I received this email today from a friend, Dave McCarty, who leads a ministry called Gospel Frienships.  I found his counter-intuitive insights helpful.

"When I'm discouraged by circumstances, I'm always confident of what's best for me and those I love.  [It is when I lean on my] own understanding. My biggest need is not changed circumstances, but a changed heart: fresh conviction of the sin of independence and unbelief in His promise to work all things together for my good, and His glory. Unbelief in the perfectness of His plan for me.   Discouragement is not a picture of humility, but of... pride."

Wow. I had never thought of discouragement as a fruit of selfish pride. I wonder if what I call being discouraged may often be a form of adult whining over my will not being done. Maybe discouragement is another opportunity for fresh repentance and simple, childlike, gospel faith in a all-good, all-loving, all-sovereign and all-wise Father.  

Now, when Dave speaks of being discouraged, he is not saying that there is not a time to be sad or to grieve. Those are normal emotional responses to the brokenness of living in a fallen world. The discouragement he is talking about is the experience of not getting my own way and pouting about it like a spoiled child. It is a type of frustration produced by prideful anger. 

So, I think Dave is right, and especially about this: I am more in need of a changed heart than I am of changed circumstances. Can you relate to that?

When two people have a DTR, they "define the relationship." What about the relationship between the law and the gospel in Christian theology? They seem to be at odds, but actually function in such as way as to make them good friends.

Bob Thune and Will Walker have designed a 9-lesson study called, The Gospel-Centered Life, where they provide a helpful three-point survey of how the law and gospel relate to each other. They lay it out like this:

First, it is through the gospel that we become aware of our disobedience to God's law.

Second, it is through the gospel that we are freed from the curse of the law.

Third, it is through the gospel that God sends his indwelling Holy Spirit into us, transforming our hearts and enabling us to truly love God and others (which is the fulfilment of the law). 

In other words, the law drives us to Jesus for faith/gift-righteousness (justification). Jesus then gives us his Spirit, who produces spiritual fruit in our lives (sanctification). So, the law shows us the problem by revealing our failure and need, while the gospel provides the solution by revealing the cross of Jesus. So are the law and gospel at odds? Nope. They actually are good friends who seem to work together quite well.  

I had a meeting yesterday with a fellow pastor who talked about having a general profile for a "mature and equipped follower of Jesus." Having this basic picture is not used to judge folks, but is used to encourage men and women who enter into a formal discipleship relationship what they can expect to see transformed in their lives as they experience spiritual formation in the context of the gospel. So today I've thought about this and wanted to jot down a few ideas. Here goes (and I'm using "his" so as not to have to write "his/hers," though both are meant).

A mature and equipped follower of Jesus... 

1. Has an acute awareness of his moral inability to live a godly life.
2. Has an acute awareness of God's radical love for him in Jesus — seeks to live all of life in view of the cross
3. Sees his need for God's propitiation of his sin more and more over the years, not less.
4. No longer fears condemnation.
5. Is confident of his justification by grace alone through faith alone.
6. Is confident of his adoption in love, and regards God as his/her "Abba"
7. No longer defines his identity (self-image) by accomplishments or failures, but by being a treasured, chosen, adopted son or daughter of God.
8. Finds his life in an imputed righteousness that is received from God rather than in a self-woven righteousness that is achieved before God.
9. Manifests a genuine humility.
10. Repents quickly, but also deeply and genuinely (not just of the fruit sin, but of the root sin). 
11. Is eager and willing to forgive others.
12. Has an unusual desire to bless (love) others.
13. Loves spending personal time with the Father.
14. Prayer is a first resort rather than a last resort. He turns his worry list into a prayer list.
15. Savors opportunities to express his/her gratitude for God's grace in worship as he boasts in the cross of Jesus.
16. Boasts in his weaknesses.
17. Uses his spiritual gifts for the benefit of others.
18. Is not known to complain or criticize. He commends before he critiques, and always in a way that is seasoned with grace.
19. Loves truth (in the context of grace).
20. Loves grace (in the context of truth).
21. Knows how to share the gospel personally and simply, and actually does so.
22. Desires to grow in his theological knowledge, so as to grow in grace and know Jesus more intimately.
23. Seeks to view all of life through the lens of a biblical world-view.
24. Is more and more astonished by God's grace to him personally.
25. Is generous.
26. Is safe for others to share their weaknesses with.
27. Is mindful of the spiritual conflict being waged in his heart with the flesh and in the world with the devil. 
28. Loves the church, the body of Christ. Supports and whole heartedly participates in the mission.
29. Respects authority.
30. Is empowered by the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, etc.

