NOTES ON GOD’S CALL TO RADICAL CHRISTIANITY: A RETURN TO THE FAITH IN REJECTION OF ‘THE AMERICAN GOSPEL.’ Part II

PART II: “THE TRUE GOSPEL OF THE CHRIST”

SCRIPTURE: “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” – MATTHEW 18:2-4, NKJV

QUOTATIONS

“Radical Obedience to Christ is not easy…It’s not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And He is more than enough for us…The Modern-Day Gospel says, ‘God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Therefore, follow these steps, and you can be saved.’ Meanwhile, The Biblical Gospel says, ‘You are an enemy of God, dead in your sin, & in your present state of rebellion, you are not even able to see that you need life, much less to cause yourself to come to life. Therefore, you are radically dependent on God to do something in your life that you could never do.””- DAVID PLATT, ‘Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream,’ 2010; edited

“The president is a Nationalist, which is not at all the same thing as a Patriot. A Nationalist encourages us to be our worst, and then tells us that we are the best. A Nationalist, ‘although endlessly brooding on power, victory, defeat, revenge,’ wrote Orwell, tends to be ‘uninterested in what happens in the real world.’ Nationalism is Relativist, since the only truth is the resentment we feel when we contemplate others. As the novelist Danilo Kiš put it, Nationalism ‘has no universal values, aesthetic or ethical.’ A Patriot, by contrast, wants the nation to live up to its ideals, which means asking us to be our best selves. A patriot must be concerned with the real world, which is the only place where his country can be loved and sustained. A Patriot has Universal Values, standards by which he judges his nation, always wishing it well—and wishing that it would do better.” – TIMOTHY SNYDER, ‘On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century,’ 2017; edited

“I have observed firsthand that if you point out facts that run counter to their Narrative, some significant number of the president’s supporters will eventually respond with indignation, feeling they have been wounded, disrespected, or unheard. The stronger the empirical case against what they believe, the more emotional energy they bring to their response. Underlying this is a deep sense of fear and the belief that they are facing an existential threat and, therefore, can’t concede any ground, lest they strengthen those they consider to be their enemies. This broader phenomenon I’m describing is not true of all Trump supporters, of course, and it is hardly confined to Trump supporters. But I would say that in our time, it is most pronounced among them.” – PETER WEHNER, “There Is No Christian Case for Trump,” ‘The Atlantic,’ January 30, 2020; edited

Selah.

FIRST THOUGHTS

The most prodigious spiritual and political Elephant in America’s tumultuous kitchen is Donald John Trump. He garners headlines even though he is currently out of office. He gaslights the now somewhat quieted news and gossip feeds with sordid chum now and then, to keep folks interested. His most tantalizing bit of greasy snack:

He is aggressively preparing for a Presidential run again for 2024.

Of vastly greater import, Trump has literally redefined and reconstructed the America of 2020, and the largely White Protestant Church. He has commandeered at least 80 percent of its congregations, pastors, and prominent national Christian voices. In so doing, he has split us straight down the middle as painfully as he has done to the Republican Party.

To this point in this Essay on the True Gospel of the True Christ.

THESIS. I will continue to argue that a true disciple of the Messiah CANNOT reconcile Orthodox Christian Faith with conscious, consensual support of Donald Trump.

Now that clearly places a lot of believer’s teeth on edge, and I have already been excoriated for believing and writing about it – in colorful language at times. But the point bears repeating over and over again, if we are to openly discuss, as brethren, the Real Meaning of following the Jewish King, with honor. I say again, with honor.

So shall we today journey down this important road, but this time in somewhat shortened version – Three or Four Sections, depending. And thousands of words fewer. I sense that is part of the Lord’s Redirect for future Commentaries – but not all.

More on that in the days ahead.

TRUE SPIRITUALITY

One of the very first books given me as a newly minted Christian in the early 1980s was, ‘How Should We Then Live?’ (1973), by the brilliant theologian, historian and apologist, DR. FRANCIS SCHAEFFER. And I thank God for that happy introduction to Christian Thought.

Today I want to review and summarize some of his earlier thinking published in a 1971 work entitled, ‘True Spirituality,’ and then end with a citation from his last book, ‘The Great Evangelical Disaster’ (1984). I cannot think of a richer and more fruitful place to begin our discussion of True or Real Christianity, than here.

CENTRAL IDEAS.

Here are several of his Key Ideas that gets us to the Lord’s Table from the Scriptures for this Lesson.

• WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? “Obviously, one must first be a Christian in order to live the Christian life. The reason for this is that all men are separated from God because of their true moral guilt…and only the finished, substitutionary work of Christ upon the Cross is enough to remove it; hence, it is ‘Christ Plus Nothing’ on our part. The only instrument for accepting the work of Christ is Faith – not faith in faith, but simply believing the specific Promises of God. Furthermore, while the New Birth is necessary as the beginning, that is only the beginning. The important thing after being born spiritually is to Live [for Christ] – this is the area of SANCTIFICATION. True Spirituality is not a matter of refraining from certain behaviors or actually performing certain behaviors in a mechanical sort-of-way, yet neither is it a rejection of such a list and living a looser life.”

• THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ‘INWARD’ MORE THAN ‘OUTWARD.’ “The climax of the Ten Commandments is the Tenth Commandment – ‘Thou shalt not covet’ – This Commandment is an entirely Inward Thing. Actually, we break this Commandment before we break any of the others. Paul states very clearly in Romans that this was the Commandment which gave him a ‘sense of being sinful’ – ‘I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.’” But sin, taking opportunity through the Commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind’ (Rom 7:7-8). What Paul is saying here is this: ‘I did not know I was a sinner; I thought I would come out all right, because I was keeping these Outward Things and was doing well in comparison with other people.’ He had been measuring himself against the Externalized form of the Commandments which the Jews had in their Tradition. But when he opened the Ten Commandments and read that the last Commandment was not to covet, he saw he was a ‘sinner.’”

• THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT. “‘Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength’ (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). We must see that ‘Loving God’ means ‘not coveting against God’…and that ‘Loving our neighbor’ means ‘not coveting against him.’ When we do not love the Lord as we should, we are actually ‘coveting against Him.’ The word ‘Covet’ in the Greek is ‘Epithumeo’ – which means ‘To fix the desire upon; to long for; to lust after.’ Therefore, when we do not fix our desire upon God, we are longing for something or someone else; so when we do not love God as we should, we are coveting against Him . Jesus said, ‘You cannot covet both God and mammon – you will hate one and love the other’ (Matthew 6:24). ‘Thou shalt not covet’ is the Internal Commandment which shows the man who thinks himself as being ‘moral,’ as really needing a Savior. The average ‘moral man’ who has lived comparing himself to other men can feel like Paul, that he is actually doing all right. But suddenly, when he is confronted with the ‘Inward Command’ not to covet, he is brought to his knees.”

• TRULY LIVING FOR CHRIST. “‘For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it’ (Luke 9:24). Here Jesus takes the order that was so necessary for our Redemption, and applies it to the Christian life – Jesus was slain and then raised. That is precisely the order of ‘True Spirituality’ – there is no other. By the way, Jesus is talking here about ‘our death’ by choice in the present life. Jesus carries this concept of being slain down into a very practical situation – saying ‘No’ to self in an alien world. Just as Christ’s Death preceded His Resurrection in the order of Redemption, so our death to things and self is the first step in the order of True and growing Spirituality. Just as Christ’s Death was central to our redemption, so also is our continuing death by choice central to our spiritual growth in Christ. We must not think that we can rush into True Spirituality without being Slain. Carefully and prayerfully reflect upon the foregoing – these truths are absolutely essential for growing and maturing in Christ.”

• THE CENTRALITY OF REPENTANCE. “The Greek word translated ‘Repent’ is ‘Metanoeo’ – It is a compound word made up of two words: The first word ‘meta’ indicates a change or transformation, and appears in many English words, such as ‘metamorphosis,’ which means a change in condition. The second word is from the root word ‘nous,’ which we translate ‘mind.’ So ‘Metanoeo’ literally means to ‘Change your mind’ – by extension it means to turn about, to express regret or adopt another view. Whenever the Bible says you should Repent or turn away from unrighteousness, its main emphasis is on your Will, changing your mind or purpose – Thus turning to God from unrighteousness is a function of the mind. The fact that God demands Repentance shows that it involves the Mind – it is something we must Choose to do. A Christian’s Mind plays a vital role in his relationship with God as he learns what God expects of him and chooses to please Him (Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:2). So Biblical Repentance has an Intellectual Component (change in thinking)…an Emotional Component (remorse and godly sorrow)…and a Volitional Component (an inward turning from sin to God), which is evidenced by Fruit (Matthew 3:8; Luke 13:5-9; Acts 26:20).”

