✌🏼Basic Jesus Skills

Whether you think Jesus is a myth or the Son of God, one thing is undeniably true. There is none like Him.

From Buddha to Socrates, Paul to Luther to Calvin, every philosophy, religious leader, or movement in history has carried flaws, contradictions, and compromise. Only Jesus claims and embodies unequivocal, humble, self-sacrificial love without the spot or blemish of human weakness.

The doctrines and actions of followers, across all religions and philosophies, all degrade at times to despicable immorality. But there is only One example of humanity without flaw, without hypocrisy or failure. Only One blameless life of self-sacrificing humility without a track record of error. Jesus.

John 8:46 (NET)
Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why donʼt you believe me?

Even if you believe Jesus is a myth, can you name another Way that leads to a better, more fulfilling life–a life that truly helps others–

than the teachings and example of Jesus?

Put it to the test.

Science offers Darwin’s and Einstein’s blueprints for how things work. Jesus explains why things work. So let’s conduct an experiment. Not with theology and philosophy. Not with arguments about the meaning of words. With action.

No matter your ideological perspective, can I ask you to consider just Jesus? Not Christianity in its many historical forms. Come and see. Jesus is unique. I’m not asking you to believe me or anything. Give it a try.

Matthew 7:24 (NET)
Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

Apply the simple commands of Jesus in real life context and observe the results.

Try this:

• Love God with everything.

• Love your neighbor as yourself.

• Enemies too. Without exception.

• Serve others with humility.

• Make disciples.

These aren’t abstract ideals or unattainable mythology. They are skills. Basic Jesus skills. And they are the foundation for everything.

1 Corinthians 3:11 (NET)
For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Imagine someone claiming to use Trigonometry and Calculus while denying 1 + 1 = 2 just to make a difficult equation work. That’s what happens when we ignore the basics of Jesus in order to achieve some “higher” righteousness. Without the basics, it’s not Jesus.

Basic Jesus skills are the test of whether something or someone is truly like Jesus. Without understanding them or practicing them, you have no right to declare something is like Jesus or not. Much of what is associated with Jesus today violates the basics.

No matter what side of whatever aisle you are on, can we find some common ground in Jesus basics? If you lean atheist, progressive, or conservative, can we at least agree that basic Jesus skills are a good thing and worth practicing?

I welcome any rebuttal that would suggest otherwise. Unequivocally.

Let’s talk and take this challenge together. Skill by skill. Every command of Jesus, one at a time. If you numbered them all, it’s around 100 skills. Shouldn’t anything claiming to follow Jesus actually practice all of them?

1 John 2:3-6 (NET)
3 Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments.
4 The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.
5 But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.
6 The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked.

This series won’t rank them in importance. No cherry-picking. Every command matters equally in the Way of Jesus. You either follow them, or you don’t.

Basic Jesus Skills The Series. The first skill, “Obey the Law.”

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Next up? Love your enemies. Subscribe for free at hippiepreacher.com to have these Basic Jesus Skills episodes delivered right to your inbox. Paid subscriptions help make more Jesus-centered content like this possible!

Who’s ready to take the challenge?