Here to There

Last August, Meadow Heights Church (my hometown church family) invited Rachel and me to attend the Global Leadership Summit, expenses paid. I considered this a gracious invitation to me given my past struggles with a critical spirit toward them. Anyway, we accepted (duh) and carpooled down to Cape Girardeau.

Bill Hybels spoke in the first session (no surprise; it's a Willow Creek Association conference) and gave a helpful illustration for how leaders can motivate and help their people persevere. It goes something like this: He creates a starting point, then draws a line up at a 45-degree angle to an ending point. The question is, how do we ensure that those we're leading do not give up in the middle of the two endpoints? Answer: Remind them of the "nothing" they came from and the "everything" to which they're heading.

I share this illustration because it can relate to the Christian life as well in illustrating our continual need for the gospel. Colossians 2:6-7 says, "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." How do we become Christians? God shines in our hearts the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6), effectively leading us to faith and repentance. How do we continue as Christians? God shines in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the His glory in the face of Jesus Christ, effectively leading us to faith and repentance.

Even so, we always need the gospel. Consider Philippians 2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." We are able to obey in working out our own salvation because God is working in us. It is His will for us to become like His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). The gospel captures both endpoints in the illustration and all that is in between; it's all wrapped up in Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:6; 22:13; etc.).

God not only gives us the strength and the will to press on, He's the One who convicts us through His Holy Spirit and teaches us, so that we are continually believing and repenting, believing and repenting--growing and changing--and He so wonderfully keeps us (Jude 1, 24; etc.).

So if you're in the middle somewhere and need help pressing on, or if you're helping others press on, remember where you came from: "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind" (Ephesians 2:1-3).

And what He did in you: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (vv. 4-6).

And remember where you're going: "so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (vv. 7-10).

Don't be of those who shrink back. God has no pleasure in them. (See Hebrews 10). There's so much more I could say, so if you want me to elaborate, let me know. This will do for now.

Follow-Up on the Recent Heart Change (Glory to the Lord)

Almost a couple months ago, I posted about the Lord's humbling me and softening my heart toward my home church. It is time to follow up. I requested prayer before I returned home that I would love my home church. Now my time at home is over, and I sit it the cafeteria at Southern Seminary with good news.

I think I wrote before about how I was thankful for my home church for the first time in a long while. Everyone of Meadow Heights was gracious to me. I was moved when one of our pastors invited my sister and me to join them at the Global Leadership Summit, expenses paid and transportation provided. That same pastor took us to lunch at the nicest restaurant in town. I was able to sit down with our lead pastor as well. I was able to talk to brothers and sisters on Sundays and observe their enthusiasm for the Lord and His mission. I listened to the teachings and heard the gospel--no critical spirit to cover my ears.

When I think back to my attitude, thoughts, and words prior to humility, I am ashamed. I learned firsthand the deceitfulness and blindness of pride. C.J. Mahaney's Humility: True Greatness helped me better understand this heinous sin and to learn ways to cultivate humility and thus guard against my tendency to become proud.

Temptation did come. Opportunity to criticize and think loftily threatened my newly-established care for Meadow Heights. But because the Lord Jesus had worked a change in my heart, I resisted and focused more on MH's strengths (evidences of grace) than on weaknesses (needs of adjustment).

I experience freedom since the Lord's humbling me to pray for MH, to rejoice with their rejoicing, to weep with their weeping, to truly worship with them, and to enjoy their fellowship. I could not do these things before, at least not from pure heart. I've also missed them for the first time in a long while.

I want to take this opportunity now to commend their mission-mindedness and love for their communities (the Parkland). The Lord Jesus is using them to introduce the talking and walking gospel to thousands of people. They truly love those they serve, believers and unbelievers alike, being active in their love for Jesus. The leaders realize the responsibility and feel its weight and are earnestly seeking the Lord's will and desiring His presence. As Pastor Bryan has been referencing lately, Exodus 33:15-17 says,

"And [Moses] said to [the LORD], 'If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?'

