THE QUINTESSENCE OF THE RELIGION OF JESUS

1. What does the word “quintessence” mean? It means a reduced summary of the most important things of a large body of teachings about anything.

“An extract from anything, containing its virtues or most essential part in a small quantity.” Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.

What does the word “religion” mean? It means to rebind. “L. religio, from religo, to bind anew; re and ligo, to bind.” Ibid.

We are also given a further description of what the word “religion” means.

“Religion, in its most comprehensive sense includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man’s accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion.” Ibid.

4. So what we are looking at in this study, is a reduced extract in an organized form of the most essential backbone of the huge body of the teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the Bible. John 3:16; Mark 12:28-34.

Since the word “religion” means to “bind” and implies rebinding man to God, this would mean that man is separated from God, and we know that sin causes that separation. Isaiah 59:1-4; Ephesians 4:17,18.

6. How then can we judge what is the essence of Jesus’ teaching? The essence of Jesus’ religion can be discerned by observing what is required for man to be “saved” or rebinded to God as expressed in the words of Jesus. John 3:16,17 (Mark 16:15,16; Matthew 28:18-20).

The Quintessence of Jesus’ Religion

THEISM

i. Jesus shows that God is Spirit, and also the need to believe that He is God to be saved. John 4:24; John 8:24,58.

THE LOSTNESS OF MAN

ii. Jesus shows the lost condition of man, and it begins from man’s heart (or mind). John 7:7; Mark 7:20-23.

SALVIFIC PROVISIONS

iii. Jesus shows the need for His provisionary death and gift of Life if man is to have provisions for salvation. John 12:32,33; Matthew 20:28; John 10:10,11.

ACCEPTABLE HUMAN RESPONSE

vi. Jesus shows the only acceptable human response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit in preaching the Gospel, in which God can bless man. Man must repent and believe. Mark 1:14,15; John 3:18; John 6:40,47.

TRANSFORMATION

v. Jesus’ teaching also takes in divine transformation of the penitent. Call it Justification, the new birth or conversion, they are just different ways of saying the same thing, and that is, that God transforms the penitent. Luke 18:10-14; Matthew 18:3; John 5:24; John 3:3,5-8.

HOLY LIVING

vi. Jesus showed the need for sanctification or holy living in obedience to God’s Law to be saved. John 13:34,35; John 14:23; John 15:5,6,10,12.

RATIFICATION JUDGEMENT

vii. Jesus also showed that a Judgment is going to ratify or determine man’s salvation based upon Faith-inspired works. Matthew 12:36,37; Matthew 25:34 -40.

Other essentials in Jesus’ teachings

7. There are also other essentials that can be seen in all Jesus’ teachings that determines the nature or form of His religion. Here are they.

MUTUAL IN-NESS

i. Over and over again, Jesus showed that mutual in-ness was an essential foundation to His religion and its structure if it is to be workable or salvific. One must mentally abide in Christ that Christ might abide in him. John 6:56; John 10:38; John 14:20; John 15:4,5,7.

SALVIFIC PRAGMATISM

ii. Jesus showed over and over that doing was absolutely necessary for salvation. Matthew 7:21; Matthew 25:34 - 40.

LAW-KEEPING

iii. In Jesus’ religion, Law-keeping is absolutely necessary to salvation. He showed that the Law must be kept. Matthew 5:17-19; Luke 18:18-20.

EXCLUSIVISM

iv. Jesus also showed in different ways that His religion which is about Himself was the only true way in an exclusive sense, to salvation. John 14:6; John 1:18; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 12:30.

Seventh-day Adventism

8. The essential concepts that produced the name Seventh-day Adventist which now represents a Faith, were all taught by Jesus Christ.

i. Jesus taught the necessity of Sabbath-keeping (the Sabbath is the seventh-day). Mark 2:27,28.

ii. Jesus also taught that He would return to the earth again which is His second advent, hence the name Adventist (one who is looking for the second advent or coming of Christ). Mathew 24:42-44,48-51. John 14:1-3.

Conclusion

9. A Christian is a true follower of the religion of Jesus Christ, thus those who follow and teach the same teachings or doctrines of Christ outlined above, the same are the true followers of Christ today. (Acts 11:26; 2 John 9).