Some of you may have read or heard of the book Radical, written by Birmingham pastor David Platt [this is not a book review of Radical, and in case you’re wondering by the end of this post, yes, I do recommend it!]. My wife Candace and I just finished reading through this book together, and have been challenged ask the question, “Are we living radical lives for the glory of Jesus Christ?”
Defining “Radical”
Anyone who desires to answer this question needs to have a working definition for what it really means to be “radical”. Platt gives story after story of radical Christians making radical sacrifices for radical purposes. These stories are amazing, inspiring, challenging, God-glorifying . . . and extra-ordinary. Or to put it another way, these stories don’t really touch the mundane, every-day, eating, drinking, resting, working lives we find ourselves in. In no way am I saying these are not examples of God-glorifying, radical Christian living – they are, and we should be eager to follow suit! Yet still, after reading Radical, I’ve come to this conclusion: radical Christians who are radically committed to the glory of Jesus Christ are radically committed to ordinary things.
Radical Christians are radically committed to studying the Bible. The most radical Christian is the one who wakes up an hour early or stays up an hour late each day to study and meditate on the Word of God.
Radical Christians are radically committed to personal repentance. The most radical Christian is the one who sees how his sin robs God of glory and kills the soul, and he hates it, and he receives the forgiveness won on the cross, and he turns from it.
Radical Christians are radically committed to intercessory prayer. The most radical Christian is the one who takes time to pray for God’s work in the lives of his family, church, community, and the world.
Radical Christians are radically committed to the local church. The most radical Christian is the one who fully commits himself as a member of the local church, and who gives himself in love to his church family.
Radical Christians are radically committed to marriage and family. The most radical Christian is the one who intentionally shows love to his spouse and nurtures his family each day.
Radical Christians are radically committed to work. The most radical Christian is the one who realizes that God created us to work and is pleased when we work as for Christ and not for man.
Radical Christians are radically committed to financial stewardship. The most radical Christian is the one who sees all that he has as belonging to God, and stewards all that he has for God’s glory in his family, his church, and the world.
Radical Christians are radically committed to personal evangelism. The most radical Christian is the one who understands that just as he was saved through someone’s evangelism to him, so he also is called to bring the Gospel to his lost family members, neighbors, and coworkers.
Paul described the “radical Christian life” this way: “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:2-3). Let’s be people who glorify Christ through our radical commitment to “the ordinary”!
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