Legalism or the Pursuit of Holiness?

Is striving to live carefully so as to please the Lord in every aspect of your life and to obey everything he has commanded legalistic?

Or is that just basic, essential Christian living?

(See Col. 1:10; Matt.28:18ff.; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph.5:15-17; Heb.12:14; 1 Jn.2:3-6)

True and Ongoing Repentance

“Repentance is that which describes the response of turning from sin unto God. This is its specific character just as the specific character of faith is to receive and rest upon Christ alone for salvation.

“Repentance reminds us that if the faith we profess is a faith that allows us to walk in the ways of this present evil world, in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, in the fellowship of the works of darkness, then our faith is but mockery and deception. True faith is suffused with penitence.

“And just as faith is not only a momentary act but an abiding attitude of trust and confidence directed to the Savior, so repentance results in constant contrition. The broken spirit and the contrite heart are abiding marks of the believing soul….

“Christ’s blood is the laver of initial cleansing but it is also the fountain to which the believer must continuously repair [return]. It is at the cross of Christ that repentance has its beginning; it is at the cross of Christ that it must continue to pour out its heart in the tears of confessions and contrition. The way of sanctification is the way of contrition for the sin of the past and of the present….”

-- John Murray “Redemption Accomplished and Applied” (Eerdmans) p. 116

Centering Our Lives on God and His Love

“Centering Our Lives on God and His Love"

"You shall have no other gods before me. (Ex. 20:3)

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matt.6:24)

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me….” (Matt.10:37)

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:36f.)

“For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Eph.5:5)

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, …lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power….” (2 Tim.3:1ff.)

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 Jn.2:15)

“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 Jn. 5:21)


'Most people think of sin primarily as breaking divine commandments, but the very first commandment is to “have no other gods before me.”

'So, according to the Bible, the primary way to understand sin is not just the doing of bad things, the making of even good things into ultimate things. It is seeking to establish a sense of self by making something else more central to your significance, purpose and happiness than your relationship to God.

'Only if your identity is built on God and his love and grace can you have a self that can venture anything, face anything.' (Tim Keller)

The Alternative?: Living in Idolatry (‘God-substitutes’)

Here is a list of various ‘god-substitutes’ and the particular kinds of brokenness and damage that each one brings into a life:

· If you center your life and identity on your spouse, you will be emotionally dependent, jealous, and controlling. The other person’s problems will be overwhelming to you.

· If you center your life and identity on your family and children, you will try to live your life through your children until they resent you or have no self of their own. At worst, you may abuse them when they displease you.

· If you center your life and identity on your work and career, you will be a driven workaholic and a boring, shallow person. At worst you will lose family and friends and, if your career goes poorly, develop deep depression.

· If you center your life and identity on money and possessions, you’ll be eaten up by worry or jealousy about money. You’ll be willing to do unethical things to maintain your lifestyle, which will eventually blow up your life.

· If you center your life and identity on pleasure, gratification, and comfort, you will find yourself getting addicted to something. You will become chained to the ‘escape strategies’ by which you try to avoid the hardness of life.

· If you center your life and identity on relationships and approval, you will be constantly overly hurt by criticism and thus always losing friends. You will fear confronting others and therefore will be a useless friend.

· If you center your life and identity on a ‘noble cause,’ you will divide the world into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and demonize your opponents. Ironically, you will be controlled by your enemies. Without them, you have no purpose.

· If you center your life and identity on religion and morality, you will, if you are living up to your moral standards, be proud, self-righteous, and cruel. If you don’t live up to your standards, you guilt will be devastating.

In pride we become obsessed with whatever interferes with people making much of us.

Our besetting sins are warning signs that our characteristic idolatry is at work.

‘Only if your identity is built on God and his love and grace can you have a self that can venture anything, face anything.’


-- based on chapter 10 (“The Problem of Sin”) of Tim Keller’s “The Reason for God” (Dutton)

The Kingdom of God and the New Birth

Here are the notes and discussion questions from last Sunday's lesson on 'the kingdom of God and the new birth'....

Lesson summary: The kingdom of God is the realm where God rules over his people (those who have turned to Him in repentance and faith, submitting to His rule) in saving grace and power, with kingdom blessings (forgiveness, new life, peace, provision, empowering for obedience, service, witness).

All people are born, by nature, into the ‘kingdom of darkness’ and are “children of disobedience” (Col. 1:13; Eph.2:2).

To enter God’s kingdom, we just be saved/rescued by God’s grace and power (Col.1:13).