• THE CENTRALITY OF TRUTH. “Make no mistake. We as Bible-believing Evangelical Christians are locked in a Battle. This is not a friendly gentleman’s discussion. It is a life and death Conflict between the spiritual hosts of Wickedness and those who claim the Name of Christ. It is a Conflict on the level of IDEAS between two fundamentally opposed Views of Truth and Reality. It is a Conflict on the level of ACTIONS between a complete Moral Perversion and Chaos and God’s Absolutes. But do we really believe that we are in a life and death Battle?…Here is the Great Evangelical Disaster – The Failure of the Evangelical World to stand for Truth as truth. There is only one word for this – namely Accommodation: The Evangelical Church has Accommodated to the World Spirit of the Age.”

There we have the Crux of Dr. Schaeffer’s thinking about what it means to be a True Christian in an Age of Compromise – written decades before virtually every word was to come to life (or death) by the End of the Year, 2020.

And now, to some of the Master’s Thoughts on all this.

THE TEACHING

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” – MATTHEW 18:2-4, NKJV

I chose this particular passage out of several others that I love for its inclusion of the Central Elements of real fealty and adoration of the Messiah by those who Truly, unhesitatingly believe in and follow Him.

You’ll see what I mean as we do our normal, ‘Drill Down’ of the key terms used here.

• CONVERTED. This vitally important term, uttered by Christ Himself to the very Center of today’s subject, is taken from the Greek, ‘Strephó’ [στρέφω], translated (very carefully) thus: “To turn, change, switch direction; take a completely different course; make a fundamental transitioning from one way of thinking and acting to another; to turn from a bad life to a good one; to change one’s moral character from enmity to God and from vicious habits to love of God and to a holy life; to convert a wilderness into a garden.” – And all, all, by God’s faithful agency and unlimited power.

• HUMBLES. Now the equally vital counterpart to a True Conversion: The Humility of a child. From the Greek term, ‘Tapeinoó’ [ταπεινόω], or: “To make or bring low; to debase; humiliate; lower oneself; be devoid of all arrogance or self-exaltation; willingly submitted to God and His will, in recognition of one’s sinfulness and need of a Savior; to assign a lower place or rank to; to be ranked lower than others who are honored or rewarded; rendered meek, submissive, or penitent (in sorrow over one’s sins).” – To die to self and live to and for Christ alone.

TWO COMMENTARIES. Given the powerful importance of this Teaching for us all – and for the Church and the Nation, I am going to offer Two Perspectives that I trust will deepen our appreciation for the beauty and power of ‘RADICAL CHRISTIANITY.’

• MATTHEW HENRY. “Christ spoke many Words of His sufferings, but only one of His glory; yet the disciples fasten upon that, and overlook the others. Many love to hear and speak of privileges and glory, who are willing to pass by the thoughts of work and trouble. Our Lord set a little child before them, solemnly assuring them, that unless they were Converted and made like Little Children, they could not enter His Kingdom. Children, when very young, do not desire authority, do not regard outward distinctions, are free from malice, are teachable, and willingly dependent on their parents. It is true that they soon begin to show other dispositions, and other ideas are taught them at an early age; but these are marks of childhood, and render them proper emblems of the lowly minds of True Christians. Surely, we need to be daily Renewed in the spirit of our minds, that we may become simple and humble, as little children, and willing to be the least of all. Let us daily study this subject, and examine our own spirits.” – ‘Exposition of the Old and New Testaments,’ 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

• WILLIAM MACDONALD. “The disciples’…self-seeking spirit found expression in the question, ‘Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus answered with a living object lesson. Placing a little child in their midst, He said that men must ‘be converted’ and ‘become as little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ He was speaking of the Kingdom in its Inward Reality; in order to be a ‘Genuine Believer’ a man must abandon thoughts of personal greatness and take the lowly position of a little child. This begins when he acknowledges his sinfulness and unworthiness and receives Jesus Christ as his Only Hope. This attitude should continue throughout his Christian life…The greatest person in the Kingdom of Heaven is the one who Humbles himself as a little child. Obviously, the standards and values of the Kingdom are exactly Opposite those in the World. Our whole mode of thinking must be reversed: We must think Christ’s Thoughts after Him (see Philippians 2:5-8).” – ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, p. 1272; edited

MORE ON HUMILITY. Now lest you erroneously conclude that such Humble Disciples are to become a timid little army of Milquetoasts (which is what I see all around!), let me expand on this core element of Humility, with the help of the brilliant Greek theologian and lexicographer, SPIROS ZODHIATES.

