I was reading from Matthew this morning, and I was struck by how insane--quite literally--Christ must have seemed to the people he was speaking to. In our culture, only more so. Even in our "Christian" culture, one who honestly tried to live out the words of our own Savior would be branded a fool by most.
Whoever says, 'you fool' is guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you.
Whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
And so on and so forth. I've heard the words since I was a child. But today I actually stopped and listened to them. Really listened. "Whoever says 'you fool' is guilty enough to go into the fiery hell"??? Calling my brother a fool is THAT serious? I mean, I know that every sin separates us from God and is enough to cast us into hell. But how often does the Bible name specific sins that are guilty enough for the fires of hell? And he chooses calling someone a fool? How often have I done that without even stopping to think about it. Someone I disagree with is a fool. Someone who makes a mistake I wouldn't have made is a fool. I shudder to think about how often I mocked George Bush's foolishness.
Or what about the verse about even looking at a woman with lust. Think about it. Think about what lust is. I attempt not to look at guys. Literally. Most people think I'm insane, but I keep it pretty quiet, so it isn't a big deal. But I know a man who feels guilty when he does look at a girl with any type of lust. When he looks at a part of girl's body he shouldn't, or when he looks at a girl to call her pretty. He's careful to obey, but of course, like any other, he isn't perfect. And people, quite literally, think he's crazy. They tell him he's extreme. Legalistic even. That he's "too obsessed" with obeying God. I have seen countless fellow Christians mock, tear down, and accuse a man for following the words of Christ. I'm guilty of it myself before I began to understand his wisdom and obedience.
This makes no sense to me. Why is it that in a Christian world we can tear down a man for his humble obedience? Attack him for his lack of wisdom and even tell him that he isn't as spiritually mature as we are...when he is simply attempting to follow a few of the extreme commands of Christ.
I think that our version of Christianity today has completely lost a sense of discipleship. What does it mean to truly follow Christ? He said that "if you love me you will keep my commandments." Sounds pretty straight forward, doesn't it? And yet I know very few people who honestly attempt to keep them.
It's like we have this incredibly watered down version of what it means to be a Christ-follower. Like we focus so entirely on His love and mercy that we completely forget that God is King of the universe, that He passionately hates sin, and that while He may be slow to wrath, His wrath is terrible.
And it's also like we pick and choose which sins matter. But the truth is: sin matters. Any sin. Period. Calling someone a fool lands you a life sentence in hell. And even though we HAVE been saved, sin still matters. Because it separates us from God. Because it keeps us from fully following and enjoying Him. And because if we really loved Him, we would obey His commandments."
I started this blog after reading a book called "Radical." I remember thinking at the time that while following David's challenge might change a lot in my life, it wasn't really radical. Not compared to the Bible. The truth is, that most of our lives could flip upside down in absolutely every aspect, and they still wouldn't seem radical in light of the Bible. What Christ called each of us to was radical...every single part of it. To be a Christian means to live a radical life with every breath that we breathe. There's no more room for comfort. Be radical, or don't bother pretending you're following Christ. Isn't that part of what He meant when He said that "he who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom"? I want to be like Francis Chan, who claimed that "I just want my life to look like it belonged in this book (the Bible)."
We may be children, but we are also servants. And more than anything in this world, I long to hear the words, "well done, good and faithful servant." I truly believe that that involves a life of radical obedience, one where even my brothers and sisters in Christ will mock my attempts to follow Him. And to my brother who, through his patient enduring of that mockery, has taught me so much about living in quiet obedience, if I could say one thing it would be this: "well done, good and faithful servant of the most High. Keep on fighting."
~Sarah~
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