Living like you mean it?

So I'm reading this book called "the Great Omission" by Dallas Willard (how American can one name sound??) It's interesting.. but before I get to that, I was thinking the other day about how much Christians love books.. there is a definite trend. People who are truly trying to be disciples of Jesus (usually) are reading, discussing and looking for the next book to read. Even those who admit to having finished in the range of 5-10 books in their life, and who are admittedly bored stupid by reading, make an effort to read Christian books, in an attempt to build themselves up in their faith and knowledge of God. And the written word has to be an important part of being a disciple. I mean, God inspired and commanded his followers to record history in what is now the Bible. Clearly God speaks to us through words written on a page. So, I think the love of reading and the skill of writing are gifts.

Back to this book! It's talking about the trend in the majority of Christians to see discipleship as optional. Quote: In churches of the Western world "one is not required to be, or to intend to be, a disciple in order to become a Christian, and one may remain a Christian without any signs of progress toward or in discipleship." People are becoming "Christians", but not imitating Jesus in his example and the things he taught.

The Great Commission, in the Bible, is presented by Jesus in Matthew.. he sets some goals for the early church. These are to 1) with God's power, to make disciples without regard to ethnic differences and 2) to baptise these disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This author talks repeatedly about the two Great Omissions from the Great Commission. In place of Christ's plan, we substitute "make converts (to a particular 'faith') and baptise them into church membership." So, people are not taught to be disciples. Quote: "it was not a part of the package, not what they converted to." When they read about Christ's teachings, they are puzzled and simply can't relate to them, thinking "what does this have to do with us?"

More summarising: A disciple desires above all else, to be like Jesus. There is no other way. The non-disciple, whether professing to be a Christian or not at all, "has something "more important" to do than to become like Jesus Christ ... Something on that dreary list of security, reputation, wealth, power, sensual indulgence, or mere distraction and numbness, still retains his or her ultimate allegiance." (Distraction and numbness.. that relates to something else I have to write about later. )

He goes on: If our minds are cluttered with these excuses, true discipleship can seem like a mystery to us, or even something to be dreaded. But there is no mystery about desiring to become like someone. That in fact is a common thing. In this case, it involves "learning how to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, walk the second mile with an oppressor..." and live out the "inward transformations of faith, hope, and love."

The cost of non-discipleship... it costs peace, hopefulness that stands firm in the worst circumstances, and the power to do what is right amid evil. "Non-discipleship costs you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring!"

John 10:10: I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL. (Jesus' words).

A Leo Tolstoy quote that is so, so true: "Man's whole life is a continual contradiction of what he knows to be his duty. In every department of life he acts in defiant opposition to the dictates of his conscience and his common sense." Willard then mentions the popular bumper sticker that says "Don't follow me. I'm lost." He suggests that its popularity possibly comes from the way that it touches on the universal failure referred to by Tolstoy. It has become an object of humour.. when in the case of "a man's whole life" it's actually quite serious. Perhaps that failure is what causes people to doubt that they could actually stand in the world as a beacon of light among darkness, showing people the Way.

Another quote: "We are not speaking here of perfection, nor of earning God's gift of life. Our concern is only with the manner of entering into that life." He says that while we can never earn our savedness (sounds better than salvation doesn't it ;) ) through our own merit, we still have to act as though it is ours. Own your salvation.. don't just stand back and look at it.

A clear problem.. the 21st century evangelical church has had very little impact on societal problems. For some reason or another, churches have practically agreed that discipleship to Christ is optional to being a member of a Christian church. "Thus, the very type of life that could change the course of human society - and on occasion has done so - is excluded or at least omitted from the essential message of the church." (Just look at how many changes Jesus brought.. he was a true social revolutionary!)

So we need to think.. are there certain things that we're holding more important than being like him? Are we disciples, or just Christians by current standards? "Being unwilling to follow him, our claim of trusting him must ring hollow. We could never credibly claim to trust a doctor, teacher, or auto mechanic whose directions we would not follow."

He summarises.. Ignoring the need to live in the steps of Christ is depriving yourself of life's greatest opportunity. Truly following Christ is not just necessary, but the fulfillment of the highest human possibilities.

That was some messy summarising. I hope it's legible.

I know discipleship is a much-talked-about thing, but it's a fundamental part of what we're all about as Christians.. Jesus famously said to go and make disciples. It's false to define ourselves as "Christian" ONLY because we have made a decision to follow Christ at some point in our life. Instead, we should think.. are we going through with that? Or did it stop there? Rather than stopping at a decision, we need to convert that decision into an ongoing desire.. to be like Christ.