The most common New Testament Word for Humility is ‘Prautes’ [πρᾳΰτης], that Zodhiates renders this way: “Meekness, not in a man’s outward behavior only nor in his relations to his fellowman or his mere natural disposition, rather it is an Inwrought Grace of the Soul and the expressions of it are first and chiefly toward God (Matthew 11;29). That attitude of spirit in which we accept God’s dealings as good and do not dispute or resist. ‘Prautes,’ according to Aristotle, is the middle course in being angry, standing between two extremes, getting angry without reason, and not getting angry at all. Therefore, ‘Prautes’ is getting angry at the right time, in the right measure, and for the right reason. ‘Prautes’ is not readily expressed in English since the term ‘meekness’ suggests weakness, but ‘Prautes’ is a condition of mind and heart which demonstrates gentleness not in weakness but power. It is ‘Virtue born in Strength of Character.’”

HUMBLE WARRIORS. Therefore, it is quick to bow to the True King, as fast to serve all those who are in need or in danger of any kind, and instant to stand hard against any Tyrant who would do serious injury to the innocent, and all the more so to a precious child. – At the price of his own life, if necessary.

Two Testaments speak in perfect symmetry of this magnificent Blend of Gentleness and Ferocity in the Defense of Right.

“Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow…[Also] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. – ISAIAH 1:17; MATTHEW 11:29, AMPC

Selah. Selah.

LAST THOUGHTS

The entire Framework of Serving Christ is all caught up in Living Full for Him, for Others, and lastly, lastly for our Self. In this vital regard, I recall serving on a doctoral dissertation committee for a brother scholar whose topic was, ‘SACRIFICAL LEADERSHIP.’

I love the way PASTOR DAVID MATHIS defines this important idea in a tellingly entitled article, “Leadership is Sacrifice, Not Privilege,” published prophetically just days after the 2016 Presidential Election (‘Desiring God,’ November 10, 2016).

SACRIFICIAL LEADERSHIP DEFINED.

“It is one of the filthiest lies Satan whispers in the ear of our comfortable and entitled generation. From before we can even remember, we have been indoctrinated, at nearly every turn, with the idea that being ‘a Leader’ means getting the gold star. Leadership is a form of recognition, a kind of accomplishment, the path to privilege. Being declared a Leader is like winning an award or being identified among the gifted.

The world’s spin on Leadership is in the air of our Society, felt in the subtext of our adolescence, and reinforced in our Public Elections [especially]. We are swimming in it everywhere we turn. Why follow when you can lead? Why contribute to the glory of another when you can be the chief beneficiary instead?

As novel and inspiriting as it may seem, it’s a very Old Deception. From the Garden, to the history of Israel, to the Middle Ages, to our innate notions about Leadership today, the natural, human, sinful way to think about Leadership is to be king of the hill. To view Leadership as the ascent to honor and privilege, rather than the descent to attend to the needs of others…

Christian Leadership — in the Home, the Church, and elsewhere [especially Politics] — is NOT for those clawing for honor and recognition, but for those most ready to fall to their knees and be inconvenienced by the needs of others. They are those who, in a sense, have their house sufficiently in order to be able to turn their attention to serving others. Instead of pursuing their own immediate benefit, they are willing to sacrifice for others’ benefit.

Like the Son of Man, we lead not to be served, but To Serve (Mark 10:45). We Die to Self so that others might live.”

CODA. Need I insert the New American Leadership Model of Donald Trump about here, beloved, to drive home this fiery point down to the very marrow of our souls? No, I need not; Mr. Mathis’ words have already done yeoman’s work with that.

But this much I will say and close with it.

Pastors and Political Leaders in America have strayed far indeed from their Root System of what it means to be a ‘Radical Servant’ of God and ‘We the people.’ Time is long gone to rummage around trying to figure it all out; that ship has well sailed.

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the very Root of David, the King of the Universe has assembled his heavenly forces in readiness for His Catastrophic Return to Judge the reprobates, and lavishly Reward His true ones.

And to be absolutely clear: It stands in violent contrast to an insipidly False Christian Narrative floating from most of our Pulpits today: He is NOT happy with the Church’s ‘American Gospel,’ even outraged as are many of us.

And on His Words, I promise you that He fully intends to show us all why in the Days just ahead, those Days of Fury and Thunder prophesied from the Ancient Times. So, Leader: Decide once and for all whom you shall truly serve this day:

Christ, or The Calf. There is no Middle. There never, ever was.

Ever your servant, DK

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