I wonder, what darkens these teachers to give so much Law and so little Gospel to their weary sheep? Do they think we are something besides mere flesh and dust, dry bones, who need our spirits lifted constantly by promises of grace? No wonder I spiraled through pietistic cycles of self-confidence, failure, and guilt, sitting under frequent "lawspel" sermons—the good old, moralistic, self-absorbed news of all we must do for God now that we are forgiven; sermons sadly deficient of clarity regarding the Father's love and power to us in Jesus. Do such teachers not know that "we love because He first loves us"; and only practice love as we sense and rest in His love through the gospel?
When Paul resolved to preach nothing but Christ crucified, he meant to relate all things—absolutely all, whether duties or circumstances—to the finished work of Christ, for which He went to the cross. The Apostle preached the relationship of all things to Our Representative, Jesus, who stands before God on behalf of His people, having fulfilled the Law for acceptable righteousness. Paul understood what many Christian teachers forget: that because no one can fulfill even one command perfectly, every exhortation brings only further condemnation if not grounded in faith of Christ's Representation, and causes desperation if not established in the Spirit's sovereign sanctification.
All those years I wish I had known how to progress in godliness. I wish it had been made plain, each and every time morals were expounded, that we grow in gracious character by dwelling consciously in Triune grace; by resting in the Father to receive us freely in the Son, and to work presently in and through us by the Holy Spirit.
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Michael Spotts:. www.theopenlife.com
1 comments:
Thank you for sharing Mike.
Nick
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