There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who think they are sinners and the sinners who think they are righteous.
- Blaise Pascal
Too few today appreciate the quantum nature or righteousness. Fewer still are willing to exercise the mental and emotional diligence necessary to honestly examine the collapse and subsequent redefining of modern behavioral standards.
Rarely, even among this fractional subset, have Christian teachers discerned and communicated even the elementary principals accompanying the process of self denial embraced by Christ's true disciples throughout history.
Since the days of Christ and His apostles, Godly men and women have provided in depth and insightful teaching on radical discipleship and sanctification. Unfortunately these works often fall on either deaf ears or those hard of hearing. The former deny the centrality of not just embracing Christ's cross but our own. Among the latter, millions languish in dissolution and guilt, acknowledging the need and efficacy of spiritual discipline and self denial yet find themselves incapable (more honestly unwilling) to lay down our lifestyle (American dream) much less lives for a God who so often seems silent and distant.
Below is a far from exhaustive list of shinning examples of Christian leaders who exemplify and encourage radical discipleship.
1. John Wesley: A friend and contemporary of George Whitfield, the pair were instrumental in ushering in America’s 1st Great Awakening. Oxford educated and creator of it’s “Holy Club” he was famous for his unrelenting devotion to Christ and was the founder of the Methodist movement within the Anglican Church.
2. Charles Finney: Arguably the most spiritually powerful and insightful man to walk the earth since the apostles. Played a key role in America’s 2nd Great Awakening. See extensive library collection of sermons and books.
3. Smith Wigglesworth: A charismatic evangelist known for overwhelming miracles as well as incredible sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
4. Søren Kierkegaard: Amazing "Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical texts on organized religion, Christendom, morality, ethics, psychology and philosophy of religion" - Wikipedia
5. Evan Roberts: Recognized leader of the 1904 Welsh Revival. During a revival that would see 100,000 converts in a matter of months. Famous for his succinct and insightful four step discipleship program.
6. George Müller: Founder of orphanages in Bristol England caring for over 10,000 he often prayed in dinner at breakfast. Called "the apostle of faith" he recorded the public answers to hundreds of private prayers. Among many accomplishments include reading the Bible cover to cover 200 times, 100 of which were on his knees.
7. Hudson Taylor: Founder of the Inland China Mission bringing in 800 missionaries and starting over 100 schools at an extremely dangerous time with tremendous cost to himself, his family and those within ICM.
8. Praying Hyde: A missionary to India known for incredible feats and a lifestyle of serious and lengthy prayer. Click here for free short biography in pdf format.
9. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Founder of Germany's "Confessing Church" during WW2, Nazi resistor and martyr. See "Cost of Discipleship" (a must read for all those contemplating much less committing to full discipleship).
10. Florence Nightingale: "Celebrated English social reformer and statistician, and the founder of modern nursing..." Famous quote: "Life is a hard fight, a struggle, a wrestling with the principal of evil, hand to hand, foot to foot. Every inch of the way is disputed. The night is given us to take breath, to pray, to drink deep at the fountain of power. The day, to use the strength which has been given us, to go forth to work with it till the evening."
11. Blaise Pascal: French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher. He was a child prodigy.
12. Brother Yun: Also known as the "Heavenly Man." A living martyr instrumental in developing the modern house church movement in communist China.
13. Back to Jerusalem: Persecuted church militant movement to reach Chinese and Muslim from China to Jerusalem.
14. Howard Pittman: Most believable heavenly experience we've ever heard (personal interview).
15. Jackie Pullinger: A British Protestant Christian charismatic missionary to Hong Kong and founder of the St Stephen's Society in Hong Kong who's dangerous and successful ministry to drug addicts is chronicled in "Chasing The Dragon." See Youtube video short "Go."
The above mentioned are but a handful of a myriad of brother and sisters who rose to the challenge of descending into the kind of righteousness that delineates the true disciple from the three other major categories of Christians. The principle of diminishment, so often taught throughout Scripture (and equally often overlooked) can be demonstrated by the following:
- "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:21, 22, 24, 37, 38 NIV)
- "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:24, 25 NIV)
- "They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:30-35 NIV)
- "Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. “What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets. “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:20-36 NLT)
- "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 KJV)
- "For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment." (1 Corinthians 4:9-13 NIV)
- "Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."(2 Corinthians 11:23-30 NIV)
- "Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human ! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 MSG)
Decent Into Righteousness
Given the powerful witness of Scripture and the historic record of the faithful, there appears to be a little left unsaid. Yet throughout the modern world, even among over a billion of Christ's followers, there seems to be a disconnect between this level of Christianity and that which nearly the entire church is comprised.
