An interesting article from Stephen Altrogge. Let me know what you think.
So you want to be a radical Christian, huh? You want to be a sold out, hardcore, all on the line, hold nothing back Christian. You don’t want to waste your life. You want to have crazy love for God. Awesome. So do I. I want to be a radical disciple for Jesus.
But what exactly does that mean? How exactly do I be a radical Christian? I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately. This matters a lot to me. In Revelation Jesus says that he spits out lukewarm people, and I certainly don’t want to be a lukewarm Christian. I want to be a red hot Christian who is on fire for Jesus.
Related Articles
5 users responded in this post
It’s probably important to note that radical does not mean any act in particular, eh. Just Lit. What does radical mean in English? Fundamental. Nice. What about Luke 8, when a cleansed man begged to be able to go with Jesus and Jesus said stay and testify to God’s greatness. I’m learning gentle stay, instead of bold go right now. Season. Oh, and trust and patience. Ha, massive! So this does resound for me. Except (BIG exception) for the word -boring-. I don’t like it when people use that word. Pet peeve they call it. I just want to sit down and say, ‘Why?’ Let’s be still. Let’s move. What does that word mean? Oh, weary. None of what he spoke (mostly, being for one another) sounds like that word. Let’s not become weary, eh
Okay, thoughts rambling… good day!
Here’s an interesting take on being lukewarm re: Revelation. The Ladoceans had two sources of water, one was cold drinking water and the other was nearby hot springs where they went for healing. The lukewarm refers to dirty waste water. Hence, being hot can simply mean soothing to others in pain, and cold is actually good as it represents the cold water given in love. I forget where I heard this – perhaps the ESV study bible notes?
@ Mikayla – I think the author was just wanting to be provocative by his word choice – playing of the naturally conjured images of the word, “radical.’
@ Brian – you probably heard it in a sermon I did way back when we were youth leaders
I’m not thrilled with the word “boring”, but I think the writer is saying something important. To have to prove that your are sold out to Christ by being or doing something radical is not the Biblical way of witnessing.
Obviously, no one would ever accuse Paul or Peter of not being sold out for Christ. Most likely in their day they were considered “radicals” by those who opposed them. It is interesting, however, that Paul urges I Timothy (2:1-2) to pray for all people, and including “kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a peaceful and quite life, godly and dignified in every way.” Peter told believers to be ready to make a defense of their faith, “yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15).
Living life in the power of the Holy Spirit–even in the Church–will cause believers to be “radical” enough without having to strive to be or describe Christian life as being radical. Those that are offended by the gospel will tag the followers of Jesus as being “radical” soon enough.
The most radical thing to do is to not react to a negative event but to respond in the character and nature if jesus. If I hold back my rash thought and offer grace in return, I have lived as much of a radical life style as Jesus. I told this to a friend who just came back from combat in Iraq. He said combat was easier. I wish I did this more.