bring all into the knowledge of who He is, acceptance of the work on the cross for our sins, and encouraging obedience in all things so we can all hear, "Well done" and live with Him for all eternity.

More about what Jesus said and why, next time.

Salvation--The Role of Heart and Mouth!

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." (Romans 8:9,10 NIV)

Non-Believer Alert!

For those who have been trying to ridicule and belittle those of us who Believe God, I would remind them that belief in God and acceptance of the work on the cross is a matter for the heart and mouth--not the head. For with our mouths we confess our belief and acceptance and with our hearts we accept, by faith, all that God does. The reason our heart is engaged is so our minds will receive and accept the Good News.

There is much conflict and confusion over "head-knowledge" and "heart-knowledge" for the non-believer as well as the Believer. In many cases, because a Believer has not fully developed their heart knowledge and allowed the wisdom of God to engage their head knowledge, they wither and fall under the volley of questions used by those who intend to confuse. They believe that head-knowledge, achieved by their own effort is all they need.

For the mature Believer, we know that our minds, trying to conceive of loving God who loves us in spite of us and died for us so we might one day live and reign with Him is nothing short of incredible. So, instead of trying to beat our brains into understanding, we submit to God and allow Him to speak our spirits "our hearts" so our minds can receive and accept the knowledge of Him who loves us.

For those who only believe in the rational and the logical--ability to prove something, there is no way they will ever accept knowledge they did not create or manufacture from what they know. And no matter how many times they attempt to refute God's presence by claiming we cannot prove His existence, they cannot prove He does not exist--though they have tried.

Here's my proof of God's existence: I'm here, able to enjoy the sun, sky, moon, stars, the oceans, and with the assistance of equipment that man invented from what God created, know that I am currently living on a planet, earth as it is called by man.

Now, I do not wish to negate the importance of science and what it has accomplished, but when has man created from nothing, anything? I applaud every scientist who has managed to receive God's wisdom in understanding how to analyze and explain those things that God created and how they work. And when man creates "man and woman" as uniquely wonderful as God has--from nothing--then I'll applaud science louder than God, but we know--with our heads and our hearts, that will never happen.

Salvation--a matter of confessing that Jesus (God in the flesh) is Lord, accepting the work on the cross by faith engendered in our hearts is the only way we'll see Him again and live for eternity in heaven.

I know many will say we have to do more than confess and believe, but I challenge that with this thought, why would anyone say they believe something if they're not going to adhere to what their heart speaks to them? For when our confession is made, we put ourselves in position to hear God when He speaks and if we indeed are allowing Him to be Lord of our lives, we will hear Him and obey. Giving Him Lordship over our lives, means we no longer live to please us, but Him. If we are living to please Him, we will not sin against Him or others. Simple--but the enemy makes it confusing to keep us from receiving all that God has.

No rules--just confession and belief--and then hearing and obeying. Once we hear Him speak to our hearts for ourselves, it's difficult not to know and understand the love He has for us and we repent of everything we have ever done, that was not of Him. If you haven't tried Him yet--give Him a chance and watch and see how your life will change for the better.