Not a Fan

I've been reading a great book by a man that I've come to highly respect over the years. The book is Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman.

What I like about the book is that is looks at the passages that we ignore, and ask the questions we are too afraid to ask. Like, "What if Jesus was serious?" What I mean is we glance over the passages that make us uncomfortable in favor of those that make us happy. We like to pick and chose our own happy, soft version of Jesus. We like "let the little children come to me" better than "Woe to you, unbelieving and perverse generation." We like "Love your enemy" better than "Narrow is the gate, and few find it" or "if you want to follow me, you must give up everything." We like "blessed are the poor" better than "Sell all your possessions, give them to the poor, and then follow me."

See Jesus made a few things clear. First, not everyone goes to heaven. We don't like that. We want everyone to go to heaven. Well, maybe not Hilter, but I want to go without actually having to obey God. But in fact, with that whole narrow gate thing, Jesus was saying that very few people get to heaven. Second, we must obey Him. We want to say "I believe in God," but God wants us to obey him too. People throughout the gospels ask "What must I do to be saved?" In other words, what's the bare minimum I have to do to be saved? Jesus answered like "Love God with everything that you are, and love your neighbor as yourself." He answered like "Obey everything I commanded." (we like to change this to "I'm a good person. I never killed anybody.") Third, Jesus said we have to give up everything to follow him. Just read Luke 14. Jesus makes it clear that there are NO EXCUSES. It's all or nothing. Jesus will not share us.

See, we want to draw a line. It's ok if I sleep with this person. We're in love. Jesus told me to forgive, but he doesn't know what I've been through. We're supposed to not be greedy or materialistic, but this is America. That's just how things are. Our definition of sin is that we don't hurt anybody. Steal from a corporation, not a person. Have all the one-night stands we want. Who cares? But see, when we do those things that aren't any big deal, we pick those things over God. Even if their good things, like work or family. If they take priority, they are sin.

So if very few are going to make it to heaven, how do we ensure that we are one of the few? Reading this book is a good place to start. Also visit http://www.notafan.com. And chances are, if you're offended by all this talk, then you're a fan. You need to check this out more than anyone.