The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum The Passion

I am greatly confused by this statement. So, perhaps you can help me make some sense out of it, if you would be so kind to humor an old man?

Was it not Gibson's intent to put the Jesus of the Bible on screen? Does the title alone convey that this was his intent? Isn't the one who plays the part of Jesus Christ allegedly doing just that; portraying the Jesus of the Bible?

Now... given that these things are true, which no one would deny, I'm assuming, can it be said with confidence that what you saw portrayed by this actor in this film was exactly what the Bible teaches concerning all facets of the Lord Jesus Christ? Can it be said of this actor what John said of the biblical Christ:

Can you honestly confess that by watching this film and seeing this actor, who attempts to be a representation of Jesus Christ, that the following statement is also true of him?:

Does not the Second Command and the understanding of it which the Confessions of the Church have held for centuries teach that ALL images of any of the three Persons of the Godhead are forbidden, including that of the imagination? And this being true, how is it now acceptable that Gibson's and this actor's imaginative portrayal of the incarnate Son of God is not to be condemned? Where is the exemption given to them to fabricate a Jesus after their own liking and display it on film?

Have they? How do you know that some have been regenerated by the Spirit of God, convicted of their sins and sinfulness, repented of their sins and cast themselves upon the Christ of the Bible? Or have there been a number of people who have made some kind of profession as do thousands at Billy Graham crusades, etc., only to show no evidence of spiritual life hours, days or months later?

I think you are confusing God's preceptive will; i.e., that which is written in the Scriptures and to which we are responsible to do with God's decretal will, whereby He has determined who and when He will call His elect to salvation. This is generally known as "pragmatism"; if it works, then it must be okay. We are responsible to do that which is required of us according to what God has revealed in His written Word. We are not to deviate from it either in word or method. To do so is to obviate the work of the Holy Spirit and to ignore God's perfect will. Would we be so presumptuous as to think ourselves wiser than God? For God would have us call men to repentance and faith in the Lord Christ by the ordained means of the word preached. (Rom 10:12-17) God has not ordained that men be called by means of alleged pictures of Jesus, skits, puppet shows, or movies. But God calls men by the preaching of the Word,

Romans 1:16-17 (ASV) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: . . ."

No one can ever see "the righteousness of God" in that movie. It is impossible that it could be seen, for the actor can only hope to display a counterfeit Jesus; a Jesus without the Spirit of God, without "grace and truth", without perfection of thought, word and deed, and totally incapable of expressing the true agony of suffering the penalty of the sins of His sheep upon the cross. The Scriptures speak very little of the physical suffering of Christ which is the antithesis of what this film does. The Scriptures speak of Christ's spiritual suffering, His atoning for the sins of man, agonizing under the wrath of God for us. The film offers an impostor; "another Jesus". And would God have us have an image of a counterfeit Jesus emblazoned upon our minds rather than the Jesus of the Scriptures? You decide.

In His Grace,