Jesus Outside of Us (#638)

Can we unwittingly incarcerate Jesus in our own hearts by thinking he is the author of our biases, preferences, and false conclusions that free us to follow our own ambitions instead of truly following him? That's the danger of only having Jesus inside of us, and not a Jesus outside of us who can confront our prejudices and invite us to real transformation that runs counter to our own ambitions. Ending the last podcast with how the "church" today is falling for foolishness, Wayne and Brad along with their guest, Dr. Bob Stamps of Richmond, VA, continue last week's conversation and our need for objective truth that invites us into an ever transforming relationship with him.

Podcast Notes:
Part 1 of this conversation with Bob Stamps: The Infinite God in Finite Minds
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Look up previous podcasts with Bob Stamps in our Guest Archive
The latest news from our project in Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

6 Comments

  1. I really like the story behind the book. Don’t wait too long to get that out. Sounds like an amazing read. I like stories that put two people with different lives together in a relationship. I think that is the gem of the Kingdom… people who span the spectrum of this diverse world and yet find themselves in relationship together trying to find a commonality.

    Thanks for the teaser

    Ruby Neumann
    Calmar Alberta Canada.

  2. hmmm…… Is not Jesus most powerful enough to change us from within? Scripture continually confirms that Jesus came to change us from within; He is NOT an outside Jesus. The Holy Spirit came within to declare us righteous to those who believe by faith and He came within to change us to be more like Him. The true power comes from within not on the outside. I disagree with your premise that we need to affirm an outside Jesus.

    • I think you missed the point. Of course he lives inside us and that’s where he transforms us. The point being made was that sometimes we grow comfortable with the Jesus inside us thinking he shares all our prejudices and judgements. We need a Jesus BIGGER than us to speak into our blind spots and invite us to the change only he can inspire from within. We were using that as a metaphor only not as a geographical location for Jesus’ presence.

  3. But I think when one is aware and a listener of the Spirit then one will correct those prejudices and judgements. When I change it is because I listen to the Spirit within me not on the outside of me. Power of Jesus Christ comes from within to show the rest of the world who Jesus is. Is there a scriptural basis to what you are claiming “that we can get to comfortable with Jesus inside of us”? I do not see any evidence of that in Scripture? In fact Paul states that the Spirit is always with us and is our Counselor and Teacher giving ALL that is necessary for us to grow and become like Him. I do not think that there is any danger of us becoming too comfortable and in fact there is the opposite problem of too many followers of Christ that do not realize that the Spirit is actually living in them.

  4. I don’t think this can be used as a metaphor without something that can be figuratively accurate to back up your claim of being too comfortable with Jesus inside. I don’t see the evidence of that in scripture where Jesus himself makes any indication that we can become too comfortable with Him living inside of us figuratively or literally.

    • Your literalism is getting in the way of someone sharing a very simple point. If you’ve never met someone who thinks they are following Jesus when it is only the delusion of their own mind, you’re indeed fortunate. The rest of us have.

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