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By Roger A. Scully, Jr.
approached him just as we did all the others with whom we came in contact on that day. When we got closer we
noticed there was another gentleman with him. While talking to the man working on his roof we handed our literature
to the other man. After a few seconds he handed it back to us explaining that he already has Jesus. I then asked
him if he read his Bible, to which he responded, “not that much.” I asked if he wanted to be a follower of Jesus
shouldn’t he be interested in what Jesus taught, to which he responded by saying “no.” He then continually slapped
his chest saying, “I already have Jesus, I already have Jesus,” as he walked away from us. I am not sure if he was
suggesting that Jesus was in his pocket or not, but I do know that his concept of having Jesus and the biblical
concept of being a disciple of Jesus are not the same thing. I am also saddened by the fact that there are many
people in our community who have been led astray by denominational deception into believing that getting Jesus is
some sort of feeling you have, which is not supported by any factual evidence. Hence this matter has become
worthy of our consideration in this week’s bulletin.
First I affirm that Jesus and His doctrine (teaching) are inseparable. If I can prove this then it must be concluded
that a man cannot “have” Jesus without accepting that which Jesus taught, hence one cannot have Jesus apart from
studying His word. Secondly, I affirm that having Jesus as a part of one’s life involves rendering obedience to Him,
which is something that involves objective reasoning and not some sort of an emotional fiction. If I can also prove
this then it would also have to be concluded that “having” Jesus involves following His teaching.
(1) JESUS AND HIS DOCTRINE ARE INSEPARABLE. In John’s gospel account he records Jesus saying, “He who
rejects me, and does not receive my words, has that which Judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him
in the last day” (12:48 NKJV). The conjunction “and” is translated from the Greek conjunction kai, which is
connecting two things of equal value, hence rejecting Jesus is done by refusing to receive His words. How does on
reject Jesus? By not receiving that which Jesus taught (His words or doctrine). Notice also that Jesus explained His
word[s] is that which will judge in the last day. In Acts 17:31 Paul explained, by inspiration, that God has “appointed a
day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained…in that he hath raised him
from the dead.” Now, who is that man who will judge? It is that man who was raised from the dead. Who was that man
who was raised from the dead? That man was Jesus (cf. Romans 1:4). Hence we have one Scripture stating Jesus
to be the judge and another stating the words of Jesus to be the judge. The only proper conclusion, which we can
logically draw, is that Jesus, by means of His revealed word (cf. Ephesians 3:3, 4) will judge. Thus Jesus and His
words are inseparable. How, then, can a man claim to “have” Jesus, yet admit that he does not so much as read the
words of Jesus? Were not the Bereans counted as noble because they “received the word with all readiness of
mind, and searched the scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11)?
(2) JESUS CANNOT BE A PART OF ONE’S LIFE WITHOUT THAT PERSON HAVING RENDERED OBEDIENCE TO
HIM. No doubt the person to whom we spake while knocking doors believed Jesus to be a part of his life, yet it was
also obvious that he had not rendered obedience to him. In John 14:15 Jesus is recorded saying, “if you love me,
keep my commandments.” In 15:14 He said, “you are my friends if you do whatever I command you.” In 1 John 2:3-5
John wrote, “we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth
not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of
God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” Notice carefully that to love Jesus and to know Jesus is to obey
Jesus. This is why the Hebrew writer wrote, “and though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things he
suffered, and being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him” (5:8, 9). One
obeys Jesus by doing all that has been commanded, not picking and choosing what is suitable for one’s likes and
dislikes. Based upon these passages of Scripture it can only be concluded that in order for one to have a
relationship with Jesus he must render obedience to Jesus, which can only be done by knowing what Jesus has
commanded, which must involve a study of His word.
Do you have Jesus? Do you know you do? Do you this because you have done what He has commanded or do
you know you do because of some feeling you have in your heart? Jesus said we can know the truth in John 8:32,
not feel the truth. In Acts 2:37 when those who heard the word asked what was needed to be done, they were not
told that they would have some sort of feeling, but rather they were told to repent and be baptized for the remission
of their sins (v.38). If you want Jesus, you must obey Him.