Saturday

Jesus, The Transcendent Witness

John 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Most religions (I use this word in its broadest sense) have a primary witness. Someone who claims to have seen or heard from God, or experienced a unique awareness of some force, power, or knowledge. The testimony of this witness usually becomes the foundation of the religion.

Christianity is multi-tiered in its cadre of witnesses. There are those who testify in the Bible that God spoke directly to or through them. Then there are those who, throughout history, have confessed to a definite, real, experience with God. I am in that group... I have experienced God.

But Jesus is the primary witness, and He is also the transcendent witness. By this I mean He is far past simply being a conduit of God's revelation or message. He is the revelation. He is the message. The fullness of His knowledge, being, and purpose transcends this existence. But He came to us... The Apostle John seems to have understood this reality better than most, so this insight is boldly woven into his writings.

This is the chief realism of Christ followers--Jesus is Emmanuel--God with us. He is the primary witness, and there is none like Him.

1 comment:

  1. Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, there is none like His witness. Amen, Bro Jones!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails