“Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.”
Genesis 22:17
The pastor of a mega-church we attended ten years ago, announced that the next Sunday’s sermon would be titled “Dangerous Christianity”.
This is a Gospel-centered church and the senior pastor was undoubtedly a Godly man, so the title created stir of excitement in the congregation and I felt a positive anticipation rising in me. DANGEROUS CHRISTIANITY was exactly what I needed. It was exactly what I wanted to dish out to the devil: DANGER FROM GOD!
The next Sunday came and we sat in our comfortable theater-style cushioned seats, eagerly waiting to hear about “Dangerous Christianity“.
“Beware, Devil”, I thought, “we are going to be a threat to you and yours from now on!”
The pastor started by saying, “It is Dangerous to take the Bible literally. Believing that everything in the Gospel is meant for your benefit can be DANGEROUS to your faith.”
I listened and I thought, “Did I just hear what I think I heard?”
He repeated his opening statement.
Curious and a bit concerned, I listened to his lecture, but I didn’t hear too much after the introduction.
I kept thinking, over and over that this respected man of God just said that the Bible presented a danger to the Believer’s faith, if he or she takes it literally.
Grammar, figures of speech, parts of speech, literary style, usage of nouns, pronouns, and verbs all aside, about all I remember about this “lecture” was the opening statement.
I understand metaphors, similes, idioms and hyperbole, and the Bible uses these figures of speech in various places to communicate an idea, a thought or a message.
But, the Bible is GOD BREATHED and is meant for every man, woman, boy and girl to understand. And the Bible indicates what is meant to be literal and what is not literal.
So, I decided to see if there was such a thing as Dangerous Christianity in the Bible, and here is what I found:
Genesis 22:17 “Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.”
1. Christians are a danger to possess the gate of our enemies!
Psalms 125:1 ¶ « A Song of Ascents. » Those who trust in the LORD Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.
2. Christians are a danger to anyone or anything that would try to separate us from God.
Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
3. Christians are a danger to weapons formed to be used against us and our accusers will be condemed!!
John 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
4. Christians are a danger to death or any kind of separation from our Father’s Hand.
Romans 8:35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
5. Christians are a danger to tribulation, or
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distress, or
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persecution, or
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famine, or
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nakedness, or
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peril, or sword or
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death,
because we are more than conquers through Christ!!
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
6. Christians are a danger to upheaval or turmoil.
Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
7. Christians are a danger to the evil of this world because we pray in Jesus’ Name and
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Jesus possesses the keys to the kingdom of heaven and
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Jesus binds evil,
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Jesus binds death,
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Jesus binds poverty,
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Jesus binds sickness,
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Jesus binds doubt,
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Jesus binds fear,
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Jesus binds hopelessness and the like.
Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
8. Christians are a danger to schemes of the devil.
Mark 16:17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
9. Christians are a danger to demons.
Matthew 10:8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.”
11. Christians are a danger to sickness, death, disease and evil!!
Now this is what I call DANGEROUS CHRISTIANITY.
Let’s exercise our gifts of the Spirit, the rights as brothers of Jesus, Joint heirs of the Son, and as sons of God and remember that it is The Spirit doing His Work through us! Let’s let the power of God and His love, kindness, patience, gentleness, self-control, goodness, and faithfulness flow through us.
Let’s speak the Logos of God. Let’s speak the Rhema of God. Let’s walk in the Spirit of God and carry His Word before us.
Let’s live a Dangerous Christianity and bring glory to our God.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
PS – Can you think of other ways we can be Dangerous Christians for the Glory of God and a credit to His Kingdom?
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