"And the LORD said to Moses, 'This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.'"

Thank God that He has humbled again, softened my heart again, and enabled me to love Meadow Heights. I am called elsewhere and cannot participate in the work, but I look forward to hearing about what the Lord does in them and through them.

By Faith on the Grounds of Christ's Righteousness: A Reaction to Piper's T4G 2010 Message

A few minutes ago I listened to John Piper’s message from the Together for the Gospel 2010 conference for the third time. When I heard it live then later as an mp3 download, my mind kept wandering; I struggled to bring my mind under subjection. Today, however, I truly listened, and the effect was wonderful and much needed.

In “Did Jesus Preach Paul’s Gospel?,” Piper unpacks Luke 18:11-14 and sets it beside Philippians 3:3-9. His overarching point is that justification by faith alone is essential to Christianity; we cannot trust in the work of God in us (e.g., fruit of the Spirit). On the contrary, it is the work of God in us that confirms our justification by faith (cf. Romans 4). If the fruit we bear were the root of our justification before God, then why are they fruit? Would not justification become the fruit and the work of God in us the root of our righteousness? He is saying that our righteousness, our righteous standing, is not our own—it is Jesus Christ’s. God imputes His righteousness to us. If Jesus Christ did not live a perfect (sinless) life and bear the Father’s wrath that we sinners (and we are all sinners) deserve, we are and have nothing. Jesus says,

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:5-8)

After listening, I could not stop thinking about the truth of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. I attempted to read a chapter in one of my books but had to close it. I had to stop, consider, and pray about what I had just heard.

In doing so, I was filled with joy and thanksgiving for the activity of Jesus Christ on the cross. I’m so glad He did it! Some song lyrics read, “O blessed Jesus, may we find a covert in Thy wounds. Though our sins they rise up to meet us, how they fall next to the merits of You.” He paid the ransom that I could not pay, and He gave me the merits—His merits—for eternal life with Him.

I recalled Romans 8:31-34:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is seated at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

Christ Jesus is the one who died! Had it been anyone else, we would still be dead in our sins, still condemned. But Christ Jesus died for us! The perfect, sinless Son of God sent from the Father as our Messiah. We can have confidence in Christ Jesus. Who can be against us?

It gets better. Verses 35-39:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, not things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Do you get it? Not only does Jesus justify us, He keeps us! We have a firm foundation. We have a seal on our souls. His name is Jesus. More song lyrics: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…. On Christ the sold Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand…. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in Him be found dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the Throne.”

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, so let’s live like it's true. Let's rejoice and have confidence. For,

“…God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus… who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” (2 Timothy 1:7-9a, 10a).

If Jesus, who is so powerful as to abolish death and bring life through the gospel, is for us, we have no reason to be afraid or ashamed.

And let’s remember that our justification is founded upon the life and death of Jesus Christ, His redemptive activity of grace, not upon our works of righteousness, what God has done in us. We are and always will be dependent on God.

One more implication from Romans 8:31-39 and the doctrine of justification by faith alone: Since we have beheld, understood, and believed this most glorious gospel and rest secure in Jesus Christ, we should have a desire to tell others about Him through the gospel message, with no fear and no shame, and clearly proclaim the doctrine of justification by faith alone when it is threatened. Look at Exodus 9:16 that Paul quotes in this passage: “’For your sakes we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered’” (v. 36). And Romans 1:16-17: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’ [Habakkuk 2:4].”

And in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 19-21:

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised…. in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

In conclusion, consider Philippians 3:8-9:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

I write these things to you to stir up your faith and affection for our Lord Jesus Christ, if in fact you are in Christ. If you approached this post cold, I pray that you are finishing this post ablaze. Study the Gospels and acquaint yourself afresh with Jesus. Listen to Piper’s message. Set your mind on the Truth and understand sound doctrine. Live it out.