Sharing in Christ's Sonship

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, 

but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, 

by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'"

Romans 8:15

At the heart of our relationship with God is our being adopted as true children. I sometimes wonder how this is possible and what this actually means. Becoming an adopted son of God is more often an abstract concept rather than the concrete reality in my life. So, how does this happen? And what does it mean?

The answer in our adoption does not lie in us. We were made to be sons and daughters of God, but we broke the relationship beyond human repair. Our hope is not in our ability to remake ourselves as sons and daughters. Rather, our adoption is rooted in the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Christ has perfect sonship with the Father. Our only hope of ever again becoming true children of God lies in our sharing in Christ's sonship that he already has with the Father. This is the good news of the gospel: that the Son of God became the Son of Man, so that he could unite men and women with God. He is able to do this because he is fully God and fully man, thus being able to mediate between the two and unite us to God. This is the foundation to our relationship with God. 

But, what does this mean on a day to day basis? Being united to Christ, and thus being made a son or daughter of God means that we are adopted into the same relationship the Son of God has with the Father.  In our adoption, we don't so much receive something from Christ, as much as we receive Christ himself. Jesus gives us his very self, and this is the heart of what we receive in adoption. Everything that is true of the Jesus Christ is now true of us. Jesus was God's beloved son, with whom God was well pleased. This is now true of us. Jesus and the Father were one. In Christ, we are now one with God. Jesus was sinless and incorruptible. We are now seen as sinless.  Jesus conquered death, resurrecting from the grave. Likewise, we will also be raised to life on the last day. 

One quick note on some of the things I just said. As those who have been adopted, we now share in the life of Christ and possess the many benefits of salvation. However, we do not share in the same substance that God has. We are still human. We are not divine. Yet, we are being restored to what it means to be made in God's image and what it means to be truly human. 

Unless We Had Been United

"The Word of God was made man, and he who was the Son of God

became the Son of Man, that man, having been taken into the Word, 

and receiving adoption, might become the son of God. For by no other means

could we have attained to incorruptibility and immortality,

unless we had been united to incorruptibility and immortality"

Irenaeus of Lyons writing on the Christians' participation in God

This quote is kind of a mouthful. It doesn't help that it was written around the year 180 A.D. But, Irenaeus  so beautifully captures such a central tenant to the gospel. The wonderful news of the gospel is this (and this is slight translation of what Irenaeus wrote above):

The 2nd person of the trinity, who had existed from all eternity, became man. The Son of God became the Son of Man. This is who Jesus Christ is. He did this, so that man (us), might be united to the Son of God (Jesus Christ), so that we could receive the same sonship that he has. We can be adopted as sons of God because we are directly united to the Son of God. We can only be restored to spotless perfection and eternal life by being united to the very one who himself is spotless, perfect, and from eternity. 

The Christian life is not a bunch of rules to follow or information to believe. It is living in this union with Christ. It is sharing in this life. 

What is Your Drift?

"People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward holiness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated." 
-D.A. Carson-


In this quote, I think Carson touches on a very important trend I've noticed within myself, and also among Christians in general. The trend is this: Grace and disciplined effort are opposed to each other. I'm afraid we have created a dichotomy between resting in God's grace and grace-driven effort as if the two are mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, a lot of times I find myself drifting into this mentality that mistakes laziness with true gospel rest. 


Yes, the gospel does save us from having to justify ourselves with our own works and from having to prove our selves day in and day out. However, it also saves us to something.  It frees us from the slavery of sin and of self-justification and, in turn, frees us to pursue righteousness. The gospel frees us to life as it was meant to be lived. 


In Christ, we are no longer slaves to drift into compromise, disobedience, and lifelessness. In Christ, we are free to drift towards God. We are free to experience his grace in such a way that we are driven to action. God's grace is the empowering force behind our discipline and it is our motivation. With that being said, diving deeper into in the gospel and the union we have with Christ necessarily results in actively sharing in this life. 


Further, as Carson points out, our default gravitation is not towards holiness. Our default mode is to sink deeper and deeper into self-worship. Therefore, we must run to the gospel everyday and look to God's grace as the source of our effort in order to live this life. It is a mistake to call this legalism or unnecessary effort. God longs for his children to live in him. He longs for his children to experience the power of his resurrection.  He longs for his children to freely obey him. We only find this in the gospel of God's grace. When we taste of this, only then will we be in hot pursuit of righteousness. 

