JESUS + NOTHING = EVERYTHING

A dear blogging brother, Paul Burleson, has recently published a comment arising from a conference where he taught on Paul’s first letter to the  Corinthians. In his comment he says,

“Have you ever noticed that Paul NEVER mentions the Law of Moses in this letter we call 1st Corinthians? He's certainly having to deal with problems in the church that are grievous in nature such as drunkenness, arguing over who had been the greatest pastor, [ Paul, Peter, or Apollos] suing one another in courts of law and then there was that immoral situation they were not dealing with at all, and proud they were not as if it were a badge of honor that they were permissive.
In fact, the ONLY time Paul used the Law of Moses in his arguments for pure living was when he challenged the legalists who needed to be shown that even the law itself could not be kept in an effort to be holy. He NEVER used the law of Moses, even the ten commandments, as a standard to hold up for New Covenant behavior.”

That observation, in itself is extremely important, but he goes on to point out something very important for many today who forget that the genuine follower of Christ IS NOT FIGHTING AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, as he says,

 “ …………that Paul was willing to engage the culture of his day and wasn't angry toward it or did not rail against it as if it were some kind of witchcraft at work against the gospel. He recognized its weaknesses and its inability to speak to the deepest problems and need of the human race, namely dealing with the fallen and hopeless nature of the human condition, but had no real answers. The wisdom of God seen in the gospel does have answers, however. Paul thought so at least. I do too.

I hadn’t long read Paul’s thoughts when I came across this from Ed Trefezger’s blog, This Mystery, where he writes:

“I’ve been fol­low­ing Tul­lian Tchividjian’s pas­sion­ate advo­cacy of the suf­fi­ciency of the gospel and the dis­cus­sions he’s had with oth­ers who want to drive peo­ple to law for sanc­ti­fi­ca­tion. Two peo­ple at our church have brought up Tchividjian’s lat­est book,Jesus + Noth­ing = Every­thing, so I thought it was about time I read it. This snip­pet is from a sec­tion of the book sub­ti­tled, “The Great­est Threat”:

The Bible makes it clear that the gospel’s pre­mier enemy is one we often call “legal­ism.” I like to call it per­for­man­cism. Still another way of view­ing it, espe­cially in its most com­mon man­i­fes­ta­tion in Chris­tians, is moral­ism. Strictly speak­ing, those three terms — legalism, performancism, and moral­ism — aren’t pre­cisely iden­ti­cal in what they refer to. But there’s so much over­lap and inter­con­nec­tion between them that we’ll basi­cally look at them here as one thing.

And what really is that one thing?

Well, it shows up when we fail to believe the gospel. It shows up when behav­ioral oblig­a­tions are divorced from gospel dec­la­ra­tions, when imper­a­tives are dis­con­nected from gospel indica­tives. Legal­ism hap­pens when what we need to do, not what Jesus has already done, becomes the end game.

Our per­for­man­cism leads to pride when we suc­ceed and to despair when we fail. But ulti­mately it leads to slav­ery either way, because it becomes all about us and what we must do to estab­lish our own iden­tity instead of rest­ing in Jesus and what he accom­plished to estab­lish it for us. In all its forms, this wrong focus is anti-gospel and there­fore enslaving.

Tchivid­jian, Tul­lian.Jesus + Noth­ing = Every­thing. Wheaton, IL: Cross­way, 2011. Print. (p. 45–46)”

How good it is to read the work of those who know that Jesus + Noth­ing = Every­thing, and, as a consequence, have no desire to drive people back to the prison from which Christ set them free!

By the way! If you want a good read, look at Ed's "Completed by the Spirit"!

A New Heart and a New Covenant

Recently, I experienced an event which was, to say the least, life changing. No! I’m not writing about the new birth, which was also, most definitely, life changing, entailing a changed heart attitude. 

I am alluding to  heart surgery requiring a triple by-pass. The heart that beat in my chest 5 weeks ago is now substantially altered, with three grafts made from a vein in my right leg supplying blood to the required parts. During these weeks I’ve been given a new lease on life, experienced the prayer fellowship of brethren world-wide, and an assurance of the Lord’s presence, of His being “with me” such as I have never known previously. I was given a peace which I would have loved to give to many who were worried about my condition.

