The Law and The Gospel and My Experience with Reality

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Thanks to Debbie Kaufman at Ministry of Reconciliation for a great post found here. Here’s the post:

‘Be a better mom, be a better wife. Be a better dad, be a better husband. Do more try harder, keep busy’ is what is being preached today, but where is Christ and what He did at the cross? That is the message from Michael Horton. We have lots of Christian T-shirts, bumper stickers, jewelry, WWJD bracelets. We have those who say if one is a true Christian they cannot vote for (fill in the blank). But where is Christ in all of this? Michael Horton gives his view and it’s one I agree with. But you knew that or I would not be highlighting this podcast would I? One thing Michael said that I think is profound :”Christianity is being used as an adjective today. ” ending the podcast with “Christ has won the victory on the battlefield.” This should be the message the church gives, not Christ is our helper.

Please listen and prayerfully consider if Michael Horton is right, and if he is right, which I believe he is, what can we as individual Christians do to change this?
Listen here.

I have heard over and over lately at my church how coming to Christ immediately delivers a person from all of their sinful habits and hangups. That has not been my experience. I have bad habits. Some are even listed in Galatians 5:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (namely idolatry/materialism, greed, anger/hatred, envy). I repent of these sins daily, but I repent over and over and over…

Is there hope for me? Does my faith in Christ count for something? My repentance desperately needs to be repented of, but does that repentance count? Sometimes I am ready to give up.

I contend that there is hope for me, and for others like me. I look to passages like Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:21-4:12, Romans 7:7-25, and 1 Timothy 3:12-17.

Am I right?

Comments

ginaburch said…
happy birthday john!!!
October 23, 2008
J. K. Jones said…
Thanks Gina.
October 24, 2008
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