REV. CREECH: CNN’s Don Lemon Said ‘Jesus Wasn’t Perfect.’ Really?

(Reverend Mark Creech is director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina.)

CNN’s Don Lemon may have been raised a Baptist and attended a Catholic School, but after the statement he made nearly two weeks ago, one can only wonder if he learned anything about the Christian religion at all.

During a recent episode of CNN Tonight, Lemon was talking to fellow CNN anchor Chris Cuomo. He was alleging that Americans need to understand that much of the history they’ve learned was propaganda. Therefore, they need to unlearn it. He contended that even “Jesus Christ – if that’s who you believe in, Jesus Christ – admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this earth.” Therefore, we shouldn’t hold the Constitution or the founders too highly because nothing human is perfect.

Lemon was undoubtedly right that humanity is riddled with imperfections, but a close examination of the life of Jesus reveals he was an exception to the rule. No other human being in human history is comparable to him.

I don’t know where the following points about the life of Christ originated, they are not entirely my own, but they are reliable and worthy of careful consideration.

Unlike others, Jesus never had to modify any statement that he ever made. Even the greatest of leaders have had to walk back something that they said, but Jesus never did. His speech was flawless.

Unlike others, Jesus never apologized. Have you ever known anyone like that? Everyone has to apologize at some point, even frequently. We consider it strength of character when someone apologizes. But Jesus never had to say, “I’m sorry,” to anyone. Oh, he was known for making people angry. Yet it was never because of something wrong in him. The anger exhibited was always because of something wrong with the persons around him.

Unlike others, Jesus never sought anyone’s advice. It’s hard even to imagine a person devoid of ignorance and without the need for enlightenment in life. Alexander the Great, Julius Ceasar, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jr. – all sought advice from others. But Jesus never did. He never asked anyone anything. Instead, he always gave evidence that he already knew.

Unlike others, Jesus never sought to justify his ambiguous behavior. Everyone at times makes certain choices or behaves in a manner that the people in his or her life find puzzling or troublesome. In such moments, usually, some explanation is required. But Jesus never showed the need for explaining himself to anyone. Instead, he just waited for the unfolding plan of God to reveal the wisdom and purity of his actions.

Unlike others, Jesus never asked anyone to ever pray for him. Jesus indeed beckoned his disciples to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane during his Passion. Nevertheless, he didn’t ask them to pray for him. Instead, Jesus called upon them to “Come and watch with me” and to pray for themselves, lest they fall into temptation during such a fiery trial.  Jesus allowed people to fall on their knees and worship him, but he never once requested that anyone pray for him.

Unlike other people, Jesus was never noted for his strong points because he never demonstrated any weak point. Whatever the circumstances, he showed a perfect balance in response. He was exceedingly scrupulous, but never a legalist. He was fervent, but never fanatical. He was firm, but never without compassion. He was bold, but never insensitive. Who in the annals of history can truthfully lay claim to such a balanced life? No one!

Many years ago, Dr. W. Herschel Ford, who wrote 39 books on Christian themes, said of Jesus Christ:

“You may pick out some very fine person whom you admire greatly, then you say, ‘He lives a most wonderful life.’ But when you come closer to this person, you find that he is not perfect – there are flaws in his character. But call Jesus near. Look at him from every standpoint. You can find no fault in him. Some time ago, I noticed that a preacher was to preach a sermon on the subject, ‘The Verdict of the Ages.’ What do you think was his text? He simply used Pilate’s words, ‘I find no fault in this just man.’ This is the verdict of all the ages. No one can find any fault in Jesus.”

Who throughout the centuries and among the masses of humanity never once had to change his speech, never once needed to apologize, never once needed advice, never once needed to explain himself, never once sought prayer for himself, and never once demonstrated a weak point in his life? No one, but Jesus.

This is why we may know, says W. Phillip Keller, that Jesus “is the very Person of God, who is from everlasting to everlasting, without beginning, and without termination. He is God, very God, all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful, who of his own will set his celestial splendors aside and took on himself for a few brief years our human form. His was a perfect life, lived out in an impeccable character, with a sinless personality. This life, he laid down deliberately in an act of enormous generosity to provide the perfect sacrifice of self-giving to propitiate for the awesome evil of all men everywhere. In a demonstration of his own perfection and divine power, he rose in utter triumph from the tomb. Death could not deter him. Decomposition could not defile him. Despair could not diminish his dynamic, eternal life. In utter majesty, he ascended again to his position of power and prominence in the infinite realm of the unseen-yet-everlasting spiritual world. He is very alive! This Jesus – the Christ – is in total truth King of Kings, Lord of all lords, His Most High Majesty. His position of supreme sovereignty in the universe is seldom discerned and little understood by mortal men, most of whom live either in ignorance of him or in open antagonism to his will and wishes.”

Moreover, it’s also worthy of mention that the founders of this country, generally speaking, believed in Jesus, and aspired to make a nation reflective of Christ’s unimpeachable character.

Lemon may assert that Jesus wasn’t perfect, but until he demonstrates credentials comparable to that of our Lord, I allege he hasn’t the first clue as to what he’s talking about.

(Reverend Mark Creech is director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina.)

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