I’m not sure why, but whilst thinking of these events, I’m drawn to think of things such as new wine skins, and the fact that new wine was never placed in old wine skins, simply because the old skins could not contain the pressure of the new wine, and would burst.

The old veins around my heart could not do the work required of them, and despite having led a life conducive to good heart health, other factors such as heredity came into play. My paternal grandfather died from a heart attack, my father had a heart attack and eventually died from the consequences. My mother suffered similarly.

I consider that, to all intents and purposes, because I had no damage to my heart muscles, I now have a new heart, reconditioned with sound blood vessels, but not simply patched up, like an old wine skin.

The New Covenant is very much like these new blood vessels. It is NEW, not the Old Covenant patched up.  It is new because of the New Covenant Person (Isaiah 42:6) who is the New law written on the heart by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.

Here is “the riches of the glory of  this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”, Christ dwelling in us by His Spirit is our New Covenant Law.  (Jer. 31-34)

Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Old Covenant and then as our New Covenant Person He revealed what was hidden in the Old Covenant types and shadows in the light of His person and ministry . He did not come to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill them, to meet all the requirements and expectations of the Old Covenant as it was given to Moses  (Matt. 5:17) Hence His cry from the cross, "It is finished!"

He made concrete, and gave reality, to what the Old Covenant foreshadowed, and could never achieve (Heb.8:7).

It foreshadowed a people who would  function by the power of  the Holy Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and who are directed and caused by the Spirit to be lovers of Christ, and of each other. 

This is the evidence of a changed heart which Jesus spoke of to the old  Pharisee, Nicodemus (John 3:3). This is a radical life change. It is New wine requiring New wine skins to contain the absolute newness and power of a life motivated by love towards the One who took our covenant place before the justice of God, and our brethren. 

You and I are "in Christ", if we are as Jesus soke to Nicodemus, "born again", and as such we are a "new creation " as Paul told the Galatians in 6:15. Our relationship with God through this "new birth" involves much more than"becoming a Christian" or "joining a church." 

We are spiritually new, the spiritual offspring of the Father, born as a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Cor.5:17). We are part of a new humanity that is only marking time in this world as we know it.  In Christ we have been baptized into one body by one Spirit, which is not governed by man's laws of organization, but by the life and nature of the New Covenant Person who created it. 

Our hope of righteousness puts no weight in personal acts of piety but in the changed heart that has been placed within you. And, as I was promised as a young man, "He who began the work in you will finish it to the praise of His glory".

Our very existence as God's children, is in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Our citizenship is in heaven, ". . . we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1). As the book of Hebrews, makes clear, we have already come to the heavenly Jerusalem and to the heavenly assembly, the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12: 22-24). The New Covenant requires a circumcision made without hands (Colossians 2:11) and a new heart in the Spirit (Romans 2:29), not the flesh.

My Times in His Hands

Had thoughts of article for Christmas, but all circumvented by some dramatic events leading to triple by-pass heart surgery, one week ago.

Been home two days, which makes it seven days since surgery. No doubt of the Lord's hand in these events.

May the Lord bless those who read, and those who don't!

THE CHURCH IS CHANGING!

A MUST READ!

Wade Burleson's article: http://www.wadeburleson.org/2011/11/church-is-changin-reformation-of-church.html

CHRISTIAN ONE-UPMANSHIP?

I am reminded of Jesus’ words when He prayed, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes Father, for such was your gracious will”.

Religious pride was something Jesus observed quite often. It was seen in displays of  arrogance and superiority of knowledge amongst the Pharisees.

There was  strong confidence in their learning, in their own righteousness and personal interpretation of what they had learned. In fact they looked down on everybody else, who didn't think and act as they did.

Is it possible to, on the one hand, speak and write about humble Christ glorifying living, write Biblical messages and blogs which give advice about the self effacing, others focused manner of true disciples of Christ, and, on the other hand, display in one’s writing, the very same Pharisaical pride with which Jesus was confronted?

I have found myself having strong sensibilities on behalf of other brethren when comments on blogs are made, or, advice given, which, to my mind, comes across as proud and thoughtlessly patronizing.

It seems to me that the same proud spirit which has accompanied much traditionalism, is now accompanying some of those who, a few years ago, started off so well in challenging that which was clearly not according to Scripture, and have now come to a new tradition which they have developed and with which they are now comfortable.

