Humility: The Beauty of Holiness

"His service is our highest liberty - the liberty from sin and self" -Andrew Murray

Recently I finished this book and I am going to read it one more time. Very few books that I have read make me more aware of my sin. What a means of grace! It was as if the Spirit used this book to pull back the veil of my heart providing a glimpse into the dark chasm of my inability. Of course, this is an inability to operate outside of motivations for self. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ..." The theme which is articulated throughout this book is an awareness our inability and an awareness of Christ's ability. As we have been brought into union with Christ we share in the his death - a death to self- and we share in his life - a life to God. It is a union which reaches to the farthest recesses of this dark chasm and causes light to shine out of darkness. My reckless inability satisfied in Christ! It's time to start reading...again.

From the Pastor's Conference in April

Glorious and Mighty Choral Performance from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Honoring a Man by Celebrating his Savior

As the procedures of the funeral took place last week there were several individuals who spoke to me and complimented the life of my grandfather, Russell Fahlgren. Those who gave compliments were right to do so! I enjoyed hearing others speak of the unique character of this great man. However, as the funeral procedures carried on and more character qualities of Grandpa were mentioned there was one phrase that the Holy Spirit continued to impress upon me. It was this, "What... a... Savior!".

Grandpa's life was impressive, but there is only one reason for it. It certainly had little to do with his upbringing. Nor was it a result of unique personal abilities. Rather, all that was impressive in my grandfather - his kindness, compassion, honesty, discipline, patience, contentment etc.- is a direct result of his Savior. For it was his Savior that paid the infinite penalty of sin so that God's favor- His grace- might abound. God's grace did abound in the life of my grandfather as seen in his Christ-like character. God's favor not only gave Grandpa the strength and ability to be kind and compassionate but God's favor made him aware of his deep need for dependence upon his Savior.

It is in this that a godly trajectory has been established for our extended family, all of whom love the Savior. Once again, this is due to God's favor through his Son. And yet, God had chosen to use my grandfather as an overwhelming means of grace to our extended family. God has graced our family with the life of Russell Fahlgren.

And this is simply the beginning! For the Savior not only provided the grace for Grandpa's impressive character, and He not only provided grace to our extended families through the life of Russell Fahlgren but He, through the cross, has made my grandfather fit for glory!

My grandfather, by God's grace, has lived well and has led our family well providing us a wonderful opportunity to honor a man by celebrating his Savior. WHAT A SAVIOR!

Do we really live the Gospel or do we formulate another?

Mysticism:

Mysticism seeks for emotional experience after emotional experience. Mysticism is the idol of dynamic experiences of God rather than growing in God. It does not take advantage of all that Christ is nor does it consistently take one deeper into the glories of Calvary but it seeks temporal blasts of emotional experience. This is not to say that biblical faith is not emotionally charged nor experiencial. However, as we are Spirit indwelt, as we feed on the Word of Christ, change often takes place in the little moments of life. Faith and repentance are exercised in these little moments. 'The danger of mysticism is that is can become more a pursut of experience than a pursuit of Christ.' Pursue Christ!



Activism:

Activism seeks to defend and promote what is right. Activism is the idol of righteous living rather than a joyful pursuit of Christ. Often times activism is the fighting off of external evils at the expense of the internal evils. You will see these individuals in the picketing lines or finding and promoting new material that raves against the political, social, or even religious ills of the day. However, 'when you believe that the evil outside you is greater than the evil inside you, a heartfelt pursuit of Christ will be replaced by a zealous fighting of the evil around you.' Celebration in the Christian life is marked by the relief of social ills rather than the transforming grace of God. Hence the Gospel is reduced to a participation in Christian causes.



adapted from How People Change

The Discipline of Grace:

What is God's role and your role in sanctification?

This book has been immensely formative for me. It has brought about a renewed desire to act upon grace in all things. Therefore, Bridges mentions several disciplines that are necessary but all seated in God’s enabling grace. So what is God’s role and what is my role in sanctification? I have the responsibility to actively fall in debt continually to grace; just depend upon God’s grace.
So how has this impacted my life? I had finished this book about a year ago and about six months ago it became very helpful when God exposed the sin of the fear of man in my life. There was a circumstance where the Spirit called me to meet the need of another and I compromised the situation and cowered in fear of what others would think. The Lord would not let this sin go by unnoticed. He gracious brought this book to mind as well as a panel discussion where C.J. Mahaney discussed the need to come to a thorough conviction of sin. As a result of reading this book, I new that my responsibility in sanctification was to dependently seek a thorough conviction of my sin before God.
In depending upon God’s grace to lead me in this pursuit, I sought to explore books that dealt with my sin, passages that spoke to my sin and friends who could constructively point me in my sin to Christ. It was my responsibility to do this – to act upon grace to come to a thorough conviction of sin so that true repentance could take place.
As a result of seeing my role in sanctification I sought to act upon grace. In doing so, God responded with overwhelming means of grace. He orchestrated several messages at church to speak to my sin. He prompted friends to confront me specifically with my sin. He tangibly worked in my heart to involve myself in the lives of others that otherwise I would attempt to avoid due to a need to uphold my selfish reputation. He opened the eyes of my heart to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ as my complete acceptance and approval before others. This meant my purpose, identity and functionality were all enveloped in the work and person of Christ!
What a blessing to fall into the arms of God being confident that he will not treat me according to my sins but bring me along as an adored child. He will continue to provide the grace necessary to continue to grapple in spiritual warfare and to have victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do we really live according to the Gospel or do we formulate another? pt. 1

adapted from How People Change.

Much of what we consider to be good becomes the means through which the Gospel is supplanted. If we are honest, we will see that in some way we are all guilty of consistently supplanting the Gospel. It becomes secondary and our own efforts and wisdom becomes primary - sheer idolatry.

Formalism:

Formalism seeks to be apart of everything that the church is doing. It is faithfulness to a church calendar. It is works oriented with aggresive physical involvment and passive spiritual engagement. This is done so that I retain control of my life, my time, and my agenda. It is often seen a healthy aspect of a good life, however, it often reduces the gospel to participation in the meetings and ministries of the church. God hates formalism. (Is. 1; Matt. 23:23-28)

Legalism:

Legalism seeks to establish rules and standards for which Scripture does not. Hence, God is a god of unreasonable rules and harsh judgment. There is little joy in the life of a legalist because there is no grace to be celebrated. It is all about the performance of gaining a position before God. Hence, the gospel is reduced to what I accomplish instead of what Christ has done. God's requirements for me as a sinner really aren't that difficult which means God really isn't that holy. However, in assuming my righteousness comes from conformity to my own established standards, I supplant the gospel with another gospel - my own. I become the standard of holiness and the saviour of my sin. God hates legalism. (Gal. 1:6-10)

Vintage Church and my Trinity Joy