If It’s Good Enough For Jesus, It’s Good Enough For Me

Jesus was asked about the delicate topic of divorce: “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for just any reason?” (Mt. 19:3) Before Jesus gave His final statement as the Son of God on this question, He first pointed to the scripture: “Have you not read…,” and He then quoted scripture from Genesis. On other occasions Jesus pointed His questioners to the word of God, as if it were the final answer, and, He spoke as if it were the very voice of God. “Have you not read what was spoken to you by God …?” (Mt. 22:31) Now, if the scripture was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.

Now, on the subject of divorce Jesus said, “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” After explaining God’s allowances under Moses’ law, He said, “But from the beginning it was not so…, And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” (Mt. 19:9) Although difficult for many, if this ruling was good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for us.

A teacher once explained that if Jesus were raised from the dead, as the scripture proclaims, certainly what He says should be revered, for one who has power over death surely is credible. Furthermore, a supernatural God is able to give man a perfect revelation (the Bible) and to preserve it. (Mt. 24:35) The Pharisees, who had accused Jesus of doing miracles by the power of the devil, hypocritically asked Jesus for a sign. His response was “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Mt. 12:39-40) If the sign of the resurrection was good enough for Jesus, to show His deity and the veracity of His message from Heaven, then it’s good enough for me as well. Too often folks continue to look for signs when they are recorded right there in the public record of God’s word. (Acts 17:31)

At the beginning of His ministry Jesus came to John to be baptized. John said, as one would imagine, “I need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” The Lord responded, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt. 3:15) If being baptized was good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for every person who wants to please God. There are those who argue against the necessity of baptism; who say that baptism is “because of” forgiveness of sins, not “in order to obtain” forgiveness; who say that baptism is an “outward sign of an inward grace.” Neither Jesus nor the scripture ever said any such thing. Jesus said it was “to fulfill all righteousness.” The scripture says it is for remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and for salvation. (Mk. 16:16; I Pet. 3:21) That word should be good enough for anyone seeking the truth on baptism.

Bible students are aware that “the church” is quite a Bible subject. Jesus said that He would build it (Mt. 16:18), and He did not mean by that to start a denomination of some sort or a fleeting movement. He said that the “gates of Hades would not prevail against it.” With the admonition to “attend the church of your choice” folks are left with the impression that being a part of the Lord’s church is merely one of the options these days. However, on following man-made traditions, Jesus said, “Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up.” (Mt. 15:13) The Bible provides instruction for membership, organization, proper worship, and the work of the church as Christ’s apostles left it. If the Bible church was good enough for Him, it should be good enough for everyone else.

When Christ explained His plans for the church, he also foretold His death on the cross. Peter could not understand such a king, one who would die on a Roman cross. But Christ said to Peter and the other disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mt. 16:24) Of course, He spoke of the cross of self-denial, which is borne when Christians stand for the truth in doctrine, when they say “no” to immorality, when they commit themselves to faithful worship and sacrifice for the right. The Lord’s message is that if the cross is good enough for Him, then it is good enough for His disciples.

Jesus showed us the way to Heaven through His faithful obedience and devotion to God. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me.” The reader should not think that He can get to the Father by ignoring the word, by half-hearted efforts, or by a man-made religion. If a “thus saith the Lord” and self-denial were good enough for Jesus, they should be good enough for us.

By George Hutto

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