In some circles it’s not popular to talk about Jesus as your personal Savior, or having a personal relationship with Jesus. Detractors claim that the words “personal Savior” or “personal relationship with Jesus” don’t occur in the Bible. True. However, Jesus is a person and he invites us into relationship with himself, that’s what the new covenant in his blood is all about(Lk. 22:20). So, what he’s offering is a personal relationship because it is a relationship between persons. I don’t have a problem using this language that’s been part of the evangelical world for a long time.
I do, however, understand that the objection to the idea of a “personal Savior” is the hyper-individualism that exists in the Church today, the “me and Jesus” mentality that excludes loving our neighbor as ourselves as long. As we have our ticket to heaven we’re good to go. This is a pervasive problem resulting from our primary identity as consumers rather than children of God.
It's certainly a legitimate objection, but dropping personal relationship language is not the answer. Instead, we need to add something to our language: Jesus as Personal King.
In Advent we talk about Jesus returning as the Messiah who will be King of the World, fulfilling the hope of Israel as outlined in Psalm 2. But that’s in the future and that’s Jesus’ world-wide reign. It needs to be more personal. Jesus not only wants to be my personal Savior, he also wants to be my personal King. He wants me to voluntarily submit to his loving leadership so I can serve the purposes of his already/not-yet Kingdom. The Kingdom that is already inaugurated in his life, death, and resurrection and will be completely fulfilled at his Second Coming.
Jesus desires a personal relationship so he can be Savior and Lord, Forgiver and Leader, Redeemer and King. He wants to guide my steps and empower me to join him in his mission to rescue my friends, neighbors, coworkers, family members, and the whole world. He’s my personal Savior and my personal King. He saved me and he is sanctifying me. He’s calling me to follow him in his lifestyle which is spelled out in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (ESV).
When Jesus is my King, then my life is no longer about me, it’s about him and his Kingdom purpose. My focus turns outward to see how I can serve others and help them experience the love of the one true God and see their lives changed for eternity. My relationship with Jesus is personal, but it’s not private because he is my leader and my leader is all about rescuing the whole world.
So, how about you? Is Jesus your Personal Savior AND Personal King. Or, are you still trying to be king?
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