Not Faking It

To be transformed the way God desires to transform us, I think we need to look at Jesus as God in a man’s body—100% God and 100% man.

Some who saw Jesus recognized that they were seeing God. They knew He wasn’t “faking it.” They knew this Jesus was real, authentic, full of truth in every set of circumstances, and His passion for truth and grace would take Him to the cross.

The Scriptures often show Jesus confronting religious leaders, Roman leaders, demon-possessed people, and natural storms—all with a radical commitment to the truth of the cosmos and the Father’s glory. He did this knowing some would respond negatively. The suffering and rejection from speaking truth never caused Him to “fake it.”

He told the religious establishment that He is the I Am of the Old Testament and that those who had seen Him had seen God.

"'I and the Father are one.'" -John 10:30

He didn’t “fake it” when confronted with Pontius Pilate. He said strongly, "'You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above (John 19:11).'" He could have said, “Enough!” after the first beating, but He knew He must die so we could be forgiven and granted eternal life.

Jesus never “faked it,” even when the people cursed Him, spit on Him, and laughed at Him hanging on the cross. Even when they mocked him and shouted at him.

"'You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!'" -Matthew 27:40

But He didn’t come down. He stayed there and took the full blow of the Father’s wrath against my sin and your sin. He stayed even though He knew there would be times that we would “fake it”—valuing the opinion of others over our identity in Christ.

Jesus never “faked it.” He walked in the openness of His devotion to God the Father. And this same Jesus is the One who lives in you and me today.

Our fight, brothers and sisters, is that we be real in Christ. Only then can the real Jesus live through you and me today—in every circumstance—to the glory of the Father.

We must fight by faith to keep our eyes on the faithful one. To look to His love, humility, and agenda is to fulfill our destiny and find lasting achievement for the glory of the Father.

"'This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.'" -John 15:8

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