The Nebulous Jesus

by Mike Ratliff

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”John 8:31-33 (LSB) 

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
neb·u·lous
–adjective
1. hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused: a nebulous recollection of the meeting; a nebulous distinction between pride and conceit.
2. cloudy or cloudlike.
3. of or resembling a nebula or nebulae; nebular.
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME < L nebulōsus full of mist, foggy, cloudy. See nebula, -ous]

—Related forms
neb·u·lous·ly, adverb
neb·u·lous·ness, noun

cer·tain·ty
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the state of being certain.
2. something certain; an assured fact.
—Idiom
3. for or of a certainty, certainly; without a doubt: I suspect it, but I don’t know it for a certainty.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME certeinte < AF, equiv. to certein certain + -te -ty2]

—Synonyms 1. certitude, assurance, confidence. See belief. 2. truth.

truth
–noun, plural truths
1. the true or actual state of a matter: He tried to find out the truth.
2. conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement.
3. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like: mathematical truths.
4. the state or character of being true.
5. actuality or actual existence.
6. an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude.
7. honesty; integrity; truthfulness.
8. (often initial capital letter) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience: the basic truths of life.
9. agreement with a standard or original.
10. accuracy, as of position or adjustment.
11. Archaic. fidelity or constancy.
—Idiom
12. in truth, in reality; in fact; actually: In truth, moral decay hastened the decline of the Roman Empire.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME treuthe, OE tréowth (c. ON tryggth faith). See true, -th1]

—Related forms
truthless, adjective
truth·less·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. fact. 2. veracity. 7. sincerity, candor, frankness. 10. precision, exactness.
—Antonyms 1. falsehood. 2, 4, 7. falsity.

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I have always loved Astronomy. Looking into the sky at night in Oklahoma back in the mid to late 1950’s we could clearly see the Milky Way and planets and the constellations. This was before light pollution washed out the night sky. I remember seeing pictures in the library books I checked out on astronomy back then. I had no problem understanding the differences between stars, planets, comets, asteroids, meteors and meteorites. However, at that time, it seemed that there was still a great deal of conjecture about the nature of nebulas. Their explanations left me confused.

When people like Galileo looked through their telescopes they could easily make out the rings of Saturn and even see its moons. However, when they looked at the constellations they often found points of light within and around them that would never tighten down into a precise visible form. Even as their telescopes became more powerful these “nebulas” seemed to be splotches of light with no definite shape. Therefore, they were called nebulas because that word seems to define their indefiniteness. In our time scientists have determined that some nebulas are other galaxies while others are gigantic clouds of gas.

We use the term “nebulous” to refer to things that are mercurial or indefinite. Genuine Christianity says that God’s Word is truth. Jesus says that He is the truth. Truth is definite. Truth is knowable. However, if you have the “opportunity” to debate Liberal Christians or Emergents or even Atheists, you will find that they will deny all of these things. They will claim that absolute truth is unknowable. In their “religion” if anyone claims to know the truth then they are branded as being full of pride while the humble are those who refuse to admit that anything is ever certain.

The Jesus of the Bible is knowable. He has revealed Himself to His sheep who hear His voice and follow Him. However, the man-made religions hold to another Jesus.

2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you bear this beautifully.2 Corinthians 11:2-4 (LSB) 

“The name “Jesus” can mean many things to many people. It is easy to bandy about the name of Jesus. But what does it mean? To some evangelicals Jesus is a slogan, a brand name, a logo. Jesus sells. Jesus is a name that can be tacked on to programs, ideas, philosophies, agendas. . . . Many use His name, but the Scriptures warn about these phenomena in the last days.” – (From “The Nebulous Jesus”)

As I researched this post, I did so from a focus of the astounding apostasy we are seeing today and how it appears that there is a “coming together” of various forms of man-made religion that is contending with Orthodox Christianity for the very name “Christian.” Brian McLaren has stated that his vision is not for Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims to become Christian, but that they become Buddhist followers of Jesus, Hindu followers of Jesus, and Muslim followers of Jesus. Of course this is not the Biblical Jesus but the Nebulous Jesus of the new world religion called Christian Dominionism.

“So what do you think is the end result that they’re after? Is it only “power” in the abstract sense?
“They state their goals in their private documents pretty explicitly. A world leadership led by Christ. Every single world leader and politician making every decision under Christ’s will. And you could quibble over semantics, but I would say that worldwide theocracy is their goal.” (From – “ Building a Kingdom for a Nebulous Jesus”)

“What is this Washington, D.C.-based “Fellowship” group that found common ground with the Dalai Lama? No one knows for sure because its past, present and future are hidden in the murky depths of secrecy. One fact readily discernible is its dominionist agenda to build some sort of “kingdom” on earth for their nebulous “Jesus.” “(From – “ The emergent nebulous Jesus & his kingdom”

“Two evangelical leaders, Rick Warren and Brian McLaren, who signed the common faith agreement Loving God and Neighbor Together, which called for Christian and Islamic leaders to work together, showed up in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum.

This is quite significant. Davos featured a “West-Islamic World Dialogue” with a “Council of 100 Leaders (C-100) Promoting dialogue and cooperation between the Western and Islamic worlds.” According to one report, the purpose of the C-100 is sustain “In-depth Dialogue and Discourse” and leverage “Global Cooperative Action” with a network designed to:

* Catalyse change and make progress in one of the most pressing global issues of our time
* Advance thought leadership to shape and guide the agenda of West–Islam dialogue
* Participate in the discourse among members of a network of influential leaders with eminent knowledge” (From – “Rick Warren & Brian McLaren at DAVOS”)

Rick Warren is quoted as saying at this conference, “If you’re a global leader, you have to realise that the future of the world is not secularism,” he said at a panel on faith and modernity moderated by Tony Blair. “There is going to be more religion, not less. You may not like it, but that’s the way it is.” This man is supposed to be a Christian pastor who is called to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but is actively participating in the Christian Dominionism whose Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible, but is the Nebulous Jesus who stands for nothing definable. If you have not read those posts I linked to above I suggest that you do. As I read them in my research it was as if God directed me to each one, showing me what was behind all of the apostasy we are seeing now with the huge migration to Liberal Theology.

The Nebulous Jesus is all about world peace, feeding the hungry, redistributing the World’s wealth, stopping global warming, etc. What about the Gospel? This Jesus claims that the writers of the New Testament misquoted Him and misunderstood Him. He came to set up again the paradise that Adam and Eve lost. The Christian Dominions teach that their work will establish Jesus’ Kingdom and then He will return to claim it. This establishment requires world domination and their method is a one world religion where all countries are ruled by men who are subject to their theocracy.

Do you see it? Do you now understand how important it us that we tell the truth about the apostasy of these people? It may very well be that this age is closing quickly and what we are describing here may start to come together at any time, but we must still warn all who will hear. If this does happen then those who refuse to bow the knee to this “theocracy” will be persecuted. Who will that be? Won’t that be genuine Christians? Now is the time for all reading this to go to their prayer closets and get things right with God. Get your heart set on the things above not the things below. It’s time to put on Christ, the armor of God, so we can stand and not fall in the evil day.

Soli Deo Gloria