Most people – including those who consider themselves to be Christians – have a fundamentally incorrect understanding of what it means to be a Christian. In order to be a Christian, it is necessary to have “faith” in Jesus. The popular misconception is that “faith in Jesus” means “expressing an allegiance to Christianity”, and carrying out that allegiance by supporting particular conservative political views. It’s a relatively safe and comfortable thing to do, apart from incurring the wrath of some people who hold differing political views.
However, faith is not about allegiance at all. It is about actively trusting Jesus. It is about doing things in obedience to Jesus that you know you would not be able to do yourself without his miraculous intervention. He sent out his twelve disciples: “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go proclaim, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ Heal the sick, cleanse people suffering from leprosy, and cast out demons. Give freely just as you have received freely. Don’t take any gold, silver or brass in your belts, or a bag for your journey, or a spare coat or shoes, or a walking stick…”
It must have been pretty scary stuff for the disciples – learning to trust in God’s provision, rather than organising everything in advance, stockpiling resources and insuring against all contingencies. Faith in Jesus is something that necessarily requires constantly facing up to the fears and risks involved in taking on tasks for which a successful outcome is not pre-ordained in human terms.