What is RADICAL FAITHFULNESS? & How Can We Live Lives Like JESUS, With JESUS? — Continued

Hey friends - Thanks for joining me in this LIFE ON MISSION with JESUS. I mentioned in our last brief introduction post (linked here), that radical faithfulness is something that’s been on my heart and mind a lot over the past months and even years.Relative to His own 1st century culture and to our own cultures today, the way Jesus walked, talked, and lived is completely radical and countercultural, yet also full of grace, truth, and love.I shared that the Lord has answered my prayers and given me a simple framework, or way of practically approaching this life of radical faithfulness that I know our God desires. This is the kind of life I want to live with Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit.This post was a labor of love and I am excited to share it! I’m trusting the Lord has beautiful things in store for us. But first…A Crucial DisclaimerIt is worth noting that no amount of obedience or trust-in-action or faithfulness will be achieved in our flesh or our striving or our own willpower or any other ulterior motive apart from the saving power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in those who anchor their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Period.Nothing in our human nature longs to please God with surrender, obedience, trust, and faithfulness over the long run. Absolutely not.But once faith in Jesus enters the picture, alongside the Spirit of God, then everything begins to change. The beautiful and life-long process of sanctification begins. We may resist it, many times, and it may be painful for our pride, ego, and selfish habits and ways. Nevertheless, in His great love for us and through the Holy Spirit now living within us who believe in Jesus, our faithful God continues to shape us into the likeness of Jesus, more and more, day by day, and even more so as we welcome His edification, correction, and new way for us that leads to abundant life in Christ.That is very good news. That is amazing news. Our God is far more committed to us than we can possibly fathom.Again, no amount of obedience or trust-in-action or faithfulness will be achieved in our flesh or our striving or our own willpower or any other ulterior motive apart from the saving power of God. Instead, simple obedience and trust-in-action over time are the fruit of the Holy Spirit powerfully working in those who anchor their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These are evidence of abiding in Christ and of a real relationship with God.Hallelujah! All glory to our awesome God who is working in and through us both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).Now, let’s break down this equation…If Radical Faithfulness = Simple Obedience + Trust-in-Action, in the little things, sustained over time, with God, then…What Is Simple Obedience?Simple obedience is saying “yes” to God, even if the instruction or command seems significant or small.This is what disciples, or apprentices do. They observe the master, listen, and respond, doing as the master does.There is nothing complex about it. Children do this all the time. Even more than doing what a parent says, children tend to do what they see their parents doing.We too, who believe in Christ, have become children of God, helped by the Holy Spirit.When we look at John 14:15-17, we find that Jesus says this to His disciples:“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”In verses 23-27, Jesus continues, saying,“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”To simply obey Jesus and to keep His words is to express our love for God. It is the way we outwardly express our internal love for our Lord Jesus.Not only that, this kind of response to God is not the result of our hard work or willpower, it is evidence of the power of the Spirit of God within us, refining our desires and transforming us from the inside out.Our “yes” to God is enabled and helped by the Helper Himself.And just as faith is evidence of real hope and conviction (see Hebrews 11:1), simple obedience is evidence of real love for God.It is responsive, humble, immediate, and childlike.God doesn’t ask us to fully understand all that He asks, He asks us to simply trust Him enough to obey by faith.What the Psalmist declares in Psalm 119:105 is true,:“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”God’s Word illuminates the path in front of our feet—our next step, not the next decade.If we had all the answers, there would be no need for faith or trust, but our God desires genuine faith and love, so we are given a choice: Love God or love anything or anyone else.By God’s grace, we are given opportunities galore to either express our love to God by keeping His Word or choose something or someone else in place of God as we go our own way.Simple obedience is taking that next step in faith, keenly aware that the Lord our God is with us and God’s Spirit, our Helper, is in us, empowering our every step forward down His path of eternal and abundant life.And, it’s good and worth remembering that our God’s love is steadfast, not based on our performance, and His