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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Radical, by David Platt

"To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus. The danger in our lives will always increase in proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ.

Maybe this is why we sit back and settle for a casual relationship with Christ and routine religion in the church. It is safe there and the world likes us there. The world likes us when we are pursuing everything they are pursuing, even if we do put a Christian label on it. As long as Christianity looks like the American dream, we will have few problems in this world.

But if we identify with Christ, we will lose much in this world. Jesus said this himself: "Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." These words should frighten us. They should frighten us because our Teacher was mocked, beaten, scourged, spit upon, and nailed to a cross. Do we really want to be like him?

See what Paul said to the church: "It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him." This is astonishing. Paul essentially said, "Christ has given you a gift of suffering. Come to Christ and get a great gift - suffering." This is not your typical evangelistic invitation. Bow your heads, close your eyes, pray to receive Christ, and you will receive suffering. It almost seems as though Paul was joking.

But it's not a joke.

It's Christianity." (pages 167-168)

7 comments:

Shonya said...

Sigh. Here this book is again! Am I supposed to read this, or what?!

How would you compare it to Crazy Love and One Million Arrows--have you read these books?

Carrie said...

I have Crazy Love on my shelf here. Haven't heard of One Million Arrows. ?

Stephanie Kay said...

Hmm. I was offered this book and passed it up because it was so popular. I tend NOT like jumping on bandwagons. Maybe I should read it after all.

Shonya said...

http://learninghowmuchidontknow.blogspot.com/search/label/one%20million%20arrows

Some of my disjointed thoughts as a result of reading One Million Arrows: Raising Your Children to Change the World by Julie Ferwerda

Krista said...

We're reading Crazy Love for Mom's Bible study this fall so I just started it... whoo, intense. And it sounds a bit like this although different. I think I need to read this one too, and make my hubby read it.

Janet said...

Challenging words -- hard to reconcile with "business as usual" in my comfortable life.

Lisa Spence said...

Ok, so I need to read it. Again.

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