Forget the Advice Column Christianity

As you ponder those New Year's resolutions...

Matt Johnson:

Do you see it? The answer is in Jesus, not you. He’s the man who lived the life you have not lived and died the death you should have died so that you don’t have to live for you. Hallelujah, the pressure is off!

Thanks be to God, Jesus inverts the logic of both the spiritual overachiever’s aspirations as well as the dejected defeatist’s commiserations. In Christ both are already lavished with forgiveness, blessing, election, and blamelessness. God doesn’t bank on you to make good on all that advice; Jesus already accomplished perfection. Now your life gets to be a joyful response of gratitude!

So, Christian, you have permission to forget about what Advice Column Christianity is trying to sell you. Your gut has been right all along: the stick and carrot of spiritual advice is tyranny. We’ve got really-and-truly good news. You don’t have to experience life transformation to be loved. You’re already loved in Christ.

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