What is keeping you from allowing your books to lean on the righteousness of Christ?
What is the object your dependence?
Is it that one constant and ever present nagging sin that you are afraid to or don’t want to deal with?
Do you remember your day of salvation?
Throughout all of the previous 4 chapters we were challenged and constantly reminded to lean on the first and foremost gift of the gospel “the righteousness of Christ”. Has it sunk in deep enough to never forget that we cannot stand on our own? I doubt it, it least from my perspective it hasn’t. Like you, I know myself well enough to admit that before the hour, day, week ( I couldn’t possibly go that long) or month goes by I will be telling myself how good I am and still trying to earn God’s favor. The question is, we will ever get it? And the answer still is no, which is exactly why we need Him and why he how to go to the cross for you and I.
The focal points were such stark reminders as to why we should always be leaning on that first bookend. I loved the illustration of Zacchaeus and how quickly he realized his own inability to save himself. Have you had the realization yet? If not let me remind you that there is nothing left to do. When Christ said “it is finished”, that is exactly what He meant. You can’t “pull yourself up by the boot straps”, “be anything you can be”. No sir! C. J. Mahaney once said, “you can practice basketball all day, every day but if God has not given you the ability, you will never be a Michael Jordan”.
This brings me to the next point: The object of our dependence. If you are anything like me and other men that I have known in a personal relationship, you have something you depend on more the righteousness of Christ. As a man it is hard not to think of ourselves as the strong moral provider who can “handle it”. When you observe me doing this, I would ask you to take me by the hand and point me to the cross.
Now about that ever nagging sin, yes we do all have them. Page 71 gives us a method to help us realize and confess them, but one key to this point is having a brother to confess them to and help us to be reminded of God’s grace. For me here is where I can allow those “functional saviors” to take over. For me it was a job, huh, maybe that’s why I don’t have one now! God has me in a strange position right now, and I know He is calling me to that total dependence to help rid me of anything which I would/could use to replace Him. Alright there I said what most of you were already thinking. You probably have a job, family, friends and all your stuff but you still need Him.
The day of your salvation, what was that like? Do you still remember the rush you had in your heart, the excitement as well as that sinking feeling? Just a reminder, keep that fresh in your heart to remind you of how blessed you were when He tapped you on the shoulder and said “you now belong to me”. That alone makes this life we are living together all worthwhile.
In closing, the title of this chapter reminded me of an old song:
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Don’t you feel better just knowing He is there for you to lean on? I don’t know about you but I plan to take full advantage of that first bookend.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Chapter 3, Gospel Enemy #1: Self-righteousness
Self-righteousness? Hey, most of us have problems with persistent guilt when we are not seeing things in gospel perspective, right! Persistent guilt is the territory of chapter #4, but this chapter #3 stuff on self-righteousness may not be nearly as applicable. We would never act like pharisees, right?
Those of us who sometimes have struggles with persistent guilt (my hand is raised high!) do so for the same root cause that produces self-righteousness. If you know the Savior and you struggle with persistent guilt, continually plagued with - I should have never done that! - I should have never made that selfish decision - I should have obeyed God in that situation - I should have done what I was supposed to do - etc., then you are depending on your own righteousness.
As you live your life doing really well for a season - lots of Bible reading - early morning prayer - increased giving at church - you and your wife experiencing a second honeymoon (not even a temptation to argue!) - God using you to really help several people - etc., you may begin to drift toward depending on your own righteousness. In a season like this, you may become self-righteous.
Leaning on Christ's righteousness and your own (and your own - major problem!) is the main cause of persistent guilt and the main cause of self-righteousness both. It is amazing that we can be battling persistent guilt one week and the very next week be puffed up in self-righteousness (usually without knowing it!).
The good place where God is constantly leading us back to is trusting in His righteousness alone. Not Christ's righteousness and .... but His righteousness only!
Putting some of our trust in our own righteousness is like a two edged knife - one edge is persistent guilt and the other edge is self-righteousness. So I guess if I ever struggle with persistent guilt (again hand raised high!), then I probably also have struggles with self-righteousness. I guess I am the self-righteous pharisee type at times - and amazingly I am certain that I have been cut by both edges of that knife on the same day!
To perhaps clarify a question that may be in your mind, should we be aware of our sin at all? - most definitely! As John Owen said, I am a great sinner and I have a great Savior! The booklet, Honey from the Rock, makes a great point about our need to be aware of our sin, but having that awareness lead us straight to the Savior - "The greatness of Christ's merit is known best by sinners in deep distress. The thirstier a man is, the more he'll prize a cup of water; the more our sins break and burden us, the more we will treasure our Healer and Deliverer."