4. Casual Believer: The first and largest subset of those who consider themselves Christians would necessarily encompass all those at least confessing believe in Christ. Likely numbering over 1 billion, this group would begin with individuals professing mental assent to at least the highlights of the Gospel narrative and continue through those regularly attending some denomination of Christian church.
- Example: Members of this group might live in "Christian nations"and therefore be acquainted with the claims of Scripture. Many have been raised in church yet show little or no interest in the things of God. others may have been converted at a crisis point in their lives but remain frozen in a kind of spiritual infancy.
- Time commitment: 0 to 2 hours per week
3. Seeker/Servant: The next most populous group within our descending categories is comprised of individuals beginning to comprehend that mankind's mortal and perilous state, not to mention the Scriptures themselves, demand more than a casual interest. I'm satisfied with simply occupying a pew, such persons, within and/or outside the confines of the additional church regularly invest at least a few hours a week in serious Bible study and prayer often followed by acts of Kingdom service to individuals or their community.
- Example: Members of this group might not only attend church, but study their pastors sermons and teaching, comparing them to first the scripture and then their own lifestyle. Recognizing the great need for evangelism and discipleship, they might join and eventually lead or create their own ministry. Some to the point of becoming Christian missionary activists.
- Time commitment: 3 to 40 hours per week (volunteer/professional)
2. Prophetic Christians: A far smaller percentage than suggested by the graphic above, perhaps 1 in 10,000, these individuals develop a sense of spiritual honesty allowing them to begin to see through both secular and sacred façades entrenched throughout society. Those continuing the downward journey towards maturity learn to recognize and react to the myriads of temptations and deceptions growing ever more ubiquitous within the modern world. Greatly troubled by the coming judgment of God in both time and eternity, they invest great quantities of time and energy attempting to stir up the gift of God within them and fellow believers. Deeply moved by Scripture they understand that the Bibles over 1,000 promises are predicated by it's over 7,000 commands and conditions. Functioning as priests before the Lord, they cry out day and night that God would open all of our eyes to the temporal and spiritual realities of which most remain willfully blind. (See GodBlog article and upcoming Quantum Christianity book by same name).
Example: members of this group may include lay ministers and clergy recognizing there are many gospels but One True. Many having first-hand experience, more fully appreciate Satan's ability to corrupt even "God's anointed." Having passed through the layers above, often at no the little personal cost, they have renounced much of the world system with its "wisdom from below" in favor of that which is from above. Even so, most remain hesitant to fully let go of the rights and privileges afforded by modern life in the areas of time and money management as well as paying further costs in the areas of human relationship and self diminishment so often accompanying complete submission to God.
- Time commitment: 10 to 50 hours per week (volunteer/professional)
1. Mature Disciple: A tiny fraternity indeed, today this final grouping may be comprised of 1 in 100,000 believers willing to fully embrace not only Christ's cross but their own. Learning the blessing of diminishment, they have overcome the devil along with his corporate and personal temptations and deceptions. As casual believers they recognized the validity of Scripture. As seeker/servants they learned to practice living faith. As prophetic Christians they developed an unusual degree of honesty and began paying the price of proclaiming "the sky is falling." Making a complete and final break with the world, some by their own merits and others "kicking and screaming" these having died to self now live only to and for Christ.
- Example: See those mentioned above.
- Time commitment: All
Unfortunately, the vast majority of modern Christians show little or no interest in the rigors of radical discipleship, Prophetic Christians recognize our desperate need for not only individual and corporate renewal, but global revival if not reformation. These understand the realistic hope requires honesty enough to admit the true extent of our need in light of the Bible’s guidelines for benefiting from God’s supply. They also daily confess any lack of discipline in regards to doubtful habits and/or besetting sins short-circuiting their work and prayers to more fully experience the power of God.
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