Often as we enter Evangelical circles, we are confronted by someone addressing matters of personal assurance with the vacuous statement, "You just need to surrender all", as if to provide a way of infallible support to the struggling, guilty soul.
You can listen to it, too!
Now, if their meaning was always to "surrender all confidence in personal merit or will, trusting instead to the credited obedience and penal sufferings of Christ in their place," we would have no issue. Very often, however, the implication is that personal assurance, and perhaps salvation too, is contingent upon obedience to the moral commands of scripture. Rather than call this path what it is, "works-righteousness", the idea that one's readiness to face judgment depends at all on moral resolve becomes couched in a pietistic ornament, "surrender", to make what is active appear passive.
The reality is these rogues heap even greater condemnation upon stooping saints, rather than pointing to Christ to ease the burden they themselves cannot bear. One almost wonders if the Law works a predatory instinct in those who are under it, to hunt after weak consciences and thrust them through with even heavier sense of guilt? The Law is a strict schoolmaster leading the Elect to faith in Christ's Law-keeping on their behalf. I suspect our tutor also employs a staff of dropouts who never learned the lesson for themselves, who crack our knuckles and wear us down.
It cannot be said enough: Full personal surrender to moral commands cannot be a part of our salvation or the basis of acceptance with God, simply because in Christ we have died to all moral imperatives (Law) as the means of inheriting eternal life.
"You also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God." [Rom. 7:4]"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." [Gal. 3:13]
In preparation for our Lord's return we make ourselves ready by working
out our salvation. This is not done by submitting to the moral law as a yoke, but by
looking to Christ's imputed righteousness alone for acceptance with the Father. We "fear and tremble" lest we've looked at ourselves instead of to God who "works in us both to will and to do." We fear the idea of having made faith into a law rather than the gift of God; our own obedience, the ground of salvation in place of Jesus' life credited to us. We tremble to think of valuing the degree of our subjective "dying to self" more than we trust the death of Christ who rose again to deliver us.
At this point, some dogged legal-beagle perks his ears and points his nose,
sure that he sniffs licentiousness coming up from its hole. "What you are saying will lead to
total disregard of holiness!" he barks. Such a person must doubt the new birth
entirely, or that the Spirit takes up residence in the saints to chasten
and empower them for good works! Truly, one who is never accused of
suggesting antinomianism, has never
preached the gospel. Those who are under the Law cannot conceive of
obedience without the whip of fear.
If we have indeed looked
away from the requirements of the law for free justification in Jesus by
grace alone, His indwelling Spirit will no doubt prompt us to obey out of gratitude,
not servile fear. We obey as assured sons, not slaves under law. Yes, there is a sense in which Christians are servants of God. Like bond servants of old, we are willing residents and ministers in the
household of Christ. Our term is indefinite
and we carry the jewel of faith in our ears for proof of belonging. Yet that is not the whole analogy of faith,
nor the dominant model of our justified relationship with God,
which is sonship and marriage.
Being in Christ, we are not our own. Christ the King has the right to our hearts! "Through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God." [Gal. 2:19] Still, none of us comes close to full surrender throughout the day. The requirement of the law is perpetual perfection, not momentary flashes of confidence that we are submitting. God's law requires nothing less than for us to love Him with all our being.
"By works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." [Rom. 3:20]
Despite this fact, one needs only to open his ears for a moment to hear intoxicated mouths vomiting out Galatian error, that one must surrender absolutely to Christ's moral commands, in a way to make salvation contingent on personal resolve. To such I say with Paul, "I fear for you." And here lies the difference between the Protestants and the institution they sought to reform. Pope Clement VIII's personal theologian, Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, wrote, "the greatest of all Protestant heresies is assurance."
It seems Evangelicals are half-way back down the road to Rome, and don't even know it. Many seek assurance through ecstatic experiences in fancy buildings (they'll relish cathedrals) and elaborate musical worship (the beautiful chants in the Vatican are otherworldly). They measure the reality of their faith by plunging after subjective revelations in private devotions (monastic mysticism will enthrall them), and practically flagellate themselves with guilt and duties whenever they become especially conscious of fault, in a way to restore the Father's affection (penance is upon them, and the division of mortal and venial sins). Many have all but abandoned the framework upon which actual assurance rests: free justification in Christ promised to all who hope in Him alone.
It seems Evangelicals are half-way back down the road to Rome, and don't even know it. Many seek assurance through ecstatic experiences in fancy buildings (they'll relish cathedrals) and elaborate musical worship (the beautiful chants in the Vatican are otherworldly). They measure the reality of their faith by plunging after subjective revelations in private devotions (monastic mysticism will enthrall them), and practically flagellate themselves with guilt and duties whenever they become especially conscious of fault, in a way to restore the Father's affection (penance is upon them, and the division of mortal and venial sins). Many have all but abandoned the framework upon which actual assurance rests: free justification in Christ promised to all who hope in Him alone.
"We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us,not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people." [Titus 3:3-8]
Was this helpful to you? Please share. Thanks!
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
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You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
© Michael Spotts:. 2011
———————
You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this article in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and that you do not charge any fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For printed copies, as well as web posting, please include the following statement:
By M. Benjamin Spotts:.
Copyright © The Open Life
www.theopenlife.com
Titus 3:3-8
8 comments:
Amen, Mike. Keep on writing stuff like this. They are so desperately needed.
Dear Mike,
Thank you for sharing this. your post was a wonderful reminder.
Nick (from Canada)
Thank you both kindly. :)
brilliant... just brilliant. A breath of fresh air!
Wow!
Very well said. Definitely sharing.
Wonderful reminder to all believers. I've felt this way for years and am glad to see the "myth" of "total surrender" explained so well.
Thank you all for the encouraging responses, I'm glad the Lord has stirred you to love through His grace.
Keep going in your faith. You were a distinctive guest at Orthodox Presbyterian Church last year. I appreciate your stay with us, ever so brief!
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