grace for us is sufficient.If Radical Faithfulness = Simple Obedience + Trust-in-Action, in the little things, sustained over time, with God, then…What Is Trust-in-Action?Trust-in-action is faith expressed through movement, decisions, and habits.It is belief embodied.In the New Testament book of James 2:18, James himself famously wrote,“Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”Simply put, our choices reveal our true beliefs and internal attitudes.Our internal trust in God becomes externally visible and proven through our:* decision-making,* perseverance,* obedience amid uncertainty, and* faithfulness when we don’t know the outcome.So, what does trust-in-action look like?Trust-in-action looks like Noah building the ark for decades before it ever rained.It looks like Abraham leaving the life and world he knew without answers, and walking by faith to a land he didn’t know.It looks like Mary the mother of Jesus responding to the angel sent by God after he told her that she, a virgin, would give birth to the Son of God, saying “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” - Luke 1:38It looks like Peter stepping out of the boat to meet Jesus walking on the water.Trust-in-action is the daily posture of a heart surrendered to God, ready and willing to step forward in faith.If Radical Faithfulness = Simple Obedience + Trust-in-Action, in the little things, sustained over time, with God, then…Why do the Little Things Matter?The Kingdom of God is built on faithfulness in little things.In Luke 16:10, Jesus teaches:“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”It’s in the little, unseen, seemingly insignificant things that our character is forged.Small choices to obey and trust God shape spiritual muscles.The quiet, hidden “yes” to God in faith helps to form deep roots that sustain great callings and acts of faith later on.David’s courage before Goliath began with fighting lions and bears to protect his flock in hidden fields when no one was looking.Joseph’s wisdom in the palace grew from humility and faithfulness while in a pit and in prison.Daniel’s resolve before the king and peace in the lions’ den was formed through years of disciplined prayer behind closed doors and close intimacy with God.Lasting impact in the Kingdom stems from the soil of small, steady obedience and trust-in-action over time.If Radical Faithfulness = Simple Obedience + Trust-in-Action, in the little things, sustained over time, with God, then…Why Must Faithfulness Be Sustained Over Time?Radical faithfulness is not a single act, it is a lifestyle.It is obedience rooted in trust that endures, abides, and continues.In Galatians 6:9, Paul exhorts us:“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”Time and trials test the sincerity of our devotion.And contrary to the belief that all suffering is the worst and to be avoided at all costs, Spirit-empowered perseverance through suffering actually matures us in Christlike character.In Romans 5:1-5 it powerfully says,“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”In Hebrews 12:1-3, it says,“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis puts it this way,“Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other.” (p. 92)So we see, our little choices over the long run matter, far more than we’re led to believe.Our long-term obedience and faithful endurance through opposition both shape our character and refine our trust, holiness, lasting joy, and enduring hope.Jesus Himself highlights the importance of faithfulness sustained over time. We can look to His warning concerning His second coming at an hour we do not expect in Matthew 24:45-46. And so, Jesus asks and declares:“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”How sweet it is to know this truth in advance! Jesus honors the servant who remains faithful until He, the Master, returns.If Radical Faithfulness = Simple Obedience + Trust-in-Action, in the little things, sustained over time, with God, then…Why With God?That’s easy. Because God is the best. We already established that apart from the Lord we can do nothing. And Jesus Himself said, “With God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). That is a matter of fact.God’s promised presence, always accessible through His Spirit living in us, has to be among the greatest if not the greatest benefit of our relationship with God.Who is like the Lord God Almighty? I could share on this subject all day long, and all night, and tomorrow, and the next day—Emmanuel, God is with us.That changes absolutely everything.Now the real questions are:What if we lived like God is actually with us, as He promised?And…How can we live like God is actually with us, because He is?Perhaps that’s inspiration for a series to come.So, we’ve covered what radical faithfulness is. What about the inverse?What Radical Faithfulness Is NotTo understand the beauty of radical faithfulness, we must also clear away its counterfeits.Radical Faithfulness Is Not PerfectionismIt isn’t flawless performance or earning God’s approval.We can remember Ephesians 2:8-10,“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”Faithfulness flows from an identity rooted