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Jesus Is Both Good and Safe!

Jesus Is Both Good and Safe!

In his beloved Christian allegorical novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis wrote the following exchange as the children are preparing to encounter Aslan the lion for the first time:

Susan: “Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

Mrs. Beaver: “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

Lucy: “Then he isn’t safe?”

Mr. Beaver: “Safe? … Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you” (New York, NY: Harper, 1950, p. 80).

C.S. Lewis later confirmed that Aslan was indeed a character intended to represent Jesus. So it is right to ask the question, Is Jesus not only good but also safe? 

C.S. Lewis has written so many wonderful things and advanced the gospel to millions, if not billions. I have personally been blessed by his writings and have grown in my own journey with God from reading what he wrote. So I wonder if this idea from a fantasy series has been taken by many to mean something Lewis never intended? Could it be that we can determine what Lewis actually meant by the lion not being safe in what he wrote at the end of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:

But amid all these rejoicings Aslan himself quietly slipped away. And when the Kings and Queens noticed that he wasn’t there they said nothing about it. For Mr. Beaver had warned them, “He’ll be coming and going” he had said. “One day you’ll see him and another you won’t. He doesn’t like being tied down—and of course he has other countries to attend to. It’s quite all right. He’ll often drop in. Only you mustn’t press him. He’s wild you know. Not like a tame lion” (p. 182).

Could Lewis have simply meant that Jesus is the King of kings and, as sovereign, is not on our leash, that He is not ours to control, and that it is not “safe” for us to try to force Jesus to do what we want Him to do?

But is that the same as suggesting Jesus Himself is not safe, that Jesus is a source of danger and threat? I wonder if many read Lewis’ words—“He isn’t safe. But he is good”—and project in their own ideas, ones that the author never meant, ideas that come from the Dark Ages church, ideas that are based in the lie that God’s law functions like human law, imposed rules that require the rule-giver to use power to punish rule-breakers? And, therefore, while teaching that the lion is “good,” because he died to save humans, they also teach that the lion isn’t safe because the lion is required by law, by authority, by justice to use his power to inflict pain, suffering, and death upon the wicked?

This view of a punishing god comes from a human-law view of God and God’s law, a view inspired by Satan. God’s ways and laws are not like human ways and laws (Isaiah 55:8). God is the Creator of the universe. His laws are the design laws that reality itself is built upon. Breaking God’s laws are like breaking the laws of health, like tying a plastic bag over your head and breaking the law of respiration; the act of breaking the law causes the injury, inflicts the harm, and results in ruin and death.

Death does not come from God; death comes from sin, from breaking God’s design laws for life:

  • “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 NIV84).
  • “Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15 NIV84).
  • “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction” (Galatians 6:8 NIV84).

God is the source of life; He is not the source of death! It is “our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10 NIV84). Jesus became human “so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14, 15 NIV84).

Jesus “takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NIV84); Jesus takes away the cause of pain, the infection of sin, the source of suffering, and the basis of death. Sin is the cause of death, and Jesus is our remedy to the sin problem and restores us to eternal life (Romans 6:23). We have nothing to fear from Jesus; we have everything to fear from sin, from our distrust of Jesus’ and refusing Him as our remedy, from believing the lies of Satan that God and His Son are not safe.

If a person is dying of a terminal disease and there is the most compassionate and loving doctor who has a cure that works one hundred percent of the time for all who put themselves under the doctor’s care and follow the doctor’s instructions, would anyone say of the doctor, “He isn’t safe, but he is good”?

If a person with a terminal condition refused the doctor’s treatment, does the doctor become their enemy? If a patient doesn’t like the taste of the medicine so they cheat and throw away the doctor’s remedy and substitute their own “medicine” that tastes good to them—will the doctor harm them? What actually happens? Is the doctor suddenly unsafe? Couldn’t it be accurately said, “It is not safe to cheat?” But does that mean the doctor is not safe?

Does the doctor injure, harm, or kill the dying patient who refuses his treatment or cheats?

Yes, Jesus is not “tame.” He is not our pet. He is not ours to manipulate, to direct, to control, to exploit, to force to perform tricks to our liking, or to demand He give us the “treatment” we want; if we try to do so, we will discover that we are not actually dealing with Jesus but with our own perverse imaginings about Him and, perhaps, even a false Christ, the White Witch pretending to be our friend. It certainly isn’t safe to try to force Jesus to do what we want.

But this is quite different from the idea that Jesus is not safe. When you think of a lion, do you feel safe or frightened? If you feel frightened, is it because you think of the lions that we see in this world of sin?

But what of the lion that God made in Eden or the lion as Isaiah describes will be in the New Earth?

