Hi Fran! The main "teaching" Jesus left us is to have faith in Him and what He did at the cross. It is His righteousness we are given not our own. To say we must do this or not do that to keep or stay righteous or saved is to say Jesus finished work on the cross somehow is insufficient and needs our help. Think about it for a moment, could there be a more arrogant statement? Jesus took all the world's sin and did all the healing He will ever do on that cross. Do not lessen His sacrifice by seeking to add to it somehow by how we live, instead have faith that His work is sufficient and believe what God says about you instead of what you think, see or feel.
When'r you gonna cook that fish??
It's gonna go bad...
Here's what Jesus had to say:
"Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all the nations......."
"teaching them to observe all that I COMMANDED YOU....."
Mathew 28:19
It sounds like Jesus is telling the Apostles to go and make DISCIPLES.
So, what IS a disciple? Is it someone who just has faith in what Jesus did at the cross?
NO.
A disciple is a pupil,
a follower, and adherent of ANY TEACHER.
Jesus' early ministry began with these words:
"Come,
FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men..."
Mathew 4:19
So, apparently Jesus would very much like it if we were all a bit more arrogant and actually DID WHAT HE TAUGHT !
This would be a GOOD arrogance.
But what did Jesus teach?
When He was in the "desert" (outside the city) He told satan...
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the MOUTH OF GOD"
Mathew 4:4
Since Jesus IS God, it would be fitting that we HEAR every word that proceeded out of HIS MOUTH.
The most extensive teaching of Jesus on HOW we are to behave and WHAT we are to do is in
Mathew 5.
In verse 1, He goes up on a hill overlooking the Sea of Gallilee and SITS DOWN.
Whenever a Rabbi had something to teach and there were persons around, he sat down. This means that he had something important to say and the Others should PAY ATTENTION.
In verse 2, JESUS OPENS HIS MOUTH.
He proceeds with the Beatitudes. Chapters 5 to 7. If we did nothing else but work on 5:3-10, these works would be sufficient to show the world how Christians are DIFFERENT from everyone else.
Don't you believe Jesus would like us to be different from the secular world?
Then He goes on and on to TEACH so much, just read these 3 chapters.
And then there's so much more throught Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, the letters.
Let's not forget James:
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
Let's not put everything on Jesus. He did a lot for us. Now let's do a lot for HIM.
I doubt He would look upon this as arrogance since it's WHAT HE TAUGHT...
Jesus did not REQUEST when He opened His mouth...
HE'S GOD
GOD DEMANDS
HE ALWAYS DID AND HE ALWAYS WILL.
GOD DOES NOT REQUEST...