Dallas Willard on The Failure to Understand Jesus As Reality

From The Divine Conspiracy,

"It is failure to understand Jesus and his words as reality and vital information about life that explains why, today, we do not routinely teach those who profess allegiance to him how to do what he said was best. We lead them to profess allegiance to him, or we expect them to, and leave them there, devoting our remaining efforts to 'attracting' them to this or that."
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Comments

[Cameron Crabtree]

It seems we so often de-emphasize his teachings out of fear others will see him only as a mere Teacher.

[Alan Cross]

Exaxtly, Cameron. It is the same problem that we have with the issue of justice. Because others have developed the Social Gospel, we have been afraid of stepping into those areas for fear that we will end up in error. So, we don't talk about the Sermon on the Mount or the teachings of Jesus for fear that we will encourage people to just see him as a teacher because others have promoted that view. We need to see Jesus for ALL that he is and quit reacting to what others get wrong.

He is both Savior and Lord and Teacher and King and God and Life and Light and . . .

[Bob Cleveland]

Jesus said He came to seek and save that which was lost. He also said He came that we (His followers) might have life, and abundantly.

He said, in two closely-spaced verses, that those who love Him would A) obey His commandments (the do's and dont's), and B) keep His teachings (let His teachings impact our lives, and who we are).

If we're not having an abundant life .. one that we can tell is abundant, and not just "confess" because He said it .. then it's most likely (IMO) because we've not let His teachings impact who were are and how we live.

In other words, Alan, I agree.

:)