A deep awareness of our sinfulness will guard us from self-righteousness. Looking to the Savior and His righteousness will keep us from persistent guilt. To be free from both edges of the knife, we must be about Christ's righteousness and not place our trust in our own.
In Chapter 3, Gospel Enemy #1: Self-righteousness, Jerry Bridges poses 10 questions for us to use as a gauge to see if we are given to self-righteousness in our life. Examine your life closely by these questions and remember that the way out is the righteousness of Christ and nothing else!
1- Do you tend to live by a list of dos and don'ts?
2- Is it difficult for you to respect those whose standards are not as high as yours?
3- Do you assume that practicing spiritual disciplines should result in God's blessing?
4- Do you feel you are better than most other people?
5- Has it been a long time since you identified a sin and repented of it?
6- Do you resent it when others point out your "spiritual blind spots"?
7- Do you readily recognize the sins of others but not your own?
8- Do you have the sense that God owes you a good life?
9- Do you get angry when difficulties and suffering come into your life?
10- Do you seldom think of the cross?
Wow! - great questions - Jerry Bridges says that if you answer yes to 5 or more then you have a bad case of self-righteousness - that would be the diagnosis - for the cure: Christ's righteousness alone!
Those of us who sometimes have struggles with persistent guilt (my hand is raised high!) do so for the same root cause that produces self-righteousness. If you know the Savior and you struggle with persistent guilt, continually plagued with - I should have never done that! - I should have never made that selfish decision - I should have obeyed God in that situation - I should have done what I was supposed to do - etc., then you are depending on your own righteousness.
As you live your life doing really well for a season - lots of Bible reading - early morning prayer - increased giving at church - you and your wife experiencing a second honeymoon (not even a temptation to argue!) - God using you to really help several people - etc., you may begin to drift toward depending on your own righteousness. In a season like this, you may become self-righteous.
Leaning on Christ's righteousness and your own (and your own - major problem!) is the main cause of persistent guilt and the main cause of self-righteousness both. It is amazing that we can be battling persistent guilt one week and the very next week be puffed up in self-righteousness (usually without knowing it!).
The good place where God is constantly leading us back to is trusting in His righteousness alone. Not Christ's righteousness and .... but His righteousness only!
Putting some of our trust in our own righteousness is like a two edged knife - one edge is persistent guilt and the other edge is self-righteousness. So I guess if I ever struggle with persistent guilt (again hand raised high!), then I probably also have struggles with self-righteousness. I guess I am the self-righteous pharisee type at times - and amazingly I am certain that I have been cut by both edges of that knife on the same day!
To perhaps clarify a question that may be in your mind, should we be aware of our sin at all? - most definitely! As John Owen said, I am a great sinner and I have a great Savior! The booklet, Honey from the Rock, makes a great point about our need to be aware of our sin, but having that awareness lead us straight to the Savior - "The greatness of Christ's merit is known best by sinners in deep distress. The thirstier a man is, the more he'll prize a cup of water; the more our sins break and burden us, the more we will treasure our Healer and Deliverer."
A deep awareness of our sinfulness will guard us from self-righteousness. Looking to the Savior and His righteousness will keep us from persistent guilt. To be free from both edges of the knife, we must be about Christ's righteousness and not place our trust in our own.
In Chapter 3, Gospel Enemy #1: Self-righteousness, Jerry Bridges poses 10 questions for us to use as a gauge to see if we are given to self-righteousness in our life. Examine your life closely by these questions and remember that the way out is the righteousness of Christ and nothing else!
1- Do you tend to live by a list of dos and don'ts?
2- Is it difficult for you to respect those whose standards are not as high as yours?
3- Do you assume that practicing spiritual disciplines should result in God's blessing?
4- Do you feel you are better than most other people?
5- Has it been a long time since you identified a sin and repented of it?
6- Do you resent it when others point out your "spiritual blind spots"?
7- Do you readily recognize the sins of others but not your own?
8- Do you have the sense that God owes you a good life?
9- Do you get angry when difficulties and suffering come into your life?
10- Do you seldom think of the cross?
Wow! - great questions - Jerry Bridges says that if you answer yes to 5 or more then you have a bad case of self-righteousness - that would be the diagnosis - for the cure: Christ's righteousness alone!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Part I Conclusion - Meeting to Discuss
Guys,
We should all be done with chapter 5 or reading chapter 5 during this week - what a great study this has been on the first bookend, the free gift of righteousness that we have in Christ. Reading and meditating on forgiveness of sin and justification has indeed been encouraging.
I thought we should get together in person, if you are available, at the end of studying each of the two bookends. We are moving toward the end of the 5 chapters on the first bookend.
