Jesus He is or He is not

We live in a time when many people prefer not to take things to a universal conclusion.  People prefer to preach tolerance of all conclusions in the hope that tolerance will become the universal conclusion.  Their hope is we will all finally get along when all conclusions are equally valid. Even though tolerance has become one of the few cherished virtues left in western cultures, tolerance cannot save humanity from reality. Reality comes to conclusions and so must we. If there is a hope for all of humanity it will take finding the right conclusion about reality.  Tolerance should be a part of this human search, but tolerance cannot be the goal of this search. Reality must be taken seriously by all.   Reality has the final word. Jesus clearly said that He is the revelation of all the reality that saves humanity.  He said he was, is and always will be truth spoken in love for humanity. He claimed to be the final word. Jesus declared Himself to be the universal conclusion.  Jesus as the universal conclusion is what historic Christianity has always affirmed. Jesus as the universal reality is what Christians have tried to live. It is arriving at Jesus as our conclusion which has allowed Christians to be tolerant of others who still search for the conclusion.  Christians risk their lives in many cultures calling people to come to a universal conclusion about Jesus because some cultures allow no search for conclusions beyond what they affirm.  The most tolerant cultures on earth have developed out of Christian conclusions about Jesus. Jesus gave people time and space to come to Him as the conclusion.  He still does  through his disciples. The logical conclusion about Jesus is he either was or was not all he claimed to be. Christians believe Jesus is the loving conclusion concerning everything. Not everyone believes He is.  Some violently affirm He is not. Jesus never asked that people would tolerate Him. Reality is not to be simply tolerated.  Jesus clearly called people to come to a believing conclusion about Him.  By what He said and by what He did He continues to allow humanity to come to a conclusion about Him and then live Him as that conclusion. Where Christians live Jesus as the loving universal conclusion, tolerance will be present. Where tolerance is made the universal conclusion expect to see people become intolerant of those who insist that conclusions do matter. Jesus remains humanity’s best hope for a satisfying conclusion to reality and the best hope for tolerance among the searchers. Bud McCord Abide International