Greetings:

Diluting the purpose of Jesus to "Jesus was a really good example that came to tell us we should be as really good as we can be." strips Jesus of His true purpose.

The Christian idea is that humans, having fallen from grace, into the condemnation of the law, cant be "good enough", because the only thing good enough for God (who is Holy) is Perfection.

Hence the need for Jesus.

Even Enoch and Elijah, who were so "good" they didnt need to die, still needed the sanctification of Jesus to make them Perfectly Pure.

Anyone who fails at any one point is doomed by sin.

James 2:10-11
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,”also said, “Do not murder.”Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

The same way being in space with even a tiny hole in your suit will kill you. It dosent matter how many or how large, you will die just the same.

Jesus telling us how to get to heaven by following rules would be like an astrophysicist telling a child how to get to Alpha Centauri.

Jesus didn't show us the way, or tell us the way to do something ... He DID it for us. He IS the way.

Love IS the answer, the door and the key.
It makes sense that the greatest perfect act of love eternity will ever see is the pure and guiltless, selfless, willing sacrifice of Jesus (God) on the cross to pay a debt we could never pay for.
It makes sense that it would take a God to do something Godlike.

As I said, no matter what I say from here on how, it all will come down to nothing makes more sense than the only way to God is through God.

The only way to be one with fire is to be fire. All else is consumed. The only way to be one with Holiness is to be Holy. Jesus is the only way to Holiness. Not Buddha, not Confucius, not a really nice caring grandma, and not just some really good guy.

Jesus. Because that's what the Bible says.

You see, this is why I started this conversation with a question on Absolute Truth. I believe that God gave us the Bible as His Absolute Truth. I also believe God is competent enough that I can trust that He didn't allow His most important message to us to be warped by Satanic Intrusions, or Human Faults.

It is an absolute to me. Rather I feel like it or not, understand it or not, agree with it or not, prefer it or not.

If Absolute Truth is not something concrete. If its something we can all find by ourselves, in ourselves, of ourselves, everyone will go out into the wilderness and come back with what "truth" they best feel they found.

For as long as we converse, I am bound within the rules of the Bible. It is my Absolute Truth.
Without something, without rules, to confine people, they can flit and move throughout their logic to whatever feels right to them.

Look at the evidence even in the truth you have found. How many concepts of this truth are founded in doing the reverse of how you feel?
Forgiving when angry, giving when greedy, chaste when lustful?

How could it make sense that every impulse and perception humanity has is wrong and can not be trusted because it is polluted, EXCEPT the impulse to find truth, and the perception needed to accurately identify it?

Brother, in sincerity and Love I tell you: You believe there IS an absolute truth, yes I know.
However YOUR "truth" is relative to you.

Nothing can be partly perfect. "Partly Perfect" is an oxymoron. Humans are not perfect, there is nothing perfect in them, and you found your truth by looking inside yourself right?

A man who looks into a box will not find anything outside that box.

BLXLI

W.J.:

In a hollow world such as we find ourselves, I have nothing but respect for your genuine sincerity.

Indeed, all His best blessings to you.

BLX