Contrary to what many may think, Jesus Christ demanded radical obedience to his commands. In this post I will further illustrate this. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why Christ said emphatically that obedience to his true gospel would bring with it persecutions.
"17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." Mk. 10:17-22
Christ demanded that the rich young ruler sell everything and go and become homeless to be his follower! In other words, Christ demanded that the rich young ruler forsake the world and make the kingdom of heaven the #1 priority in his life...above everything else! The rich young ruler was not able to handle this command, and went away grieved (and, presumably, never became a disciple of Jesus Christ).
Further radical obedience:
"33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." Lu. 14:33
In this verse Christ says that one must make God the #1 priority...all else is as nothing. Other verses:
"25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Lu. 14:25-26
The same statement as above is made - the search for God must be the #1 priority. This calls for radical obedience.
"33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Mt. 6:33
Notice the kingdom of God must be sought first, that is first above all other things in life.
Modern christianity has fallen away from such radical obedience. The notion of completely dedicating oneself to God, commanded in the NT (and the priests in the OT, of which we are supposed to be now in the NT - see Rev. 1:6) has fallen out of style in modern Christendom.
But think about it. Christ's Apostles (on whom our heritage is built) totally dedicated themselves to God, did they not? Didn't they leave everything behind to follow Christ around for 3.5 yrs in the desert? And what did they receive during that 3.5 years? Nothing...not even the Holy Spirit, until the very end:
"28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee." Mk. 10:28
"21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him." Mt. 4:21-22
This is the true heritage of Christianity. James/John immediately left everything behind, INCLUDING THEIR FATHER, and followed Jesus Christ. Evidently, then, this is something which one must make a #1 priority in one's life.
So the real gospel calls for radical obedience. Sadly, in modern Christendom, this has fallen out of style. But it is the heritage of true Christianity. The Apostles left it all behind to follow Christ in the desert for 3.5 years. Only at the end did they receive the Holy Spirit. We, too, must follow their example.
"17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." Mk. 10:17-22
Christ demanded that the rich young ruler sell everything and go and become homeless to be his follower! In other words, Christ demanded that the rich young ruler forsake the world and make the kingdom of heaven the #1 priority in his life...above everything else! The rich young ruler was not able to handle this command, and went away grieved (and, presumably, never became a disciple of Jesus Christ).
Further radical obedience:
"33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." Lu. 14:33
In this verse Christ says that one must make God the #1 priority...all else is as nothing. Other verses:
"25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Lu. 14:25-26
The same statement as above is made - the search for God must be the #1 priority. This calls for radical obedience.
"33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Mt. 6:33
Notice the kingdom of God must be sought first, that is first above all other things in life.
Modern christianity has fallen away from such radical obedience. The notion of completely dedicating oneself to God, commanded in the NT (and the priests in the OT, of which we are supposed to be now in the NT - see Rev. 1:6) has fallen out of style in modern Christendom.
But think about it. Christ's Apostles (on whom our heritage is built) totally dedicated themselves to God, did they not? Didn't they leave everything behind to follow Christ around for 3.5 yrs in the desert? And what did they receive during that 3.5 years? Nothing...not even the Holy Spirit, until the very end:
"28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee." Mk. 10:28
"21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him." Mt. 4:21-22
This is the true heritage of Christianity. James/John immediately left everything behind, INCLUDING THEIR FATHER, and followed Jesus Christ. Evidently, then, this is something which one must make a #1 priority in one's life.
So the real gospel calls for radical obedience. Sadly, in modern Christendom, this has fallen out of style. But it is the heritage of true Christianity. The Apostles left it all behind to follow Christ in the desert for 3.5 years. Only at the end did they receive the Holy Spirit. We, too, must follow their example.
