Reality Check: Deserve What?

In frequent conversations with friends the word "deserve" seems to come up quite regularly, and more times than not, the context in which the word is shared rubs me the wrong way. We like to talk about what we deserve, so I figured what the heck, I'll join in on the conversation.

We are quick to pass judgement on the drug dealer found out by the cops who gets prosecuted and what he deserves, not to mention the child-molester living in some hole in the wall who is tried and convicted. We applaud when the corrupt banker is tracked down on some island retreat sipping on margaritas and is hauled back to the country to be brought to justice. And we pat ourselves on the back by pointing out the guy we know who beat his wife this past year.

But when do we take account of our own sins, you know, the stuff we've done of late that turns God's stomach? When do we put our finger away and fall to our knees and ask God to have mercy on those the world condemns and to please somehow have the same kind of mercy on us? When do we stop and realize we deserve nothing better than hell but have been given a full life in Jesus?

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." ~Luke 18:9-14, ESV

You see, despite all of our self-righteousness we are no better than the worst of those deemed despicable—we have been forgiven for our own pile of sins. How often we see our neighbor (or even someone closer to close us) do something as deplorable as cheat on their spouse and think, Thank you God that I am not like so and so.

It's spiritual smugness to assume we deserve anything let alone God's love, and I am convinced that we can't truly love others or appreciate life until we understand just what it is we really deserve.

The Relevant Gospel

Apparently, our current love affair with being relevant rather than faithful doesn't appear to be a new one.

Woe to the Person who smoothly, flirtatiously, commandingly, convincingly preaches some soft sweet something which is supposed to be Christianity! Woe to the person who makes miracles reasonable. Woe to the person who betrays and breaks the mystery of faith, distorts it into public wisdom, because he takes away the possibility of offense!... Oh the time wasted in this enormous work if making Christianity so reasonable, and in trying to make it so relevant! ~Søren Kierkegaard, nineteenth century philosopher

Our Real Longing

...that something we long for, whether it be an island in the west or the other side of a mountain or perhaps a schooner yacht, long for it in the belief that it will mean joy, which it never fully does: because what we are really longing for is God. ~Sheldon Vanauken, "A Severe Mercy", p. 110

Living by the Law--Dying by the Law

The differences between law dominated living and a grace saturated life couldn't be starker--they are as night and day, oil and water, and back and white.

We sing, and sing rightly too—

"My soul, no more attempt to draw
Thy life and comfort from the law,"

for from the law death cometh and not life, misery and not comfort. "To convince and to condemn is all the law can do." O, when will all professors, and especially all professed ministers of Christ, learn the difference between the law and the gospel? Most of them make a mingle-mangle, and serve out deadly potions to the people, often containing but one ounce of gospel to a pound of law, whereas, but even a grain of law is enough to spoil the whole thing. It must be gospel, and gospel only. "If it be of grace, it is not of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; and if it be of works, then it is not of grace, otherwise work is no more work. ~Charles H. Spurgeon, September 20th, 1863 (at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington)

Truth and Lies

Truth exists; only lies are invented. ~Horatius Bonar, D.D., Hymns of Faith and Hope (p. 113), (ed. 1813)

Pretend Christianity and the Genuine Article

Last year I ran across Tim Keller's list contrasting religion and the gospel that has made the rounds. I found the piece helpful and as a result have decided to list some contrasts between pretend Christianity and the genuine article.

Here's my list:

1. Pretend Christianity says you must pray at least an hour a day in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says "pray without ceasing..." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

2. Pretend Christianity says you must be reading a certain book of the bible in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

3. Pretend Christianity says you must witness to at least one person a day in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) and, "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15)

4. Pretend Christianity says you must give a certain dollar amount to God in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says "Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8b) and, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

5. Pretend Christianity says you must attend church at least twice a week in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25) and, "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." (Acts 2:46-47)

6. Pretend Christianity says you must be on your best behavior in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says "For the love of Christ controls us..." (2 Corinthians 5:14a)

7. Pretend Christianity says you must be nice to old ladies and hold elevator doors open for them in order to be spiritual--whereas the genuine article says 'You must be born again.' (John 3:7b)

Oprah's Spirituality Pile

I have been a fan of Mark Driscoll (pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle) since the 1st time I heard him a few years back. While Driscoll is neither perfect (nor does he claim to be) or popular (with a good number he is not), I don't believe he is controversial for controversials sake. I know of few other preachers who are willing to lay the gospel on the line (with the passion and clarity with which he does) and take the hits that surely have knocked on his door. I have heard him preach oodles of messages and this 6 minute clip certainly doesn't disappoint--that is, if it is the gospel you believe rather than the latest theological trend or doctrinal fad.

Picky Eaters

The gospel isn't peachy keen with everyone.

If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. ~Augustine

If everyone agrees with the gospel we present it isn't the gospel we share, but a message of our own making.

The Gospel is Pregnant with the Doctrine of Atonement

If there is no Cross there is no atonement, and if there is no atonement there is no gospel. I think we can debate the finer points, but without the satisfaction of God's wrath (i.e. the penal substitutionary model) I don't see any hope whatsoever for the whole lot of us.

A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross. ~Reinhold Niebuhr, "The Kingdom of God in America", p.193

The Intoxicating Wine of the Gospel

...In response to this divine miracle of astonishment, man has produced an almost equally astonishing miracle. As Jesus turned water into wine, we have turned wine back into water, turned the intoxicating wine of the gospel into a mushy grape jelly. He came to light a fire, and we have found a way to water it down. He came to shock us, and we have channeled the shock through lightning rods called churches, or rather churchiness. He came to spread his good infection, and we have found antidotes. As the antidote for smallpox is cowpox, as the antidote for a strong infection is a weak infection of the same germs, a weak infection that elicits antibodies to fight the strong infection, so the antidote for potent religion is pallid religion; the antidote for Christ is ‘Christian stuff.’ The antidote for his noun is our adjective.

