Movement

The general notion of society is that a man is a radical at twenty-one, a liberal at thirty-one, and a conservative at forty. Young blood and burning ideals is an interesting combination. Youths and millennials mostly fuel protests and radical movements. However, not all millennials are protesters neither all protesters are millennials. There are activists and radicals on and off college campuses.

As we have come to a season of increasing shifting, shaking and sifting happening in the world around us, the terms radical, liberal and conservative requires a fresh look from a spiritual context. Yashua spoke directly to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. To all the seven churches, He had messages addressing their qualities and things that require attention. In all of the seven churches there were folks leaning to the left and the right. He commended the works that they were doing right and offered words of correction to the ones weren’t.

He sees only two groups; the ones who follow Him wholeheartedly and the ones who do not. In the book of Revelation when Yashua addressed to the churches He had two groups in every church except the last Church–the church of Laodecia. He addressed to three categories of believers in Laodecian church; the ones that are hot, cold and the lukewarm.

The Radicals, Liberals and the Conservatives within the church

In politics there has invariably been friction between the Radicals, Liberals, and Conservatives. Generally a person who has radical ideas or opinions is considered a Radical. America’s political history is framed by these three types. The ones who were on the forefront who took action were addressed Radicals by the rest. From the ones who fought in the revolutionary war and to the recent civil rights movement were led by group commonly referred to as radicals. Radicals are people who are willing to go the extra mile for good causes. Imagine an America if those did not take action as they did. In any people movement or nation it is the radicals who fight for liberty and are willing to give their possessions even to the extent of sacrificing their lives.

Today these three groups exist within the church at large.

The radicals are the group who wish to be the change they like to see on earth as it is in heaven. It is the group which Yashua calls hot in the Laodecian church. He Himself was the radical who changed the religious culture of His days.

Yashua was a change-agent who mentor others to change (or be transformed) and become change-agents as well. He started with twelve simple men of those days. His radicalism was not about toppling any existing culture with the power of money, democracy or publicity. He worked for an unseen boss, His Father who promised to bring liberty at the cost of His death to all dead things. The group of radicals He is looking for in the Laodecian church and still today is the ones who are willing to receive the Lord’s discipline and go all the way in. All the twelve men He chose did so and it cost their lives.

A Liberal in the spiritual climate today is a person who favors a philosophy of spiritual progress and reform. In the Christian culture today, liberals are the ones who wish to see the change but are unable to take the action or go all the way in. They are the ones in the lukewarm category of the Laodecian church. They favor progress and reform and know what needs to be done. However, either they are too busy or simply choose to be in the middle.

A Conservative could be a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas. This is a large category in the church today. They are the ones who are reluctant to change from the religious box they are in. They resist any type of variation. They are passionate to remain unchanged. They are necessarily not bad people. Yashua faced the most resistance from the ones with the religious spirit in His days. They nurture a hypocritical spirit within the church.

There are times we choose to be in the cold or lukewarm category sometimes by choice or by pressure from people and circumstances. These groups are not categories set in stone as the Savior lovingly disciplines so that they can be changed.

A Movement happens as the result of the rise of true radicals for Christ

Radicals are the ones whose obedience to the Lord was immediate, and willing to take action. “And after they brought their boats to the land, they left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:11). They are the Peters, James and Johns. Most of them had families to take care, responsibilities and some even had full-time jobs. For instance a person like Peter was more an activist. He cut the ear of Malchus during the arrest of Yashua. On the other hand, John was more a passivist. They both were radicals for Yashua in their willingness to follow the Lord but their personalities were very different. Yashua choose them both knowing their personalities. They were more than willing to take action for the kingdom and as a result were martyred.

A Radical is one that responds to the truth not just by words but in action.

A rich young ruler in Mark 10 encountered Yashua. He was a borderline radical who falls more on the liberal category in our context. He kept all the Law from his youth and also desired to go further. He took the effort to come to Yashua for consultation. However, at Yashua’s response to sell everything and give to the poor, he was unable to take the next step of action to maturity like Peter or John did. It is one thing to have a desire to grow and another thing to translate it into action. It is not that we have the strength to obey whatever He says but He gives us His strength when we act. “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing…”” (Mark 10:21). It was not Yashua’s intention to send him away rather the ruler made that choice. It is noteworthy that Yashua looking at him loved him when He said those words.

Similarly to the Laodecian church Yashua admonishes, saying “As many as I love, I reprove and discipline. Be zealous, therefore, and repent!” (Rev 3:19). The Laodecian church also refers to riches, “Because you are saying, “I am rich, and have become rich, and I have need of nothing”” (Rev 3:17).  It is interesting that the young ruler is referred to as “rich young ruler”. Riches are good as long as it does not hinder one’s commitment to the Lord. In the case of the rich young ruler the riches hindered him moving forward. It is not money rather love of money that is root of evil. The riches rendered a false contentment for the Laodecian church that caused them to be ignorant of their spiritual depravity. Beware! The love for material possessions can lead us to spiritual bankruptcy as in the case of the Laodecian church.

From Being a Conservative to Becoming a Radical

It is time to abandon the mainstream definition of Conservative, Liberal and Radical and get into the kingdom game in this season and be rightly aligned for His purposes. It is an exciting time to be living in.

The conservative group in our context is the ones that resist anything outside the religious box. This category of people exists in every generation. They follow a religion within religion; a religion of “self-righteousness”. They are in every religion including Christianity. They are the cold that Yashua refers in the Laodecian church. They hold on tight to the traditions of men so that it becomes the new religion in itself. They miss the essence of religion. They are content with the rituals and even the acceptance of people more than God. It was the people with Pharisaical spirit that Yashua had to deal with. It is not particularly about a sect of people. Yashua loves all types of people. Almost every time when the Pharisees encountered Him they had an agenda. They came to test Him unlike the rich young ruler. He desired to learn more but weren’t able to fully like the rest of the disciples who left their nets and followed Him.

Radicals are not the ones who have figured out the whole Bible either. They are the ones willing to take correction from the Lord daily and willing to take the step of faith every day. While Peter was at one of His lowest points, Yashua asked him, do you love me more than these? Peter was just coming out of his denial spree at the cock’s crow. God brought him to a place of being a radical for Him again through correction, encouragement, and persistence. On the other hand, liberals desire progress and are not quite radical or stiff-necked like the rest. They prefer to be in the middle.

Yashua was urging that the three groups and especially the Liberals or lukewarm join either the hot or cold group. In this season there is a large group becoming even more hardened and religious while the other group chooses to be the right– radicals in this generation. Liberals may consider themselves as well informed and well balanced but soon it is time to take sides as the Lord of harvest sifts the wheat from tares. They do not have to refer to Radicals as “cranks.” Don’t forget that Yashua uses the “cranks” to bring revolution. The true revolution of love that the world is yet to see requires the right radicals to steer–radicals with a kingdom foundation and a heart to pursue Him fully.

The Laodecian church is mature for a revolution

Revolution does not start until people have reached the point of disillusionment with past ways and values. In the context of the church it translates to people being sick and tired of Laodecian lifestyle. The risk for many is stepping out not knowing how to change.

For any change to occur, the first step is to come to the point of knowing that the prevailing system is unsuccessful and hopeless. Next, is a desire for change instead being content by the present state. It then leads to passion and faith. The lukewarm state of the Laodecian church is a state of contentment that visors the horizon ahead.

The lukewarm group won’t strongly oppose those who do become radicals. A Laodecian church is mature for revolution. The ones who are committed to be radical become the change-agent. They flame the fire leading to revolution fanning in the sifting process that brings the lukewarm to being hot again.