A Model of the Cross-Centered Life
Trying to think through some categories for living a cross-centered life that focuses on the person and work of Jesus. To download, just click on the image.
Trying to think through some categories for living a cross-centered life that focuses on the person and work of Jesus. To download, just click on the image.
Last night at dinner I talked with my kids about doing the impossible. Now, it was not a pop-psychology, self-esteem message about how you can do anything you set your mind to do. Actually, we can't do anything we set our minds to. We cannot do the impossible, because the impossible is, well, impossible. But as Jesus said, "Nothing is impossible for God."
So I asked the kids what the largest tree in the world is. They replied, "The Redwood." Since I didn't know the answer, I went with it. Now, what if I were driving down the highway (obviously not in Georgia) and discovered a massive Redwood that had fallen across the road. I couldn't go around on either end. The tree was just too large—impossible for me to move.
Now, imagine that I heard a voice from heaven. It was God. He was telling me to get out of the car and move that tree. Say what? "Yes, move that tree out of the way." So I get out and walk up to the tree. The law, "move that tree," simply re-emphasizes my inability to do the impossible. But God really does plan on me moving that tree. But how? What does he expect of me?
One thing of which we can be sure is that he does not expect me to pick up my end. He is not planning merely to help me, coming along side my ability with his ability. He wants me to walk up to that tree in my weakness, appeal to him for strength, grab hold of the bark and lift. This is where nothing is impossible with God. My hands lift the tree, but not my strength. It is as Paul said in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." By the way, Paul wasn't talking about a personal self-achievement kind of "all things," like achieving a professional football career or writing the next great American novel, but being content in all circumstances, which is beyond dificult.
Other impossible things that I hear God say are "love your wife, bless your enemies, forgive those who sin against you, repent to those whom you hurt, give generously and gladly, have the mind of Christ who emptied himself of his own glory and put the interests of others before his own, tell the truth even if it hurts, don't gossip, take the log out of your own eye, etc." How am I to approach these instructions? What am I to do in the face of the impossible?
First, I must know that I am not saved by my doing any of these things. Jesus fulfilled the law for me. He did what I could not do. He worked for me. He did the heavy lifting of my salvation himself. I believe this. Now, as a forgiven, perfectly righteous son, he tells me to follow him. It is no longer a Judge's voice, but my Shepherd's voice I now hear—a voice that guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake, and for my blessing. But with every directive he provides, it is as though I come to a Redwood. In myself, I'm still weak and unable to do the good that is before me. Now, if I don't do it, I'm no less saved—no less loved, forgiven or accepted. But in my weakness is the big opportunity to abide even more closely in Jesus, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit to fill me, and enable me... to do the impossible.
And when the tree moves, I get the joy, others are blessed, and God gets the glory.
Here is a summary (Part 2) from last weeks Grace and Men Conference at Perimeter Church. For Part 1, just go here. The notes below are from Tullian Tchividjian's talk on Galatians 5:16-26.
Obviously, there is much more to say. Nevertheless, I think it helps us see that that a radical justification focus is the critical element in bringing about the radically sanctified life. After all, we are not sanctified by talking about sanctification, but through living in union with Jesus as our perfect righteousness. In other words, the root of positional justification produces the fruit of progressive sanctification.
Or as John Bunyan said, "Run, run the law demands, but gives me neither feet nor hands; 'tis better news the gospel brings: it bids me fly and gives me wings."
There is a righteousness which Paul calls "the righteousness of faith". God imputes it to us apart from our works--in other words, it is passive righteousness...So then, have we nothing to do to obtain this righteousness? No, nothing at all... Christians never completely understand [this] themselves, and thus do not take advantage of it when they are troubled and tempted So, we have to constantly teach it,repeat it, and work it out in practice.
At a Key Life pastor's conference, Dan Allender, said, "The Christian faith and the grace at its heart is so radical that most congregations can't deal with it." I will raise my hand to confess that I am one of those who wants to believe the gospel at a radical depth, but who struggles. Fear of failure and rejection. Insecurity and a need for approval and praise. These are often what influence me the most.
What if I were able to live completely under the liberating influence of the cross? What if I were to embrace the grace of God in Jesus that Tullian Tchividjian says is "way more drastic, way more offensive, way more liberating, way more shocking, and way more counterintuitive than any of us realize."
How would it affect how I pray? How I parent my kids? How I love my wife? How I treat my enemies? And what I do when nobody is looking? Nobody but Jesus. He would become the One for whom I long to live—to honor my Savior as a fully devoted disciple, enraptured by the immensity of his love, grace and mercy, knowing that I am that only because he was and is fully devoted to me... even when I wasn't devoted to him... even as I continue to wander, much of the time being much more devoted to my own reputation than to his.
Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus was that they would know this kind of transformative love and grace more and more deeply. That is what I want for myself, my wife and my children. May that be our prayer together at Creekstone as a community of ordinary folks who are coming alive to the wonder of the gospel by living all of life in view of the cross!
Archibald Alexander, in Thoughts Concerning Religious Experience (1844):
“Why is there so little advancement made [in living the Christian life]? First, there is a defect in our belief in the freeness of divine grace. To exercise unshaken confidence in the doctrine of gratuitous pardon is one of the most difficult things in the world… Christians cannot but be lean and feeble when deprived of their proper nourishment. It is by faith that the spiritual life is made to grow; and the doctrine of free grace, without any mixture of human merit, is the only true object of [that] faith. Until preachers inculcate clearly, fully and practically, the grace of God manifested in the gospel, we shall have no vigorous growth… among professing Christians.” Using an anology based on this helpful quote, I suppose we could say that the doctrine of free grace is the Miracle Grow of the soul.A recent blog post by Dr. Ed Welch says that fighting sin is tiring. It is hard. Exhausting. And he is right, because any fight is going to drain physical and psychological resources. So, some encouragement. If you are fighting sin (not in light of the law, but in light of the gospel), and have been knocked down for an eight count, be glad. At least you are in the fight! If you were not a child of the living God, you would be a spiritual couch potato, making no effort to put to death the deeds of the flesh. The fact that you care is a sign of the indwelling Holy Spirit in your life, who enables us to cry out, "Abba, Father," in the midst of the battle, convinced that we are not forsaken, but remain as ever, adopted, treasured and beloved sons and daughters with the hope of eternal joy, whether we win or lose—all because Jesus has won the ultimate victory for us already at the cross.
This is another post from chapter six of Bryan Chapell's book, Holiness by Grace, which deals with the power of God that enables us to change from the inside out.
"People drowning in destructive habits are not rescued by simply urging them to act more like Christians... True spiritual change is more a consequence of what our hearts love than of what our hands do... Thus, our most powerful spiritual weapon is consistent adulation of the mercy of God revealed in Christ... As the Spirit uses the revelation of God’s grace to change hearts, then affections change, lives change, and disciplines (the means of grace) are willingly and lovingly exercised... The message of grace is itself the instrument of power in spiritual warfare... [So], let us take hold of this message firmly, letting its transformative power seep so deeply into our hearts that we cannot help but love and serve our God with joy and enthusiasm."
The full post is here.
