The gospel, idolatry, and love are the central themes of Christian spirituality. The gospel is absolutely central—the gospel being all that God has given us through Jesus (e.g., adoption, justification, Holy Spirit, eternal life, etc.). From this gospel-center, two dynamic relationships form the pulse-beat of a healthy Christian life:
· The gospel and idolatry: On the one hand, the gospel is what makes us able to bear the exposure of our idolatry and depravity. Without an understanding of the gospel, we will deceive ourselves about the depth of sin in our hearts. On the other hand, only as we allow God to expose the idolatry in our hearts do we continue to be astonished by and grateful for the gospel. Otherwise, it is “old hat.” Finally, the ongoing cultivation of the gospel as our true treasure and identity is the only way to prevent sliding back into idolatry.
· The gospel and love: On the one hand, only as we continue to focus on the gospel are we motivated to truly love others freely and for God’s glory. Without this motivation, we will inevitably pervert “ministry” into a means of establishing our identity at others’ expense. On the other hand, God’s high standard of agape love reveals our depravity and drives us back to the gospel for the motivation and power to love. Any so-called focus on the gospel without giving ourselves away in love leads to spiritual self-deception and stagnation.
Many passages combine these themes and teach these different dynamic relationships:
· In Isaiah 6, Isaiah sees the holiness of God, which exposes his own depravity and convinces him that he deserves God’s judgment just as much as the people on which he just pronounced God’s judgment (Isa. 5). This leads to his deep gratitude for the forgiveness God mediates to him through the sacrificial altar. And this in turn leads Isaiah to jump at the opportunity to represent God—even when he is told that few to none will respond to his ministry.
· In Titus 2,3, the grace of God “trains” us to deny idolatrous “over-desires” (2:11,12) and motivates us to deeds of love (2:14; 3:7,8).
· In Luke 7, Jesus points to the adulterous woman’s extravagant gratitude as the proof that she has received and understands how much she has been forgiven.
Great literature and hymns illustrate and celebrate these themes.
“Take me to you, imprison me, for IExcept you enthrall me, never shall be free,Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.”(John Donne, “Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God,” early 1600’s)
“Thus might I hide my blushing face while his dear cross appears:Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, and melt mine eyes to tears.But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe;Here, Lord, I give myself away—‘tis all that I can do.” (Isaac Watts, “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed,” 1707)
No comments:
Post a Comment