ONE LIFE, ONE GODLINESS
13/06/24 08:17
The question is not only ‘How can we be right with God.’ But ‘How can we be fully human and fully alive?
LIVING WAY
The living way of this is succinctly written in John 14.20. ‘On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.’ This is the day our sonship begins to be restored and the beginning of our re-born life in Christ.
REDEEMED IN CHRIST
“The incarnational union was also an atoning union, in and through which our lost and damned humanity is redeemed, healed and sanctified in Jesus Christ. That means that the broken state of human personal being, resulting from the alienation of humanity from God and the conflict between them that became embedded within its very existence, is brought within the redeeming, healing and sanctifying activity of God in Jesus Christ.” (1) This is why Christ in us is the hope of glory in the living out of sonship in God in spirit and in truth. Christ and the indwelling trinity are the Source of our inner healing, resolve, peace and expression of the true self in life-giving ways.
WHO IS HOLY?
What does it mean to be holy as God is holy? It means to love, to be alive and to embrace truth.
JOINED TO CHRIST THEIR LIFE
Timothy Keller wrote, “The one doctrine which I have supremely in my heart is that of faith in Christ, from whom, through whom and unto whom all my theological thinking flows back and forth, day and night. This rock, which we call the doctrine of justification through faith, was shaken by Satan in paradise when he persuaded our first parents that they might by their own wisdom and power become like God. Every since then the whole world has invented innumerable religions and ways through which, without the aid of Christ, use their works to redeem themselves from evil and sins.”
HOW NOT TO BE STUFFED
But we are stuffed, if through misguide adaptation, our Christ is not the Christ of God but one of our own invention. We remain in our sins and do not overcome sins that so easily beset us because righteousness that is extrinsic to Christ has no power to transform.
ONLY ONE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SUFFICIENT
Timothy Keller wrote, “When Paul discusses the biblical doctrine of justification by faith he explains that there are several kinds of "righteousness." First, there is political or civil righteousness--the nation's public laws--which magistrates and lawyers may defend and teach. Second, there is cultural righteousness--the standards of our family and social grouping or class-which parents and schools may teach. Third, there is ethical righteousness--the Ten Commandments and law of God--which the church may teach but only in light of Christian righteousness. So all these may be received without danger, as long as we attribute to them no power to satisfy for sin, to please God, or to deserve grace....These kinds of righteousness are gifts of God, like all good things we enjoy.”
But they are inferior to Christ’s righteousness and have no power to transform our nature. When Paul discusses the biblical doctrine of justification by faith he explains that “There is another righteousness, far above the others, which Paul calls "the righteousness of faith" --Christian righteousness. God imputes it to us apart from our works--in other words, it is passive righteousness, as the others are active. For we do nothing for it, and we give nothing for it. We only receive it.”
We can, if we choose, insist on our weak gospel and adulterated grace. But what we are doing is continuing in the deception of the Fall by attempting to make a self as god, outside of the provision of God. This provision is ‘Christ who is our life’ as Paul declares. We have not helped people fully if we have not offered them the Bread of Life.
(1) Thomas Torrance, The Mediation of Christ, p 68.
(2) Timothy Keller, Galatians. p 17.
LIVING WAY
The living way of this is succinctly written in John 14.20. ‘On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.’ This is the day our sonship begins to be restored and the beginning of our re-born life in Christ.
REDEEMED IN CHRIST
“The incarnational union was also an atoning union, in and through which our lost and damned humanity is redeemed, healed and sanctified in Jesus Christ. That means that the broken state of human personal being, resulting from the alienation of humanity from God and the conflict between them that became embedded within its very existence, is brought within the redeeming, healing and sanctifying activity of God in Jesus Christ.” (1) This is why Christ in us is the hope of glory in the living out of sonship in God in spirit and in truth. Christ and the indwelling trinity are the Source of our inner healing, resolve, peace and expression of the true self in life-giving ways.
WHO IS HOLY?
What does it mean to be holy as God is holy? It means to love, to be alive and to embrace truth.
JOINED TO CHRIST THEIR LIFE
Timothy Keller wrote, “The one doctrine which I have supremely in my heart is that of faith in Christ, from whom, through whom and unto whom all my theological thinking flows back and forth, day and night. This rock, which we call the doctrine of justification through faith, was shaken by Satan in paradise when he persuaded our first parents that they might by their own wisdom and power become like God. Every since then the whole world has invented innumerable religions and ways through which, without the aid of Christ, use their works to redeem themselves from evil and sins.”
HOW NOT TO BE STUFFED
But we are stuffed, if through misguide adaptation, our Christ is not the Christ of God but one of our own invention. We remain in our sins and do not overcome sins that so easily beset us because righteousness that is extrinsic to Christ has no power to transform.
ONLY ONE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SUFFICIENT
Timothy Keller wrote, “When Paul discusses the biblical doctrine of justification by faith he explains that there are several kinds of "righteousness." First, there is political or civil righteousness--the nation's public laws--which magistrates and lawyers may defend and teach. Second, there is cultural righteousness--the standards of our family and social grouping or class-which parents and schools may teach. Third, there is ethical righteousness--the Ten Commandments and law of God--which the church may teach but only in light of Christian righteousness. So all these may be received without danger, as long as we attribute to them no power to satisfy for sin, to please God, or to deserve grace....These kinds of righteousness are gifts of God, like all good things we enjoy.”
But they are inferior to Christ’s righteousness and have no power to transform our nature. When Paul discusses the biblical doctrine of justification by faith he explains that “There is another righteousness, far above the others, which Paul calls "the righteousness of faith" --Christian righteousness. God imputes it to us apart from our works--in other words, it is passive righteousness, as the others are active. For we do nothing for it, and we give nothing for it. We only receive it.”
We can, if we choose, insist on our weak gospel and adulterated grace. But what we are doing is continuing in the deception of the Fall by attempting to make a self as god, outside of the provision of God. This provision is ‘Christ who is our life’ as Paul declares. We have not helped people fully if we have not offered them the Bread of Life.
(1) Thomas Torrance, The Mediation of Christ, p 68.
(2) Timothy Keller, Galatians. p 17.
