The Other Side of The Real Jesus

In the modern civilized world, the church has more or less focused on Jesus' softer side.  Through the years the church has managed to try and avoid even in some cases hide a certain side of Jesus that they felt turned people away from him.  Any kind of action, attitude, and character of Jesus that people find 'negative' or 'offensive' is watered down or dodged to appease the feelings of man.  Now the only side of Jesus people know is something happy and nice but when they hear about the other side of Jesus, they reject it.  In the end, they don't truly know Jesus because they deny his "other side".  So what is that 'other side' that the church is to cowardly to teach and discuss?  It is the side that causes conflict and confronts evil.  Jesus is not politically correct.

Lets allow Jesus' words and actions to speak for us;

Confrontational

"Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! ⁵² From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

⁵³ They will be divided, father against son,
son against father,
mother against daughter,
daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law,
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”^{[a]" -} Luke 12:51-53

He even confronts religious leaders and their teachings and actions openly and publicly and not in a watered down nice way (Luke 14:1-6).  The truth about who Jesus is and what he came to do and declare will divide! it will cause conflict.

Blunt

He is even going to be straight up and straight forward tell hypocrites and fake Christians off (Matt 7:22-23).   He even tells people the sad truth of their future (Matt 11:21-22).  Jesus forcefully rebukes Peter (Matt 16:23) and later rebukes the other disciples (Luke 9:54-55).

Calling Out Publically

Jesus would correct and point out high profile people of their problems in public.  He calls them out for everyone to hear (Matt 15:3-9; 22:29). 

Openly Disobedient and Offensive

Jesus publicly disobeyed the cultural norms and traditions.  This was highly offensive and disrespectful to them.  But he did this to be a perfect servant of God and not of men (John 4:16-18).  Because he sought to serve God and remain obedient to what God finds pleasing; this caused the religious leaders to get offended.  They felt so disrespected and offended by Jesus that they sought to kill him and did in fact have him killed (John 8:58-59).  Jesus knew his teachings and actions were offensive.  He even confronted the apostles about this (John 6:60-66). 

Culturally Disrespectful

In one of the most public displays of disrespect, Jesus confronts the religious leaders in public and says some very disrespectful things to them.  He calls them hypocrites for one.  These people were so prideful and seen as the standard of a righteous man; Jesus destroys their self made image in that culture. 

Not only were they called hypocrites in public but then Jesus proceeds to call them what essentially is a curse word of that culture.  Check out all these things he says to them in public (Matt 23:1-36):

1. don’t do what they do
2. they don’t practice what they teach
3. woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
4. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
5. you will receive a harsher punishment
6. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
7. you make him twice a child of hell as you are!
8. Woe to you, blind guides
9. Blind fools!
10. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
11. Blind guides!
12. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
13. Blind Pharisee!
14. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
15. inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity
16. inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness
17. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
18. Snakes! Brood of vipers!
19. the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you

The phrase "Snakes! Brood of vipers!" and "child of hell" is a curse word.  An extremely offensive name to call someone, especially the highly respected religious leaders of that culture, in public.

Openly Warning

To his followers; he would openly warn them of other people.  Some people in this world would say to not talk about people 'behind their back' but here we see Jesus talking to his disciples about the Pharisees (Matt 16:6,12). 

Takes Action

Let us not forget about the time Jesus walks into the holy temple and proceeds to flip tables and assault people with a whip because of their disrespect of God (Matthew 21:1-18).  This would send people to jail in our modern time.

The Intolerance of Sin

The greatest characteristic of Jesus is his INTOLERANCE of sin.  Besides all the proofs above we see that even though his mercy and forgiveness there is still an intolerant view of sin.  Jesus shows mercy and forgiveness to the adulterous woman but ALSO says "SIN NO MORE" (John 8:3-11).  The final and most obvious proof of Jesus' intolerance of sin is the fact HE DIED FOR IT.  Instead of tolerating sin, He removes it.  He pays for it.  He does something about the sin in us. 

In Conclusion:

Jesus is confrontational and blunt.  He is straight forward and is disrespectful to those who hate God.  He calls out the hypocrites in public and talks about them to his disciples in private.  He speaks up and takes action as needed to be a servant of God despite the cultural norms.  He is offensive and negative and was killed because of it.  He was killed because of God's intolerance of sin.  But these qualities do not negate his love; they lead people to love in him by showing them who they really are; sinners.  And all is done and said for God's glory; even if the world doesn't understand.  Ironically, He did what he did and said what he said because of Love for God and those who are called to faith.

Also see How "Love is Love" is Unloving. and The Joy of TRUTH