The Jesus I Do Not Know

I do not recognize this Jesus. The one birthed from the free love of my parents generation and the political correctness of mine own. I do not know this one who is triumphed as about as being loving, soft and merciful, but only when the discussions of right and wrong begin to brush the edges of conviction in our lives. This is not the Jesus I know.

Jesus, my friend. The one who would never say anything to hurt my feelings, because He loves me. And love? Love means telling people what they want to hear. He is so cautious, you see, to side step delicately around the rolling, changing tides of human opinion. Because He loves me. That means He would never make me uncomfortable about my choices. There is no judgement in love - that's in the Bible, I think. Can't be too sure, I don't hear much of that book in church, so my only reference for this man's character is my own opinion. For surely He is a man, being so easily malleable, but with God like powers when the situation calls for a miracle. Jesus likes what I like. He is all things to all people. That's in the Bible too. He is kind, it's God who is angry all the time. Or He used to be, but that part of the Bible is obsolete. I don't know why He is angry, I just know Jesus died. So I wouldn't go to Hell. Which is bad because...there is fire. Heaven is not much better, there just isn't pain. I am not sure who actually goes to Hell. The haters...
maybe.

"I need Christ, not something that resembles Him." - C.S. Lewis

I need every bit of Jesus. I need all of His attributes. He is my fierce Protector. He is unchanging. He is Holy, Holy, Holy. He abhors all sin. He spent time with the down and outs of society. The "sinners." The tax collector, the prostitute, the doubter, and the control freak. In response to those I hear use this about Jesus as an argument to justify continually spending time with those who love doing evil, I would say this. Jesus didn't just "hang out" with them. He saved them. The gospel was continually on His lips, and His heart was perpetually pure. He wasn't only a friend, He was a Saviour. He loved them at their darkest, but it was that darkness (and mine) which nailed Him to a rugged cross. It was our sin which held Him there, so that we may not remain in sin.
I do not pretend to have an extensive knowledge of an infinite Saviour. I do know, however, whom He declares Himself to be. I know that at His coming, when the clouds roll back, a weak, hippie, all-love-no-judgement-Jesus, will not be the One descending through the sky. When He rides in on His white stallion, with a sword extending from His mouth, fire in His eyes, and black tattoo up His thigh declaring, "King of Kings, Lord of Lords", the sinners redeemed will recognize Him...
But many will not.