Radical, Dude

So I've been reading a book called "Radical" by David Platt. I'm almost done with it. I would definitely suggest all Christians read that book. It's really eye-opening, mind-blowing, and convicting. I wanted to blog a little about what I've gathered from it so far.
First of all, he talks about the pursuit of "The American Dream". The "American Dream" is the idea of building ourselves up, becoming rich and comfortable, and loving ourselves. It's all about material prosperity. But the author brings out something that is amazing to me: The American dream and Jesus Christ contradict each other. Where as the American dream is all about selfishness-"me" and all I can do and have-Jesus lived a life of selflessness. He gave up all he had. He served. You cannot chase something that is rooted in selfishness and pride while also chasing God-which calls us to live a life of selflessness and humility.
Secondly, David Platt talks about how when we begin to twist Christianity into something we like. He talks about how we tend to take away traits of God we don't like and put in a bunch we do. For example, we might say "Oh, I don't really like that God is a wrathful judge who condemns my sins. I think I'll take that away and put some love and mercy into God where I want it." Yes, God is loving and merciful and full of grace, but he is also the wrathful judge who judges our sins. And when we begin to do that, we begin to paint a picture of Jesus that looks alot less like him and alot more like us. The danger of that is this: when we think we're worshipping Jesus Christ and the God of the Bible, we're really worshipping ourselves. We might not say that we do that, but I found even in myself, I subconsciously have painted a picture of Jesus that looks alot less like him and alot more like me.
Third, he asks the question "Why are we saved?" And the author says we are saved and created to "enjoy God's grace and spread his glory." As crazy and as hard to understand as it may seem, he says God didn't save us simply out of his love (although MUCH love was involved). He says God saved us so that we could spread his glory and his love to others, and then THEY can spread his glory and love, and everyone they spread the gospel to can spread it again, and it just becomes a huge chain reaction.
Fourthly, he talks about how Christ called us ALL to go into the WORLD and makes disciples of ALL nations (Matthew 28:19). He talks about how some people say "Oh, it's not 'God's will' for my life for me to go out to another country and spread the gospel," so we just send money for others to go out and do that-but not us. No. Not us. But according to the bible, Christ HAS called us ALL to do this! That doesn't mean everyone is called to go live in another country forever and permanently "be a missionary", but it DOES mean that we are called to spread the gospel to ALL nations! It's not hard to go on a mission trip or tell someone about Christ. This is what God has called us to do! This IS God's will for our lives.
The fifth thing he talks about is true, but terrified me. He talks about this: what if we DON'T follow Christ's command to spread the gospel? Do we really realize how selfish it is? And do we realize that because of our selfishness, many won't hear the gospel? And as a result of that, many will die unsaved, never hearing of Christ, and go to hell? Some people say, "Oh it's not fair of God to send people to hell if they haven't heard of Jesus!" But David Platt says "There is no injustice with God. The injustice lies in Christians who possess the gospel and refuse to give their lives to making it known among those who haven't heard. THAT is unfair."
Think of it this way: Imagine this-everyone around you is contracting a disease. Everyone around you is dying. And you hold in your hand a huge bag, full of syringes. Syringes full of the antidote to this disease. And you have enough syringes in your bag to save EVERYONE. Would you hide your bag, and not give the antidote to anyone but yourself? Would you sit and watch everyone die a slow, painful death, and you knew that you were going to live? NO! Of course not! Many would begin passing out syringes, rushing everywhere, all over the WORLD to save lives.
Can't we see? WE have the antidote. WE have the syringe. WE can save EVERYONE. SO WHY DON'T WE SHARE IT? Why do we hide it away, knowing we are safe, and watch everyone around us travel on the road to hell? WHY?
So many people have not heard the gospel. How can we say it is NOT God's will for them to hear? How can we sit back and say "Nah-God hasn't called me to do that. Not me"? WE HAVE THE KEY. David Platt explains it like this: "God sends his servants. His servants preach. People hear. Hearers believe. Believers call [on God]. Everyone who calls in saved...We are the plan of God, and there IS NO PLAN B." WE HAVE THE KEY to SAVE LIVES. Not just lives-ETERNITIES. WE HAVE THE ANTIDOTE. WHY DON'T WE SHARE IT?
After reading the book, I feel like I could passionately go on for hours about this. I now know this IS God's will for my life. There is so much deep stuff in that book that is mind blowing. It is eye opening. I really do suggest all Christians read that book. "Radical" by David Platt.

Idolatry Today

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who
suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have
seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his
invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse
for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was
like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise,
they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious,
ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people... (Romans 1:18-23, NLT)

So I read this last night, and I connected it to a book I've been reading called "Radical". In "Radical", the author says almost the same thing, but in different words. He says,:

...We are starting to redefine Christianity. We are giving into the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus WE are more comfortable with. A nice, middle class, American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake out closest relationships so that he receives all our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because, after all, he loves us just the way we are. A Jesus who want us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter, wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings us comfort and prosperity and we live out our Christian spin on the American Dream. But do you and I realize what we are doing at this point? We are molding Jesus into OUR image. He is beginning to look alot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with. And the danger now is that when we gather in out church building to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshipping Jesus. We may be worshipping OURSELVES. (David Platt, "Radical", pg. 13)

I connected those two statements. And felt a bit convicted. Both of them are talking about idolatry. In Romans, it says bluntly "They KNOW God, but wouldn't worship him AS God", and instead, they began to "think up foolish ideas of what God was like". And in Radical, he's talking about how we change the image of Jesus. I'll explain this more.

A few paragraphs before, David Platt was talking about all the things costs of following Jesus that Jesus himself said in Luke 9:57-62. One man said "I'll follow you Jesus!" And Jesus said "Foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the Son of man has no place to lay his head." In other words, shelter isn't garunteed. You might be left out in the cold or have no where to go because you follow Jesus. Yikes. Then another guy says "hey, Jesus-I'll follow you. But let me bury my dad who just passed away." And Jesus says, "Let the dead bury their own dead. You rjob is to preach the Kingdom of God." In other words, put me first, and don't even let the burial of your own father get in the way of your relationship with me. Whoa. Then another guy says "Jesus! I'll follow you-gimme a second, though. I'm gonna go say bye to my family." And Jesus says "Anyone who put his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom." In other words, forget your family and closest relationships. FOLLOW ME. I'm all you need. Dang. And what about the rich man in Luke 18:18-23? He came up and was like "Jesus, how to I get eternal life?" And Jesus is like "Well, you know, the commandments." And the rich man says "But I already do that." Jesus then says "Oh yeah, one more thing-sell everything you have and give it to the poor. Come follow me." There is not "in other words" to that. Blunt, straight, and to the point. Give up everything you have. Follow me. Wow.

What David Platt is saying is that we don't WANT to accept the possibility that God might call us to do something like that. We don't like the thought that Jesus might say "Give up all your material things. Follow me." or "Forget your family and friends. Follow me." or "Leave your home. Follow me." or even possibily "Don't attend your own father's burial. Follow me." We're uncomfortable with that. So we say "No, Jesus wouldn't want me to give up those things. He loves me." But in reality, we're conforming to idolatry when we do that. Because we're NOT truly following Jesus and worshipping him for who he is. We're doing exactly what Romans was talking about. "thinking up foolish ideas of what God is like". Our OWN foolish ideas.

I read these two things and was a bit convicted. I had to look at myself and say "Have I done that? Have I worshipped my OWN idea of Jesus? Would I give up those things to follow Jesus?" It takes a heart re-arrange to change the way you look at Jesus. I know I'll be working on mine.

What about you?