“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43–48, ESV)
To the chagrin of some during his earthly ministry, Jesus did not call his disciples to be revolutionaries. And to the surprise of many who follow him into this millennium, he does not call us to be congenially counter-cultural.
There is a difference. One overthrows and destroys. The other attempts to politely swim against the current. Both of these will fail.
Jesus in all ages calls his church to be reformational.
Reformational living is neither destructive, nor polite. It is, however, unreasonable, unexpected, and transformational.
Oh! And, it’s impossible–without the power of the Holy Spirit.