What would you add to this profile?

I am part of a group of guys who meet on Wednesday mornings at 6:00 a.m. to study the Bible, work out the implications of the gospel into our lives, and pray for each other. Today was particularly nourishing manna for my soul. We are going through "The Gospel-Centered Life" curriculum and are in chapter 3, "Believing the Gospel," where the authors state:

"Our souls must become deeply rooted in the truth of the gospel so that we anchor our righteousness and identity in Jesus and not in ourselves. Specifically, the gospel promises of passive righteousness and adoption must become central to our thinking and living... By faith, we must cling to the gospel promise that we are adopted as God's children (and that) Jesus' righteousness has been credited to us apart from works (Rom. 4:4-8). We don't need to do anything to secure God's love and acceptance; Jesus has secured it for us."

They go on, saying:

"At the root of all our visible sins lies the invisible struggle for righteousness and identity."

That nails it for me. Just like Adam and Eve in their post-forbidden fruit eating condition, I struggle with issues of insecurity every day. I want to run and hide, too, or find some kind of fig leaf to cover up my guilt and shame. If I don't run, I will fight for my name, my righteous identity that I need to protect. But what if I no longer had any name to protect; only a name to praise?

This is possible, because in the gospel, Jesus' name is my glory, not my own. When I actively believe that, rather than run or fight, I can face the music of my sin and need, and better, hear the beautiful symphony of God's grace, where Jesus' imputed righteousness is celebrated as the end of the struggle in the fight for identity (Rom. 10:3). That is the song that I need to hear every day, lest I grow discouraged and lose hope. 

Last week in a press conference, UGA football coach Mark Richt provided a rich gospel perspective on his life and vocation:

“I love the game of football. I love my job. I love Georgia. But what I do is not who I am,” Richt said. “I think sometimes if we become what we do, and then things aren’t going just right, then all of a sudden our entire world falls apart. I’ve got a faith in my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and I know that God loves me and is going to take care of me. I just truly believe that. When all the games are done and all of life is lived, I know where I’ll be for eternity.”

He is right. What I do, whether good or bad, does not define who I am. The imputed righteousness of Jesus defines who I am. I have been graced. I am a forgiven, beloved Son of the Father. That is who I am. 

I think a driving force for most of my life has been about trying to prove something—mainly that I am somebody. Maybe you can relate. This issue is identity, and it plays out in a thousand ways.  

Here is an adapted post from Paul Ellis (for the full, unedited post, go here), a new grace-blogger that I found by recommendation of Joanie Weaver. Thanks, Joanie... and thanks, Paul. This is great stuff!

I may be living under law... 

1. If I'm not 100% sure if I'm 100% forgiven.

God doesn’t do forgiveness in installments. All your sins were forgiven at the cross (Col 2:13) when God the Son abolished sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb 9:26). Neither God the Father (Heb 8:12) nor God the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:17) remembers your sin any more. When we confeess, he forgives ALL of our unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).

2.   If I believe Christians have a duty or responsibility to serve the Lord.

Duty and responsibility are synonyms for obligation. This is a mind-set that says we are obliged, or indebted, to God. I’ve heard it said that “Jesus has done so much for you, what will you do for Him?” Indeed, God has given us everything. Ever wondered why? He did it “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7). He is not just rich in grace, but exceedingly rich. You cheapen His grace by thinking you have a duty or responsibility to pay Him back. Your responsibility is to believe that He is good and true! It is not our obligation to serve the Lord, it is our royal privilege. It is not our duty, but our great delight.

3.   If suffer from performance anxiety and worry.

Performance anxiety is a rational response to the uncertainty of life under the old covenant. But anxiety has no place in the new. We are to draw water from the wells of salvation with joy (Is 12:3). We walk under law in anxiety and fear, but we walk under grace with joy and thanksgiving! “Happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, whose sins are pardoned! Happy is the person whose sins the Lord will not keep account of!” (Rms 4:7-8, GNB) God has made us His Sons, and with such a Father we need not be worried about anything (Mt 6:32). He is our Provider who delights to give good gifts to those who ask Him (Mt 7:11). Those who serve under the law are insecure, but sons are secure.