Rev. E. Anderson
THE RADICAL LIFE OF CHRISTIANITY
Text 2 Corinthians 5: 17
Introduction
One of the things that we really need to understand about being a Christian and being personally involved with Christ and Christianity, that it is a very radical experience to be exercised and evidenced. It cannot be treated or dealt with in an indifferent and lukewarm manner. It seeks to convey and communicate that it is a most radical thing to be known at the individual level and to be powerfully demonstrated.
Illustration: A clear illustration and picture of it is seen and witnessed in one of the earliest converts to Christianity – Paul. When he came to Christ it was to be no small factor with him but the complete overturn and overall of his being and behaviour. When he later writes to Christians situated in a church he makes clearly known his commitment for life – “For to me, to live is Christ” – Philippians 1: 21. There was to be no half-hearted token of his love and loyalty to Christ. Christ had completely taken over from the start and that was how it was to be for the rest of his days.
He wrote to the church fellowship and explains what being a Christian is all about. He stated: “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun” – New Living Translation
“Old things are passed away, old affections, passions, notions, &c. He hath the same soul, but new qualities, new apprehensions in his understanding, new inclinations in his will and affections, new thoughts, counsels, and designs” – Poole
RADICAL: other words for radical do help us to understand what dynamic change should occur when Christ comes in to live and work in a person who invites Him in as resident and president – deep-seated, sweeping, thorough, far-reaching, drastic and major. One thing is absolutely certain, it should become most apparent and obvious when a person become a Christian, Christ takes completely over.
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” It is vain for a man to profess affinity to Christ according to the flesh, while he is unchanged in his heart and life, and dead in trespasses and sins; for he that is in Christ, that is, a genuine Christian, having Christ dwelling in his heart by faith, is a new creature; his old state is changed: he was a child of Satan, he is now a child of God; he was a slave of sin, and his works were death; he is now made free from sin, and has his fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. He was before full of pride and wrath; he is now meek and humble. He formerly had his portion in this life, and lived for this world alone; he now hath GOD for his portion, and he looks not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are eternal. Therefore, old things are passed away” – Adam Clarke
“Become new; he seeks new ends; has a new rule of action and pursues a new course of conduct; has new joys and new sorrows, new hopes and new fears, new relations and new prospects” – Family Bible
Simply defined and understood it means:
1/. I AM NOT THE SAME PERSON ANYMORE IN BEING
One thing that Christ deals with first of all when He comes inside it is to deal with the inward condition and to change and transform both state and status, character and calling.
- He comes to deal radically with the fallen and sinful condition. His first task is to cleanse and clear up the past and get rid of all the rubbish. He comes with His cleansing word, blood, word and Spirit to put the whole person inside in a wholesome and healthy situation. The contagious and infectious fact of sin is dealt with. He administers a total work of forgiveness which leads to a perfect work of justification. No longer to be regarded as a sinner but a saint. The past is dealt with once and for all in a radical fashion, sin no longer credited to us but His perfect and absolute righteousness.
“No condemnation now I dread, Jesus, and all in Him is mine” – Charles Wesley
- He comes to radically transform giving us the divine nature and making us into the sons of God – John 1: 11, 12; Roman 8: 15-17 – “For you did not receive the spirit of a slave, to fill you once more with fear, but the spirit of a son which leads us to cry ‘Abba, Our Father. The Spirit himself unites with our spirits in bearing witness to our being God’s children, And if children, then heirs-heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, since we share Christ’s sufferings in order that we may also share his Glory” TCNT.
A Christian is a brand-spanking new creation and creature, the creation and production of Christ and is to be cultivated by Him. He can never ever be the same anymore because something divine has occurred of infinite worth.
2/. I AM NOT THE SAME PERSON ANYMORE IN BELIEF
What used to be believed is turned from and the person becomes divinely switched on to a better and greater means of assurance. He does rest on the ideas, judgments and opinions of men because there is the possession of a far better and reliable means of persuasion and conviction. Paul once lived according to the traditions of the Jews. He was fired up with them and anyone who thought differently was in deep trouble.