in being loved by God, not anxious people-pleasing or striving for approval.Radical Faithfulness Is Not Spectacular or HeroicIt isn’t measured by applause, platforms, or visibility.In Matthew 6:1, 3-4, Jesus says,“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”Faithfulness is tested and proven genuine in secret places before an audience of One, that is, before the Lord.Radical Faithfulness Is Not LegalismIt isn’t obeying to earn favor.In Galatians 3:3-6,11, it says,“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”True obedience is Spirit-empowered, not self-powered.Radical Faithfulness Is Not BusynessActivity is not the same as obedience.And packing your schedule with good things does not equate to faithfulness.Let’s remember Martha and Mary, the first was busy, the second was abiding with Jesus.In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus reminds Martha that only one thing is necessary. It says,“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’”Jesus Himself, the model of perfect faithfulness, remained faithful to His Father without engaging in distracted busyness.The King who came to serve, valued abiding over anxious serving.It’s worth noting too, that Jesus was motivated by love in serving God by serving people.Likewise, our service motivated by love is evidence of God’s Spirit in us, giving us the power and the desire to do what pleases our Father.Radical Faithfulness Is Not a Life Without StruggleTrials do not disprove faithfulness; often they reveal it.Let’s look at 1 Peter 1:3-9,“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”Though we face opposition and challenges, our faith is refined to become stronger, more pure, and more pleasing to our God who fights for us and walks with us.Even if our circumstances don’t immediately change, our God can renew our perspective in a moment and transform the way we overcome obstacles as we lean on our Lord who is our Source of strength, wisdom, grace, and all we need.Radical Faithfulness Is Not Instant ResultsThe harvest is God’s responsibility, not ours.It says in James 5:7,“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.”You and I get to simply plant and water seeds in faith, but it’s God who brings life, growth, and the harvest.We plant, other times we water, but it’s God who brings the growth!Consider those in your life who don’t yet know Jesus or the life-changing love of God?Your role is not to transform their heart and life. Only God can bring true heart and life transformation. Your role is to plant and water seeds by faith.Hallelujah! That is amazing news. The Lord’s yoke truly is easy and His burden is light. In Christ, we find rest for our souls.Feel free to pause. You may want to take a moment to breathe in God’s grace and breathe out His praise.Radical Faithfulness Is Not Self-SufficiencyJesus said it Himself in John 15:5,“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”Praise be to God for that brutal, clear honesty.Faithfulness is not achieved by our own willpower.Faithfulness is fueled by the Spirit as we abide in Christ.Radical Faithfulness Is Not ComparisonWhen Peter questioned Jesus about his fellow disciple John, Jesus got to the point. It wasn’t Peter’s responsibility to compare himself to his brother-in-Christ; his responsibility was to follow Jesus.“When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!’”Faithfulness is personal, intimate obedience to Christ, motivated by love and trust—not competition.Radical Faithfulness Is Not Flashy or ImpressiveOur God delights in humility. Look at Micah 6:8,“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”This is not an impressive life of wowing others or performing for fans.This is a lifetime of walking humbly with our Good Shepherd, doing as He does, living as He lived, loving what He loves.All glory to our awesome God!Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Radical FaithfulnessJesus’ earthly life was the perfect picture of simple obedience and trust-in-action, sustained over time, with God.In John 5:30, Jesus said,“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”In Philippians 2:5-7, it says,“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.The King, Jesus, came to serve. He is our example on how to live a life full of love, grace, and truth.His daily rhythms of prayer, compassion, service, and surrender prepared Him for His greatest act of obedience.Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” That is next-level simple obedience and trust-in-action.Jesus shows us that radical faithfulness is not just spectacular moments for all to see, but steady sonship, pouring out from a cup overflowing.His life of radical love and faithfulness flowed from a rock-solid identity as a beloved son and deep closeness with the Father.The way, truth, and life of Jesus is our model, our inspiration, and the only way that leads to abundant life.In case we didn’t have enough examples already, here are some Biblical Testimonies of Radical FaithfulnessNoah — An Example of Faithfulness Over a Lifetime“Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.”- Genesis 6:22Abraham — An Example of Obedience Without Full Clarity“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”- Hebrews 11:8Joseph — Faithful No Matter the Circumstance, Because God Was With Him“The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”- Genesis 39:23Daniel — Resolved in Daily Disciplines and Faithful Over Time Despite Opposition and Intense Pressure to Conform“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”- Daniel 6:10Ruth — Faithful and Loyal in LittleIn Ruth 1:16, we see Ruth’s selfless loyalty on display toward her destitute and grieving mother-in-law,“Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.’”In Ruth 2:10-12, it says,“[Ruth] fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?’But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!’”Ruth’s faithfulness in little and loyalty to Naomi resulted in the lineage that led to King David, and then to the King of kings, Jesus Christ.Finally, the last Biblical Testimonies of Radical Faithfulness, the poor widow who gave her offering in the temple.The Widow’s Offering — Faithfulness in PovertyIn Mark 12:41-44, we see how the Lord honors the poor widow whose trust in God was put on display by giving everything she had back to God. It says that,“[Jesus] sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them,‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”Our God treasures faithfulness, not the size of our faith.And as a small bonus, here are some other perspectives from a few people of faith.Other Voices of Wisdom on Faithfulness to God in the Little Things, With ChristBrother Lawrence once said:“We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of Him.”Hudson Taylor once said:“A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in little things is a great thing.”Elisabeth Elliot once said:“The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”Radical faithfulness is Christ in us—transforming ordinary moments into sacred communion and collaboration with God.That is amazing.Let’s PrayLord God Almighty, You are good and Your steadfast love endures forever.Thank You for Your presence now.You are nearer than even the breath in our lungs.You have fearfully and wonderfully made us in love. Wonderful are your works, Lord. Our souls know it well.Thank You for this invitation to walk with You over the course of our lifetimes.Thank You for the opportunity to pursue faithfulness like Christ, with Christ.Thank You father for the opportunity to hear and to simply obey Your Word and Your inspiration as Your Spirit guides us into all truth.Thank You for the opportunity to put our trust in action.May we not be those who simply talk the talk but may we walk out our faith with grace truth and love.Father, may Your love motivate us. May we, like Christ, be rooted and rock-solid in our identity as a beloved son or as a beloved daughter.Keep us from lies. Keep us from comparison.Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.No one comes to the Father except through You.Our Redeemer, You are worthy of our lives.You are worthy of our faithfulness in the little things over time.And God, we know that you are present with us.And there is no one like you. There is no one beside you.Father, you are for us—You have proven that. Lord Jesus, You are with us as you promised.Holy Spirit, You are in us.What an absolute gift.Holy, holy, holy are You, Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is filled with Your glory.So Father, we submit to You, we surrender, and we pray by the power of Your Spirit, empower us to live lives that please You, that honor Jesus, and that exalt You, for You alone are worthy.Be glorified in and through our lives.May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You, Lord our God.We pray, let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth and through our lives as it is in heaven.In the name of Jesus, our Lord, we pray all these things.Amen.Hallelujah! Thank you, Father. All glory, honor, and praise belongs to you, God.Friends, I hope you are sincerely blessed by God through this post and podcast.You are loved, and I hope you are encouraged to embrace lives of radical faithfulness by the power of the Holy Spirit, walking in simple obedience and trust in action in the little things, sustained over time, with the Lord, our ever-present God.May God bless you.And if he blessed you through this post, please do share it. Reach out to friends. Pass along the link.Leave a comment.Subscribe if you haven’t already.LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.You can subscribe for free or support me and my wife living on mission as a paid subscriber or support us otherwise.If you’re interested, please reach out to us [email protected] we meet again, may God bless you and thanks for joining me in this LIFE ON MISSION with JESUS. Qu’est-ce que la FIDÉLITÉ RADICALE ?Et comment VIVRE DES VIES comme JÉSUS, AVEC JÉSUS ? — La SuiteObéissance simple & confiance mise en action dans les petites choses, soutenues dans le temps, avec DieuLa traduction arrive bientôt !Merci de m’avoir rejoint dans cette VIE EN MISSION avec JÉSUS. Get full access to LIFE ON MISSION with TANNER KLEIN at lifeonmissiontannerklein.substack.com/subscribe