Lifted Veil

There are a few more things to add to my ‘Gospel Sanctification’ series.  First, I’ll close off my response to an objection I received and later continue with a few more thoughts on the subject.

Here are the first two responses to an objection:
Gospel Sanctification 7 - Response to Objection, Part 1 - General Comments
Gospel Sanctification 8 - Response to Objection, Part 2 - Specific Reply  

Closing Reply to Objection

Pastorally, here’s a key area where these matters become important:  When a believer has sinned away all their spiritual strength, and is sorry, sad, despairing and demotivated; how are you going to counsel them?

a) “Do your duty, it’s God’s command.  We have church on Sunday, a prayer meeting on Wednesday, and an outreach on Friday.   You’ve let yourself and God down in all these areas so you really should be there.” Or,

b) “Receive afresh the comforts of the Gospel.  You’re in Christ and that won’t change.   Pour out your sorrow before God and take your sick heart to the great physician, Jesus Christ, who is the only one that can bring any help and healing to your struggles.   Return to Christ, seek him, rest in his grace.  And once refreshed you’ll find a fresh wellspring of love for Him which will overflow in unconstrained and joyous obedience.”   (And you might at this point add, if you must,  “And I think it would help if you came to church on Sunday, and . . . .”).

The main thing I’m concerned for pastorally, in this area, is that our people know that our Lord comes to us at all times with both a Sceptre in one hand and a Pardon in the other.  If we ever focus on one of these truths to the neglect of the other we fall into either antinomianism or legalism.  

Additionally, there is a logical priority to consider.  It is firstly taking a good look at the terms of the Pardon that secondly enables us to rejoice in, and honor, the Sceptre. Otherwise, the Sceptre brings a sense of fear and condemnation to the believer whose eyes have been opened to their sin. 

I hope these last few posts on Gospel Sanctification clarifies where I am coming from.

Shane.

Some compelling lyrics from Derrik Webb

 

people love you the most for the things you hate
and hate you for loving the things that you cannot keep straight
people judge you on a curve
and tell you you’re getting what you deserve
this too shall be made right Continue Reading »

The 2007 revision of the ESV has made a number of minor revisions to the 2001 edition.  One notable change is . . .

2001 ESV - Gen 30:35
But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons.

2007 ESV - Gen 30:35
But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. 

The latter translation is to be preferred as we now know Laban only entrusted minor reponsibilities to the spotted goats.  It was the unblemished turtle doves that were actually put in charge of his sons.

Shane.