Daily Word of Grace # 180 (November 23, 2020)
In his 1952 book Mere Christianity C. S. Lewis famously argues that when it comes to one’s perspective on Jesus being the Son of God there are three options: Liar, Lunatic, or Lord. In other words, Jesus claimed to be the Son of God but knew he was not, which makes him a liar; or Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and—believed he was—but in reality was not, which makes him a lunatic; or Jesus claimed to be the Son of God because he is, which makes him Lord. Lewis then writes, “You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” Such apologetic arguments are powerful, and yet for some people still fall short of being convincing. This was the case with the disciple Thomas who even after being an eyewitness of Jesus’ earthly ministry still doubted his resurrection. But when the Risen Jesus appeared to his disciples again, and showed Thomas the scars that proved God’s love for him—a love stronger than his doubt—Thomas responded just as C. S. Lewis wrote in the above passage, and said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:24-28). Ultimately it is the love of God that demonstrates Jesus’ identity as Lord.
Love and Prayers,
Dave