Scripture: Radicalism
Scripture: Radicalism
Much of Christianity today is very non-radical. Many often profess that they are Christians but their lives are no different than anyone else’s. This is a list of verses which express a need for a radical nature in following the teachings of Jesus which should be quite noticeably different from the ordinary life of non-adherents. This radicalism should extend to radical love and giving of self for the sake of others—not radical stupidity or hate. I certainly no longer agree that we should be so radical as to call this life meaningless and to denounce all worldly pleasures. We simply should not put worldly things above love. In other words, do not sell yourself out.
Matthew 5:39
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Jesus preached that we ought to be radically pacifist. Even when slapped on our cheek we should not retaliate. And if we are to treat enemies this way, how much better ought we treat our friends and family? And yet, Christians quite often tend to be very pro-war in the US.
Matthew 6:19:20
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
We ought not focus on worldly toys and gadgets and whatnot which will be destroyed. All that will remain is love and so we should focus on that.
Matthew 7:13
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
If only a few will find it, then it certainly pays to be radically different from the average person. The average person in America today is a ‘Bible-believing Christian’ and thus we ought to be radically different from them.
Matthew 12:43-44
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Jesus did not rebuke her foolishness for giving all she had to live on. Instead, such radical giving to self-detriment was praised
Matthew 13:21-23
But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
This makes reference to being persecuted for the sake of the message and how only the good soil can handle it. It is supposed to be guaranteed that persecutions come due to the message and thus we must remain radical in our resolve toward our faith.
Matthew 13:44-46
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
This expresses the need to give up everything one has or at the very least all of one’s goals and ambitions in life as a metaphor. Such sacrifice is very radical.
Luke 9:62
Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
Jesus said this in response to a man wishing to bury his dead father before following him. It is a rather radical sentiment that seeking the kingdom of God should be so high on the priority list that one ought to forego burying his or her dead father.
Luke 14:26-27
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
This is easy enough to understand as hyperbole, but it does set a precedent that the kingdom of God comes before even family. Other verses indicate that true family is within the Kingdom and has nothing to do with blood. This is a rather radical sentiment and could easily lead to someone walking out on his or her family which could be quite a bad thing—the opposite of righteousness.
Luke 14:33-35
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
Again, we must give up everything to be a disciple of Jesus. It is not merely free.
Romans 6
We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? … For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires... and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master ... you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness... so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is [boundless] life.
This whole chapter emphasizes how focusing on ourselves leads to a destructive life while enslaving ourselves to doing good toward others leads to a bountiful life. This concept of enslaving ourselves to doing good is quite the radical Christianity.
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
A living sacrifice is what we are asked to be. It is our true and proper worship. We are not supposed to focus on ourselves which is the obvious pattern of the world, but we are supposed to have a worldview from an entirely different perspective which is how we might help others. Only in having such a focus can we understand God’s desires.
Romans 12:9-11
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Never lacking zeal in our fervor to love others is a radical way of life.
1 Corinthians 7:29
What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not;
This indicates that service to God is far more important than even spousal relationship. This is clearly quite radical and not very kind to spouses. It is also worth noting that the time certainly surpassed many full lifespans. Paul was simply wrong—the time was not so short as to make it worthy to ignore our spouses.
1 Corinthians 10:24
No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
Living for others rather than self is a very radical concept. Giving up one’s own hopes and dreams for the sake of others is borderline crazy. That is what the message offered though, is it not? Craziness? It goes against worldly wisdom by saying that living for others will have you find your own life.
2 Corinthians 5:15
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
This indicates that our lives should no longer be lived for our own selves but in complete service to God.
Galatians 5:11
Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
This verse indicates that the proper message of death to self over the message of religious sacraments will indeed yield persecution from religious people. It is a rather radical message to die to self and live for others not only at the expense to ourselves but at the cost of persecution to boot.
Philippians 2:1-5
Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
This yet again uplifts living for the sake of others and considering ourselves mere servants just like Jesus demonstrated. We are supposed to be focused entirely on love and being like-minded in this manner.
Philippians 3:8-19
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ... I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ... Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize... All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things... Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Paul is emphasizing how he sees material things of this world to be worthless in comparison to becoming more like Jesus by putting off selfish ways and embracing servitude to kindness and love. He explains that many people have their minds set on earthly things, consumerism, and that this is dreadfully sad. He asks that we all be like him in focusing on love and not consumerism.
Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Earthly things would be like houses, money, jobs, and so on. We are instead to focus on heavenly things such as love and helping those in need