But then he had a radical revolution when Christ became his Saviour and Lord and he was totally governed by a superior influence and persuasion. He testifies in Galatians 2: 20 “the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me”. He had completely utterly died to self and sin and to his other ideas of living and was now taken completely over by a new dynamic inspiration and principle of life that was wholly reliable and he was comfortable with. As he fully believed it so it functioned completely.
Drs. Wells and Whitby: ‘I am now no longer the man I was, that is, a Jew; but I am a Christian, and am now bound to no other observances, but those which Christ requires of me, to whom I am obliged by all the bands of love and duty; He having given his own life for me to free me, among other things, from the Mosaic law’. Dr. Hammond.
3/. I AM NOT THE SAME ANYMORE IN BEHAVIOUR
When you really become a Christian it really does show in the new life-style that Christ creates and manifests. People should be able to note and know whether you are a born again Christian believer in a number of ways.
- It is reflected in your attitudes. Christ taught quite a lot about the good and best attitudes that should be observed in those who profess and confess to be His – see Matthew 5.
- It is revealed in your words. There is real difference not simply in the way you talk but in the words we use. Our speech becomes refined by Him so that one can discern whether he is at the back of the words we employ. Paul speaks about ‘sound speech that cannot be condemned’ – ‘seasoned with salt’.
- It is recognised in your deeds. Christians should be truly noted in the amount of loving good works that are performed without show ado to bless others. Every time a good work is employed it is a sermon in itself – e.g. Dorcas 9; Onesiphorus 2 Timothy 1: 15-18.
4/. I AM NOT THE SAME ANYMORE IN VOCATION
It is good and wise to know that Christ has important work and service to be performed that is rewarding now and has the prospects of much greater reward in the eternal world. It is essential to discover the kind of vocation and calling that He has in mind so that you can give yourself wholeheartedly to a spiritual career and occupation. Opportunity. energy and time to be well spent in life.
There is a wonderful discovery in life as to why you are actually on this planet. Instead of living in ignorance and in the dark or of doing your own thing there is the glad discovery that Christ has a plan for you to fulfil whilst you are here. And it is with you throughout to the end of life. Jeremiah gives assurance on this with a word from God: “For I know the plans that I have for you”, says the Lord. “They are plans for good, not disaster, to give you a future and a hope” – Jeremiah 29: 11.
- It means being a minister of Jesus Christ, which is serving Him in practical roles that will benefit His kingdom and church. The word servant is really deacon and that means within and outside the Christian church find some role of service that one can do all and advance in. Barnabas – Acts 4; 10; 13.
- It means being a missioner for Him, in taking the Good News of the Christian Faith and Gospel to others. Not missing an opportunity to share the glad news of the Christian Gospel.
- It means being a mentor for Him. There has to be the will and opportunity to get alongside someone and positively contribute to their growth and understanding and to provoke top worthwhile living and service.
5/. I AM NOT THE SAME IN ULTIMATE DESTINY
It is where things finish up that matter for good or ill. One has to be certain that one is investing all of life in that which is to be most rewarding and brings in the greatest dividends. Devoting and spending one’s life, time, energies and resources in and for Christ’s kingdom is certainly no waste whatsoever. It is wise and profitable to engage oneself in and through Him on His behalf and His cause.
- It has the promise of the life that now is. Even if there wasn’t anything more to be known or had beyond this life and the grave it would still be the most satisfactory life that one could lead. It is both pleasurable and profitable to be engaged in that which is good and seeks the well being of others whatever other returns may be. When life has run its course it is good to be able to say that you spent yourself in an inspiring manner in that which brought a great deal of happiness and fulfilment.
- The good and great thing that it holds the future of something infinitely bigger and better. Christians live and serve with the final goal and objective very much in view and hope – heaven with all of its eternal blessings etc. 1 Corinthians 2: 9. There is every reason to believe that what Christ has promised and forecast He is well able to deliver the goods. The Christian’s future is in safe hands, the hands of Christ. He has certainly got something that is altogether radical at the end in mind and view – John 14: 1-3; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4.
CONCLUSION
One should never weaken or water down Christianity in any way. It is at its best and finest when it is performing in a radical fashion, and that is true personally and collectively.
He that has begun a good work desires to see gloriously and greatly brought to fulfilment to its maximum and we should permit such to occur.