Radical Faith

Radical Faith
Mark 6-10
Mark 8:34-38 , “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me….For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
We all recognize the need to believe in God, but we want a God who is safe, one who conforms to what we want.  We want a God who is manageable, one who provides for our needs, comes to our aid, but one who remains in the shadows and does not interfere or make demands.  We desire a God who affirms us and our beliefs and our life choices rather than one who confronts us with our sin and makes radical demands for change in our lives.
In reality, we are no different from the people of Jesus’ day. They wanted a God who would heal their sicknesses but also one who would follow their rules. They wanted a God they could worship, but one who would allow them to live as they pleased. They wanted a messiah who would save them from the rule of the Romans but not radically change their lives. Consequently, they found Jesus too demanding, too radical, and too upsetting. We often condemn the people for their rejection of Christ and their refusal to accept Christ, yet we often display the same attitude. We want a God who is safe and affirms our beliefs, lifestyle, and choices. We want a God who conforms to our views but does not radically demand that we change.  
However, Christ does give us this option. In Mark 8:34-38, Jesus lays it on the line. He makes it clear that those who genuinely surrender everything are worthy to be his disciples. Christ affirms that if we desire to receive his salvation, we must be willing to “take up his cross.” In other words, the only ones who are his disciples are those willing to give up everything, including life itself, to him. To take up his cross is to go with him to his death. This points us to complete surrender. We no longer dictate the terms or determine how we should live. Instead, we bring every aspect of our life under his lordship and rule. It is easy to give up what we do not want. But giving up every facet of our life, including our dreams, hopes, desires, beliefs, and how we live, is much more daunting. Yet this is what Christ demands. To hold back anything from his sovereign authority is ultimately to lose everything. Tragically, many people today sacrifice eternity for present pleasures and desires. However, in the end, they lose everything, including their own eternal life.  
To be a follower of Christ requires that we give up everything and submit to Christ completely in all things. But in the sacrifice of our lives, we obtain a life far greater. This is the paradox of faith. When we hold fast to our dreams, aspirations, wants, and control of our lives, we ultimately lose them all. But when we surrender all these things to Christ and seek him and his will, we discover the true joy of life. It is the ultimate paradox. The more we give up, the more we gain; the more we seek to keep, the more we lose. Are we holding on to our lives, our dreams, and our desires, or are we giving up everything to Christ’s sovereign rule? This is the meaning of radical faith.