No book is more fascinating than the bible. And no books are less fascinating than our books about the bible... Christ’s words roused his enemies to murder and his friends to martyrdom. Our words reassure both sides and send them to sleep. He put the world in a daze, we put it in a doze. ~Peter Kreeft, in Envoy Magazine, Jan-Feb. 2008

No Small Potatoes I'd Say

How then could God express simultaneously his holiness in judg­ment and his love in pardon? Only by providing a divine substitute for the sinner, so that the substitute would receive the judgment and the sinner the pardon. We sinners still of course have to suffer some of the personal, psychological, and social consequences of our sins, but the penal consequence, the deserved penalty of alienation from God, has been borne by Another in our place, so that we may be spared it. ~John Stott, The Cross of Christ, page 134

Stott put his finger on the pulse of the gospel when he penned those words. The doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement is one of the most misunderstood and under applied doctrines to grace the pages between the front and back covers of the bible. While I never have claimed to be a high and mighty theologian, I don't believe this doctrine takes a rocket scientist to grasp.

Theopedia states, Penal substitutionary atonement refers to the doctrine that Christ died on the cross as a substitute for sinners. God imputed the guilt of our sins to Christ, and he, in our place, bore the punishment that we deserve. This was a full payment for sins, which satisfied both the wrath and the righteousness of God, so that He could forgive sinners without compromising His own holy standard.

...The Penal-Substitution Theory of the atonement was formulated by the 16th century Reformers as an extension of Anselm's Satisfaction theory. Anselm's theory was correct in introducing the satisfaction aspect of Christ's work and its necessity; however the Reformers saw it as insufficient because it was referenced to God's honor rather than his justice and holiness and was couched more in terms of a commercial transaction than a penal substitution. This Reformed view says simply that Christ died for man, in man's place, taking his sins and bearing them for him. The bearing of man's sins takes the punishment for them and sets the believer free from the penal demands of the law: The righteousness of the law and the holiness of God are satisfied by this substitution.

You may wonder, "So why all the fuss about atonement?" I suppose it would be helpful if I attempted to define the nature of atonement before I continue blogging about it. Recently I blogged here about the doctrine and I didn't dance around it as much as I barely scratch the surface. So, I figured I'd follow up the post.

The modern day Merriam-Webster Edition explains, the reconciliation of God and humankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. And, reparation for an offense or injury: Satisfaction. The idea here is that we were separated from God and had no remedy in and of ourselves to address our eternal dilemma and right our dastardly wrongs—God's wrath needed satisfying and we were in absolutely no position to satisfy it. God's answer was atonement, the only solution possible. And to the chagrin of the opponents of such a view of atonement—it is this very atonement which plumbs the depths of God's kindness and embodies the demonstration of his scandalous love.

As beautiful and pointed of a text as you will run across on atonement can be found in Romans Chapter 5. Paul writes,

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (italics mine).

...16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

I know of no other portion of scripture that could be any clearer and if this isn't a case for penal substitutionary atonement I need some help from someone who can disassemble Paul's points here. It is this gospel of atonement which makes our personal redemption and our subsequent eternal destiny secure.

No small potatoes I'd say.

Progress

The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more child-like will be our faith. ~J. Gresham Machen

HT: Parish Life

When You're Too Popular

Francis Chan shares a needed reminder for those of us who would preach the gospel. It was Jesus who didn't care a hill of beans about what the impostors and the haters said about him---and neither should we.





HT: Gospel-Driven Church

Our Perilous Confidence in the Flesh

Now we see, how many good things, interwoven, spring from the cross. For, overturning that good opinion which we falsely entertain concerning our own strength, and unmasking our hypocrisy, which affords us delight, the cross strikes at our perilous confidence in the flesh. ~John Calvin

meChurch

The consumerism gospel defined.



HT: Parish Life

An Unpopular Conversation Piece

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! ~Galatians 5:7-12, ESV

Discourse about the Cross isn’t in overabundance these days, if you haven’t noticed. A shiny smooth cross might make a fine decoration dangling around our necks, but the jagged edged Cross the Son of God suffered and died on doesn’t make for a very good conversation piece I have found. We like to talk about current news and the events that have shaped history, but will avoid the Cross like the plague (even though the Crucifixion is the one event that overshadows all of history and gives it definition). It is only within the exclusivity of the Cross plus nothing which speaks to both man's most desperate predicament and his most glorious hope.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain. ~"The Old Rugged Cross", by George Bennard, 1913

Those who talk about or (close your ears) preach the Cross too much, tend to suffer for it (just ask the apostles about being persecuted and beaten and eventually martyred on behalf of such). So, instead of the old rugged Cross and its undeniable display of eternal love, we tolerate cross-less nonsense all the more. Luther wrote, There is not a word in the Bible which is extra cruem, which can be understood without reference to the cross. The question becomes then: Why is our speech , our writing, and our (I'm going to use the word again) preaching so devoid of it?

Maybe Paul gives us a clue as to why:

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ~Romans 8:17-19

Our Predominant Affection

The heart is constituted such that the only way to dispossess it of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one…and when God stands revealed as an object of confidence to sinners—and where our desire after Him is not chilled into apathy by that barrier of human guilt which intercepts every approach that is not made to Him through the appointed Mediator… it is when released from the spirit of bondage… and admitted into the number of God’s children, through the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the Spirit of adoption is poured upon us—it is then that the heart, brought under the mastery of one great and predominant affection, is delivered from the tyranny of its former desires and the only way in which deliverance is possible. ~Scottish pastor Thomas Chalmers, 1780-1847