THE TEACHING OF JESUS GAVE  BIRTH 
TO A NEW PHILOSOPHY!
by Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31)

President George W. Bush, while campaigning for the Republican primaries (Feb. 2000) made a very profound statement, more intellectually brilliant than many of the theologians, philosophers and politicians I have studied for the past forty years!

When asked by reporters, "Who do you consider the greatest philosopher"? he answered, "Christ. He changed my heart!"

I have often used those very same words, stating unequivocally that the ‘philosophy of Jesus’ like: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...and thy neighbor as thyself", is unparalleled among any group of secular philosophers or religious gurus you may name!

Ask yourself: "Could anyone improve upon His parable of the 'Good Samaritan' which He used to lecture the lawyer who asked, "Who is my neighbor?" The answer is, ‘certainly not!’

Let’s look at the statements and actions of some of the so-called great philosophers we have had to study over the years: Plato (427-348 B.C.) Greek Philosopher - a student of Socrates, a Greek teacher of wisdom and ethics - in 375 B.C. stated:

Have you heard of anything so warped, wanton & twisted, coming from the pen of a so-called brilliant philosopher? Without doubt, Plato was a deviant and pervert of the first degree!

After reading such a carnal, lustful and immoral statement about the sacred state of marriage, love and family, how could anyone trust his opinions about God, existence, the purpose of life, death or the ‘afterlife’! The teaching of Socrates, who advocated that “virtue is wisdom”, was most certainly lost on his protégé, Plato!

JESUS HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT LIFE!

He said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me”. (John 14:6) He stated, “The thief (devil) cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy. I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

And He spoke about Eternal Life: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

Bertrand Russell: This supposedly brilliant philosopher lived to be almost 100 years of age and died as an unbeliever. And, that is sad! He wrote the book, ‘Why I am Not a Christian’, even after having had the privilege of reading the greatest of all books, the Holy Bible, which is the Word of God.

Jesus Christ declared: “Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me”. (John 5:39), and St. Paul stated that “the Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation”. (2 Tim. 3:15)

We cannot compare Jesus Christ, the Son of God, with a spiritual illiterate like Bertrand Russell, who at an advanced age - when he should have known better - allegedly dispensed advise about loosening our moral codes to give more license to “free sex”!

How irresponsible to give such advice to a generation of young people - who were already ‘chomping at the bit’ to kick-over-the-traces sexually, causing broken hearts, broken homes, aborted babies and untold suffering for so many for years to come!

They say, “There’s no fool like an old fool” and I say, “There is no fool like an old philosopher.” I challenge any pointy-headed university professor, seminary theologian or media talking-head to come up with a better philosophy than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which changes hearts and lives for the better!

JESUS REGULARLY QUOTED THE LAW, PSALMS & THE PROPHETS!

Jeremiah stated, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (incurably sick): who can know it?”(Jer. 17:9; Eccl. 9:3) And Jesus declared, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” (Mark 7:21,22)

Ezekiel stated: "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions...A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

“And will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgements, and do them." (Ezek. 18:31; 36:26,27)

St. Paul says: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; behold, old things are passed away; all things become new." (2 Cor. 5:17) Jesus Christ is not only the Saviour of the world, the Great Physician and Healer of broken hearts, minds and families, but He is also the greatest Teacher and dispenser of Wisdom and Understanding this world will ever know!

And yes, the ‘world’s greatest philosopher’ as well, because He changes hearts and lives today! And isn’t that what everyone hopes and longs for? By the Person of the blessed Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is reaching out even now to bring forgiveness, love, peace, joy & healing to each one of us at this very moment! He said, “Come unto Me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. (Matt. 11:28)

JESUS WAS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER RELIGIOUS LEADERS

The Bible says: “And it came to pass, when He had ended these saying, the people were astonished at His doctrine: For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matt.7: 28, 29) He said: “Let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch.” (Matt.15: 14)

Unmasking their hypocrisy, He warned: “Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5: 20) He admonished the multitude: “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not after their works: for they say and do not.” (Matt. 23:3) Jesus hated hypocrisy, saying that we should practice what we preach!

He detested legalism and man-made moral laws that were unfair: “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves” will not lift a finger to move them! Pride is an abomination in God’s sight, He charged: “But all their works they do to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the border of their garments, and they love the uppermost seats in the synagogues.”

He advocated humility: “He that is greatest among you, shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matt.23: 4-12)

JESUS WAS MOVED BY COMPASSION!

Jesus’ great love and compassion was anchored in truth He knew Who He was, why He had come and what His mission was! He stated: “I am come to seek an to save that which is lost.” (Luke 19:10)

The Bible says: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.” (Matt. 9:35. 36)

Jesus shook the consciences of His religious adversaries when he stated: “Ye have neard that it hath been said, Thou shall love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matt.5: 43, 43)

WHY SHOULD WE LOVE THOSE WHO HATE US?

Jesus Christ gives us the answer: “That ye may be children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

If we love only those who love us, we are no better that the drunk who loves his fellow drunks, the mafia members who love only their own ‘families’ or the Islamic Jihad terrorists who hate all Christians and Jews, and love only their own select group of Arabs and Miuslims!

Why must we love even our enemies? We are followers of the Nazarene, the Jewish Messiah and the world’s only Saviour, God’s Son Who was incarnated (God in human flesh) so that He could die for our sins on a rugged cross on Golgatha’s hill!

St. John stated: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God: and every one that loveth is born of God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. We love Him because He first loved us.” (I John 4: 7-11, 19).

A fallacy in the teachings of Islam states that Allah loves only those who love him. If that is true, we serve very different Gods, for the true God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - loves us all so much, that He sent His Son to procure our salvation, through His all-atoning Blood that was shed for us! And He commands us to love one another!