"You No Longer Have to Spend the Rest of Your Life Chasing Your Tail"

A great post from Erik Most @ Glimpses of Grace. I am thankful for the gospel ministry of Tullian Tchividjian. This 6 minutes is well-worth listening to. Tullian is answering the questions posed in the book of Ecclesiates on purpose and meaning.


"He's saying look again at your sin. And be reminded that there is nothing you can do to save yourself. Then come up from that examination, and praise God! That in Christ, Jesus has done for sinners, like you and me, what we could ever do for ourself, EVER! And we can celebrate in this truth, that in my place he stood condemned, and sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!"

Morning Music Video

OK, the month of May was kind of a hiatus for me. But, since it is June 1st, I'm back and rolling and will hopefully will be posting more frequently.

A little over a week ago I had the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands, Page CXVI. Page CXVI started a project a few years back to remake hymns in order to make them more accessible. I love this band because of their creativity. They are simply great artists making great music; and they are doing it to some of the deepest, truest, and impactful lyrics ever produced. Below I'm posting one of their music videos to Come Thou Fount. I'm also attaching a link to the rest of their music videos that they have put out. I recommend checking out 'O Sacred Head', it's a great rendition.



How Deep the Father's Love For Us


O Sacred Head

Bring in all thy bills...

Investing our Hearts

"There is much unconquered territory in my nature, scourge out the buyers and sellers of my soul's temple, and give me in return pure desires, and longings after perfect holiness."

-Valley of Vision

Man, do these puritans hit the nail on the head.

The Royal Bath of Mercy

"The royal bath of mercy, wherein black souls are washed, was filled from the veins of Jesus; not a drop was contributed by any other being."

 

-Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Vol. 3, p. 196

This reminds me of a line from one of my favorite hymns: 

Nothing in my hand I bring

Simply to thy cross I cling

This Momentary Marriage

A powerful video. Originally posted on Desiring God, a ministry of John Piper.

Treatment for a self-centered heart: Look at Him

"We are all starved for the glory of God, not self. No one goes to the Grand Canyon to increase self-esteem. Why do we go? Because there is greater healing for the soul in beholding splendor than there is in beholding self. Indeed, what could be more ludicrous in a vast and glorious universe like this than a human being, on the speck called earth, standing in front of a mirror trying to find significance in his own self image? It is a great sadness that this is the gospel of the modern world.

But it is not the Christian Gospel. Into the darkness of petty self-preoccupation has shone the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God' (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Christian Gospel is about 'the glory of Christ', not about me. And when it is -- in some measure -- about me, it is not about my being made much of by God, but about God mercifully enabling me to enjoy making much of him forever."

-Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper

Ministers, Not Messiahs

A great quote from Bishop Oscar Romero. This is a helpful reminder to me that ministry is God's work. It is something he is doing. I simply have the privilege of participating. It is a work that is far beyond me. It doesn't depend on me and my performance. I don't have to be a messiah. I am a minister of what God has done, what he is doing, and what he will do. He is the master builder and messiah.

"It helps now and then to step back and take the long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetimes only a tiny fraction of that magnificent enterprise that is God's work.

Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. 

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the Church's mission.

No set of goals and objectives includes everything. 

That is what we are about. 

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. 

We lay foundations that will need further development. 

We provide yeast that will produce far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.

This enables us to do something and to do it very well. 

It may be incomplete, but is is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and to do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. 

We are the workers, not the master builder; ministers, not messiahs. 

We are prophets of a future, not our own."

Purpose of Affliction

"Tuesday August 2nd: Was still laboring to make myself more comfortable with regard to my house and lodging. Labored under spiritual anxiety; it seemed to me that I deserved to be kicked out of the world; yet found some comfort in committing my cause to God. It is good for me to be afflicted that I may die wholly to this world and all that is in it."

-The Life and Diary of David Brainerd

I am so quick to question the source and purpose of any affliction on my life, because I am in love with my own comfort. At the end of the day, it reveals what can be my limited belief in the sovereignty of God, and His love that keeps me. Brainerd reminds me of the great purpose behind affliction. I may think of it as something that holds me back. Rather, if it is causing me to die to myself, I am assured the Lord is using it to carry me forward in grace.

Waiting For the Real Superman

A great article from Christianity Today on the impact a Christian charter school is making in the inner-city of Minneapolis. It encourages me so much to see institutions exemplify the gospel by intentionally seeking out the lost and broken.

