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Salvation Is More than a Personal Relationship with Jesus

Salvation Is More than a Personal Relationship with Jesus

There is no doubt that all the saved will have a personal relationship with Jesus. They will know Him and be known by Him (John 17:3). And as happens in all healthy loving relationships, the saved will absolutely want to please Jesus—no question about it.

So, do not read the title of this blog to suggest that the saved do not or will not have a relationship with Jesus—they have the most incredible relationship with Jesus!

But what I am pointing out is that a person can have a relationship with Jesus, a personal, one-on-one, intimate experience with Jesus and still not be saved—because the relationship must cause something in the sinner that opens the door for that person to be saved by Jesus.

To ask it another way: Is salvation merely having a relationship with Jesus, or is salvation something that we experience from and through our personal relationship with Jesus?  

I am asking whether it is possible to have a personal relationship with Jesus and still not be saved because the core saving result that our personal relationship with Jesus is supposed to cause to happen in us didn’t happen.

Consider Lucifer in heaven—did he have a real, individual, personal relationship with Jesus? Did that relationship cause Lucifer to remain loyal? Did it cause Lucifer after his rebellion to repent and be saved?

What about Judas on Earth—did he have his own, individual, personal relationship with Jesus? Did the personal relationship Judas had with Jesus result in his salvation? Why not?

What did Lucifer and Judas lack despite their personal relationship with Jesus? They didn’t trust Jesus and didn’t love Him more than themselves!

What is the core element that is the actual factor of what it means to be saved? It is what Jesus described to Nicodemus—it is being reborn; it is receiving, through our relationship with Jesus, a new heart and right spirit; it is dying to fear and selfishness and living to love and trust; it is being recreated in the inner man; it is being recreated in righteousness by the Holy Spirit—all of which is achieved through our personal relationship with Jesus, through our trust in Him. For a personal relationship with Jesus to result in salvation, it must cause our sinful, distrusting heart to be changed to love and trust—in other words, we must come to actually trust Jesus and love Him and His methods, design law, and principles. We must choose to open the door to our hearts to Him and let Him in. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, but we experience salvation only when we open the door to our hearts and trust Him.

In heaven, Lucifer broke trust with God and never restored it. While Judas had a discipleship relationship with Jesus, he never truly trusted Jesus. Judas had a personal experience with Jesus, but never died to self and was never reborn to love God and others through genuine trust in Jesus.

Is there a danger in thinking salvation is in the relationship with Jesus rather than being transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit through our relationship with Jesus?

What if someone prefers the false Christ, the imposter, the imposer of law and the inflictor of punishments, believing that he is god, that the “enforcer-of-law Jesus” is the true Jesus—could they form a relationship with that Jesus, and in that relationship, could they trust that Jesus to pay their legal penalty, erase their sin crimes from the records, and to one day punish all their enemies for their unrepentant sin crimes and then go out in the name of that Jesus to do “justice,” to advance on others with law and punishment to put down rebellion and sin—just like Saul of Tarsus did before the Damascus Road?

And what will Jesus say to such worshipers when they claim they were doing all of this in His name? Jesus foretold:

Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22, 23 NIV84).

He will tell them to go away and that He never knew them—they actually didn’t have a trust relationship with Him but preferred the “Jesus” who is like Satan in character.

Yes—all the saved will have a personal, deep, loving, and intimate relationship with Jesus, and it is through that relationship that trust is restored and they receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, who transforms and heals them to be like Jesus. Salvation means healing; it means saving from sin; it means restoring God’s law in us and cleansing our hearts, minds, and characters from fear, selfishness, and distrust—and that requires we know God and Jesus Christ and die to self and actually come to trust Jesus and be reborn to love God and others more than self.

This is how the apostle Peter was saved. Through his relationship with Jesus, he experienced a transformation of heart that overcame his inherent fear and selfishness, which were obstacles to his salvation. At the Last Supper, Jesus said to Peter,

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:31, 32 KJV, emphasis mine).

Peter replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death” (v. 33 NIV84).

But we know the story. Peter denied Jesus with cursing, and as the cock crowed and Peter just denied his Lord,

The Lord turned round and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered that the Lord had said to him, “Before the cock crows tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me.” Peter went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:61, 62 GNT).