 If it’s not the same spirit as the Pharisees exhibited, maybe it’s the very similar carnal game of one-upmanship?  A clash of egos?

William Barclay tells a story with a strong message regarding this matter of which I speak, "Once I made a journey by train to England. As we passed through the Yorkshire moors I saw a little whitewashed cottage and it seemed to me to shine with almost radiant whiteness. Some days later I made the journey back to Scotland. The snow had fallen and was lying deep all around. We came again to the little white cottage, but this time its whiteness seemed drab and soiled and almost gray in comparison with the virgin whiteness of the driven snow."

And then Barclay observes: "It all depends what we compare ourselves with."

It seems that it is an unconscious (?) ability that we have, of  comparing ourselves, what we preach, write, or believe, with what others preach write or believe.

There is only One against whom we ought compare ourselves:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

SOUND ADVICE

I haven't been well, of late, so more silent than usual, but I was motivated to write today to simply urge you to read this, by another old-timer, like myself, http://vtmbottomline.blogspot.com/2011/09/mistakes-made-by-modern-ministers-part.html

It's one thing to read the words of the "young idealistic upstarts" who "think they know everything"( many of whom DO know what they are talking about), but we would do well to take notice of an experienced one who has long "on-the-job" experience.

Don't forget to follow through with Part 2, here http://vtmbottomline.blogspot.com/2011/10/mistakes-modern-ministers-make-part-11.html

Maybe I’m just culturally handicapped

A small word with so many connotations, which can be steered by culture, attitude, health, or misapprehension of intent.

  

Random House Websters College Dictionary defines the word “sigh” as “to let out one's breath audibly, as from sorrow, weariness, or relief; to yearn or long; to pine; to lament.

Princeton WordNet is much simpler in its definition: an utterance made by exhaling audibly; a sound like a person sighing,"she heard the sigh of the wind in the trees";to heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily,"She sighed sadly"; utter with a sigh.

Kennerman Learner’s English Dictionary defines the word “sigh” as: to breathe out noisily when you are sad, tired, bored, relieved, etc. “He sighed in frustration.”

Webster’s Dictionary says the word means:  to inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, or the like, to lament; to grieve, or mourn over, a deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued or grieved; the act of sighing

It’s obvious that we can normally sigh if we are either frustrated, can't do something or are bored.  I’ve been known to sigh if when I’m trying to explain something to someone but cannot get the message across. I know that people sigh they are sad or happy or tired.

As a matter of fact, people sigh as a result of feeling most emotions, it just depends what context the sigh is in to determine why the person is sighing.

In 1858, James Smith wrote about the last days of a believer: “Death-beds differ, even the death-beds of true believers. Some are filled with joy, others are only hopeful. Some glide away smoothly and softly — while others have much hard fighting at the last. Some have no doubts or fears — while others are very much tried with them. Some shout victory — others can only say, "I have a good hope." Some speak much to those about them — others say but very little. This was the case with the good man I was reading of, his whole dying experience was comprehended in one sentence, "I am sighing for Jesus!"

He did not sigh for life, nor for ease — but he was sighing for Jesus. I cannot help observing, how much of my experience now, is expressed in those words, "I am sighing for Jesus." Yes, yes, I can do without riches, or fame, or the honor which man confers. I am pretty well content with what providence sends me — and yet I often sigh, and sigh deeply too. Some would think me unhappy — but I am not. Some may conclude I am discontented with my situation in life — but I am not. Yet I sigh — I often sigh.”

Having ministered in some very sad situations over the years, especially at funerals, sighing was rather common. I’m discovering that this little action of sighing can be interpreted negatively or positively according to cultural mores, or maybe whim, often without reference to context, or explanation from the one who sighed. That's certainly true in my household. My wife sighs quite often, and for a multitude of reasons. I used to think they wee sighs with a negative content. They weren't, I'm pleased to say.

I don’t think  Eric’s small contribution was negative, especially in the light of His writing about the unity of Christians, wherever they come from, and previous words such as he penned, “I'm reminded once again that Christ and His gospel are of first importance. Church practice, while critical in the life of the Christian, is secondary. Our oneness in Christ binds us together. Because of this, we can and should strive to remain as one even if what we think about church differs significantly.”

Maybe I’m just culturally challenged, and understand words differently ! After all, we are upside down here!