Q. In order to see (understand, comprehend) and enter the kingdom of God, what must happen to a person?
A: He or she must be 'born again.' (Jn. 3:35) The divine side of salvation is ‘regeneration’ – God’s Spirit causes us to be ‘born again.’ On the human side, we repent and believe the Gospel. (Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:31; 20:21; 1 Pet. 1:22-25)

Along with ‘new birth,’ the Bible describes becoming a Christian in terms of new creation, passing from death to life, receiving a new heart and a new spirit, being renewed, changing from being in the ‘flesh’ to being in the Spirit, being transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God’s Son, etc. What do all these metaphors and descriptions have in common?

Q. What are the characteristics of a person who has truly been born again?

--Love for God (Rom. 8:28; Eph.6:24)
--Love for God’s people (1 Jn. 3:14-18; 1 Pet.1:22-23

--Love for God’s Word (Ps. 119:97; 1 Pet. 2:2)
--Love for the Lord’s return (2 Tim.4:8, where the Greek word for ‘long for’ is the word normally translated ‘love’) What does it mean to love the appearing (second coming) of Christ?
--No longer loving the world and worldly things (1 Jn.2:15f.)
--Obedience – 1 Jn. 2:29; 3:9-10
--Believing the truth (1 Jn.5:1; 2 Thess.2:13)
--Commitment to calling on God as Father in prayer (Rom.8:15-16)
--Bearing “fruit” – e.g., the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22ff.; Jn.15:1-17)

What is a person’s spiritual condition before being born again? (Eph.2:1; 2 Tim.3:2-4; Rom.1:30; 8:7-8; Col.1:13)

Why, then, is it so important that a church’s membership only include born-again people? What would happen to a church influenced by a lot of ‘unregenerate’ (= not born again) people?

What does it mean for a church to require ‘evidence of having been born again’ as a requirement for membership? What would count as ‘evidence’?

For further study: recommended ready -- "Finally Alive" by John Piper

"People aren't persecuted for having an invisible friend..."

"As the apostles were brought before Roman authorities, they said nothing about how Jesus had helped them put their marrages back together or how they found the gospel helpful and useful in daily living. There may well have been stories like that to report. However, that was not their gospel.

"Rather, they testified to datable events, which they assumed to have been well-known to their judges. It was not a 'religious story,' but an international headline of immense world historical significance. (People aren't persecuted for having an invisible friend who helps them through personal crises.)

"They referrred the secular rulers to eyewitnesses who were still living to back up their claim. If the witnesses only offered good advice, spiritual and moral therapy, or defended their 'product' for its pragmatic usefulness, Rome would have had no trouble adding another cult to the soup of imperial religion.

"However the claim was that Jesus alone is Lord of the cosmos and Savior of the world (both titles that Caesar claimed for himself)."

-- Michael Horton, "The Gospel-Driven Life" p.69 (Baker Books 2009)

"The Power of Words and the Wonder of God"

The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, from John Piper and Justin Taylor, is now available. (You can read it online for free at DG.) And you can learn more about it here.

"To whom be the glory?"

A pastor's perspective on 'keeping it real' when it comes to motivations and ministry.

HT: Justin Taylor

Leadership Lessons from Chuck Swindoll

Chuck Swindoll, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at Catalyst 09, offered the following lessons he has learned:

1. It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed.
3. It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.
4. It’s essential to be real. If there’s one realm where phoniness is common, it’s among leaders. Stay real.
5. It’s painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won’t be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. Attitude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.
8. Integrity eclipses image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
10. Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.


HT: Z; Justin Taylor

"Beholding Glory and Becoming Whole....."

In this powerful message, John Piper asks the question, 'Do we believe that our salvation is ultimately about God (and others) making much of us, or of us making much of God “to the praise of the glory of his grace…and….to the praise of his glory….” (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14)?'

Another key insight: “No one has to be born again to believe in a ‘God’ who simply endorses their passion to be made much of.”

I encourage you to listen to the entire message.

(Note: At the beginning of the message, it's kind of bizarre and awkward, because Dr. Piper is speaking seriously but most of his audience, a conference of Christian counselors, mistakenly think that he's being humorous! What does that say?)

"Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World"

An article from Christopher J.H. Wright in which he argues that "we must believe, live, and communicate all that makes the Christian message staggeringly comprehensive good news."

John Calvin on the Supremacy of Christ in All Things

One of John Piper's messages from the "Desiring God Conference"

Mark Driscoll on "Nightline" tonight

Mark Driscoll is on "Nightline" tonight, addressing the theme of idolatry.

"All I Have Is Christ"

This song by Jordan Kauflin is the spiritual autobiography of every Christian...

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way;
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will,
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost,
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed,
You suffered in my place;
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone,
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose,
And let my song forever be
'My only boast is You.'

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin

"The Joy of the Last Resurrection"

Sams Storm on "Calvin and The Joy of the Last Resurrection"

Why Membership Matters

Kevin DeYoung on the important question of why church membership matters.