This is the first of several blogs that start with quotes from John Eldredge's book, "Beautiful Outlaw."
After exposing the Jesus that many of us have never been aware of, John says this:
"You have a personal guide now; ask Jesus what to take up and what to set down, so that you might receive his life.
"By the way, this is the bottom-line test of anything claiming to be of Jesus: Does it bring life? If it doesn't, drop it like a rattlesnake. And you will find that the religious never, ever brings life. Ever. That is its greatest exposure."[1]
The distinguishing characteristic of real Christianity is life – Jesus’ life. It is His life in us being lived out. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”[2]
We must ask ourselves what things we believe, think, or do that does or does not bring life to the full. Of course we may need to come to a realization of what life to the full looks like. And sometimes it may take a while traveling down the wrong road to come to a realization of the fact that what we thought was life to the full is just another dead end road to a life of dissolution. But when we come to that realization, we must be willing to “drop it like a rattlesnake” as Eldridge admonishes. We cannot afford to cling to religious notions because of tradition or reputation lest we perpetuate another generation of hollow, religious Christianity.
[1] Eldridge, John. Beautiful Outlaw. Faith Words. New York, Boston, Nashville. 2011. p. 209.
[2] John 10:10b
After exposing the Jesus that many of us have never been aware of, John says this:
"You have a personal guide now; ask Jesus what to take up and what to set down, so that you might receive his life.
"By the way, this is the bottom-line test of anything claiming to be of Jesus: Does it bring life? If it doesn't, drop it like a rattlesnake. And you will find that the religious never, ever brings life. Ever. That is its greatest exposure."[1]
The distinguishing characteristic of real Christianity is life – Jesus’ life. It is His life in us being lived out. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”[2]
We must ask ourselves what things we believe, think, or do that does or does not bring life to the full. Of course we may need to come to a realization of what life to the full looks like. And sometimes it may take a while traveling down the wrong road to come to a realization of the fact that what we thought was life to the full is just another dead end road to a life of dissolution. But when we come to that realization, we must be willing to “drop it like a rattlesnake” as Eldridge admonishes. We cannot afford to cling to religious notions because of tradition or reputation lest we perpetuate another generation of hollow, religious Christianity.
[1] Eldridge, John. Beautiful Outlaw. Faith Words. New York, Boston, Nashville. 2011. p. 209.
[2] John 10:10b