RaDiCal or Conventional Christianity-Part ONE

Radical or Conventional Christianity—PART ONE

When I was waking up one morning, the Spirit of God began to minister to me about Two Types of Christians: The Radical Christian Verses the Conventional Christian. I was lamenting over someone whom I felt was seriously missing the mark “As a Christian.” The Lord began to minister to me about the difference between Conventional Christianity and Radical Christianity. Let’s just say it was quite eye opening, and actually something I never considered, which is often the case when one hears from the God of the Universe. I’ll be sharing more about what he revealed to me further on down in this blog…

I shouldn’t have been surprised by what God shared with me, but I was—and on so many levels! Isaiah 55:9 explains it to perfection: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” He truly never ceases to amaze me. He just has a way of pulling down a religious mind set in a skinny minute! As a Born Again Believer of 37 years, there’s been plenty of time to be steeped in Religious Mindsets and Ideologies that are simply not the Lords. They seem right. It’s those things we’ve heard repeatedly, over and over again. And many, many of these things we’ve heard are OPINIONS that there’s no biblical or scriptural substantiation for. When we hear ideas over and over again, we begin to take it as—(Pardon the expression)—but…the GOSPEL TRUTH. Yet, there’s nothing in the scriptures to support it. Sure there may be a scripture here and there that people have used to support some of these ideas, but many times, they are largely taken out of context. We must always remember that scripture must be interpreted with other scriptures to conclude the fuller meaning. (I love reading several versions of the same scripture in different versions of the Bible and other supporting scriptures that pertain to the same subject, along with multiple commentaries by respected authors).

Listen, I don’t profess to be a Bible Scholar in any sense of the word, but I’ve been walking with the Lord more years than I can count. He’s never stopped tweaking me and teaching me by the Holy Spirit. He’s corrected me a bunch, inspired me with His Word, comforted me when I was hurting and distraught, and more than anything, He’s taken what man has said to me over and over again IN THE CHURCH and blatantly told me WHY it wasn’t Him.

Here the God of the Universe was doing it again! Breaking my mindsets, thought processes and opinions that I had developed that differed from God’s about a person “I THOUGHT” WAS ROYALLY MESSING UP AND MISSING THE MARK! He continued by telling me Radical Christians do things very differently than Conventional Christians. He was specifically talking to me about this person who in my mind, wasn’t following the scriptures and doing everything the Word of God says! Some of you probably remember 1 Samuel 16:7…Saul was no longer the King of Israel and the Lord was getting ready to choose a new king, so he sent Samuel to Jesse to meet all of his sons. Jesse brought several of his sons forth, whom were likely candidates in HIS EYES. Samuel quickly said, “No Dude, God has not chosen any of these. Are all of your son’s here?” Jesse answered, “The only other son I have is the one tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Bring him here.” When Samuel saw him, he immediately said, “This is the one God has chosen,” and he anointed Him. Now David had a ruddy (red) complexion, and albeit good looking, he was short and I presume not as muscular as all of the other brothers. He just didn’t fit the bill in his father Jesse’s eyes. However, this is what God said: “Do not look at his appearance or his physical stature, because I have refused him. FOR THE LORD DOES NOT SEE AS MAN SEES; FOR MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART!’

Other people get caught up looking at the outward appearance and quickly dismiss us, while God says,“See this one over here. He may not look like much to YOU, but I know all about him. He’s the one for the job. “God uses the FOOLISH things and (people) of this world to CONFOUND THE WISE (1 Corinthians 1:27).” Just when we think we know it all and have figured everything out, God throws us a curve ball. “NOPE KIDDO, you got this one wrong. You see, I SEE his heart because I’m God and know everything, and you don’t. ”So God is ALWAYS looking at a man’s heart and He knows each one of us inside and out. He knows how to lead each one of us, and it may be vastly different than that of another. The path of every Christian is unique and hand-tailored to them by God alone. Who are we to judge how God handles each individual?

He proceeded to assure me HE HAD THIS PERSON, WAS WORKING ON HIM AND WOULD NOT BE NEEDING MY HELP. Imagine that?! Surely God could benefit from at least a little of my input, I thought? He began speaking to me about how Conventional Christians do everything by the book, follow all the rules, and often become puffed up by the fact that they do “ALL THE THINGS.” After all, they have it all hung up and are perfect and have the right to judge all who are not living life like them. Everyone else is screwed up. These types of Christians are judgmental with a Capital “J!” (And, a bit of that mentality had obviously seeped into my thinking)…It’s not an all or nothing here…Not EVERY Conventional Christian is Judgmental, but certainly—the moral majority).

He proceeded to share with me a few other examples in Scripture. The Pharisees for instance, followed the rules, checked off all of the boxes and yet were masters at pointing fingers at those not doing it like THEM. They stood on street corners praying loudly and piously to be seen by men, with their self righteous condescending attitudes. So, I think you may have the picture of a CONVENTIONAL CHRISTIAN…

He then began to give me examples of RADICAL CHRISTIANS. JESUS definitely qualified. Just read the gospels. John the Baptist wore camel’s hair clothing, and ate locusts and wild honey. I can do the honey, but locusts? NOPE NOPE NOPE! How about you? That’s just gross! Anyway…He also used King David as an example, who killed Goliath with a sling shot and a single stone. A…WOW! (Remember now…David definitely didn’t check all of the boxes, in man’s eyes)! Jesse didn’t see him to be the WORTHY SON! Paul was Radical and yet remember how he persecuted Christians BIG TIME? He was eventually transformed after getting knocked on his butt on the road to Damascus by God! Anyway, Father began to run me through the Bible and show me numerous RADICALS. The Bible is chock full of them. The person I was hemming and hawing about is a Radical. God proceeded to tell me that even “I” fit the bill. Listen, I hate boxes and recognize a Pharisee a million miles away. I have only ONE to please and it sure ain’t man. I kind of like being a God pleaser, and I’m okay with breaking an occasional “Religious Mindset,” and “Rocking Theological Boats.” I’m determined to be ME no matter who likes it. Is it hard to be rejected? YEP. But I’d rather stay true to myself and be who God has made me to be than cave to a manmade box. What about you? Are you a Radical Christian or a Conventional Christian? Take some time to ponder that and please leave me a comment?!

READ PART TWO SOON!