Waiting For the Real Superman

True Community

"There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community."--M. Scott Peck

I like this quote because I think it captures one of the immanent desires of every human heart; the desire to know, and to be known. Or, in other words, to love and to be loved. As humans, we were created for community. We were made to be in communion with God, and we were made to be in communion with one another. As Peck states, ultimately, there is no life without community. 

But what holds us back from this community for which we were created? What holds us back from the peace and life we all long to experience and feel through this transparent community? It is the fear of being known fully. It is the fear that when we are vulnerable, and people see the real us, there will not be community, but there will be rejection. 

The gospel allows us to experience true community, with God and with others, because it frees us to openly recognize our hidden mess. It frees us to acknowledge our sin, our brokenness, our fears, our inadequacies. So, as Peck touches on, experiencing true community or "life", starts with taking the risk of being vulnerable. It starts with the recognition of our own need and our own longing to be known and loved amidst our hidden mess. It starts with coming to Jesus as we truly are, poor and needy sinners. Here, is where true life is experienced. This is where we experience grace, joy, and love the most. 

No Ordinary People

Good stuff from my bronameth, Erik Most. You can find his blog HERE. 


Lewis:

"There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit..."

The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses p.46

I wonder how many times in my self centeredness I've engaged with people flippantly, in favor of my own agenda, or busy schedule, motivation, or intention. What would our relationships look like in our families, friendships, churches, work, and institutions if we internalized this sense of all peoples created in the image of God?

Wheaton College: Who We Are

A great video on Wheaton College. A couple years after graduating, I still love this place!

Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death-Defying Missions

Here is David Platt's full message from T4G 2012. I encourage you, find an hour to listen to this. It is well worth it.

Prayer

HT: Ray Ortlund

“See the man at midnight [described in Luke 11:5-8]. Imitate that man. Act it all alone at midnight. Hear his loud cry, and cry it after him. He needed three loaves. What is your need? Name it. Name it out loud. Let your own ears hear it. . . . The shameful things you have to ask for. The disgraceful, the incredible things you have to admit and confess. The life you have lived. The way you have spent your days and nights. And what all that has brought you to. It kills you to have to say such things even with your door shut. Yes, but better say all these things in closets than have them all proclaimed from the housetops of the day of judgment. Knock, man! Knock for the love of God! Knock as they knock to get into heaven after the door is shut! Knock, as they knock to get out of hell!”

Alexander Whyte, “The Man Who Knocked At Midnight,” in Lord, Teach Us To Pray (New York, n.d.), pages 174-176.

....

This is awesome. Lord, give us hearts of humility, confession and belief in your willingness to forgive, for the sake of Christ.

"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed."
(Mark 1:35 ESV)

Is Facebook Making Us Lonely

Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?

"Social media—from Facebook to Twitter—have made us more densely networked than ever. Yet for all this connectivity, new research suggests that we have never been lonelier (or more narcissistic)—and that this loneliness is making us mentally and physically ill. A report on what the epidemic of loneliness is doing to our souls and our society."

Pastors: Leading Their People to Death-Defying Devotion

"A high view of God's sovereignty fuels death-defying devotion to global missions"


"Pastors who believe that God is sovereign over all things will lead Christians to die for the sake of ALL peoples"

Just a couple opening quotes from David Platt's message he delivered at Together 4 the Gospel (T4G). I haven't read any of Platt's books (although I plan to) nor have I listened to much of his stuff, but from what I have heard, I love this guy and his passion for the gospel.

Being a Christian is intrinsically linked with mission. A legitimate belief in the God of the Bible fuels radical self-giving in the form of mission. I'm thankful for Platt, especially for that 2nd quote about pastors having the privilege of leading their people to die for the sake of the gospel going to ALL peoples. Most churches, and most pastors don't have the stomach to preach this. Yet, it is in the Bible. It is what Jesus said was necessary to follow him. Most pastors prefer to build up comfortable buildings for people to gather, giving them a few snippets of good advice for living, and enough assurance to soothe their religious conscious. This is nice, but this is not Christianity. This is not being a disciple of Jesus. This is not holding a high view of God's sovereignty. I'll be posting Platt's message here in a little bit. It is an hour long, but is well worth the time. John Piper is calling it the best sermon on missions he has ever heard. So, if you want to have your world rocked, check it out!