Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Radical Gospel, Defiant and Free

Dan Ortlund responds to an article in Christianity Today which seems to take issue with the idea that many champions of the grace of God are failing to preach a robust view of the law or are failing to call people to obedience.

Here is a helpful section:
It sounds backward, but the path to holiness is through (not beyond) the grace of the gospel, because only undeserved grace can truly melt and transform the heart. The solution to restraint-free immorality is not morality. The solution to immorality is the free grace of God—grace so free that it will be (mis)heard by some as a license to sin with impunity. The route by which the New Testament exhorts radical obedience is not by tempering grace but by driving it home all the more deeply.
I would encourage you to read the whole post.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It was refreshing to hear someone say holiness is equal to grace. It is rare indeed that someone says that grace alone isn't enough. Paul used simpler words though, I had to look up some of yours. Maybe your reaching educated people, not the simple as myself. People misunderstand salvation and how it applies. Being Holy isn't required but seeking it is required. Study of the word is the only way. Man can't teach it, only the Holy Spirit can. The apostles got alone with Jesus, the Word, after corporate church. In Paul's letters and others salvation through grace and the point of standing there is claimed by readers. Notice that the letters are addressed to the Holy and the Faithful. The lamb died for the whole world, not the saved, and the singular sin spoken of was the one all got from Adam, Jn 1:29, 1 Cor 15:22. God reconciled the world, Rom 5:18, 2 Cor 5:18. In Jn 6:51-56 Jesus said those who didn't study scripture were dead. Such is the Laodicean church of today because people are trusting the man and not seeking on their own. The blood of the lamb covered the door, Jesus, when pierced by the spear. This door established the church on the fourth feast, the house of God. People inside were to eat the meat and bread, scripture. The lamb made a way to the Father,Jn 14:6. The goat's blood covers the saved but it is the sixth feast and one must get that far to receive it. Our foundation is Christ but one can't even be on it without repenting of dead workd, Heb 6:1. Jesus can't be found at the cross, it's empty and they won't find him on the way without the Father's giving them to him, Jn 6:37-39,44. This is only done after learning from the Father by the Spirit, Jn 6:45, Col 1:12-13 who guides in truth because Jesus isn't here, Jn 16:13-14. The only way to Christ is being given by the Father, Jn 10:26-29, Jn 17:6, 7, 9, 11, Jn 18:9, Heb 2:13, 1Cor 1:30, 2Cor 1:21-22, and Eph 1:3, 2:6. Salvation is to those who learn to worship the Father in spirit and truth, Jesus is the way. Even Jesus saide it is all about doing the Father's will. I have so much more to say but will retire here. I will converse further if so desired but I have only studied the scriptures in the KJV with Strong's, cevoid of comentaries and other men's books. Dennis Hahn mhahn@tampabay.rr.com