“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6 NIV84).

“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25 NIV84).

Are you frightened by these lions? Which is a more accurate depiction of Jesus: a safe lion like Adam enjoyed in Eden, or the lions damaged by sin that we see in this world, lions that are ravenous beasts that kill and destroy?

It is true—we will never tame Jesus; we will never make Him our pet to control and train to do tricks for us. But Jesus is both good and safe. In fact, it is only in Jesus that we find true safety—safety from the true source of pain, suffering, and death. Jesus is our only remedy and protector from our true enemy: sin and Satan.

So, I find that Jesus is both good and safe; I hope you do also.

 

 

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Your seminars are still inspiring and changing our lives and we continue to share the principles we have learned from you. Your ministry has changed our lives!

E.W.

 

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We were given a gift of the DVD set, “God and Your Brain,” and we just finished watching it. The truths in this are so powerful and truly an answer to a prayer. We’re seeing hope where once we thought God wasn’t answering our prayers to be free of certain mindsets. He answered with these DVDs and we are hungry for more. Thank you!

Daniel T., Easley, SC, USA

 

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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 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada

Testimony 36

Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

Joleen H. GA, USA

 

Testimony 39

[This ministry is the] biggest blessing I have ever received! Your DVDs and lessons could not have come at a better time in my life. I have experienced in the past year many difficulties that, if it wasn’t for this wonderful view of God that I have discovered through this ministry, I would not have been able to respond in love and forgiveness. My heart is being transformed everyday by the Calvary-looking God you teach. Hallelujah!! I have tears in my eyes as I write, because my life has taken a complete turn from where I was heading.

I am from Central America. Most of my family is scattered in different parts of the world and all have the same view of God that I had growing up; a distant, exacting, and ready-to-punish-us-with-tragedy type of God. So, I have been translating lessons for my family and, to my surprise, they have also been sharing them with others! I can already see the difference. My brother has often said, “Thank you for sharing, I have never heard it this way!” My other family members are taking an amazing turn from a message of “repent or burn” towards a loving God, pleading to us that we won’t reject him because he loves us eternally.

Bless you for all you do.

Sofia S., Ashfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 59

I’m a native Ghanan, but am currently in France for my master’s degree. Prior to this, during my final years at undergraduate studies in Ghana, I was introduced to your ministry and I’ve been immensely blessed by what you share, especially about the Design and Imposed Laws. God richly bless you for that.

One of the first things I did when I arrived in France was to buy all four of your books. They not only helped me, but those I shared them with. I shared the message with an atheist student and I marveled at how God worked mightily in his life. Today this person shares the Love of God with others and debunks theories of who God is not. I want to share what you present in your “Heavenly Sanctuary and Investigative Judgment” pamphlet, because the message brought rest to my soul and I live today as a healthy person.

God bless you so much and your ministry.

Michael A., Ghana

 

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 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

Then I found Come and Reason Ministries and have come under some extreme pressure when I speak about the ministry. One time a member sent me an internet article titled “Whats wrong with Tim Jennings?” I asked her what she thought of it and she said “I don’t know, I didn’t read it.”

I have always wanted to find out for myself the truth about God, so I stayed with the Design Law construct and have been liberated to understand the big picture. Once we consider Design Law, all other Bible stories and prophecies seem to fit perfectly. It is truly beautiful to see people grasping how God operates this Universe of Love and the liberation it has provided in their lives. It blows my mind to see how consistent Design law is with what our founders believed. I hear statements like “This makes so much sense.”

Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

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 48

I just want to tell you how blessed I have been reading “The Remedy!” It has become a daily part of my devotional relationship with God. In it I have found a God of love and a God that loves me! The bible has come alive for me! It is the first time that I can say that I have felt hope fill my heart as I have read God’s word. This is good news I can share! Thank you, Dr Jennings! Thank you for your heart for others. I can’t put into words how this has set me free! It has strengthened my trust and love for God.

Jason H.

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 33

I was invited over a friend’s house to see the “God and Your Brain” seminar today. I became [a christian] 36 years ago at the age of 19, but have struggled with the concept of God taking His ‘pound of flesh’ out on His Son to be appeased. Wow. Your seminar has been an incredible revelation and breath of reason and fresh air! I have your book, “The God Shaped Brain,” and it is SO eye opening. Finally, after 36 years enlightenment has come! Praise the Good Lord! What can I say, but that the Real Gospel is truly “Good News!” Thank you for your efforts in giving the Gospel a clear sound!

Paul C.,  Springfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 3

My husband is a pastor and I listen to your lesson almost every week. Thank you for helping me in my study life and to help me love the “real” God more.

C. F., NC, USA

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA