Friday, October 9, 2009
Who Do You Say That I am? (Part 2)
A Protest
After a probe and a perception, Peter has a protest. When Jesus went on to describe His mission and agenda as Messiah, Peter was startled and revealed his own faulty agenda. Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah, but he did not recognize his messianic mission, His work.
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." (Matt. 16:21-23)
Jesus revealed that His mission was to go to the cross. Jesus came to die. This Messiah came, “not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom” (Mark 10:45). Jesus went out of His way to say that this was written in the scriptures, that his death was the plan God, foretold in the scriptures:
And taking the twelve, he said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 3And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise." (Luke 18:31-33, ESV)
Peter is scandalized by the idea that Jesus came to die and even tries to correct Him:
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." (Matt. 16:22-23, ESV)
Peter is protesting the way Jesus is going to love him. “You’re the Messiah and I know what Messiahs do!” He and his Jewish kinsmen wanted a certain kind of Messiah and so do I. They wanted a political deliverer. I have a certain kind of Messiah I want. He tends to be like a therapist who will affirm me in every way. You have a certain kind of Messiah you want, don’t you? You want certain things from a God if you are to follow him. He has to meet your standards. I am just like Peter. You are just like Peter.
Why is the cross so important? Why not just deliver the Jews from their oppressors? Why doesn’t God just help me with my needs? Because the core problem of human beings is sin and estrangement from God.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him (Colossians 1:19-22, ESV)
According to this passage, the human race is in a hostile battle against the Creator. We are not just lonely victims. We resent God’s intrusion. But God sought to be reconciled to us anyway! He paid the penalty for our sin. It seems like people prefer to avoid looking at the problem of sin. Perhaps you don’t want to face that you need may more than a jump start, more than a little help with your life. Only the “blood of the cross” can help your deep alienation. This is “the gospel.”
As the reality of the gospel breaks in on you more and more as a Christian, as the depth of your sin and need to God’s grace is further revealed, you will be offended and you will, like Peter, protest (consciously or not). Nothing offends me quite so much as being reminded of my helplessness to secure God’s favor by own efforts. The gospel pours contempt on my pride. If you have not felt the gospel’s offense, you have not experienced it’s power.
My protests are revealed when I experience inordinate emotions like chronic worry, fear, and anger. These emotions are intense when God is not working the way I think He ought be working. I find myself actually giving God counsel on how he should run his kingdom. It struck me recently that if God worked the way I want, it would mean he hated me—he would be empowering my god-substitutes. He would be acting toward me like a drug dealer.
A Paradox
Finally then, Jesus directs our protests to His liberating paradox. A paradox is an apparent contradiction—in this case about the notion of freedom:
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26, ESV)
Jesus is not saying self-denial merits salvation. Only faith in Jesus’ death on your behalf can save. But He is saying that asserting yourself will not free you. Rather, it will enslave you. It is the problem in your life—not the solution. If you recognize Jesus as the Messiah, you will, as he says, “come after Him.”. You will let go of “saving your life.” If you don’t “come after Him,” you evidently don’t RECOGNIZE Him—you don’t trust Him as the Messiah. If you see this a terrible demand on you, you don’t trust the heart of the One this call comes through.
Repentance that really changes you heart and relationship with God begins when you recognize that your main sin, the sin under all the rest of your sins, is your self-salvation project. In both your bad deeds and your good deeds we are seeking to be our own Saviors and Lords. We have alternative trusts and “gods” even though we don’t call them that. We try to prove ourselves by our moral goodness or through achievement or family or career. Even diligent involvement in church or religion may have to repented of once we understand that it was all a way to put God and others in your dept. (Keller, Reason for God, 233)
To “save your life” means to stay in control and use God to further your agenda, to serve the lifeless gods of your own imagination. To “lose your life” means to shift your allegiance, drop your agenda and give yourself to God. If you surrender to the Messiah’s agenda, you will find what you were made for. The following is a wonderful explanation of the beauty of liberation from self-love:
Self-love is mundane and tiresome. Consequently, the more thoroughly I can be done with such tedium, the freer my soul will soar to its God-intended heights.
I fear that if I do not love myself there will no one to love me quite so well. And I am not convinced that there is someone out there who is worthy to be loved more than I. Arrogance lies beneath both of these causes: I love myself supremely because I am the most worthy person I know to be loved and because I think I can do a better job at it than anyone else.
The gospel frees me from the shackles of self-love by addressing both lies. First, the gospel assures me that the love of God is infinitely superior to any love I could ever give myself. And the deeper I go into the gospel, the more I experience the truth of His claim and thereby know how far His love surpasses even my own.
Secondly, the gospel reveals to me the breathtaking glory and loveliness of God, and in so doing, it lures my heart away from the love of self and leaves me enthralled by Him instead. And the more lovely He appears, the more self fades into the background like a former love interest who can no longer compete for my affections. (Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians)
I really desire that! That would be freedom indeed!
I want to conclude this chapter with an invitation from Jesus:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 2Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)
These words, spoken by the same Messiah, are saying the same thing as His words about denying self and coming after him. To take his yoke is to come after him as your rightful leader. And that leads to rest. Asserting self will not give you rest—it will multiply your stresses and anxieties. Seeking to “save your life” is very, very tiring.
Jesus secured rest for you at the cross—He lost His life so you could have life. When he was taunted with “save His life and come down from the cross,” He said no. He said no to saving himself because it was the only way to save you—to say yes to you.
Summary
In this chapter we looked at a question Jesus asked that was designed to enable people to recognize him. He began with a probe to the heart, “who do you say that I am?” He granted Peter perception of his messianic identity, but the nature of his work Peter protested. Jesus then called his followers to embrace his freedom paradox. May you respond both honestly and submissively to the probe and be granted perception.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Who do you say Jesus is? Why do you say that?
If you agree with Peter, is it more than intellectual assent?
Do you really want to know God’s answers?
Do you realize that spiritual perception is a gift from God?
How do your protests to Jesus’ work come out?
What do you think about Jesus’ freedom paradox? Does it feel threatening?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Who Do You Say That I am?
I am working on turning the teaching series I did with Gary DeLashmutt ("Questions God Asks") into a book about the ways God searches out our hearts in order to reveal Himself and our true selves. This is how he prepares you for ongoing renewal through the gospel. The following is an except:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:13-18, ESV)
The issue I will focus on in this chapter is recognizing Jesus as He is. Jesus’ question about his identity was to help Peter and the disciples recognize that he was their longed-for Messiah. Over the years, the people of Israel had developed certain expectations about their Messiah that would hinder their ability to see him when he came.
Probably every America has heard of Jesus. Most people recognize the name “Jesus,” and are aware of him as a spiritual icon, but not necessarily as he revealed himself to be. It’s as if Jesus has been culturally recycled like Elvis and Einstein. Jesus has been so redefined that if you saw him on the street you probably would not recognize him.
Did you ever see someone, but not recognize them? Or hear someone, but not recognize their voice? I have. While getting groceries, I’ll see a person, but not recognize them until they approach me. Early in his marriage, my friend called his wife during the day to let her know he thinking about her. She was so astonished by his call (because it was so rare) that she asked, “who is this?” It was a problem of recognition.
Jesus desires that you, like Peter in the passage above, recognize Him. He wants to be recognized so you can know him and be assured of his love for you. However, the process of recognizing Jesus is full of surprises, which in turn reveals your own heart. Peter’s recognition of Jesus in Matthew 16 involved a probe, a perception, a protest, and a paradox. These are also an ongoing pattern for all recognizing of Jesus. Becoming a Christian involves an initial recognition of Jesus, but the process continues as you grow.
A Probe to the Heart
Jesus begins this conversation with a probe--two searching questions, one social, and one personal. The social question is, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The personal is, “Who do you say that I am?” And these two question are relevant for you today—what is society’s view of Jesus? And what is your view of Jesus? And why is that your view? Perhaps you have no opinion about Jesus—perhaps you never gave it much thought. Maybe you have a strong opinion about Jesus. Either way, Jesus wants to engage you personally about your view or lack of view of him.
According to the Bible, your response to Jesus’ question is the most important thing about you and shapes your entire life. This is true of you even if you have decided to trust him as Lord and Savior. Jesus continues to probe people who believe in Him with the same question, “Who do you say that I am?” You may consider yourself a strong believer in the biblical concept of Jesus, yet in actual life, does Jesus function as your Savior? When you are anxious? When you are sad? When you are angry? That is why Jesus probes. He probes to have you consider whether he is your lord and savior in your present trial, or will you look to something or someone else to save you. He probes so you will know the reality of your life and recognize His probe as love.
What led up to Jesus’ question?
When Jesus asked his disciples “who do you say that I am,” he had not just met them. His question was proceeded by several things—a series of “witnesses” who gave testimony. First of all, the Hebrew scriptures, which for the previous fifteen hundred years foretold and foreshadowed the coming of the Messiah, the anointed King and deliverer of Israel and the world. These scriptures showed people how to recognize the Messiah. Secondly, God sent a man named John as a prophet to announce the Messiah’s arrival. Thirdly, Jesus had been making claims to deity and validated those claims with signs and wonders in their presence.[1] Having demonstrated his messianic identity, Jesus called for them to decide: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" "What about you?" "Who do you say I am?"
To the social question (“who do people say that I am?”), the disciples list a range of answers—all which are a variation on, “He is a great man, some kind of messenger from God.” ("Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.") Perhaps you would answer the social question in a similar way: people say Jesus was a pretty cool dude—an enlightened teacher. People seem to like Jesus. They may not know much about His claims, but they seem to have a positive feeling for him.
Realize this: what the disciples saw and heard from Jesus has been preserved by eyewitness testimony and is available to you. Yes, in the documents of the New Testament, in particular, the books of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Have you ever read any of these accounts? Have you based your view of Jesus on what other people say?
A Perception
To the personal probe, Peter is given spiritual perception. He RECOGNIZES Jesus: “You are the Christ, [Messiah] the Son of the living God." In other words, “you are the promised king—the One that the Hebrew Scriptures foretold and foreshadowed for fifteen hundred years.” You are the One Isaiah called the Prince of peace, mighty God, the One Daniel called the “Son of Man”[2]—the ruler of the world.” You are more than a man—you are God come as man! You are the “Son of the living God”[3] not the man-made gods of religion.
Wow! Peter realized he was face to face with God! Peter’s answer is affirmed by all the New Testament authors:
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ… (Col. 2:8,9)
Recognizing Jesus: “Who do you say that I am?”
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:13-18, ESV)
The issue I will focus on in this chapter is recognizing Jesus as He is. Jesus’ question about his identity was to help Peter and the disciples recognize that he was their longed-for Messiah. Over the years, the people of Israel had developed certain expectations about their Messiah that would hinder their ability to see him when he came.
Probably every America has heard of Jesus. Most people recognize the name “Jesus,” and are aware of him as a spiritual icon, but not necessarily as he revealed himself to be. It’s as if Jesus has been culturally recycled like Elvis and Einstein. Jesus has been so redefined that if you saw him on the street you probably would not recognize him.
Did you ever see someone, but not recognize them? Or hear someone, but not recognize their voice? I have. While getting groceries, I’ll see a person, but not recognize them until they approach me. Early in his marriage, my friend called his wife during the day to let her know he thinking about her. She was so astonished by his call (because it was so rare) that she asked, “who is this?” It was a problem of recognition.
Jesus desires that you, like Peter in the passage above, recognize Him. He wants to be recognized so you can know him and be assured of his love for you. However, the process of recognizing Jesus is full of surprises, which in turn reveals your own heart. Peter’s recognition of Jesus in Matthew 16 involved a probe, a perception, a protest, and a paradox. These are also an ongoing pattern for all recognizing of Jesus. Becoming a Christian involves an initial recognition of Jesus, but the process continues as you grow.
A Probe to the Heart
Jesus begins this conversation with a probe--two searching questions, one social, and one personal. The social question is, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The personal is, “Who do you say that I am?” And these two question are relevant for you today—what is society’s view of Jesus? And what is your view of Jesus? And why is that your view? Perhaps you have no opinion about Jesus—perhaps you never gave it much thought. Maybe you have a strong opinion about Jesus. Either way, Jesus wants to engage you personally about your view or lack of view of him.
According to the Bible, your response to Jesus’ question is the most important thing about you and shapes your entire life. This is true of you even if you have decided to trust him as Lord and Savior. Jesus continues to probe people who believe in Him with the same question, “Who do you say that I am?” You may consider yourself a strong believer in the biblical concept of Jesus, yet in actual life, does Jesus function as your Savior? When you are anxious? When you are sad? When you are angry? That is why Jesus probes. He probes to have you consider whether he is your lord and savior in your present trial, or will you look to something or someone else to save you. He probes so you will know the reality of your life and recognize His probe as love.
What led up to Jesus’ question?
When Jesus asked his disciples “who do you say that I am,” he had not just met them. His question was proceeded by several things—a series of “witnesses” who gave testimony. First of all, the Hebrew scriptures, which for the previous fifteen hundred years foretold and foreshadowed the coming of the Messiah, the anointed King and deliverer of Israel and the world. These scriptures showed people how to recognize the Messiah. Secondly, God sent a man named John as a prophet to announce the Messiah’s arrival. Thirdly, Jesus had been making claims to deity and validated those claims with signs and wonders in their presence.[1] Having demonstrated his messianic identity, Jesus called for them to decide: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" "What about you?" "Who do you say I am?"
To the social question (“who do people say that I am?”), the disciples list a range of answers—all which are a variation on, “He is a great man, some kind of messenger from God.” ("Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.") Perhaps you would answer the social question in a similar way: people say Jesus was a pretty cool dude—an enlightened teacher. People seem to like Jesus. They may not know much about His claims, but they seem to have a positive feeling for him.
Realize this: what the disciples saw and heard from Jesus has been preserved by eyewitness testimony and is available to you. Yes, in the documents of the New Testament, in particular, the books of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Have you ever read any of these accounts? Have you based your view of Jesus on what other people say?
A Perception
To the personal probe, Peter is given spiritual perception. He RECOGNIZES Jesus: “You are the Christ, [Messiah] the Son of the living God." In other words, “you are the promised king—the One that the Hebrew Scriptures foretold and foreshadowed for fifteen hundred years.” You are the One Isaiah called the Prince of peace, mighty God, the One Daniel called the “Son of Man”[2]—the ruler of the world.” You are more than a man—you are God come as man! You are the “Son of the living God”[3] not the man-made gods of religion.
Wow! Peter realized he was face to face with God! Peter’s answer is affirmed by all the New Testament authors:
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ… (Col. 2:8,9)
Who do you say Jesus is? Do you recognize Him? You may say “I don’t know. It’s too complicated. I don’t have time to do the research.” If this is your view, you have at least for now decided to avoid the question. Do you see? Isn’t avoiding the issue pretty similar to saying He is not who He said He is? If you are comfortable putting of deciding about Jesus, you must be fairly sure there’s nothing important at stake. If you say He is not the Christ, the Son of the Living God, why do you say that? Because of other people? Are you fine the way you are? Is it possible that you don’t want Jesus to be the Messiah? Do you fear that you would not be in control?
The Perception of Peter was a gift from God
Peter says Jesus is the Messiah, the God-Man. How does Peter come up with that? How does he know? Jesus points out that Peter did not come up with this because he is so smart or because he did such great research
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17)
God enabled Peter to recognize Jesus. God’s Spirit enlightened him and persuaded him. It was not a calculation about what “made sense” to Peter. According to the Bible, you cannot perceive who Jesus is with unaided reason. You can’t size Him up and render a verdict. In fact you can’t because you won’t. You have a bias. You want something. Human beings are spiritually blind and resist seeing. This is brought out by Jesus:
Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19,20)
Why hasn’t God shown me what he showed Peter? Why didn’t He give me a perception? Perhaps you have sought God on this matter, but have received no help. In this regard, the story of the thieves crucified next to Jesus is helpful to consider.[4] One of the thieves looked at Jesus and said, “If you are the One, get us out of here, then we will know.” (Luke. 23:39) In other words, “prove you are the One by solving my problem.” People come with a problem-centered approach to Jesus. They want to know, will Jesus give me the power and support to live the way I want to live? Keller cites four examples of this “problem-centered approach:
1) “I am thinking about Christianity and want to know whether it is true, but I am struggling. I want to be a doctor and I don’t whether I will make it through med-school. Will Jesus help me get through med-school?”
2) “I am struggling because I have a bad marriage and am thinking of getting a divorce. What is the Christian view on divorce? Will I be supported?”
3) “I have a problem with self-esteem. I have a problem with guilt. I have been in a lot of abusive relationships. If I come to Jesus, will he make me feel good about myself?”
4) “I am gay, and I want to know that if when I come to Christianity, will I be supported or will I be condemned?”
Keller goes on:
These are the wrong first questions because you, like the thief, are saying, “I want to know what you are going to do about my life before I give myself to you.” I want to know whether you are the Messiah by the way in which you support me. You are assuming you already know how your life should be lived, who you really are, and how the world ought to go before you know whether He is the One your heart was built for. How can you assume that you know who you are and what you need before you even know if you were created or were an accident? How can you know who you are and what you were made for before you know whether you can communicate with and know the creator of the universe?
If Jesus is who He says He is, then you are someone utterly different than who you think you are now. And if he is not who He says he is, he can’t help you a bit.
One of the reasons why your searching for Jesus has not got any answers, and your are still in confusion, is because your question is not a question, it’s an order. It’s a threat. You are saying to God; “I don’t want to know if you want something different for me.” You are not asking for information, you are giving an order. Yeah, I will have a relationship with you as long as you do what I know needs to be done.
You have to start by saying “Are you the One, The Messiah?” That is where everything starts because before you know that you can’t know anything else. “Are you the one?” It begins there. Once you know that it will change your perspective on everything else. It will change your perspective on marriage, it will change your perspective on sex, it will change your perspective on being a doctor. Everything will be changed.[5]
Jesus wants to reveal himself to you. Do you want to perceive? Have you been ordering God about what he must do to meet your demands?
Peter was given perception by God. But Peter did not grasp the full implications of what he was saying about Jesus. I don’t grasp the full implications either. And neither do you. Jesus desires to expand your level of perception more and more so you recognize Him in ways you don’t right now.
The Perception of Peter was a gift from God
Peter says Jesus is the Messiah, the God-Man. How does Peter come up with that? How does he know? Jesus points out that Peter did not come up with this because he is so smart or because he did such great research
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17)
God enabled Peter to recognize Jesus. God’s Spirit enlightened him and persuaded him. It was not a calculation about what “made sense” to Peter. According to the Bible, you cannot perceive who Jesus is with unaided reason. You can’t size Him up and render a verdict. In fact you can’t because you won’t. You have a bias. You want something. Human beings are spiritually blind and resist seeing. This is brought out by Jesus:
Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19,20)
Why hasn’t God shown me what he showed Peter? Why didn’t He give me a perception? Perhaps you have sought God on this matter, but have received no help. In this regard, the story of the thieves crucified next to Jesus is helpful to consider.[4] One of the thieves looked at Jesus and said, “If you are the One, get us out of here, then we will know.” (Luke. 23:39) In other words, “prove you are the One by solving my problem.” People come with a problem-centered approach to Jesus. They want to know, will Jesus give me the power and support to live the way I want to live? Keller cites four examples of this “problem-centered approach:
1) “I am thinking about Christianity and want to know whether it is true, but I am struggling. I want to be a doctor and I don’t whether I will make it through med-school. Will Jesus help me get through med-school?”
2) “I am struggling because I have a bad marriage and am thinking of getting a divorce. What is the Christian view on divorce? Will I be supported?”
3) “I have a problem with self-esteem. I have a problem with guilt. I have been in a lot of abusive relationships. If I come to Jesus, will he make me feel good about myself?”
4) “I am gay, and I want to know that if when I come to Christianity, will I be supported or will I be condemned?”
Keller goes on:
These are the wrong first questions because you, like the thief, are saying, “I want to know what you are going to do about my life before I give myself to you.” I want to know whether you are the Messiah by the way in which you support me. You are assuming you already know how your life should be lived, who you really are, and how the world ought to go before you know whether He is the One your heart was built for. How can you assume that you know who you are and what you need before you even know if you were created or were an accident? How can you know who you are and what you were made for before you know whether you can communicate with and know the creator of the universe?
If Jesus is who He says He is, then you are someone utterly different than who you think you are now. And if he is not who He says he is, he can’t help you a bit.
One of the reasons why your searching for Jesus has not got any answers, and your are still in confusion, is because your question is not a question, it’s an order. It’s a threat. You are saying to God; “I don’t want to know if you want something different for me.” You are not asking for information, you are giving an order. Yeah, I will have a relationship with you as long as you do what I know needs to be done.
You have to start by saying “Are you the One, The Messiah?” That is where everything starts because before you know that you can’t know anything else. “Are you the one?” It begins there. Once you know that it will change your perspective on everything else. It will change your perspective on marriage, it will change your perspective on sex, it will change your perspective on being a doctor. Everything will be changed.[5]
Jesus wants to reveal himself to you. Do you want to perceive? Have you been ordering God about what he must do to meet your demands?
Peter was given perception by God. But Peter did not grasp the full implications of what he was saying about Jesus. I don’t grasp the full implications either. And neither do you. Jesus desires to expand your level of perception more and more so you recognize Him in ways you don’t right now.
Next time, I will post the content about the protest of Peter and freedom paradox of Jesus.
[1] Mt. 4:23,24; 5:17; 22 “But I say”; 7:24; 8:26,27 He rebukes the wind; 9:1-8; 12:8 Lord of the Sabbath; 14:33 He accepted worship; John 10:30; 14:6).
[2] 13 "In my vision at night…there before me was one like a son of man… 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
[3] The term “living God” is used in antithesis to the pagan gods of idolatry. See Jer. 10: 9,10 “Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple— all made by skilled workers. 10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King. 11 "Tell them this: 'These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.' “
Acts 14:15 “We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.”
[4] This is developed by Tim Keller in, “Who is the Real Jesus?” http://www.monergism.com/realjesus.html
[5] Keller, “Who is the Real Jesus?”
[1] Mt. 4:23,24; 5:17; 22 “But I say”; 7:24; 8:26,27 He rebukes the wind; 9:1-8; 12:8 Lord of the Sabbath; 14:33 He accepted worship; John 10:30; 14:6).
[2] 13 "In my vision at night…there before me was one like a son of man… 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
[3] The term “living God” is used in antithesis to the pagan gods of idolatry. See Jer. 10: 9,10 “Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple— all made by skilled workers. 10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King. 11 "Tell them this: 'These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.' “
Acts 14:15 “We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.”
[4] This is developed by Tim Keller in, “Who is the Real Jesus?” http://www.monergism.com/realjesus.html
[5] Keller, “Who is the Real Jesus?”
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Confession, Repentance, & the Gospel
I used to think think that believers who talked a lot about confession of sin and repentance were legalistic. I perhaps some are. But I have come to see that I have suffered from not facing my sin and being cleansed by God's grace on a regular basis. Confession and repentance bring to me not a sin focus, but a gospel focus, and gratitude. I have become aware that some of the Christian leaders that I most respect strongly emphasize ongoing confession and repentance. Consider these quotes:
Francis Schaeffer said that the “present value of Christ’s blood for specific sin” was a critical factor in his spiritual renewal and ongoing effectiveness. This quote focuses on the nature of confession to God: “Let us say now that I have been living (in closeness with God) . . . And then sin reenters . . . The reality of (closeness with God) suddenly slips from me. I look up some morning, some afternoon, some night—and something is gone, something I have known; my quietness and peace are gone . . . Because God still holds me fast I do not have the separation of lostness, but I do have the separation from my Father in the parent-child relationship. And I remember what I had . . . There is a way back, and the basis of it is nothing new to us. The basis is again the blood of Christ . . . The first step in the restoration of the Christian after he has sinned is to admit that what he has done is sin. He must not excuse it; he must not call it by another name; he must not blame it upon somebody else; he must not call it less than sin. (And) he must be sorry for it . . . God the Father’s chastening hand is to cause us to acknowledge that a specific sin is sin; his hand can grow increasingly heavy until we come to acknowledge our sin and stop trying to get out from under it through some fancy terms, blaming it on other people or excusing it in some way. Do we want a restored relationship? We may have it . . . at any moment, but we are not ready until we are willing to call specific sin sin . . . Then I must bring the specific sin under the blood of Jesus Christ, by faith . . . Then my fellowship with God (will be) supernaturally restored. I am cleansed, ready to resume the spiritual life, ready again to be used by the Spirit for warfare . . . And I may come back for cleansing as many times as I need, on this basis.” (Complete Works, Vol. 3, True Spirituality, pp. 291-297).
Norman Grubb was a key missions leader in the middle of the 20th century. He wrote a little booklet called Continuous Revival in the early 1950’s to describe the relationship between ongoing confession/repentance and spiritual renewal. This quote focuses on the importance of confession to one another: “We can liken a man to a house. It has a roof and walls. So also man in his fallen state has a roof on top of his sins between him and God, and he also has walls up, between him and his neighbor. But at salvation, when broken at the Cross, not only does the roof come off through faith in Christ, but the walls fall down flat, and the man's true condition as a sinner saved by grace is confessed before (others). But the trouble soon begins again after conversion, and here lies the basic hindrance to continued revival. Continued revival is continued brokenness, but brokenness is two-way, and that means walls kept down as well as roof off. But man's most deep rooted and subtle sin is the sin of pride: self-esteem and self-respect. Though hardly realizing it . . . we soon let those walls of respectability creep up again between ourselves and our brethren. We don't mind our brethren knowing about successes in our Christian living; they can know if we win a soul, if we lead a class, if we get a prayer answered, if we get good things from the Scriptures, because we too get a little reflected credit out of those things. But where we fail, in those many, many areas of our daily lives — that is a different question! If God has to deal with us over our impatience or temper in the home, over dishonesty in our business, over coldness or other sins, by no means do we easily bear testimony to our brethren of God's faithful and gracious dealings in such areas of failure. Why not? Just because of pride, self-esteem, although we would often more conveniently call it reserve! The fact is we love the praise of men as well as of God, and that is exactly what the Scriptures say stops the flow of confession before men.” (Continual Revival, pp. 15,16)
Jack Miller was a church planter and missions leader in the late 20th century. In his book Repentance, he points out the profound connection between ongoing repentance and evangelistic effectiveness: “Unless (you allow) His Spirit (to) continually search you out, you see your life almost immediately clogged with indifference, self-will, envy, pride, lust, and unbelief. You know that yesterday's love to God can be swiftly washed away by today's fear and worry . . . It can be a struggle even to name your sin before God. You flounder because the name you give your sin often expresses further evasion. You pray: ‘Lord, forgive me for not loving Mrs. X.’ . . . Then . . . Jesus . . . begins to do His sovereign work. Suddenly you realize through the Holy Spirit that you have been trifling. Now you pray differently, with a stricken conscience: ‘Holy Father, I have not loved Mrs. X. But that's only part of my sin. In my heart I have despised her.’ So in your confession to God you fight to . . . give your sin its right name. Then you hand it over to Christ by faith and taste the happiness of guilt forgiven and find the deliverance from hypocrisy which comes through honest confession. What you now know is almost beyond words, but has the feel of clear shining after rain, sunshine after tears. Grace is for sinners, and you have felt grace make a clean sweep of your repentant heart. God loves you where you are, not where you have been pretending to be. There is a natural transition now to start loving other sinners where they are, not where they pretend to be—or where you think they should be . . . You find witnessing power only by going to the throne of grace and coming to Christ to get yourself clean and under the blessing of God. From there you go forth to share what you have received firsthand from the Father. This is the beating heart of Christian witness . . . Confess your sins freely before God and you will have freedom to confess Christ before men.” (Repentance, pp. 116-125)
Francis Schaeffer said that the “present value of Christ’s blood for specific sin” was a critical factor in his spiritual renewal and ongoing effectiveness. This quote focuses on the nature of confession to God: “Let us say now that I have been living (in closeness with God) . . . And then sin reenters . . . The reality of (closeness with God) suddenly slips from me. I look up some morning, some afternoon, some night—and something is gone, something I have known; my quietness and peace are gone . . . Because God still holds me fast I do not have the separation of lostness, but I do have the separation from my Father in the parent-child relationship. And I remember what I had . . . There is a way back, and the basis of it is nothing new to us. The basis is again the blood of Christ . . . The first step in the restoration of the Christian after he has sinned is to admit that what he has done is sin. He must not excuse it; he must not call it by another name; he must not blame it upon somebody else; he must not call it less than sin. (And) he must be sorry for it . . . God the Father’s chastening hand is to cause us to acknowledge that a specific sin is sin; his hand can grow increasingly heavy until we come to acknowledge our sin and stop trying to get out from under it through some fancy terms, blaming it on other people or excusing it in some way. Do we want a restored relationship? We may have it . . . at any moment, but we are not ready until we are willing to call specific sin sin . . . Then I must bring the specific sin under the blood of Jesus Christ, by faith . . . Then my fellowship with God (will be) supernaturally restored. I am cleansed, ready to resume the spiritual life, ready again to be used by the Spirit for warfare . . . And I may come back for cleansing as many times as I need, on this basis.” (Complete Works, Vol. 3, True Spirituality, pp. 291-297).
Norman Grubb was a key missions leader in the middle of the 20th century. He wrote a little booklet called Continuous Revival in the early 1950’s to describe the relationship between ongoing confession/repentance and spiritual renewal. This quote focuses on the importance of confession to one another: “We can liken a man to a house. It has a roof and walls. So also man in his fallen state has a roof on top of his sins between him and God, and he also has walls up, between him and his neighbor. But at salvation, when broken at the Cross, not only does the roof come off through faith in Christ, but the walls fall down flat, and the man's true condition as a sinner saved by grace is confessed before (others). But the trouble soon begins again after conversion, and here lies the basic hindrance to continued revival. Continued revival is continued brokenness, but brokenness is two-way, and that means walls kept down as well as roof off. But man's most deep rooted and subtle sin is the sin of pride: self-esteem and self-respect. Though hardly realizing it . . . we soon let those walls of respectability creep up again between ourselves and our brethren. We don't mind our brethren knowing about successes in our Christian living; they can know if we win a soul, if we lead a class, if we get a prayer answered, if we get good things from the Scriptures, because we too get a little reflected credit out of those things. But where we fail, in those many, many areas of our daily lives — that is a different question! If God has to deal with us over our impatience or temper in the home, over dishonesty in our business, over coldness or other sins, by no means do we easily bear testimony to our brethren of God's faithful and gracious dealings in such areas of failure. Why not? Just because of pride, self-esteem, although we would often more conveniently call it reserve! The fact is we love the praise of men as well as of God, and that is exactly what the Scriptures say stops the flow of confession before men.” (Continual Revival, pp. 15,16)
Jack Miller was a church planter and missions leader in the late 20th century. In his book Repentance, he points out the profound connection between ongoing repentance and evangelistic effectiveness: “Unless (you allow) His Spirit (to) continually search you out, you see your life almost immediately clogged with indifference, self-will, envy, pride, lust, and unbelief. You know that yesterday's love to God can be swiftly washed away by today's fear and worry . . . It can be a struggle even to name your sin before God. You flounder because the name you give your sin often expresses further evasion. You pray: ‘Lord, forgive me for not loving Mrs. X.’ . . . Then . . . Jesus . . . begins to do His sovereign work. Suddenly you realize through the Holy Spirit that you have been trifling. Now you pray differently, with a stricken conscience: ‘Holy Father, I have not loved Mrs. X. But that's only part of my sin. In my heart I have despised her.’ So in your confession to God you fight to . . . give your sin its right name. Then you hand it over to Christ by faith and taste the happiness of guilt forgiven and find the deliverance from hypocrisy which comes through honest confession. What you now know is almost beyond words, but has the feel of clear shining after rain, sunshine after tears. Grace is for sinners, and you have felt grace make a clean sweep of your repentant heart. God loves you where you are, not where you have been pretending to be. There is a natural transition now to start loving other sinners where they are, not where they pretend to be—or where you think they should be . . . You find witnessing power only by going to the throne of grace and coming to Christ to get yourself clean and under the blessing of God. From there you go forth to share what you have received firsthand from the Father. This is the beating heart of Christian witness . . . Confess your sins freely before God and you will have freedom to confess Christ before men.” (Repentance, pp. 116-125)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Gospel and Sharing the Gospel
Here is the best (and most unsettling) explanation I have ever heard about what is at the heart of sharing your faith:
"And this may be the root of your problem with evangelism: you don’t understand the gospel—for yourself or anyone else! There are many Christians who have never fully grasped how lost in sin they really were, and how low God stooped to save them.
A person who has not heard God’s words of compassion for himself as a lost person can not communicate them to others. If, in your own mind, you have limited your need for the gospel, you will hardly identify with sinners in obvious need of saving grace. You feel removed from them, as you feel removed from the full impact of the gospel. The distance you feel from both the message and those who need to hear it soon disengages you altogether from the enterprise of evangelism.
Apart from a soul hunger for Christ there is no cure for the lukewarmness that forever crouches at the door or the self-satisfied Christian. A daily awareness that we must never stray from Calvary ourselves is the most important element in a God-honoring evangelism. As I experience the gospel as a message of a righteous God’s total forgiveness, and Christ as the magnetic, personal center of my life, evangelizing with a gospel of forgiveness is a natural and inevitable outgrowth. It breaks down my blinding pride; it reminds me of what our God of love has done for me… Having been humbled ourselves by our own present need, we approach the lost person with a new welcoming attitude… We will not be trying to do something alien to us. Personal witness will issue from our delight in God and appreciation of His grace in Jesus Christ. We will be able to receive strangers as friends…" (Jack Miller, Powerful Evangelism for the Powerless, 44, 45)
"And this may be the root of your problem with evangelism: you don’t understand the gospel—for yourself or anyone else! There are many Christians who have never fully grasped how lost in sin they really were, and how low God stooped to save them.
A person who has not heard God’s words of compassion for himself as a lost person can not communicate them to others. If, in your own mind, you have limited your need for the gospel, you will hardly identify with sinners in obvious need of saving grace. You feel removed from them, as you feel removed from the full impact of the gospel. The distance you feel from both the message and those who need to hear it soon disengages you altogether from the enterprise of evangelism.
Apart from a soul hunger for Christ there is no cure for the lukewarmness that forever crouches at the door or the self-satisfied Christian. A daily awareness that we must never stray from Calvary ourselves is the most important element in a God-honoring evangelism. As I experience the gospel as a message of a righteous God’s total forgiveness, and Christ as the magnetic, personal center of my life, evangelizing with a gospel of forgiveness is a natural and inevitable outgrowth. It breaks down my blinding pride; it reminds me of what our God of love has done for me… Having been humbled ourselves by our own present need, we approach the lost person with a new welcoming attitude… We will not be trying to do something alien to us. Personal witness will issue from our delight in God and appreciation of His grace in Jesus Christ. We will be able to receive strangers as friends…" (Jack Miller, Powerful Evangelism for the Powerless, 44, 45)
Anxiety
Hi all. I've been distracted from keeping up the blog lately. Here's a gem I found that helped me a lot with my tendency toward anxiety:
"Faith and presumption look alike because both qualities are characterized by confidence, but faith begins in the recognition and acceptance of our total weakness.... Presumption ... is a reliance on human moral abilities and religious accomplishments.... A mix of presumption and faith produces a personal instability that surfaces in crises and major life transitions.... Presumptive faith must have positive circumstances and feelings of success based on visible accomplishments. So when God wants to reach us, He takes away those favorable circumstances and accomplishments. He hits hard at our false trusts, false righteousnesses, things we get our strength from looking at'... Like the orphan we cry, "I am abandoned" when in fact God's grace is pursuing us ever more intensely .. .[In sum] presumptive self-trust prevails in so many lives. You can detect this attitude in yourself by your response to life when it goes out of control. If you handle it by blaming others, refusing to learn from God, becoming defensive and angry, you have the self-trust of an orphan, not the faith of a son or daughter." (Rose Marie Miller, From Fear to Freedom)
"Faith and presumption look alike because both qualities are characterized by confidence, but faith begins in the recognition and acceptance of our total weakness.... Presumption ... is a reliance on human moral abilities and religious accomplishments.... A mix of presumption and faith produces a personal instability that surfaces in crises and major life transitions.... Presumptive faith must have positive circumstances and feelings of success based on visible accomplishments. So when God wants to reach us, He takes away those favorable circumstances and accomplishments. He hits hard at our false trusts, false righteousnesses, things we get our strength from looking at'... Like the orphan we cry, "I am abandoned" when in fact God's grace is pursuing us ever more intensely .. .[In sum] presumptive self-trust prevails in so many lives. You can detect this attitude in yourself by your response to life when it goes out of control. If you handle it by blaming others, refusing to learn from God, becoming defensive and angry, you have the self-trust of an orphan, not the faith of a son or daughter." (Rose Marie Miller, From Fear to Freedom)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
God's Love: Better than Unconditional
David Powlison argues that God's love is cheapened and distorted by expressing it in the secular language of "unconditional." And because of that, people are not as free as they could by by the power of the gospel. Here are some of his thoughts:
The Lord watches you. The Lord cares. What His children do and what happens to them matters to him. His watching, caring, and concern are intense. Complex. Specific. Personal. Unconditional love isn’t nearly so good or compelling. In comparison, it is detached, general, impersonal. God’s love is much better than unconditional.
God’s love is active. He’s involved. He’s merciful, not simply tolerant. He hates sin, yet pursues sinners by name. He welcomes the poor in spirit with a shout and a feast. God is vastly patient and relentlessly persevering as He intrudes into your life.
God’s love is full of blood, sweat, tears, and cries. He suffered for you. He fights for you and he fights with you, pursuing you in powerful tenderness so he can change you. He’s jealous, not detached.
His sort of empathy and sympathy speaks out, with words of truth to set you free from sin and misery. He will discipline you as proof that He loves you. God Himself comes to live in you, pouring out His Spirit in your heart, putting out power and energy, so you will know Him.
God’s love has hate in it too: hatred for evil, whether done to you or done by you. God’s love demands that you respond to it: by believing, trusting, obeying, giving thanks with a joyful heart, working out your salvation with fear and trembling, delighting in Him.
Like Aslan, the Lord’s love for his children is no tame love. It is not characterized by calm detachment or a determination not impose His values on you. His love is good in a way that is vigorous and complex.
Unconditional love feels safe, but the problem is that there is no power to it. When we ascribe unconditional love to God, we substitute a teddy bear for the King of the universe.
What words will do to describe the love of God that spectacularly accepting, yet opinionated, choosy, and intrusive? What words will do to describe the love of God that takes me just as I am but makes me over? That accepts people but has a lifelong agenda for change? The term unconditional love seems flabby and weak in the face of God’s powerful, purposeful love.
(David Powlison, from With New Eyes)
The Lord watches you. The Lord cares. What His children do and what happens to them matters to him. His watching, caring, and concern are intense. Complex. Specific. Personal. Unconditional love isn’t nearly so good or compelling. In comparison, it is detached, general, impersonal. God’s love is much better than unconditional.
God’s love is active. He’s involved. He’s merciful, not simply tolerant. He hates sin, yet pursues sinners by name. He welcomes the poor in spirit with a shout and a feast. God is vastly patient and relentlessly persevering as He intrudes into your life.
God’s love is full of blood, sweat, tears, and cries. He suffered for you. He fights for you and he fights with you, pursuing you in powerful tenderness so he can change you. He’s jealous, not detached.
His sort of empathy and sympathy speaks out, with words of truth to set you free from sin and misery. He will discipline you as proof that He loves you. God Himself comes to live in you, pouring out His Spirit in your heart, putting out power and energy, so you will know Him.
God’s love has hate in it too: hatred for evil, whether done to you or done by you. God’s love demands that you respond to it: by believing, trusting, obeying, giving thanks with a joyful heart, working out your salvation with fear and trembling, delighting in Him.
Like Aslan, the Lord’s love for his children is no tame love. It is not characterized by calm detachment or a determination not impose His values on you. His love is good in a way that is vigorous and complex.
Unconditional love feels safe, but the problem is that there is no power to it. When we ascribe unconditional love to God, we substitute a teddy bear for the King of the universe.
What words will do to describe the love of God that spectacularly accepting, yet opinionated, choosy, and intrusive? What words will do to describe the love of God that takes me just as I am but makes me over? That accepts people but has a lifelong agenda for change? The term unconditional love seems flabby and weak in the face of God’s powerful, purposeful love.
(David Powlison, from With New Eyes)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Luther again on faith-produced works
“When we have thus taught faith in Christ, then do we teach also good works. Because you have laid hold upon Christ by faith, through whom you are made righteous, begin now to work well. Love God and your neighbor. Call upon God, give thanks to him, praise him, confess him. Do good to your neighbor and serve him: fulfill your office. These are good works, indeed, which flow out of this faith and this cheerfulness conceived in the heart, namely that we have remission of sins freely by Christ.Now whatever cross or affliction afterwards ensue, they are easily borne, and cheerfully suffered. For the yoke that Christ lays upon us is sweet, and his burden is light (Matt. 11:30). When sin is pardoned, and the conscience delivered from the burden and sting of sin, then may a Christian bear all things easily: because he feels all things within sweet and comfortable, therefore he does and suffers all things willingly. But when a man walks in his own righteousness, whatever he does is grievous and tedious to him, because he does it unwillingly.”[1]
[1] Martin Luther, A Commentary on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, cited in John Dillenberger, Martin Luther, pp. 111,112.
[1] Martin Luther, A Commentary on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, cited in John Dillenberger, Martin Luther, pp. 111,112.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Boldness in Grace
This is from a book I have referred to a number of times:
Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazenness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. By the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have, and I hereby resolve not to let any portion of grace prove vain in me! And to the degree that I fail to live up to this resolve, I will boldly take for myself the forgiveness that God says is mine and continue walking in His grace. This is my manifesto, my daily resolve, and my God be glorified by the confidence that I place in Him.
Understanding that I am not the ultimate end of gospel, but rather that God’s glory is, actually enables me to embrace my salvation more boldly that I would otherwise dare to do. For example, when my timid heart questions why God would want to love someone as sinful as I, I read the answer, “to the praise of the glory of His grace” [Eph. 1:6,12,14]. I figure, then, that my unworthiness must actually be useful to God, because it magnifies the degree to which His grace might be glorified as He lavishes His saving kindness on me.
Indeed, the more I embrace and experience the gospel, the more I delight in the worship of God, the more expressive my joy in Him becomes, and the more I yearn to glorify Him in all I say and do. (Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer, 52, 54)
Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazenness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. By the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have, and I hereby resolve not to let any portion of grace prove vain in me! And to the degree that I fail to live up to this resolve, I will boldly take for myself the forgiveness that God says is mine and continue walking in His grace. This is my manifesto, my daily resolve, and my God be glorified by the confidence that I place in Him.
Understanding that I am not the ultimate end of gospel, but rather that God’s glory is, actually enables me to embrace my salvation more boldly that I would otherwise dare to do. For example, when my timid heart questions why God would want to love someone as sinful as I, I read the answer, “to the praise of the glory of His grace” [Eph. 1:6,12,14]. I figure, then, that my unworthiness must actually be useful to God, because it magnifies the degree to which His grace might be glorified as He lavishes His saving kindness on me.
Indeed, the more I embrace and experience the gospel, the more I delight in the worship of God, the more expressive my joy in Him becomes, and the more I yearn to glorify Him in all I say and do. (Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer, 52, 54)
Bookends Experience
I was reading and discussing Jerry Bridges book Bookends of the Christian life with a couple of friends last weekend. As we read and confessed that we all were in the crosshairs of Bridges' description of self-righteousness, one of the guys who had read the chapter earlier that week said, "I feel like I never read this book until now." He had read it, but it was not until we read outloud and confessed sin togther that he was gripped how much he really needed the gospel. It reminded me too of how we learn: in community with honest and vulnerable friendships.
Faith that produces works
This is Luther on how saving faith produces works:
"Faith is a divine work in us. It changes us and makes us born anew. It is a busy, active, mighty thing, this faith; and so it is impossible for it to not do good works incessantly. Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace… This confidence in God’s grace makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and all His creatures; and this is the work of the Holy Spirit in faith. Hence a man is ready and glad to, without compulsion, do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer anything, in love and praise to God, who has shown him this grace; and thus it is impossible to separate works from faith, quite as it is impossible to separate heat and light [from] fires." (Martin Luther, Introduction to his commentary on Romans, xvii)
When we see a lack of works of service, or lack of desire for works, we should never simply go directly to works and activity. We should, like Luther, go back to the gospel and see if we are living in it, believing it today from the heart. We repent first for unbelief, not laziness.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Question is Changed
Through the death & resurrection of Jesus, His question to the rich young ruler, “Why do you call me good?”( Luke 18:19) gets turned upside down. It is the believer saying in astonishment and wonder to God, “Why do you call me good?” And that brings humble gladness where there was sadness and smugness.
Jesus was willing to called bad so you could be called good. He was slandered with a bad report so you could have an absolutely good résumé. If you have put your trust in Jesus’ goodness rather than your own, you are astonished because you know there is nothing in you that would make God call you good. And yet, He calls you good.
By having the perfect goodness of God credited to you through Jesus Christ, it is though God has thoroughly scrutinized you and given you full approval and delights in you. If you renounce your own incomplete and questionably motivated goodness as having any merit and put your trust in Jesus’ total goodness, God pronounces you good—not just forgiven, but scrutinized and approved of, and delighted in. That is what Jesus meant in Luke 18:14 by "justified" and "exalted."
Jesus was willing to called bad so you could be called good. He was slandered with a bad report so you could have an absolutely good résumé. If you have put your trust in Jesus’ goodness rather than your own, you are astonished because you know there is nothing in you that would make God call you good. And yet, He calls you good.
By having the perfect goodness of God credited to you through Jesus Christ, it is though God has thoroughly scrutinized you and given you full approval and delights in you. If you renounce your own incomplete and questionably motivated goodness as having any merit and put your trust in Jesus’ total goodness, God pronounces you good—not just forgiven, but scrutinized and approved of, and delighted in. That is what Jesus meant in Luke 18:14 by "justified" and "exalted."
A Glorious Moment
I was stuck by this view of repentance:
"We see our first repentance and surrender to Christ as a glorious moment. But in talking to many believers, I get the impression that most of us consider the on-going repentance of the saved as a not-so-glorious experience. A sort of sad necessity.
We must not play down the seriousness of sin in the life of a believer. But we must come to terms with the fact that God’s grace is GREATER THAN ALL OUR SINS. Repentance is one of the Christian’s highest privileges. A repentant Christian focuses on God’s mercy and God’s grace. Any moment in our lives when we bask in God’s mercy and grace is our highest moment. Higher than when we feel smug in our decent performance and cannot think of anything we need to confess.
Whenever we fail, and fail we will, the Spirit of God will work on us and bring us to the foot of the cross where Jesus carried our failures. That is potentially a glorious moment. For we could at that moment accept God’s abundant mercy and grace and go forth with nothing to boast of except Christ Himself, or else we could struggle with our shame, focusing on that as well as our track record." (Muta Mahiaini, in Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace, 27, 28)
"We see our first repentance and surrender to Christ as a glorious moment. But in talking to many believers, I get the impression that most of us consider the on-going repentance of the saved as a not-so-glorious experience. A sort of sad necessity.
We must not play down the seriousness of sin in the life of a believer. But we must come to terms with the fact that God’s grace is GREATER THAN ALL OUR SINS. Repentance is one of the Christian’s highest privileges. A repentant Christian focuses on God’s mercy and God’s grace. Any moment in our lives when we bask in God’s mercy and grace is our highest moment. Higher than when we feel smug in our decent performance and cannot think of anything we need to confess.
Whenever we fail, and fail we will, the Spirit of God will work on us and bring us to the foot of the cross where Jesus carried our failures. That is potentially a glorious moment. For we could at that moment accept God’s abundant mercy and grace and go forth with nothing to boast of except Christ Himself, or else we could struggle with our shame, focusing on that as well as our track record." (Muta Mahiaini, in Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace, 27, 28)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Blood That Speaks Better
Here are some thoughts I had when teaching in Cain and Abel. In Hebrews 12 :22-24, the author declares, "But you have come… to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."
Abel’s blood cries out against Cain and injustice. Jesus' blood “speaks a better word” because it cries out on behalf of unjust people--you and me. Now the justice is not against us, but for us(Rom. 8:31).
Do you know what happens when you realize the blood of Jesus cries out on your behalf? The blood of Jesus changes Cain-like, “elderbrotherish” anger. It drives it out because it changes how you view what you are owed, and what think you deserve.You realize what you are owed is judgment—for your wrong deed and for the reasons you do the right things. You realize there is an outcry against you and you deserve the righteous wrath of God. You received mercy instead! You are loved!
Anger still wells up. But now you know why. And you learn to repent of self-righteous pride and your joy returns. More and more, you lose the anger of Cain, you become sweeter. You sense the privilege of being accepted. You see your life, no matter what you are going through as a gracious gift. You stop trying to justify yourself and tear down others down.You throw away your time sheet that says God owes you. You are no longer a grumpy Cain, but a sweet Abel.
Abel’s blood cries out against Cain and injustice. Jesus' blood “speaks a better word” because it cries out on behalf of unjust people--you and me. Now the justice is not against us, but for us(Rom. 8:31).
Do you know what happens when you realize the blood of Jesus cries out on your behalf? The blood of Jesus changes Cain-like, “elderbrotherish” anger. It drives it out because it changes how you view what you are owed, and what think you deserve.You realize what you are owed is judgment—for your wrong deed and for the reasons you do the right things. You realize there is an outcry against you and you deserve the righteous wrath of God. You received mercy instead! You are loved!
Anger still wells up. But now you know why. And you learn to repent of self-righteous pride and your joy returns. More and more, you lose the anger of Cain, you become sweeter. You sense the privilege of being accepted. You see your life, no matter what you are going through as a gracious gift. You stop trying to justify yourself and tear down others down.You throw away your time sheet that says God owes you. You are no longer a grumpy Cain, but a sweet Abel.
Spiritual Sight
"When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less." (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 93)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Relational Gospel Implications
Here are two more from Milton Vincent's A Gospel Primer:
Loving My Brothers and Sisters
The more I experience the gospel, the more there develops in me a yearning affection for my fellow Christians who are participating in the glories of the gospel. This affection for them comes loaded with confidence in their continued spiritual growth and ultimate glorification, and it becomes my pleasure to express to them this loving confidence regarding the ongoing work of God in their lives.[1]
With the gospel proving itself to be such a boon in my own life, I realize that the greatest gift I can give my fellow Christians is the gospel itself. Indeed, I love my fellow Christians not simply because of the gospel, but I love them best when I love them with the gospel![2] And I do this not merely by speaking gospel words to them, but also by living before them and generously relating to them in a gospel manner.
A Heart for the Lost
What effect do the gospel meditations of Romans 5-8 have on Paul? What emotions do they produce in him besides the obvious joy he feels while reciting them? Paul bares his soul at the beginning of chapter 9: “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.. for the sake of my kinsmen….”[3] Coming down from the heights of gospel meditation, Paul’s heart is devastated by a burden for his fellow Jews to experience the saving power of the gospel… Over time, my joy in the gospel will become increasingly tinged with grief, and the grief-stained joy will lend a God-inspired passion to my ministry to the lost.
[1] Phil. 1:3-7
[2] 1 Thess. 2:8
[3] Romans 8:35-39; 9:1-4
Loving My Brothers and Sisters
The more I experience the gospel, the more there develops in me a yearning affection for my fellow Christians who are participating in the glories of the gospel. This affection for them comes loaded with confidence in their continued spiritual growth and ultimate glorification, and it becomes my pleasure to express to them this loving confidence regarding the ongoing work of God in their lives.[1]
With the gospel proving itself to be such a boon in my own life, I realize that the greatest gift I can give my fellow Christians is the gospel itself. Indeed, I love my fellow Christians not simply because of the gospel, but I love them best when I love them with the gospel![2] And I do this not merely by speaking gospel words to them, but also by living before them and generously relating to them in a gospel manner.
A Heart for the Lost
What effect do the gospel meditations of Romans 5-8 have on Paul? What emotions do they produce in him besides the obvious joy he feels while reciting them? Paul bares his soul at the beginning of chapter 9: “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.. for the sake of my kinsmen….”[3] Coming down from the heights of gospel meditation, Paul’s heart is devastated by a burden for his fellow Jews to experience the saving power of the gospel… Over time, my joy in the gospel will become increasingly tinged with grief, and the grief-stained joy will lend a God-inspired passion to my ministry to the lost.
[1] Phil. 1:3-7
[2] 1 Thess. 2:8
[3] Romans 8:35-39; 9:1-4
How Needing the Gospel Leads to Sharing the Gospel
I have been moved by how Jack Miller connected living under the gospel with our motivation and courage to share the gospel:
And this may be the root of your problem with evangelism: you don’t understand the gospel—for yourself or anyone else! There are many Christians who have never fully grasped how lost in sin they really were, and how low God stooped to save them.
A person who has not heard God’s words of compassion for himself as a lost person can not communicate them to others. If, in your own mind, you have limited your need for the gospel, you will hardly identify with sinners in obvious need of saving grace. You feel removed from them, as you feel removed from the full impact of the gospel. The distance you feel from both the message and those who need to hear it soon disengages you from altogether from the enterprise of evangelism.
Apart from a soul hunger for Christ there is cure for the lukewarmness that forever crouches at the door or the self-satisfied Christian. A daily awareness that we must never stray from Calvary ourselves is the most important element in a God-honoring evangelism. As I experience the gospel as a message of a righteous God’s total forgiveness, and Christ as the magnetic, personal center of my life, evangelizing with a gospel of forgiveness is a natural and inevitable outgrowth. It breaks down my blinding pride; it reminds me of what our God of love has done for me… Having been humbled ourselves by our own present need, we approach the lost person with a new welcoming attitude… We will not be trying to do something alien to us. Personal witness will issue from our delight in God and appreciation of His grace in Jesus Christ. We will be able to receive strangers as friends… (Jack Miller, Powerful Evangelism for the Powerless, 44, 45)
And this may be the root of your problem with evangelism: you don’t understand the gospel—for yourself or anyone else! There are many Christians who have never fully grasped how lost in sin they really were, and how low God stooped to save them.
A person who has not heard God’s words of compassion for himself as a lost person can not communicate them to others. If, in your own mind, you have limited your need for the gospel, you will hardly identify with sinners in obvious need of saving grace. You feel removed from them, as you feel removed from the full impact of the gospel. The distance you feel from both the message and those who need to hear it soon disengages you from altogether from the enterprise of evangelism.
Apart from a soul hunger for Christ there is cure for the lukewarmness that forever crouches at the door or the self-satisfied Christian. A daily awareness that we must never stray from Calvary ourselves is the most important element in a God-honoring evangelism. As I experience the gospel as a message of a righteous God’s total forgiveness, and Christ as the magnetic, personal center of my life, evangelizing with a gospel of forgiveness is a natural and inevitable outgrowth. It breaks down my blinding pride; it reminds me of what our God of love has done for me… Having been humbled ourselves by our own present need, we approach the lost person with a new welcoming attitude… We will not be trying to do something alien to us. Personal witness will issue from our delight in God and appreciation of His grace in Jesus Christ. We will be able to receive strangers as friends… (Jack Miller, Powerful Evangelism for the Powerless, 44, 45)
Sunday, June 7, 2009
An Exciting Example of Spiritual Renewal
This is narrative (in Tim Keller's Prayer Study Guide) I read about a spiritual renewal movement in Korea:
In 1903 in the city of Wonsan, there was a Canadian missionary, R. A. Hardie, who was studying prayer. He came upon Luke 11:13: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” He was deeply convicted that his missionary work had been motivated by a desire to prove himself to others and God; that he had not based it on grace, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.. He gave this testimony to a Korean congregation, publicly repenting of his pride, hardness of heart, and lack of faith in Christ. This was electrifying in a largely Confucian culture where losing face was considered unthinkable. The people began to repent, pray, and seek the Holy Spirit in their midst. Awakening spread in and around the region of Wonsan and the churches began to grow.
At a Bible conference meeting on January 17, 1907 in the city of Pyongyang, a huge crowd gathered. The preacher concluded the sermon and called for prayer, encouraging them to pray aloud. The whole audience began to pray out loud and in unison. Suddenly they burst into a roar of prayer as people were feeling a strong urge to prayer. William Blair, a Presbyterian missionary, was present and later described the scene:
“The whole audience would break out into audible prayer, and the effect of that audience of hundreds of men praying together in audible prayer was something indescribable. Again, after another confession, they would break out into uncontrollable weeping and we would all weep together. We couldn't’t help it. And so the meeting went on until 2 a.m., with confession and weeping and praying. …We had prayed to God for an outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon the people and it had come.
William Blair says that after the week was over:
All through the city people were going from house to house, confessing wrongs, returning stolen property, not only to Christians but to heathens. A Chinese merchant was astounded to have a Christian walk in and pay him a large sum of money he had obtained unjustly years before. The whole city was stirred.
Harvie Conn, a missionary to Korea for many years, writes that
Confucianism made an idol out of hierarchical authority and was therefore deeply self-righteous. This led to the belief that no one of any real stature should repent. It represented a loss of face. But the gospel brought about a power encounter with the self-righteousness of the Confucian world-view at the heart of Korean culture. A new concept of humility and greatness in the gospel brought about an enormous shift in the lives of converts. In the revival, males especially, who had next to no ability to deal with shame and failure, experienced the love of God in the gospel through the Holy Spirit. It freed them to admit their flaws.
In 1903 in the city of Wonsan, there was a Canadian missionary, R. A. Hardie, who was studying prayer. He came upon Luke 11:13: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” He was deeply convicted that his missionary work had been motivated by a desire to prove himself to others and God; that he had not based it on grace, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.. He gave this testimony to a Korean congregation, publicly repenting of his pride, hardness of heart, and lack of faith in Christ. This was electrifying in a largely Confucian culture where losing face was considered unthinkable. The people began to repent, pray, and seek the Holy Spirit in their midst. Awakening spread in and around the region of Wonsan and the churches began to grow.
At a Bible conference meeting on January 17, 1907 in the city of Pyongyang, a huge crowd gathered. The preacher concluded the sermon and called for prayer, encouraging them to pray aloud. The whole audience began to pray out loud and in unison. Suddenly they burst into a roar of prayer as people were feeling a strong urge to prayer. William Blair, a Presbyterian missionary, was present and later described the scene:
“The whole audience would break out into audible prayer, and the effect of that audience of hundreds of men praying together in audible prayer was something indescribable. Again, after another confession, they would break out into uncontrollable weeping and we would all weep together. We couldn't’t help it. And so the meeting went on until 2 a.m., with confession and weeping and praying. …We had prayed to God for an outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon the people and it had come.
William Blair says that after the week was over:
All through the city people were going from house to house, confessing wrongs, returning stolen property, not only to Christians but to heathens. A Chinese merchant was astounded to have a Christian walk in and pay him a large sum of money he had obtained unjustly years before. The whole city was stirred.
Harvie Conn, a missionary to Korea for many years, writes that
Confucianism made an idol out of hierarchical authority and was therefore deeply self-righteous. This led to the belief that no one of any real stature should repent. It represented a loss of face. But the gospel brought about a power encounter with the self-righteousness of the Confucian world-view at the heart of Korean culture. A new concept of humility and greatness in the gospel brought about an enormous shift in the lives of converts. In the revival, males especially, who had next to no ability to deal with shame and failure, experienced the love of God in the gospel through the Holy Spirit. It freed them to admit their flaws.
Flattery verses Divine Love
This is a poem I wrote about moving from a god of the imagination to the Living God:
The thought of Your love flatters me like a commercial
When I think You are like me,
And leaves me where I am.
The taste of Your love as you reveal it
awes me like the aurora, when I see your incomparable and lavish mercy on the cross,and draws me out of myself.
There is no moral magnet in me
that attracts your love,
It all resides in You and is given not as a wage due.
Your love is a relentless pursuit of a rebel,
And feels like a kind of death as it subdues,
And yet never am I more alive and free t
han as your yoked servant.
The thought of Your love flatters me like a commercial
When I think You are like me,
And leaves me where I am.
The taste of Your love as you reveal it
awes me like the aurora, when I see your incomparable and lavish mercy on the cross,and draws me out of myself.
There is no moral magnet in me
that attracts your love,
It all resides in You and is given not as a wage due.
Your love is a relentless pursuit of a rebel,
And feels like a kind of death as it subdues,
And yet never am I more alive and free t
han as your yoked servant.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Liberation from Self-Love
Here is more Vincent:
Compared to greater endeavors, self-love is mundane and tiresome. Consequently, the more thoroughly I can be done with such tedium, the freer my soul will soar to its God-intended heights.
One of the leading causes of my natural tendency to self-love is fear. I fear that if I do not love myself there will no one to love me quite so well. An even more significant cause of self-love is a lack of persuasion that there is someone out there who is worthy to be loved more than I. Arrogance lies beneath both of these causes: I love myself supremely because I am the most worthy person I know to be loved and because I think I can do a better job at it than anyone else. Such arrogance makes me dangerous, yet it is deeply ingrained in my flesh.
Thankfully, the gospel frees me from the shackles of self-love by addressing both of these causes. First, the gospel assures me that the love of God is infinitely superior to any love I could ever give myself.[1] And the deeper I go into the gospel, the more I experience the truth of His claim and thereby know how far His love surpasses even my own.[2] His astonishing love for me frees me up to move on to causes far greater than myself.[3]
Secondly, the gospel reveals to me the breathtaking glory and loveliness of God,[4] and in so doing, it lures my heart away from the love of self and leaves me enthralled by Him instead. The more I behold God’s glory in the gospel, the more lovely He appears to me. And the more lovely He appears, the more self fades into the background like a former love interest who can no longer compete for my affections.[5] (Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer)
[1] John 15:13
[2] Rom. 8:32
[3] 2 Cor. 5:14
[4] 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:11
[5] Phil. 3:7,8
Compared to greater endeavors, self-love is mundane and tiresome. Consequently, the more thoroughly I can be done with such tedium, the freer my soul will soar to its God-intended heights.
One of the leading causes of my natural tendency to self-love is fear. I fear that if I do not love myself there will no one to love me quite so well. An even more significant cause of self-love is a lack of persuasion that there is someone out there who is worthy to be loved more than I. Arrogance lies beneath both of these causes: I love myself supremely because I am the most worthy person I know to be loved and because I think I can do a better job at it than anyone else. Such arrogance makes me dangerous, yet it is deeply ingrained in my flesh.
Thankfully, the gospel frees me from the shackles of self-love by addressing both of these causes. First, the gospel assures me that the love of God is infinitely superior to any love I could ever give myself.[1] And the deeper I go into the gospel, the more I experience the truth of His claim and thereby know how far His love surpasses even my own.[2] His astonishing love for me frees me up to move on to causes far greater than myself.[3]
Secondly, the gospel reveals to me the breathtaking glory and loveliness of God,[4] and in so doing, it lures my heart away from the love of self and leaves me enthralled by Him instead. The more I behold God’s glory in the gospel, the more lovely He appears to me. And the more lovely He appears, the more self fades into the background like a former love interest who can no longer compete for my affections.[5] (Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer)
[1] John 15:13
[2] Rom. 8:32
[3] 2 Cor. 5:14
[4] 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:11
[5] Phil. 3:7,8
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Trials and the Gospel
Perspective in Trials (from Milton Vincent's A Gospel Primer)
The gospel is the one great permanent circumstance in which I live and move; and every hardship in my life is allowed by God only because it serves His gospel purposes in me. When I view my circumstances in this light, I realize that the gospel is not just one piece of good news that fits into my life somewhere among all the bad. I realize instead that the gospel makes genuinely good news out of every other aspect of my life, including my severest trials.[1] The good news about my trials is that God is forcing them to bow to His gospel purposes and do good unto me by improving my character and making me more conformed to Christ’s image.[2]
[1] Rom. 5:1-5
[2] James 1:2-4; Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 12:9,10
Humility and the Gospel
Cultivating Humility
Vincent goes on:
God deliberately designed the gospel in such a way as to strip me of pride and leave me without any grounds for boasting in myself whatever.[1] This is actually a wonderful mercy of God, for pride is at the root of all my sin. Pride produced the first sin in the Garden,[2] and pride always precedes every stumbling in my life.[3] Therefore, if I am to experience deliverance from sin, I must be delivered from the pride that produces it.
Preaching the gospel to myself each day mounts a powerful assault against my pride and serves to establish humility in its place. Nothing suffocates my pride more than daily reminders regarding the glory of God, the gravity of my sin, and the crucifixion of God’s Son in my place. Also, the gracious love of God, lavished on me because of Christ’s death, is always humbling to remember, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the Hell that I deserve.
Pride wilts in the atmosphere of the gospel; and the more pride is mortified in me, the less frequent are my moments of sinful contention with God and others. Conversely, humility grows lushly in the atmosphere of the gospel, and the more humility flourishes in me, the more I experience God’s grace[4] along the strengthening that grace provides.[5]
[1] Ephesians 2:8,9 “…that no one can boast…” 1 Cor. 1:27-29
[2] Gen. 3:4,5
[3] Proverbs 16:18 “Prides goes before destruction…”
[4] James 4:6
[5] Hebrews 13:9
Sunday, May 24, 2009
More Unpacking of the Gospel
Here is another section from A Gospel Primer:
A Cure For Distrust
Every time I deliberately disobey a command of God, it is because I am in that moment doubtful as to God’s true intentions in giving me that command. Does He really have my best interests at heart? Or is He withholding something (Gen. 3:1-5)? However, the gospel changes my view of God’s commandments, in that it helps me see the heart of the Person from whom those commandments come. When I begin my train of thoughts with the gospel, I realize that if God loved me enough to sacrifice His Son’s life for me, then He must be guided by that same love when He speaks His commandments to me. The gospel cures my suspicion of God, disposing me to walk more trustingly on the path of obedience to His commands.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Does the Gospel have a bearing on daily life?
I recently attended a workshop called, "The Functional Centrality of the Gospel." The speaker, Mike Bullmore, said this: “One of the greatest challenges of ministry is to help people actually see the connections between the gospel and the thinking and behavior that make up their everyday lives. We know well the centrality of the gospel message but in order for it to have a functional (functioning) centrality it must be clearly, carefully and consistently connected to the real issues – issues of thought and conduct – of people’s lives.” He went to challenge the assumption that people who have heard the gospel stated in church can automatically connect it to the struggles they have. Bullmore calls on preachers to do this work in their own lives and help people learn to do so. I realized that I have often proclaimed the gospel in words, but in my actual struggles with fear and insecurity, the gospel is not functioning. I lean on false saviors like work and accomplishment. No wonder I was not showing people how to make the gospel functionally central. I didn't know. I am now begining to understand. May God keep teaching me so I show others the wonder of the gospel.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Two Recent Finds
My friend Gary sent me these recomendations:
Jerry Bridges’ new book The Bookends of the Christian Life is an outstanding exposition of what it looks like to depend in all areas of our lives on the two great “bookends” of Christ’s imputed righteousness and the power of the Holy Spirit. You may find that this book “opens the eyes of your heart” (Eph. 1:17ff.) to God’s grace in a life-changing way. Read it slowly and prayerfully.
Milton Vincent’s book The Gospel Primer does an amazing job of expounding the implications of the gospel for things like: daily protection from Satan, a cure for distrust, freedom from sin’s power, loving my brothers and sisters, a heart for the lost, cultivating humility, liberation from self-love, obedience motivated by love, perspective in trials, a heart for the poor, generosity, etc. Here is Vincent’s thesis: “The gospel is so foolish (according to my natural wisdom), so scandalous (according to my conscience), and so incredible (according to my timid heart), that it is a daily battle to believe the full scope of it as I should. There is simply no other way to compete with the forebodings of my conscience, the condemnings of my heart, and the lies of the world and the Devil than to overwhelm such things with daily rehearsings of the gospel.”
Jerry Bridges’ new book The Bookends of the Christian Life is an outstanding exposition of what it looks like to depend in all areas of our lives on the two great “bookends” of Christ’s imputed righteousness and the power of the Holy Spirit. You may find that this book “opens the eyes of your heart” (Eph. 1:17ff.) to God’s grace in a life-changing way. Read it slowly and prayerfully.
Milton Vincent’s book The Gospel Primer does an amazing job of expounding the implications of the gospel for things like: daily protection from Satan, a cure for distrust, freedom from sin’s power, loving my brothers and sisters, a heart for the lost, cultivating humility, liberation from self-love, obedience motivated by love, perspective in trials, a heart for the poor, generosity, etc. Here is Vincent’s thesis: “The gospel is so foolish (according to my natural wisdom), so scandalous (according to my conscience), and so incredible (according to my timid heart), that it is a daily battle to believe the full scope of it as I should. There is simply no other way to compete with the forebodings of my conscience, the condemnings of my heart, and the lies of the world and the Devil than to overwhelm such things with daily rehearsings of the gospel.”
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The "basics" are sometimes the hardest to believe
The quote below is striking to me because I tend to assume people that know about the doctrine of justification actually believe it. But then I realized more clearly that though I know about the doctrine of justification, I have trouble believing it when I am insecure and threatened. I don't thrive on the thought that God has declared me righteous. I wake up feeling He is not pleased.
"Much that we have interpreted as a defect of sanctification in church people is really an outgrowth of their loss of bearing with respect to justification. The importance of this principle cannot be overemphasized. It is a major mistake to think that dead congregations simply need to be more sanctified, when they do not understand the gospel. Christians who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons." (Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, 212)
Are you a "radically insecure person"? Do you see why?
"Much that we have interpreted as a defect of sanctification in church people is really an outgrowth of their loss of bearing with respect to justification. The importance of this principle cannot be overemphasized. It is a major mistake to think that dead congregations simply need to be more sanctified, when they do not understand the gospel. Christians who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons." (Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, 212)
Are you a "radically insecure person"? Do you see why?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Personalizing the Psalms
My friend Steve Sutters sent me this:
Here is a medley of psalms concerning joy that I have put in the first person for meditation. (Ps. 32:1,34:5,92:4.40:8,32:11)
Oh what joy since my disobedience is forgiven, my sin is put out of sight. Yes, what joy, for my record has been cleared of guilt. I will seek the Lord for help and will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken my face. You thrill me Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him! Shout for joy all you whose hearts are pure!
Here is a medley of psalms concerning joy that I have put in the first person for meditation. (Ps. 32:1,34:5,92:4.40:8,32:11)
Oh what joy since my disobedience is forgiven, my sin is put out of sight. Yes, what joy, for my record has been cleared of guilt. I will seek the Lord for help and will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken my face. You thrill me Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him! Shout for joy all you whose hearts are pure!
Gospel-Based Joy II
Here are some implications of GOSPEL-BASED JOY (see yesterday's post)
1.You can’t live FOR the gospel if you don’t live FROM the gospel. So don’t start with trying to live for the gospel because you feel guilty. But if you are not living FOR the gospel, you surely are not living FROM the gospel Start there. Repent there. Go back to Philippians 3 and change your base of confidence. Cry uncle!
2. If you are living FOR the gospel, your devotion to the work of the gospel is not dependent on the responsiveness of people to your effort or the amount of recognition you get. If you quit or work half-heartedly because of a lack of results or recognition, that shows you were not living for the gospel, but for success and recognition. Here’s something God challenged me on: “are you more thrilled about the idea of church planting about loving individual people freely for Jesus’ sake?”
Yet at the same time, even though you don’t need results to go on, you have an intense desire to see Jesus exalted in the eyes of people. You have a jealously, a zeal for His name.
THE OUTCOME OF GOSPEL-BASED JOY
It is a joy in the Lord. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with circumstances. It can be there amidst suffering. It can be chosen (Philippians 3:1; 4:4)
“There is a joy which is given to those who love you [God] for your own sake, whose joy you yourself are. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to you, of you, for you; this it is, and there is no other.” (Augustine)
Rejoicing in the Lord produces peace and contentment. Why? Because you have it all in your salvation, in the gospel, you have no need to control circumstances. You believe in the goodness of God and the profit of trials. You get liberated from idols.
Rejoicing in the Lord produces love, unity, and friendship. Why? Because you have it all, in your salvation, in the gospel, you are not using or controlling others. You are moved by Jesus’ self-emptying to humility (Phil. 1:7,8; 2:3-8; 4:5)
Rejoicing in the Lord produces spiritual fruit (impact that glorifies God). Why? Because you have it all in the gospel, you don’t use people to be successful and your joy draws people to Jesus Christ. ( Phil. 2:14-26)
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in the first chapter of his book, Spiritual Depression, argued that a lack of joy as the main reason people are not drawn to Christ. The world should be compelled to look at Jesus because of our joy.
You want joy and peace and contentment and all that. But you wonder, “Where do I start?” You need both to live from and live for the gospel, but one of the two likely needs more attention in your life right now. Which do you think it is?
Live from. Are you nourishing yourself on the gospel? Or are you trying to fix yourself?
Live for. Some of you have been living from. But you have not put yourself out into the mix to live for the gospel. Start by praying for this. Pray for guidance and zeal and courage and a big heart. Put aside a little time to be among people who need to hear.
1.You can’t live FOR the gospel if you don’t live FROM the gospel. So don’t start with trying to live for the gospel because you feel guilty. But if you are not living FOR the gospel, you surely are not living FROM the gospel Start there. Repent there. Go back to Philippians 3 and change your base of confidence. Cry uncle!
2. If you are living FOR the gospel, your devotion to the work of the gospel is not dependent on the responsiveness of people to your effort or the amount of recognition you get. If you quit or work half-heartedly because of a lack of results or recognition, that shows you were not living for the gospel, but for success and recognition. Here’s something God challenged me on: “are you more thrilled about the idea of church planting about loving individual people freely for Jesus’ sake?”
Yet at the same time, even though you don’t need results to go on, you have an intense desire to see Jesus exalted in the eyes of people. You have a jealously, a zeal for His name.
THE OUTCOME OF GOSPEL-BASED JOY
It is a joy in the Lord. And it has nothing whatsoever to do with circumstances. It can be there amidst suffering. It can be chosen (Philippians 3:1; 4:4)
“There is a joy which is given to those who love you [God] for your own sake, whose joy you yourself are. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to you, of you, for you; this it is, and there is no other.” (Augustine)
Rejoicing in the Lord produces peace and contentment. Why? Because you have it all in your salvation, in the gospel, you have no need to control circumstances. You believe in the goodness of God and the profit of trials. You get liberated from idols.
Rejoicing in the Lord produces love, unity, and friendship. Why? Because you have it all, in your salvation, in the gospel, you are not using or controlling others. You are moved by Jesus’ self-emptying to humility (Phil. 1:7,8; 2:3-8; 4:5)
Rejoicing in the Lord produces spiritual fruit (impact that glorifies God). Why? Because you have it all in the gospel, you don’t use people to be successful and your joy draws people to Jesus Christ. ( Phil. 2:14-26)
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in the first chapter of his book, Spiritual Depression, argued that a lack of joy as the main reason people are not drawn to Christ. The world should be compelled to look at Jesus because of our joy.
You want joy and peace and contentment and all that. But you wonder, “Where do I start?” You need both to live from and live for the gospel, but one of the two likely needs more attention in your life right now. Which do you think it is?
Live from. Are you nourishing yourself on the gospel? Or are you trying to fix yourself?
Live for. Some of you have been living from. But you have not put yourself out into the mix to live for the gospel. Start by praying for this. Pray for guidance and zeal and courage and a big heart. Put aside a little time to be among people who need to hear.
The Danger of Pride in Renewal
One of the most sickening realizations I have had about my sin nature is how effortlessly it takes credit for the work of God and judges other people. Surely if I am being renewed and awakened to a greater appreciation of God's grace, I would be concerned chiefly with own sins and not the sins of others. And if I have been awakened to any degree, it was was not an achievement but a merciful gift from the Lord. So there is no room for boasting or a critical spirit. Here is a warning from Jonathan Edwards, who saw the renewal movement of the 1740's partly discredited by a spirit of pride:
We must expect that the great enemy of this work will especially try his utmost with us; we had need to watch and pray, for we are but little children; this roaring lion is too strong for us, and this old serpent too subtle for us. Humility and self–diffidence and an entire dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ will be our best defense. Let us therefore maintain the strictest watch against spiritual pride, or being lifted up with extraordinary experiences and comforts, and the high favors of heaven that any of us may have received.
We have need to keep a strict and jealous eye upon our own hearts, lest there should arise self–exalting reflections upon what we have received, and high thoughts of ourselves as being now some of the most eminent of saints and peculiar favorites of heaven, and that the secret of the Lord is especially with us. God saw that the apostle Paul (though probably the most eminent saint that ever lived) was not out of danger of it, no, not when he had just been conversing with God in the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:7).
Pride is the worst viper in the heart; it is the first sin that ever entered into the universe, lies lowest of all in the foundation of the whole building of sin, and is the most secret, deceitful, and unsearchable in its ways of working, of any lusts whatever. It is ready to mix with every thing; and nothing is so hateful to God, contrary to the spirit of the gospel, or of so dangerous consequence; and there is no one sin that does so much let in the devil into the hearts of the saints, and expose them to his delusions. (Jonathan Edwards, The Distinguishing Characteristics of a Work of the Spirit of God)
We must expect that the great enemy of this work will especially try his utmost with us; we had need to watch and pray, for we are but little children; this roaring lion is too strong for us, and this old serpent too subtle for us. Humility and self–diffidence and an entire dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ will be our best defense. Let us therefore maintain the strictest watch against spiritual pride, or being lifted up with extraordinary experiences and comforts, and the high favors of heaven that any of us may have received.
We have need to keep a strict and jealous eye upon our own hearts, lest there should arise self–exalting reflections upon what we have received, and high thoughts of ourselves as being now some of the most eminent of saints and peculiar favorites of heaven, and that the secret of the Lord is especially with us. God saw that the apostle Paul (though probably the most eminent saint that ever lived) was not out of danger of it, no, not when he had just been conversing with God in the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:7).
Pride is the worst viper in the heart; it is the first sin that ever entered into the universe, lies lowest of all in the foundation of the whole building of sin, and is the most secret, deceitful, and unsearchable in its ways of working, of any lusts whatever. It is ready to mix with every thing; and nothing is so hateful to God, contrary to the spirit of the gospel, or of so dangerous consequence; and there is no one sin that does so much let in the devil into the hearts of the saints, and expose them to his delusions. (Jonathan Edwards, The Distinguishing Characteristics of a Work of the Spirit of God)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Gospel-Based Joy
I recently went to a retreat for leaders that focused on serving the Lord from joy. It stimulated me to further meditation on Paul's letter to the Philippians.
There is an emphasis in Philippians on joy. And there is an emphasis on the gospel. People tend to pick either joy or the gospel rather than connect joy and the gospel.
Joy is a deep seated happiness, a sense of privilege, wealth, and security—a mindset that is focused on how much you have been given compared to how little you deserve. It is the realization that you have everything in Jesus Christ and you will be able to get through anything with Jesus Christ. This joy is accompanied by contentment and peace rather than complaining and anxiety.
The gospel is a message of salvation, an advancing movement, a cause. Paul uses the term “the gospel” to refer not only the good news of what God has done in Jesus, but it is a way of life in community (1:27). The gospel is not only a message of how to be saved, but how to live from God’s resources how to be set free from every bondage. It is not just how we begin, it is how we go forward The message of the gospel should shape every attitude and activity in the Christian community.
What is the connection between joy and the gospel? Joy is the result of living for the gospel and living from the gospel. Those two things together bring about joy. Paul models both and calls upon them to rejoice the way he does.
Examples of living FOR the gospel: 1:5-8 4:3; In 1:20-25, Paul describes his commitment to suffer for the advancement of gospel (“to exalt Christ in my body by life or by death”). To live for the gospel is something he does just when he is speaking it, but in every way—choices to pray, to say no to self, etc. Living for the gospel includes sharing your faith, but is not limited to that. It is rejoicing together in community that embodies the message (1:27; 2:2). It is humility, the laying aside of selfish demands and self-glory (2:5-7). It is discerning opportunities from God in your circumstances (1:12).
Examples of living FROM the gospel: 1:2 & 4:23; 1:11; 2:13; 4:4,9; 4:19. In chapter 3 Paul shares his story of how he started to live from the gospel and how that led him to live for the gospel. It is a grand description of turning from religious idolatry. It was a grand repentance.
3:1 He rejoices in the Lord (not in circumstances or things He gives you). Before he knew Christ,
his righteousness was a barrier (3:2-6). Self-righteousness, that is. Good things done for self-glory.
When you are not living from the gospel, you living from what Paul calls “confidence in the flesh,” which is a performance identity. And when you don’t rejoice in the Lord, you rejoice in self. Your identity is built on who you are in the eyes of people. You matter if you are respected. The results of your performance makes you OK. You are secure if you are in control.
Is this you Paul is describing? I know it is me. And I don’t mean only before I became a Xian.
After Paul repented, he lived from the gospel with a righteousness that comes from God.. (3:9) Living from the gospel means living by grace, putting confidence in the resources of the gospel, being satisfied in God Himself. When you live from the gospel, there is nothing you must prove, nothing you must defend, nothing you must have, no one you must look down on.
My next post will draw out some implications of from living from and living for the gospel.
There is an emphasis in Philippians on joy. And there is an emphasis on the gospel. People tend to pick either joy or the gospel rather than connect joy and the gospel.
Joy is a deep seated happiness, a sense of privilege, wealth, and security—a mindset that is focused on how much you have been given compared to how little you deserve. It is the realization that you have everything in Jesus Christ and you will be able to get through anything with Jesus Christ. This joy is accompanied by contentment and peace rather than complaining and anxiety.
The gospel is a message of salvation, an advancing movement, a cause. Paul uses the term “the gospel” to refer not only the good news of what God has done in Jesus, but it is a way of life in community (1:27). The gospel is not only a message of how to be saved, but how to live from God’s resources how to be set free from every bondage. It is not just how we begin, it is how we go forward The message of the gospel should shape every attitude and activity in the Christian community.
What is the connection between joy and the gospel? Joy is the result of living for the gospel and living from the gospel. Those two things together bring about joy. Paul models both and calls upon them to rejoice the way he does.
Examples of living FOR the gospel: 1:5-8 4:3; In 1:20-25, Paul describes his commitment to suffer for the advancement of gospel (“to exalt Christ in my body by life or by death”). To live for the gospel is something he does just when he is speaking it, but in every way—choices to pray, to say no to self, etc. Living for the gospel includes sharing your faith, but is not limited to that. It is rejoicing together in community that embodies the message (1:27; 2:2). It is humility, the laying aside of selfish demands and self-glory (2:5-7). It is discerning opportunities from God in your circumstances (1:12).
Examples of living FROM the gospel: 1:2 & 4:23; 1:11; 2:13; 4:4,9; 4:19. In chapter 3 Paul shares his story of how he started to live from the gospel and how that led him to live for the gospel. It is a grand description of turning from religious idolatry. It was a grand repentance.
3:1 He rejoices in the Lord (not in circumstances or things He gives you). Before he knew Christ,
his righteousness was a barrier (3:2-6). Self-righteousness, that is. Good things done for self-glory.
When you are not living from the gospel, you living from what Paul calls “confidence in the flesh,” which is a performance identity. And when you don’t rejoice in the Lord, you rejoice in self. Your identity is built on who you are in the eyes of people. You matter if you are respected. The results of your performance makes you OK. You are secure if you are in control.
Is this you Paul is describing? I know it is me. And I don’t mean only before I became a Xian.
After Paul repented, he lived from the gospel with a righteousness that comes from God.. (3:9) Living from the gospel means living by grace, putting confidence in the resources of the gospel, being satisfied in God Himself. When you live from the gospel, there is nothing you must prove, nothing you must defend, nothing you must have, no one you must look down on.
My next post will draw out some implications of from living from and living for the gospel.
Before the Beginning
Today I was studying for a teaching I am doing called "Before the Beginning" (Genesis 1) and was tipped off to this quote by C.S Lewis about the love of the trinity before the beginning:
For in self-giving we touch a rhythm not only of creation but of all being. For the Eternal Word also gives Himself in sacrifice; and that not only on Calvary. For when He was crucified He ‘did that in the wild weather of His outlying provinces which He had done at home in glory and gladness’ from the foundation of the world… And as the Son glorifies the Father, the Father also glorifies the Son… From the highest to the lowest, self exists to be abdicated and, by that abdication, becomes more truly self, to be thereupon yet the more abdicated, and so forever. This is not a… law from which we can escape… What is outside the system of self-giving… is simply and solely Hell… that fierce imprisonment in the self… Self-giving is absolute reality. (The Problem of Pain, 157,158)
We could never be self-giving if the Lord Jesus has not intervened at the cross and brought us into the love of the Trinity. This is was Jesus' prayer:
John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
For in self-giving we touch a rhythm not only of creation but of all being. For the Eternal Word also gives Himself in sacrifice; and that not only on Calvary. For when He was crucified He ‘did that in the wild weather of His outlying provinces which He had done at home in glory and gladness’ from the foundation of the world… And as the Son glorifies the Father, the Father also glorifies the Son… From the highest to the lowest, self exists to be abdicated and, by that abdication, becomes more truly self, to be thereupon yet the more abdicated, and so forever. This is not a… law from which we can escape… What is outside the system of self-giving… is simply and solely Hell… that fierce imprisonment in the self… Self-giving is absolute reality. (The Problem of Pain, 157,158)
We could never be self-giving if the Lord Jesus has not intervened at the cross and brought us into the love of the Trinity. This is was Jesus' prayer:
John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Bookends
Last week at the Gospel Coalition Conference I received a free book. I put in my stack of stuff, not intending to read it any time soon. Then my friend Gary read it over the weekend and spoke of it enthusiastically.. When Gary suggests something, it is always good. So I read it myself in two days. The book is called The Bookends of the Christian Life, by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. The two bookends, which stabilize our lives, are the righteousness of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. The book does a great job showing the subtle ways we rely on other things than those two bookends. The authors show that it is not enough that you know the theology of the gospel. You must also preach it to yourself daily. I highly recommend this short work (150 pages)--especially if you are in Christian service.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Gospel Coalition Conference
I went to the Gospel Coalition Conference in Chicago this week. It was very good. I especially liked Tim Keller’s talk on idols from Acts 19. Toward the end he made a powerful point that made me tremble. It was about idolizing a good marriage. Keller shared, regarding his own marriage.: “We realized one of us will see the other in a coffin someday. When your savior is in a coffin, who will comfort you? I don’t want to love my wife less, but Jesus more.” Wow! That blew my away, because I don't want to face that.
For the recordings, see Christianitytoday.com or The Resurgence
For the recordings, see Christianitytoday.com or The Resurgence
The Problem of Over Intensity
I came across another Jack Miller reading that was powerful today. In The Heart of a Servant Leader, pages 85-89, he writes to a missionary church planter who Jack believes is too aggressive and impatient. The title of the letter is “The Mature Leader is a Gentle, Kind Learner.” Miller wrote, “the trouble comes when a leader tries to do and be too much, perhaps unconsciously trying to have the power of the Spirit and the Lordship of Christ… the leader is trying to prove himself and own the ministry. This kind of an approach frightens people, and flesh responds to flesh, and conflicts follow.” (86)
On 87, he continues, “I would ask you not to go on the mission field full of the plans you have in your mind, or any feeling that you have to be the manager of the work. Your agenda will simply clash with the agendas of others. Take time and let it become ‘our agenda.’”
There is some advice I have not followed in most of attempts to start work.
I really like his suggestion on how to redirect your intensity:
“Center your aggressiveness on your own prayer life and the corporate prayer of the team and the church.” (87)
On 87, he continues, “I would ask you not to go on the mission field full of the plans you have in your mind, or any feeling that you have to be the manager of the work. Your agenda will simply clash with the agendas of others. Take time and let it become ‘our agenda.’”
There is some advice I have not followed in most of attempts to start work.
I really like his suggestion on how to redirect your intensity:
“Center your aggressiveness on your own prayer life and the corporate prayer of the team and the church.” (87)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Reaction, Relief, or Renewal?
It is quite common for people who are rediscovering grace to react against the habits of their previous legalism. To be more accurate, they commonly overreact into other forms of error. It is like when your are driving and you lose control of the car, there is overcorrection. If you are overreaction you will associate all busyness or stress with legalism. If before you overemphasized the role of human effort or choices, you may swing to the opposite extreme of underemphasizing your choices, underemphasizing your role in spiritual growth. If before, you suffering from overextending and mindless activism, you might swing in reaction to passivity or inwardness.
One of the truest tests of spiritual renewal is active, enthusiastic love for people. I am talking a about a “want to” love for others. Perhaps some people, at least some of the time, want relief more than renewal. That is, they want a vacation more than renovation. I know that has been true of me many times. We know enough about the deceitfulness of sin from scripture that it should not surprise us that our sin nature, with the help of the devil would twist and pervert the teaching of grace into these extremes.
People touched by grace are eager to do deeds of love, to work hard and even suffer. It is not only that grace motivates active love, the practice of active love strengthens the impact of grace in your heart. I think this is because when you do something, or talk about something, that something is reinforced and driven deeper. When grace moves from an abstract idea to an activity—especially an interpersonal activity, grace is experienced as more real. It also works the other way. If grace is not acted on in practical ways, it has limited impact and feels “unreal.” This seems to be the idea behind passages like 1 John 4:12; John 4:34; and Acts 20:35.
One of the truest tests of spiritual renewal is active, enthusiastic love for people. I am talking a about a “want to” love for others. Perhaps some people, at least some of the time, want relief more than renewal. That is, they want a vacation more than renovation. I know that has been true of me many times. We know enough about the deceitfulness of sin from scripture that it should not surprise us that our sin nature, with the help of the devil would twist and pervert the teaching of grace into these extremes.
People touched by grace are eager to do deeds of love, to work hard and even suffer. It is not only that grace motivates active love, the practice of active love strengthens the impact of grace in your heart. I think this is because when you do something, or talk about something, that something is reinforced and driven deeper. When grace moves from an abstract idea to an activity—especially an interpersonal activity, grace is experienced as more real. It also works the other way. If grace is not acted on in practical ways, it has limited impact and feels “unreal.” This seems to be the idea behind passages like 1 John 4:12; John 4:34; and Acts 20:35.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Joy and the Gospel: a responsibility
In his book, Spiritual Depression, Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives a compassionate and truth-oriented treatment of the topic. In the quote below, he address the fact that a lack of joy undermines the credibility of the gospel:
But there is another and more important reason, which is that we must face this problem [of spiritual depression] for the sake of the Kingdom of God and for the glory of God. In a sense a depressed Christian is… a very poor recommendation for the gospel. We are living in a pragmatic age. People today are not primarily interested in Truth but they are interested in results. The one question they ask is: Does it work? Nothing is more important, therefore, than that we should be delivered from a condition which gives other people, looking at us, the impression that to be a Christian means to be unhappy, to be sad, to be morbid, and that the Christian is one who 'scorns delights and lives laborious days'. There are many indeed who give this as a reason for not being Christian, and for giving up all interest they may ever have had in the Christian faith. They say: Look at Christian people, look at the impression they give! And they are very fond of contrasting us with people out in the world, people who seem to be so thrilled by the things they believe in, whatever they may be. They shout at their football matches, they talk about the films they have seen, they are full of excitement and want everybody to know it; but Christian people too often seem to be perpetually in the doldrums and too often give this appearance of unhappiness and of lack of freedom and of absence of joy. There is no question at all but that this is the main reason why large numbers of people have ceased to be interested in Christianity. And, let us be quite frank and admit it, there is a sense in which there is some justification for their attitude, and we have to confess that their criticism is a fair one. It behooves us, therefore, not only for our own sakes, but also for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the glory of the Christ in Whom we believe, to represent Him and His cause, His message and His power in such a way that men and women, far from being antagonized, will be drawn and attracted as they observe us, whatever our circumstances or condition. We must so live that they will be compelled to say: Would to God I could be like that, would to God I could live in this world and go through this world as that person does. (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression)
But there is another and more important reason, which is that we must face this problem [of spiritual depression] for the sake of the Kingdom of God and for the glory of God. In a sense a depressed Christian is… a very poor recommendation for the gospel. We are living in a pragmatic age. People today are not primarily interested in Truth but they are interested in results. The one question they ask is: Does it work? Nothing is more important, therefore, than that we should be delivered from a condition which gives other people, looking at us, the impression that to be a Christian means to be unhappy, to be sad, to be morbid, and that the Christian is one who 'scorns delights and lives laborious days'. There are many indeed who give this as a reason for not being Christian, and for giving up all interest they may ever have had in the Christian faith. They say: Look at Christian people, look at the impression they give! And they are very fond of contrasting us with people out in the world, people who seem to be so thrilled by the things they believe in, whatever they may be. They shout at their football matches, they talk about the films they have seen, they are full of excitement and want everybody to know it; but Christian people too often seem to be perpetually in the doldrums and too often give this appearance of unhappiness and of lack of freedom and of absence of joy. There is no question at all but that this is the main reason why large numbers of people have ceased to be interested in Christianity. And, let us be quite frank and admit it, there is a sense in which there is some justification for their attitude, and we have to confess that their criticism is a fair one. It behooves us, therefore, not only for our own sakes, but also for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the glory of the Christ in Whom we believe, to represent Him and His cause, His message and His power in such a way that men and women, far from being antagonized, will be drawn and attracted as they observe us, whatever our circumstances or condition. We must so live that they will be compelled to say: Would to God I could be like that, would to God I could live in this world and go through this world as that person does. (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression)
More gems from Miller
As I mentioned a few days ago, I discovered an author (C.John Miller) that I have really been enjoying. He is an honest person. He went through lots of failure because, as he said, "I did the Lord's work in my own stength and for my own glory." That I can relate to. I just starting reading his book, The Heart of a Servant Leader, which a collection of letters he wrote over the years. Here is a quote from one where he was counseling a pastor who was confused about his caling:
“When I find myself without guidance from God, one of the first things I check out is whether I want guidance from God. That is often the big issue for me. Put simply, why should God give me guidance when my mind is closed to some aspect of His will?
I may have reservations in my heart about a path that I suspect He may want me to take. Or I may fear that He wants me to undertake a work that is beyond my capacity to handle… Tied in with this can also be a fleshly love of comfort and honor, or the security of a life where it is clear that I have things somewhat under control. In other words, my attitude is: 'Don’t disturb me God.' ”
“When I find myself without guidance from God, one of the first things I check out is whether I want guidance from God. That is often the big issue for me. Put simply, why should God give me guidance when my mind is closed to some aspect of His will?
I may have reservations in my heart about a path that I suspect He may want me to take. Or I may fear that He wants me to undertake a work that is beyond my capacity to handle… Tied in with this can also be a fleshly love of comfort and honor, or the security of a life where it is clear that I have things somewhat under control. In other words, my attitude is: 'Don’t disturb me God.' ”
An interesting experiment
Last week I tried something "novel." I went though the second letter of Paul to Timothy and underlined every reference Paul made to Jesus or "the Lord." I usually read this letter with an eye to what it tells me I should do as a leader. And of course, there is much rich content about that. But my experiment showed me that the dominant presence and the key thought of Paul is on Jesus Christ, his and Timothy's only real leader. My experiment turned up 34 specific mentions of Jesus the Lord. The whole letter has 82 verses, so that's quite a focus. Beyond the 34 mentions of Jesus, is plenty more about what He has done or does. For example, in 1:9 Paul says "He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace..." And he is just warming up. So here's mu suggestion. Think of the things God calls you to do in light of who Jesus is, what He done, and what He promises to do. It is the difference between facing the world alone and facing it with Him out front as your Champion.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Urban, Suburban, and Incarnation
I recently came upon an unusual book called Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith, by Eric O. Jacobson. What is unusual is not the topic of cities, but that a Christian has put positive thought into city life. Jacobson challenges the individualism and consumerism of suburbia. While not arguing that living in the suburbs in wrong, he does believe the vast movement away by the evangelical church from the cities is been without careful thought to the social consequences (for suburbia and the city’s poor). One example is that cities tend to bring together diverse people who walk and share public spaces like parks and transportation. One the other hand, suburbs tend to cater to the individual in his automobile rather than walking, and are zoned in such a way that diversity is unlikely. Why do I bring up this urbanism on a blog focused on the grace of Jesus Christ? Because I believe that only a vision of God’s grace and glory will motivate suburban Christians go back to the cities and take the risks to joyfully incarnate the gospel. Only God’s grace can free me from the idols of safety and convenience that my chosen place has given me over the years.
a new treasure for me
I recently discovered an author I really like: C. John Miller. He wrote a chapter on Prayer and Evangelism in a book called The Pastor-Evangelist (edited by Roger Greenway in 1987). Miller died in 1996. I sensed such a godliness in Miller, such a humbled and convinced believer. As I read his chapter, I felt like a person who has never prayed, or as a person who prays only for the attainment of idols. Yet, I want to prayer for God’s glory, for the right things. It seems hard to think about anything apart from a me-centered perspective—either how bad I am in an area, or how I can get something, how I can attain some kind of feeling from success. How different are Jesus’ words in John 14 “ask anything in my name that the father may be glorified in the Son.”
Miller talks about real faith, what he calls “ardent faith.” The same boldness to enter the presence of God (Heb 10:19) is in our witness (Acts 4, Eph. 6:19,20). I think he is right that boldness in witness is from boldness (confidence) in the presence of God based on the blood of Christ.
In the context of his wrting about prayer and evangelism, Miller says, “If you want the Holy Spirit to become a richer part of your life, you have to stop seeing God as holding back, not liking you because He knows you so well. Rather, you must see that He can’t wait to get you to pray, so that he can give you more of the fruit of the Spirit, so He can cleanse you.” (48)
Miller talks about real faith, what he calls “ardent faith.” The same boldness to enter the presence of God (Heb 10:19) is in our witness (Acts 4, Eph. 6:19,20). I think he is right that boldness in witness is from boldness (confidence) in the presence of God based on the blood of Christ.
In the context of his wrting about prayer and evangelism, Miller says, “If you want the Holy Spirit to become a richer part of your life, you have to stop seeing God as holding back, not liking you because He knows you so well. Rather, you must see that He can’t wait to get you to pray, so that he can give you more of the fruit of the Spirit, so He can cleanse you.” (48)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Harmful Idealism (part 2)
Here is the continuation of yesterday's excerpt from Bonhoeffer:
God hates [egocentric] visionary dreaming; it makes the dreamer proud and pretentious. The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself. He enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly. He stands adamant, a living reproach to all others in the circle of brethren. He acts as if he is the creator of the Christian community, as if his dream binds men together. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure. When his ideal picture is destroyed, he sees the community going to smash. So he becomes, first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself.
Because God has already laid the only foundation of our fellowship, because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life not as demanders but as thankful recipients. We thank God for what He has done for us. We thank God for giving us brethren who live by His call, by His forgiveness, and His promise. We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what He does give us daily. And is not what has been given us enough: brothers, who will go on living with us through sin and need under the blessing of His grace? Is the divine gift of Christian fellowship anything less than this, any day, even the most difficult and distressing day? Even when sin and misunderstanding burden the communal life, is not the sinning brother still a brother, with whom I, too, stand under the Word of Christ? Will not his sin be a constant occasion for me to give thanks that both of us may live in the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ? Thus the very hour of disillusionment with my brother becomes incomparably salutary, because it so thoroughly teaches me that neither of us can ever live by our own words and deeds, but only by that one Word and Deed which really binds us together—the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. When the morning mists of dreams vanish, then dawns the bright day of Christian fellowship.
In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.
This applies in a special way to the complaints often heard from pastors and zealous members about their congregations. A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men. When a person becomes alienated from a Christian community in which he has been placed and begins to raise complaints about it, he had better examine himself first to see whether the trouble is not due to his wish dream that should be shattered by God; and if this be the case, let him thank God for leading him into this predicament. But if not, let him nevertheless guard against ever becoming an accuser of the congregation before God. Let him rather accuse himself for his unbelief. Let him pray God for an understanding of his own failure and his particular sin, and pray that he may not wrong his brethren. Let him, in the consciousness of his own guilt, make intercession for his brethren. Let him do what he is committed to do, and thank God.
Christian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surely and steadily will fellowship increase and grow from day to day as God pleases.
Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate. The more clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength and promise of all our fellowship is in Jesus Christ alone, the more serenely shall we think of our fellowship and pray and hope for it. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together)
God hates [egocentric] visionary dreaming; it makes the dreamer proud and pretentious. The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself. He enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren and God Himself accordingly. He stands adamant, a living reproach to all others in the circle of brethren. He acts as if he is the creator of the Christian community, as if his dream binds men together. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure. When his ideal picture is destroyed, he sees the community going to smash. So he becomes, first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself.
Because God has already laid the only foundation of our fellowship, because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life not as demanders but as thankful recipients. We thank God for what He has done for us. We thank God for giving us brethren who live by His call, by His forgiveness, and His promise. We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what He does give us daily. And is not what has been given us enough: brothers, who will go on living with us through sin and need under the blessing of His grace? Is the divine gift of Christian fellowship anything less than this, any day, even the most difficult and distressing day? Even when sin and misunderstanding burden the communal life, is not the sinning brother still a brother, with whom I, too, stand under the Word of Christ? Will not his sin be a constant occasion for me to give thanks that both of us may live in the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ? Thus the very hour of disillusionment with my brother becomes incomparably salutary, because it so thoroughly teaches me that neither of us can ever live by our own words and deeds, but only by that one Word and Deed which really binds us together—the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. When the morning mists of dreams vanish, then dawns the bright day of Christian fellowship.
In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.
This applies in a special way to the complaints often heard from pastors and zealous members about their congregations. A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men. When a person becomes alienated from a Christian community in which he has been placed and begins to raise complaints about it, he had better examine himself first to see whether the trouble is not due to his wish dream that should be shattered by God; and if this be the case, let him thank God for leading him into this predicament. But if not, let him nevertheless guard against ever becoming an accuser of the congregation before God. Let him rather accuse himself for his unbelief. Let him pray God for an understanding of his own failure and his particular sin, and pray that he may not wrong his brethren. Let him, in the consciousness of his own guilt, make intercession for his brethren. Let him do what he is committed to do, and thank God.
Christian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surely and steadily will fellowship increase and grow from day to day as God pleases.
Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate. The more clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength and promise of all our fellowship is in Jesus Christ alone, the more serenely shall we think of our fellowship and pray and hope for it. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Harmful Idealism
Bohoeffer wrote of a version of legalism that is very subtle because it is a corruption of the true community ideals in scripture:
Innumerable times a whole Christian community has broken down because it had sprung from a wish dream. The serious Christian, set down for the first time in a Christian community, is likely to bring with him a very definite idea of what Christian life together should be and to try to realize it. But God's grace speedily shatters such dreams. Just as surely as God desires to lead us to a knowledge of genuine Christian fellowship, so surely must we be. overwhelmed by a great disillusionment with others, with Christians in general, and, if we are fortunate, with ourselves.
By sheer grace, God will not permit us to live even for a brief period in a dream world. He does not abandon us to those rapturous experiences and lofty moods that come over us like a dream. God is not a God of the emotions but the God of truth. Only that fellowship which faces such disillusionment, with all its unhappy and ugly aspects, begins to be what it should be in God's sight, begins to grasp in faith the promise that is given to it. The sooner this shock of disillusionment comes to an individual and to a community the better for both. A community which cannot bear and cannot survive such a crisis, which insists upon keeping its illusion when it should be shattered, permanently loses in that moment the promise of Christian community. Sooner or later it will collapse. Every human wish dream that is injected into the Christian community is a hindrance to genuine community and must be banished if genuine community is to survive. He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter, even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together)
Innumerable times a whole Christian community has broken down because it had sprung from a wish dream. The serious Christian, set down for the first time in a Christian community, is likely to bring with him a very definite idea of what Christian life together should be and to try to realize it. But God's grace speedily shatters such dreams. Just as surely as God desires to lead us to a knowledge of genuine Christian fellowship, so surely must we be. overwhelmed by a great disillusionment with others, with Christians in general, and, if we are fortunate, with ourselves.
By sheer grace, God will not permit us to live even for a brief period in a dream world. He does not abandon us to those rapturous experiences and lofty moods that come over us like a dream. God is not a God of the emotions but the God of truth. Only that fellowship which faces such disillusionment, with all its unhappy and ugly aspects, begins to be what it should be in God's sight, begins to grasp in faith the promise that is given to it. The sooner this shock of disillusionment comes to an individual and to a community the better for both. A community which cannot bear and cannot survive such a crisis, which insists upon keeping its illusion when it should be shattered, permanently loses in that moment the promise of Christian community. Sooner or later it will collapse. Every human wish dream that is injected into the Christian community is a hindrance to genuine community and must be banished if genuine community is to survive. He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter, even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together)
Relationship focus
“The immediate goal of an illuminated faith is not works or spiritual achievement. Instead, it is fellowship with God, leading to fellowship with other believers. (As P. T. Forsyth says,) ‘The error at the root of all false ideas of perfection is this: it is rating our behavior before God higher than our relation to God—putting conduct before faith, deeds before trust, work before worship . . . We are not saved by the love we exercise, but by the love we trust . . . Christian perfection is the perfection not of conduct, character, or creed, but of faith. It is not a matter of our behavior before God the Judge, but of our relation to God the Savior.’ This fellowship, of course, will lead to works, to thoughts and words and acts on behalf of the kingdom of God. But these works will emerge primarily out of our fellowship with Christ. And we will be clearly aware that in the deepest sense they are his works and not ours—the works of the risen Christ.” (Richard F. Lovelace, Renewal As a Way of Life, p. 135)
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