In the second part of the conversation with Dr. Hester and Pastor Johnny Ova, we continue talking about major themes throughout Scripture that desperately need to be re-examined. We talk about the moral idol of the Old Testament, God has no enemies, Hell, the Hallelujah song of Jesus and much more. Enjoy!

In this episode we are pleased to share a conversation with Dr Hester and Pastor Johnny Ova on his podcast Dig In! In this episode we talk about everything from what makes sinners attracted to Jesus, what do we do when Scripture doesn't look like Jesus, how God enjoys process and much more... If you enjoy this, there are two more parts to follow!

Why is the default of humanity the desire for rules when it comes to relationship with deity? God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) has always been a relational familial family who desires for humanity to be a part of their other centered love, compassion, grace and joy. We must stop adopting a pragmatic approach to relationship with God and provide people an encounter with the Jesus we carry.

Do you preach Jesus or a moral idol made in the image of religion?

The Pharisees had God all figured out. They observed (rather poorly I would add) the 10 Commandments and added another 600+ rules on top of those for good measure. After all, whoever has the most rules wins right? What ensued was a moral standard, weaponized by the law, that not only reinforced surface level cleanliness and behavior modification, but it also created the needed separation between those who “kept” the law and those who didn’t.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, He challenged the moral idol that religion had built and revealed Who God had always been. Jesus had to systematically strip away the veil of the law which had built a great delusional chasm of distance and separation. Emmanuel showed us what it was like to truly be loved, seen, cared for and accepted without any performancism needed…ever.

To simply entertain the thought that God has a weakness doesn’t pair well with the thought of the Imperial Almighty God who reigns on high. Jesus, instead, shows us God as being the All-Vulnerable One who dwells among us. He is the one who chooses humility over power and weakness over strength. He is the God of absolute accessibility and fierce compassion. Those who choose to make these same choices, and His way of being theirs, are those who worship in spirit and in truth.

For some reason, Christians like to use this throwaway line — “The Bible is clear”  or “The Bible plainly says”— as if it ends all arguments and clears up any doubt. In fact, all it does is make the person who says it sound arrogant — as if their understanding of a particular Biblical text is the one, true and correct one. It is a statement that is dripping with condescension. You might as well say, “What the Bible says is obvious, you idiot! You’re so dumb for not seeing like I see it!”

As likely as I am to change my mind by being given such a loving and compelling exhortation, it doesn’t change the fact that the Bible is NOT clear about many things on which people THINK the Bible is clear. In fact, reading the Bible at face value and taking a literal view is fraught with danger.

God is at work and in everything He is doing…He invites us to be part of it. He wants more than to use you, which has become the lens through we which we often view our relationship with God. He wants more than to use us…He wants us. And not the best version of us either. He doesn’t want the dressed up, self improvement facade…He wants the real us. It’s all He’s ever wanted. 

Jesus is the narrow gate…the only way to the Father; the only way into the realities of the Kingdom of God. The wide gate is any other way. This would seem obvious that Jesus is certainly referring to the world, but He is also referring to the religious system of the Pharisees. They’re system of observing the laws of the Mosaic Covenant are included in the “wide way” Jesus is condemning. 

Our souls and spirits are designed to function without fear as a contaminant. Since God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear, what has He given us? God has given us power, love, and a sound mind. These three qualities are the foundation stones for optimal living in the Kingdom of God. 

Matthew 27:46- 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? (EH-lee EH-lee LAH-mah sah-bahk-TAH-nee)” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ESV

When Jesus cries out the phrase from a place of great agony, He’s not declaring a theology of separation from God or nontrinitarianism. Jesus cannot be separate from God since they are one and the same. It also doesn’t paint a picture of how a holy God is offended by sin in such a way that He cannot be in the presence of sin. But the Bible never indicates that.

If our God could never be in the presence of sin, that means Jesus couldn’t have been there when the Jews were committing Him to crucifixion. He couldn’t have been there when the Jews were making His Father’s house into a den of thieves.  He couldn’t have taken the sins of humanity upon Himself on the cross. If He had to protect Himself from being “tainted” by someone else’s sin or contamination, that means He couldn’t have touched the lepers to heal them.

But He did.

So why cry out…My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?