>>753440
Everyone has a role in the church. Not everyone was an Apostle.
And when we die, we'll ALL have to account to Christ if we didn't pick up our cross and deny ourselves and build treasures in heaven. We'll all have to explain why we let the world stain us in the many ways it does.
Besides, you should learn the roots of monasticism. It's a good story. This is YOUR family, as much as everyone else's. You're not seperate from it, no matter how much you think.
Monastics started because the early church were martyred left and right for the first 300 years. When it finally became acceptable in the Empire (and endorsed.. and even entrenched with the powers that be), it left a bad taste in some people's mouths. They reflected on how much it such a stark contrast to just the previous years (some which they lived through themselves) where our brothers and sisters suffered and died for the faith. Some people who had converted to the faith were the very people who persecuted them before. And suddenly, everything was hunky dory.
They didn't think it right to live in comfort, and wanted honor those who died. They read the scriptures and wanted to fulfill what Christ said - to give up their possessions, to be least in the kingdom, to pick up their cross and follow him. The Martyrs before them sadly always had this opportunity.. But these imperial Christians suddenly found themselves in a different situation to fulfill what Christ had said. And they surely couldn't commit suicide! So they did the next best thing - they removed themselves from the comforts of civilization. And over time, they inspired those back in the cities to live holier lives themselves, and raised the bar for everyone, reminding them that we are called to seek God's holiness. That being Christian didn't mean some new "club" that people merely adapted to.
The Great Commision was given to the Apostles especially, and only for the rest of us in the sense of always be ready to share one's faith. BUT… Christ commanded all of us to deny ourselves. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It's all through the Gospels and Epistles. And Sola Fide won't get you there… nor will spreading this false message help others either. If it was as simple as Faith Alone, then Jesus would have welcomed the young rich man and never told him to drop everything and follow him.