Radical Marks of a Christian: Christ’s Call to Humility and the Hope of the Gospel

The human struggle with humility reveals itself most clearly when we consider the standard by whom we are to measure ourselves: Jesus Christ. We hesitate to hold ourselves against this divine benchmark. Instead, we engage in the far easier task of comparing ourselves to other people, selecting the most prideful individuals we can find to make ourselves appear humble by contrast.

This tendency extends to how we view sin. We label certain behaviours as “evil” while convincing ourselves that we are “not that bad.” This self-perception is deeply deceiving, and we resist seeing ourselves as we truly are. The Bible does not treat our sin so mildly—it does not simply say we are “not good” as a vague statement.

In Mark 9:33–34, we find the disciples arguing about who among them was the greatest. Jesus, knowing their hearts, asked directly: “What were you discussing on the way?” They remained silent because they had been debating their own superiority. This reveals a universal human tendency. Even if we do not openly declare ourselves great, but we are quick to elevate others, calling certain preachers or churches “great” by standards that fall far short of God’s perspective.

Among the seven billion people on earth, we do not even know one billion personally. When we declare someone’s ministry “great,” we are making judgements based on an infinitesimally small sample. Even the most well-known Christian leaders represent barely half a drop in the ocean of what God is doing worldwide. This is not to minimise godly servants but to maintain proper perspective. We should bow only to God and recognise him alone as truly great.

Jesus addresses the gravity of sin in Mark 9:42–50 with language that demands our careful attention:

These are not mere figures of speech. Jesus speaks to real people about literal consequences—actual hell with unquenchable fire, genuine eternal life in new heavens and new earth. The consistency of literal language throughout this passage suggests that Jesus means exactly what he says about radical action against sin.

Yet here lies the profound point: Even if we were to cut off our hands, gouge out our eyes, or amputate our feet, we would still possess sinful hearts. These physical acts cannot address the root problem of human depravity. Jesus is demonstrating that no radical action we might take could ever be sufficient to deal with our sin problem.

When Jesus refers to “little ones” in v. 42, he is not primarily speaking about children but about believers whom others might consider insignificant or despised. The disciples, consumed with determining greatness among themselves, had created a hierarchy in their minds—some were important, others were “little ones.”

This attitude persists today. When we show favouritism to certain people while looking down on others, we sin grievously. All of God’s people are equal. Every human being bears the image and likeness of God and deserves respect. Jesus warns that causing any believer—regardless of perceived status—to sin would warrant drowning in the sea with a millstone around one’s neck.

The radical nature of Jesus’ commands about amputating body parts serves to highlight our complete inability to save ourselves through works. No physical sacrifice could ever pay for our sins. Christ’s death on the cross—not a spiritual death but actual, physical death—accomplished what no self-mutilation could achieve.

Forgiveness does not come through our radical actions but through Christ’s radical sacrifice. We cannot offer God our hands, feet, or eyes as payment for sin. We can only offer genuine repentance and radical turning away from sin.

Jesus concludes this teaching with a parable about salt: “Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:50). The notion of unsalty salt is ridiculous. There is nothing you can do to remove from salt its essential nature as salt.

Similarly, if you are a genuine believer, you possess the marks of faith and will forever remain a believer. This doesn’t mean believers cannot sin or struggle—it means their essential identity in Christ remains secure. Jesus is not saying he will despise us for sinning; rather, he calls us to ongoing repentance whilst assuring us we will never lose our “saltiness.”

The call to “have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” stands in stark contrast to the disciples’ earlier arguing about greatness. Instead of creating hierarchies and causing others to stumble, believers should treat one another equally, love as Christ loved, and avoid causing fellow Christians to sin.

This text ultimately calls us to humility—recognising the serious nature of our sin, the impossibility of self-salvation, and our complete dependence on Christ’s mercy. True Christian maturity involves radical honesty about our sinful condition coupled with profound gratitude for the grace that saves us.

We will see one another in eternity, not because we successfully cut off the parts of our bodies that cause us to sin, but because Christ cut off our sin at Calvary. In that beautiful city of God, we’ll forever remain the salt of the earth, our identity secure in him who loved us and gave himself for us.