The Hero of the Bible

Religion vs. The Gospel - pt. 3

Religion:

My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confidnet, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel humble, but not confident- I feel like a failure.

My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work. Or how moral I am and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy and immoral. I disdain and feel superior to 'the other'.

Gospel:

My self-view is not based on a view of self as a moral achiever. In Christ I am simultaneously sinful and lost yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad he had to diei for me and I am so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper and deeper humility and confidence at the same time. Neither swaggering nor sniveling.

My identity and self-worth are centered on the one whwo died for His enemies, who was excluded fro mthe city for me. I am saved by sheer grace. So I can't look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace I am what I am. I've no inner need to win arguments.

Religion vs. the Gospel: pt. 2

this is adapted from Tim Keller

Religion:

1. When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or myself, since I believe, life Job's frineds that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.

2. When I am criticized I am furious and devastated because it is critical that I think of myself as a 'good person'. Threats to that self-image must be destroyed at all costs.

3. My prayer life consists largely of petition and it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment.

Gospel:

1. When circumstances in my life go wrong, i struggle but I know all by punishment fell on Jesus and that while he may allow this for my training, he will exercise his Fatherly love within my trial.

2. When I am crticized I struggle, but it is not critical for me to think of myself as a 'good person'. My identity is not built on my record or my performance but on God's love for me in Christ. I can take criticism. That's how I became a Christian.

3. My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with Him.

A Concise Process of Repentance:

Since we have been afforded infinite riches of grace in Christ we should never be caught in a stagnant pursuit of holiness. Since we have continued - moment by moment - life in Christ, we must grapple with sin by bringing the supremacy of Christ to bear upon sin. This can only be done by grace; the stewarding work of the Spirit.

I have found these series of questions to help me in this pursuit when I have acted in unbelief. Recently the Lord has exposed the sin of impatience. Plugging this sin into these questions has helped begin the pursuit of a growth in grace.

1.) What is the situation?

2.) What was the nature of your evil deed? (ex: anger, dishonesty, fear, evil speach etc.)

3.) What evil filled your heart? (ex: what do you wrongly believe that leads to this sin?)

4.) Who is the Lord? (what truth about God is antithetical to your sin)

5.) What good fills your heart? (what gratitude concerning God should fill your heart specifically when you are most likely to sin)

6.) What good can you do instead of evil?

these questions were adapted from Tim Lane @ the CCEF

Religion vs. the Gospel: pt. 1

adapted from Tim Keller

Religion

"I obey-therefore I’m accepted."

Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.

I obey God in order to get things from God

Gospel

"I’m accepted-therefore I obey."

Motivation is based on grateful joy.

I obey God to get to God-to delight and resemble Him.

Weekly Musings

by Matt Chandler

“Weekly musings on the gospel, depth and lesser realities” is how we are describing this blog. Fleeting moments of inspiration and insight are what we hope to capture. We’ll seek for ways to express the pulsing ache in our hearts to grow deeper in the grace and truth of Christ, and an assortment of casual observations about life – the good, bad and ugly – will also find its way here. As these thoughts intersect and coalesce…hopefully you will find some encouragement for your journey.

Ultimately we hope to connect the dots. Life in a fractured world means that we often live fragmented lives. It doesn’t always make sense, and it can easily become compartmentalized. The danger is that we start to think that “the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important part of my life.” There is a subtle trap in this thinking…Jesus is a part, not the whole. So we can miss that He is ultimate Reality and the One who reveals what all of life is about. Jesus allows us to get beyond the sun (Ecclesiastes), that is, beyond fragmentation to unity. We gain clarity as we clearly see that life is about the glory of God and our opportunity to enjoy Him forever. So, the gospel is the lens by which we hope to view life, live life and enjoy life. As we connect the dots, the picture is clearly seen: Life is about Christ. (italics added)

Fear of Man or the Son of Man

(I am beginning more clearly to see that... this is my story!)

The fear of man is a silent killer. Sadly, for years many of us (including myself) have interacted in relationships with underlying desires to acquire acceptance and approval before others. This is demonstrated in a variety of ways. It is not always that one will seek out relationships with the intention of getting praise from another. Rather, some will cower in silence refusing to interact in relationships for the purpose of preserving a reputation. This one's interaction will be reserved and well thought through before ever contributing a word. Sadly he is motivated by how others perceive him and his potential failure before them. Therefore he is not quick to respond to situations nor to involve himself with others in order that over time his reputation might be established without flaw by way of external appearance. He at times is extemely passive with the motivation of not ruining "all the work" he has put forward in establishing himself before others.

Unfortunately, he never thinks in these categories. He goes along in his relationship with the Lord being aware of his discomfort around people but never being aware of this silent killer that screams of rebellion in the face of God.

So what brings life? What frees this man to love God and love others as he was intended to? Personally, two truths about Christ have been life giving in regard to the fear of man. First, my reputation is in Christ. He is my acceptance and approval! There is no "work" that I have to do in Christ to put myself forward in order to be looked up to by others. My acceptance is before God! In fact it may be that God would have me fail - that my reputation might be shattered in order that my self-centered boasting might be put to death and that Christ might be put forward.

Second, the fear of man is suddenly quenched when the fear of God becomes a functional truth in the heart of the believer. Not only is Christ my acceptance and approval before God but Christ is my King. He is the King who is worthy to receive the praise of all of creation. He is the King who is given all authority to judge and rule. He will strike down the nations of the world with a sharp sword from his mouth and he will rule all nations with a rod of iron.

Just read Revelation and consider that the sin of the fear of man puts me forward as king of my life and assumes I can bring life to others. This is an assault upon the throne of Jesus Christ. This is the spirit of Satan and his anti-christ. Who am I to boast in myself when the King stands before me now to impart grace to make much of himself through me for his glory and my good. I have something to offer others, its Christ... and he often times is most clearly seen when I have been humbled and my self-centered reputation has been shattered.

Fear of Man is just a grown-up's word for Peer Pressure. It's amazing how sophisticated we make it the more "mature" we become, yet how equally foolish it is!