This Saturday, August 14, let's get together at Panera (8:00 am). Come prepared to share what has most affected you in the first 5 chapters.
Grace Reigns,
Jim
We should all be done with chapter 5 or reading chapter 5 during this week - what a great study this has been on the first bookend, the free gift of righteousness that we have in Christ. Reading and meditating on forgiveness of sin and justification has indeed been encouraging.
I thought we should get together in person, if you are available, at the end of studying each of the two bookends. We are moving toward the end of the 5 chapters on the first bookend.
This Saturday, August 14, let's get together at Panera (8:00 am). Come prepared to share what has most affected you in the first 5 chapters.
Grace Reigns,
Jim
Monday, August 2, 2010
Chapter 4: Gospel Enemy #2: Persistent Guilt
Chapter 4: Gospel Enemy #2: Persistent Guilt
2007 was a year of great awakening and change for our family. Over the Fourth of July weekend, my family attended Sovereign Grace Ministries’ Revive 2007 conference hosted by Gene Emerson, and God met us there in a grand way! Connie and I heard from Him to “move from success to significance; equip the next generation; prepare; that new beginnings were in store for us; and to let God govern.” Wow, what a life changer that weekend was.
2007 also produced one of my all time favorite movies “Amazing Grace” based on the life of William Wilberforce and his fight in the late 1700s and early 1800s to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. The film celebrates the 200th anniversary of this accomplishment and reveals how “wealth's power to entice and allure with greed can harden the hearts of men allowing them to commit great evil.” The movie also reveals that with “perseverance, commitment and faith, and accompanied by God's amazing grace, people of passionate convictions can indeed change the world.” On top of that the movie shows John Newton, the prolific hymn writer and author of “Amazing Grace”, mentoring Wilberforce even as he (Newton), a true man of God characterizes his life as a “self-proclaimed wretch who once was lost but then was found”, laying down at Christ’s feet his persistent guilt, being saved by God’s amazing grace, and recognizing the truth that "I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior."
Reading Chapter 4 of our book was again one of those moments that seems like God was speaking directly to me. We deserve none of what God offers…we continue to sin, and amazingly God continues to love us. “We’ve been forgiven much, freed from much, and blessed much”…so we can love Jesus Christ much! The 10 questions on pages 56 and 57 are worth your time and reflection. As those all too familiar guilt pangs continue to stab at you, let me encourage you to think of them as doing you a great service by reminding us there is a great Deliverer who seeks a relationship with us. Just like this chapter reveals, our sin is real – we are guilty like our conscience tells us - and praise the Lord with shouts of joy that we have a Savior who has already delivered believers from the consequences of our sin!
Ephesians 2:4-9: “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, 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 a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (ESV)
2007 was a year of great awakening and change for our family. Over the Fourth of July weekend, my family attended Sovereign Grace Ministries’ Revive 2007 conference hosted by Gene Emerson, and God met us there in a grand way! Connie and I heard from Him to “move from success to significance; equip the next generation; prepare; that new beginnings were in store for us; and to let God govern.” Wow, what a life changer that weekend was.
2007 also produced one of my all time favorite movies “Amazing Grace” based on the life of William Wilberforce and his fight in the late 1700s and early 1800s to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. The film celebrates the 200th anniversary of this accomplishment and reveals how “wealth's power to entice and allure with greed can harden the hearts of men allowing them to commit great evil.” The movie also reveals that with “perseverance, commitment and faith, and accompanied by God's amazing grace, people of passionate convictions can indeed change the world.” On top of that the movie shows John Newton, the prolific hymn writer and author of “Amazing Grace”, mentoring Wilberforce even as he (Newton), a true man of God characterizes his life as a “self-proclaimed wretch who once was lost but then was found”, laying down at Christ’s feet his persistent guilt, being saved by God’s amazing grace, and recognizing the truth that "I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior."
Reading Chapter 4 of our book was again one of those moments that seems like God was speaking directly to me. We deserve none of what God offers…we continue to sin, and amazingly God continues to love us. “We’ve been forgiven much, freed from much, and blessed much”…so we can love Jesus Christ much! The 10 questions on pages 56 and 57 are worth your time and reflection. As those all too familiar guilt pangs continue to stab at you, let me encourage you to think of them as doing you a great service by reminding us there is a great Deliverer who seeks a relationship with us. Just like this chapter reveals, our sin is real – we are guilty like our conscience tells us - and praise the Lord with shouts of joy that we have a Savior who has already delivered believers from the consequences of our sin!
Ephesians 2:4-9: “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, 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 a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (ESV)
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