Peter’s relationship with Jesus brought into conflict his inherent fear and selfishness and his love and trust in Jesus. He had to choose, and in that moment, he chose fear and selfishness. He wept bitterly because he realized his heart was still infected with sin, but that is also when he was converted, when he finally surrendered his old life to Jesus and was reborn with a new heart and right spirit, when he experienced the transforming power to live a new life of love. Jesus confirms this on the beach after His resurrection:

Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15–17 NIV84).

Salvation is more than having a relationship with Jesus—it is becoming like Jesus through that relationship with Him!

 

 

 

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Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 13

I borrowed “Healing The Mind” DVDs from a friend and showed them at my home for a small gathering of women friends. Neither of my friends are Adventist, but they both enjoyed and embraced the messages you taught. In fact, one of the ladies prayed out loud in our group and that was the first time she had ever had public prayer.

J.B. ,Dalles, OR, USA

 

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

Testimony 72

I am blown away by the truth that you present. God’s Design Law makes so much sense! You have validated my impression that, if God is love, He would not kill those who don’t want to know him. If God gives us choice, then how can He destroy us if our choice is not to follow him. Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to the pure love of God seen through Jesus. The love I now have for Jesus is deeper and free from condemnation. My heart has been opened to love others as Jesus loves me. May God continue to bless your God-given insight into His word and your ministry. The truth has set me free!

H. Miller, Centereach, NY

Testimony 63

I’ve been very blessed by “The God Shaped Brain” and this ministry, through video and podcast, over the last few years. It’s truly opened up my eyes more to the truth about God and the importance of that truth in the present world. The message is so inviting, freeing and enlightening and MORE people need to know about it. I believe it is the last message that can truly, not only prepare a people for salvation and translation, but vindicate the character of God.

Michael V., Yonkers, NY, USA

 

Testimony 6

I got the book “Could It Be This Simple?” a few months ago and the reading was wonderful and I was fascinated. I lent the book to a friend at work. She is having a difficult time and the book is helping her to find Jesus and I found this very exciting. She has asked me questions and I can see her life changing.

H. S., Australia

 

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 24

I wanted to thank you very much for presenting your understanding of God. I’ve always been troubled by this question: Why did Jesus have to die? Since my conversion I understood that The Father & Jesus are one, I did not have issues with that. But was there not any other way to save us than for Jesus to die? I guess I actually had a question about God – if He is so wise, how come He did not find another way? I did not see the real ‘beauty’  in the cross. Only when you explained the picture in the medical context, Jesus providing medicine for my selfishness, have I started to finally ‘see the light’. Thank you so much. Your seminar, “Healing the Mind,” are absolutely marvelous & have shared them with my family and many other people, including colleagues at work. Thanks, thanks, thanks. May God bless you abundantly in your ministry.

M. W., Australia

 

Testimony 61

I grew up in a prominent protestant church and had what I like to call religious anxiety. I’ve always had questions about God and Salvation that no one could seem to answer.  I didn’t know how to find resolution. During 2020, at the height of my anxiety, I fell to my knees and begged God to show me truth and light and to give me the hope that I’ve been longing for. Days later, I stumbled upon your online videos and it was like a veil was lifted and EVERYTHING made sense! For the first time in my almost 39 years of life, my religious/spiritual anxiety has lessened. I feel a sense of freedom and peace I’ve NEVER had before… and it’s all because my view of God has changed. Thank you!

Ashleighn C.

 

Testimony 73

I have been truly blessed by your blogs and other resources. They have helped me to see things in a much brighter light and to reason things out better. Thank you so much for your ministry. Whenever I have the opportunity I pass along your material to my friends.

R. Noseworthy, Newfoundland, Canada

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 38

Since November 2015, when I started studying Gods word from this God Is Love point of view, my life has been transformed. My troubled marriage of 15 years has been healed and my husband and I are truly happy for the first time in 15 years. Now When I read the word of God I understand it so much better and I can’t help but see Gods love radiating through the pages to humanity. Gods word is living and active and I am blessed beyond measure to be having this amazing experience. God has given me a beautiful understanding of Jn 3:16 that amazes me more and more each day. Thank you again for your ministry.

Helen D., London, England

 

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA