What is “balanced” Christianity? So many times we see people fly off to extremes. They find a doctrine they like and they run with it. One person says God is just, and that’s all they preach about. Another person says God does miracles, and that becomes their entire life. Then we find someone who only teaches that God is love; and someone else who pushes teachings on hell and judgment.
So what is balance? Is it to compromise our teachings? Is it to bring everything more toward the “center” so that less people are offended? Is it to avoid extremes?
I say we should get our example from Christ Himself. Jesus was extreme. He was extreme about God’s justice, righteousness, power, love, and judgment. He was extreme in worship, fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. He was extreme in service, humility, and kindness. He was extreme in bluntness, prophetic clarity, and harsh truth. Jesus was extreme in every way! Jesus was not “balanced” in the sense that He watered down His life; He was balanced by being extreme in every area!
If we wish to be truly “Christ-like,” we need to be unafraid to be extreme in every way! Look for the one aspect of God’s nature that you like to convey most, and then look for some ways you often avoid. My encouragement to you is not that you would cut back on the aspect you currently favor, but rather that you would become more extreme in the areas where you currently lack fervor. It’s time to be extreme in all ways as we reveal Christ in this world!
Revelation 3:16 says that Christ will spew the lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. It’s time to get red hot in every way!
2 Peter 1:5–11 – For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (NIV).
