What is Normal About Following Jesus?

August 25, 2009

Dear Fellow Travelers,
To be sure, I cannot define “normal” for anything, but I do know this: the definition that most would give for the normal life of a believer is a far-cry from the truth. In the vast majority of instances, the message of the gospel is distorted in such a way, as to make it attractive to the masses, in much the same way, as the Ford Motor Company presents its line of vehicles—a far-cry from the way Paul presented the gospel. His mission was to preach the gospel—the real, unvarnished, gospel, and to leave the rest to God.
In my opinion, you will not find Paul tailoring the gospel in such a way as to popularize it, to make it appealing to the masses. You will not find him offering one thing for one group and another for a different group. It was very simple for him: one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism.
Furthermore, he knew quite well that God’s elect are attracted to the truth and re-pulsed by the crowd-attracting antics of the church. The fact is God designed it this way. We either embrace the one, true gospel, or we do not, and that is that.
The following passage gives us a bird’s eye view of Paul’s opinion of what is “normal,” of what can normally be expected by those who are followers of Christ: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:7-11; NASB; emphasis added).
If that doesn’t provide you with sufficient evidence, then listen to this: “. . . in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure” (2 Corinthians 11:23b-27 NASB; emphasis added).
There is simply nothing about the passages that remind me of the “If you will just come to Jesus, everything will be fine” notion of what is normal for those of us, whose faith is in Jesus for eternal life. There is absolutely nothing in these passages that entice me to want to join Paul’s “club”; in fact, had I known this in the beginning, I would have probably tried to run the other way!
If we should be honest, we would have to admit that we cannot get beyond the first few lines of the first passage [“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the sur-passing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves . . .”]. The fact is we want the power to be from ourselves, not from God; we want to be the one who is in charge; we want to have the power within ourselves.
Listen, now, to these words: “And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NASB; emphasis added).
Whoopee! Bring on the crowds! Give the invitation! Throw out the net!! Sing “Just As I Am”! The masses are running to the cross! Yea, right!
Yes, I realize that most want to hear a different story, the one that says, “Come to Jesus and everything will be A-OK, but the fact is this: God never intended the gospel for the masses; He never intended for salvation to be marketed as a product for everyone; He never intended for the preaching of the gospel to be done in such a way, as to imply that it can be accommodated to everyone’s pleasure and belief. He intended the gospel for every-one who believes (namely, His elect), to the Jew first, and then the Greek (Gentile).
Please allow me to tell you what will be true, if you should trust Jesus, as your Redeemer, Messiah, Savior:
1. God will have acted first because He will have had to raise the dead.
2. God will have already punished your sins, in Jesus, to the full requirement of the Law.
3. They will have forgiven you—forever forgiven you.
4. He will place you in perfect and permanent right-standing with the Triune Godhead.
5. Jesus will be your eternal guarantee of the New Covenant.
6. God will seat you at His right hand in the Most Holy Place, in Jesus.
7. He will give you the privilege and honor of trusting you life to Him—absolutely and completely.
8. He will provide you with enough adversity to demonstrate to you that His grace is sufficient for you, that His strength is make perfect in your weakness.
9. He will make you lie down in green pastures, lead you beside still waters, relentlessly restore your soul, securely lead you in paths of righteousness, and He will safely journey with you through the many valleys that are overcast with the shadow of death.
10. He will require that you walk by faith, which will scare the wits out of you—guaranteed!