Young children grow up with the idea that Jesus was a white man, and they are also taught that angels appear as beautiful women with wings. European artists began depicting angels with wings in the 4th century AD, and by the 12th and 13th centuries, the portrayal of angels became especially popular. One well-known story involves Saint Francis of Assisi, who was visited by an angel described as a seraphim with fiery wings. Between those wings appeared the form of a crucified figure. Without delving too deeply into history, we can note that the basic description of an angel, drawing from Greek mythology, is that of a spirit being—celestial and indescribable in earthly terms.
Spirituality is the opposite of what we can observe and measure physically. However, the Story of Abraham talks about him being visited by angels, who gave him a promise of a Son from Sarah. Those angels are not recorded as having possessed wings but they appeared like human beings. This grants us the logical conclusion that angels can appear as humans. This is just as Jesus, after the resurrection, appeared physically to the disciples but was able to go through closed doors. That phenomenon will also manifest to the resurrected saints.
The Bible makes it clear that angels are God’s divine messengers. When God wishes to communicate with humanity, He often does so through angels, who may take on a human appearance if necessary. For instance, Jesus used His angel to deliver messages to John, as stated in Revelation 22:16: “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (NKJV).
John’s writings in the Book of Revelation describe enigmatic divine manifestations that, despite his limited vocabulary, convey concepts beyond human comprehension. Angels are believed to have the round-the-clock duty of caring for God’s people. In our physical state, we are unable to communicate with spiritual beings, except through spiritual means. What John saw was visionary to his physical state, as expected to communicate with us, still physical.
“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:14-16 NKJV).
The issue with artistic depictions is that they can instil misconceptions in the minds of the young. For instance, if an angel were to appear to someone, that individual might reject the angel, based on the preconceived notion that angels should have wings. Yet, one of the most profound mysteries often rejected is the belief that God resides within Christians. It’s a matter of focus that brings about the difference. The more one is preoccupied with the material world, the further they are from God. Conversely, the more one focuses on the divine, the closer God is to them.
God is such that He cannot be confined within a person. Children of God should remain with God at all times. The statement, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 NKJV), suggests that God’s presence in a person’s life can vary based on that person’s attitude toward Him.
We are God’s children as long as we remain focused on the principle of Him being our Father. However, this focus can make physical survival seem less advantageous after accepting Christ. The Christian life requires a constant commitment to God without losing sight of Him. Yet, the world we live in is dangerous and unpredictable, making it easy for a person to lose focus while trying to survive physically. Many ordinary people struggle to understand that God can reside within an individual because they assume God is a physical figure.
This misunderstanding prevents them from accepting the idea that God can dwell in such a person. As a result, these Scriptural references are often overlooked. They may witness miraculous deeds performed by someone believed to be filled with God’s presence, yet they fail to draw reasonable conclusions about this phenomenon. Often, they dismiss these miraculous events because they focus on the person’s background, which contradicts their assumptions. This struggle mirrors what the Jewish people faced during Jesus’ time. For many, the most logical response was to crucify Him and label Him an impostor rather than accept Him as true.
Accepting Jesus’ words as truth requires a genuine belief in Him. This belief is more rooted in His teachings than in His personality. Those who focus on His personality often connect Him to artistic depictions, leading to the misconception that Jesus is associated more with one race than another. How can someone adhere to a belief that does not resonate with them? Ultimately, a belief that lacks a foundation of truth cannot endure. It is the solid foundation that keeps a structure upright. Jesus clearly emphasized this point:
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27 NKJV).
The passage does not imply that His personality was of any significance. Jesus was indistinguishable from the common people of His time, necessitating identification by Judas’ kiss. Unlike the world’s prominent figures, who stand out as extraordinary, Jesus was grounded, except for His remarkable teachings and the miraculous healings He performed. This grounded nature is partly why the Jews considered Him an impostor. People in this world are accustomed to the dominance of extraordinary individuals with unique talents.
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:20-25 NKJV).
Belief in Jesus is straightforward; it is based on the understanding that He died and was resurrected, thus fulfilling the prophecies documented. No other individual from any religion has a recorded testimony of resurrection from death. Those who believe in Jesus’ words are considered to be on a solid, unwavering foundation. The teachings of Jesus, who died and is proclaimed to be as alive now as in the past, are unparalleled, irrespective of one’s academic achievements. This indicates that true believers focus on understanding God’s mysteries rather than being fixated on the individual sharing Jesus’ teachings.
The certainty of a structure’s collapse due to a flawed foundation is undeniable. Often, it is a person’s mindset that blinds them to this truth. During the first century, disbelief was widespread among the people. Despite significant advances in education, scepticism persists. This stems from a lack of recognition that spiritual matters surpass physical ones. A materialistic individual focuses on tangible assessments, neglecting to understand that eternity transcends the transient.
The knowledge of Jesus was too advanced for the comprehension of those living in His era. They perceived the physical Jesus, born among the humblest and least educated, and concluded that nothing of value could come from Him, thus dismissing God. However, they failed to understand the Scripture that humans were made in God’s image. Recognizing this Scripture would have cautioned them against dismissing their fellow human beings. It would have reminded them that, being made in God’s image, anything is possible. The apostles encountered similar dismissals.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name” (Acts 4:13-17 NKJV).
Unfortunately, for those individuals; what they attempted to suppress nearly two thousand years ago remains intact. Their actions will ultimately be revealed at their resurrection, even though they may have died believing their actions undermined the apostles. The core issue with humanity lies in building on a flawed foundation. Extraordinary individuals have managed to adopt ideas that make sense based on their academic credentials. However, the teachings of Jesus endure above all else because they originate directly from God. The uniqueness of Jesus lies in His death and subsequent resurrection, establishing Him as the most authoritative source on Heaven and the afterlife.
Many concepts are often considered Biblical and attributed to scholars rather than Jesus himself. The doctrine of the Trinity is a common example, primarily supported by scholarly interpretation rather than Jesus’ direct teachings. A deeper examination reveals that this teaching has little substance. Proponents of such doctrines may seem fixated on their belief in honouring God, despite not truly knowing Him. When asked if they know God, they often respond “no,” asserting that knowing God is impossible. They might overlook the importance of John’s claim to have seen God, through one of his epistles.
“By this, you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:2-6 NKJV).
John’s statement, “We are of God,” does not resonate with them. It soon becomes evident that there is a disconnect; they would simply be not on the same wavelength. However, because of their impressive scholarly profiles, many people tend to believe them, regardless. The tendency is to idolize certain personalities, even though their substance would be lacking. The words of Jesus do not resonate with them either. The same was true during Jesus’ time, although his words have remained unchanged since then. Their focus on worldly matters makes it impossible for them to listen to anyone who does not align with their platform.
“He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
“But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive honour from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, those who receive honour from one another, and do not seek the honour that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust” (John 5:35-45 NKJV).
The bottom line is that Jesus serves as the foundation upon which everything aligns according to God’s design. However, this understanding is impossible for those who selectively accept only certain teachings of Jesus. Such individuals become trapped in their inability to comprehend everything, especially when they avoid exploring some teachings to their logical conclusions. Ironically, they often blame the Pharisees of Jesus’ time while behaving similarly. Unfortunately, there is little hope of helping these individuals. In time, they may come to understand that their beliefs lack a substantial basis. But, the more one tries to confront them, the more resistant they become.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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