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WWJ(efferson)D?…

Walk with Jesus

Some in America would say that President Jefferson is a complete deist, others may say that he is more of a spiritualist, and yet again some may even suggest that he was a follower of Christ. Ultimately, I am not sure that I am prepared to say that any of the above is, in totality – TRUE.

Few can argue the fact that President Jefferson did produce what is today known as the “Jefferson Bible,” he; however, titled the work “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth” and it even today is on display in the Jefferson Library in the Smithsonian (an amazing collection of every culture and time period that covers medicine, religion, politics, and philosophy). One could never state that Jefferson at his core was not a thinker. He is really a great picture of Philippians 1 (Paul referring to the Gospel being shared for various reasons)

Why would he (someone who in that time was not openly a follower, a reformer, or even an open deist). Jefferson opened public schools and being true to the Constitution felt strongly that religious study should be part of public schools. So what is the Jefferson Bible, anyway – well it is an actual cut and paste (the hard way) of all of the red letters in the Bible. It is only the words of Jesus compiled into one document. But why, one would have to draw the conclusion that it would be to purely show Jesus. So the question is, was Jefferson an evangelist? More importantly,….are you?

While he did feel and say on occasion that the original text (in his mind) was probably pure, man had corrupted God’s word to reach pagan communities (good thing that doesn’t happen today – wink wink).

The Jefferson Bible was however commissioned and paid for by the Federal Government to be produced. The Federal Government also (by Jefferson’s direction) paid missionaries to go out to meet with the “Natives” for the goal of presenting the work of Jesus to that community / culture (same sense that the word NATION is used in the Great Commission). Once the native culture accepted Christ Jefferson and the Federal Government paid for churches to be built in those communities. So was he an evangelist, lets shine that light on him as well as stand in it ourselves…

A question that has been posed lately was “If I don’t engage with the Gospel, am I a follower of Jesus?

[19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (the Greek word here is anthropoi and it relates to not only men but men and women).”
(Matthew 4:19 ESV)

[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (are you new or are you the same as before you met Jesus, you just wear the nametag that reads “Hi, I’m Christian”). The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. [18] All this is from God (not from man, the Gospel is not Jesus plus anything rather Jesus plus nothing), who through Christ reconciled us (what He did not anything we have or could have do or done) to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; (this is the mission!!) [19] that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them (Saints, remember to renew your hearts to Jesus and not get wrapped around what sin a person is dealing with – think of the list Philip gave during Communion Sunday), and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation (praise Jesus).
(2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV)

[4] No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
(2 Timothy 2:4 ESV)

Paul’s second letter to young Timothy really drives home the fact that a Soldier “provides democracy but does not partake in it.” That means that the focus has to be on the mission because if it is not then there is a potential for loss of life. That loss of life is the same scenario that Paul speaks of here Christian. The only difference is that the loss of life that Paul refers to is eternal.

What you do today, the way you represent Jesus either will help to fill Heaven or it will help to fill Hell. Many great theologians of our time have said that the one who gave them the Gospel and brought them to the Kingdom of God never knew it….we are called to be that impact, not for us but for HIM.

The enemy never worries about a Christian on the sidelines…look at your walk and ask yourself before an Almighty God…am I engaged, do my actions, do my words, do my thoughts evangelize to an unbelieving world?

Heavenly Father,
I pray to you today for the strength and focus to keep our hearts pure, pure and washed by the living water of your Spirit and of your Word. I pray that we would humbly meet with you daily and mine your Word for new eyes and a new heart to be renewed and refreshed in You…I thank you and I praise you for the warriors that engage the mission for You!! In Jesus name…
Amen

Adrian “AG” Green