by K. P. Yohannan

Reviewed by Ed Hansen

Reality With God Leads to a Sacrificial Lifestyle

Seldom in our generation is a new book published that does justice to the call of God to the Christian. The Road to Reality, by Brother K.P. Yohannan, offers a fresh challenge to the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. K.P. is the India-born founder and main spokesman of Gospel For Asia, a mission organization that focuses on raising financial support in the western hemisphere to support native missionaries in the needy countries of southern Asia. Written from a third-world perspective, it dramatically exposes the barren, self-serving lifestyle of the typical American “believer.” It is good for us to realize how privileged, how responsible, and how shamefully fruitless we are as relatively wealthy children of God. This book is like a mirror we can gaze into, seeing how our lives must appear to our Father in heaven.

The author discusses our privileges and responsibilities in Christ, sacrificial living, and separation from the world. Join us for a tour of this book, which is offered as spiritual medicine for “apologetic, defensive, shallow Christians whose faith can’t turn the next corner, let alone turn the world upside down.”

Our Privileges and Responsibilities in Christ

K.P. Yohannan points out that the North American Christians of today are the wealthiest believers of all time, possessing great material blessings as well as vast quantities of Christian preachers, teachers and literature. In spite of this, our living and giving reflect a self-centeredness that must be open scandal in heaven. Writes Yohannan: “Abortion is one of the most shocking, yet entirely logical, extensions of this obsession with comfort, convenience and luxury. Less dramatic, but just as deadly to millions of lost souls in our world, is our unwillingness to make even small sacrifices to reach them.”

What is the problem, asks the author? “Self-centered Christians cannot and will not respond to Christ because they are not submitted to Him as their Head. …There can be no change until we change our attitude from that of the hireling to become bondslaves. …The purpose of the body (of Christ) is to fulfill the commands, desires and wishes of the head. … Lost men and women in this dark and dying world will not be found unless we search for them.” What is the solution? We must give up going our own way, and commit our lives to serving our only Creator and rightful Lord.

Not only should we serve Him, but He himself is also our example of how: “When Jesus walked on earth, God was showing us not only what He was like but also what He wanted man to be like. Jesus had authority and power because He constantly submitted himself to the will of the Father in every matter. Christ pleased the Father and reflected the Father perfectly because He perfectly put to death His flesh. And we repeat this cycle as we submit to our Head, the Lord Jesus.” The Road to Reality makes it clear that where we have ability to help, we have the responsibility to do so.

Sacrificial Living—The Only Reasonable Response to Reality!

We appreciate how the author has carefully clarified the only right foundation for mission giving. “If and when missions is reduced to a dollars-and-cents decision—merely another option for our giving—we prove that we have lost sight of the Savior. The test of our true affection is not how much we give, but how we live. Missions is not something we do, but something we are.” This reminds us of the Macedonian church of the New Testament, who in their giving “…first gave their own selves to the Lord…” (2 Cor. 8:5).

Moving beyond mere spiritual commitment and financial support for missions, the author writes: “Servanthood is the normal Christian life. …Servanthood is only giving back to God what already is His. …I am boldly demanding you choose a life of total surrender because this is the New Testament standard for Christian living. And something else. Blood-bought servanthood is also the only acceptable motivation for Christian service. …(God) is challenging us to join the fraternity of the involved, a fellowship of believers who realize that real truth is truth lived out.”

The Road to Reality details the call of the Word of God to a life that is done with self, sin and the world. “God wants us to lay aside our plans, schedules, schemes and visions and learn to serve Him in the power of the Holy Spirit. …The measure to which I will manifest the life of Christ is the same measure to which I am willing to put my ‘self’ to death.”

Separation From the World—A Cost Few Will Pay for Christ

Yohannan describes true and false separation from the world. Of the false separation he says: “We have switched to a retreat and survival mode. …The controlling force behind this massive retreat from the post-Christian, secularized culture of the West is fear rather than holiness. It is laziness rather than righteousness. And it is born from a lack of love rather than a genuine desire for separation.” Of true separation from the world, he says: “Holiness is not a gift of the Spirit. It is not a feeling that comes mysteriously over us. It is not something that God does to us. It begins with a deliberate choice—an act of the will. …Many will think you’re crazy. Often they may be people whose respect and love you want to keep. Sometimes even trusted Christians and clergy will turn on you. But you must obey the Master, remembering the question Jesus asked, ‘How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another…?’ (John 5:44).” Applying this to our service in the kingdom of God, he states, “We must learn it is impossible to mix worldly and spiritual methods without hindering the cause of Christ.”

The author takes a clear stand against worldly practices, and suggests the reduction of some. But we feel this falls short of taking the axe to the root of the tree. The reduction in worldly practices is suggested as a way to save money for increased mission giving. One needs to read portions of the book with a discerning eye, but we applaud the author for moving in the right direction. K.P. makes it clear that while we are to be separate from the world system, we are to be involved in ministering to worldly people. He states that we are “to love and reach out to the unlovely…to repent of the loveless, intolerant, self-centered Christianity…of the church today.”

Conclusion

The central focus of Brother K.P.’s book is the teaching on sacrificial living, death to self, and separation from the world. And his vision involves native peoples who are more effective in reaching their own people. The book does, however, appeal to the reader to support a particular mission program. While we recognize that God uses various ministries and strategies in evangelism and church planting we do not agree with everything in this book. But K.P.’s vision and momentum are a refreshing challenge to the lackadaisical state of many western church fellowships. There is no missing the author’s passion to get the gospel to the unreached of India and Southeast Asia. And this passion cannot help but to touch the way the serious Christian lives and sacrifices to help win the lost.

Excerpts from the book:

“But whatever [God] asks, you can be certain one of your biggest challenges will be dealing with the problems of rejection and acceptance from your peers.

“Many will think you’re crazy. Often they may be people whose respect and love you want to keep. Sometimes even trusted Christians and clergy will turn on you. But you must obey the Master, remembering the question Jesus asked, ‘How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another…?’ (John 5:44).

“Today, God is calling out an army of Americans who will feel his heartbeat and accept the call to live a life of radical Christian servanthood. The temptation is to dialogue with the world, seeking understanding, acceptance and sympathy.

“But in most cases this only delays the inevitable. Worldly Christians and unsaved friends simply cannot understand. When the Lord calls you away from this mess of lukewarm, half-hearted, plastic-living Christianity, you can be sure many will say you are an idiot. And it does seem crazy to them. We simply must accept such persecution as a normal part of serving the Lord.”