We begin in chapter 7 with The Doctrine of Salvation.
Also known as redemption applied, or how Jesus' accomplishment (see chapters 5 and 6) connects to us and how it reaches and saves us. Our condition pre-salvation: "We are not just weak, we are spiritually lifeless, dead (Ephesians 2:1)" (p. 125). What happens during the salvation process?
1. Regeneration - What Jesus speaks of when he says "born again." It is "new life brought about by the work of God's Spirit" (p. 130). We cannot do this in ourselves.
2. Repentance - To turn away from something, renounce it.
3. Faith - Believing "that Jesus can forgive and, by his death, cleanse us from all our guilt" (p. 136).
4. Justification - Declared righteous, because Jesus is righteous. We are given new legal status--we are given Christ's righteousness, He is given our guilt.
5. Adoption - God makes us part of his family--his sons and daughters--and he becomes our Father.
Now what? Sanctification.
Sanctification is "the ongoing process of change that begins the moment a person is saved and continues until that person's last breath. Sanctification is the journey of becoming holy, becoming like God" (p. 149). It is not an optional endeavor, for by it we show we know and love Jesus--though it has nothing to do with earning salvation. "We are saved only by grace (Ephesians 2:8). But the way we live proves the reality of our salvation" (p. 151). In short, we have been changed with a new life, a new family, and in our status by the work of Christ; we are being changed through repentance and faith and sanctification; and we will be changed fully and forever at Jesus' return with new bodies free from sin.
However, we are still enticed by our old desires, what the Bible calls "the flesh" and what theology calls indwelling or remaining sin. "Jesus broke the power of sin, but until we're in heaven, we still live with the presence and influence of sinful desires. Don't think it's a stalemate" (p. 159). It's not something we can live at peace with. We must fight it. It may be tempting to feed the flesh because we've already been freed from sin by the cross, but the flesh can grow into a huge problem and stifle our sanctification. Instead we should starve the flesh. "The reality of God's grace should never be an excuse to be unconcerned about holiness.... Grace doesn't lull us into indifference toward righteousness. It trains us and compels us toward self-control and godliness" (p. 164).
What's great is that being aware of sin gives us hope when we connect it with the gospel.
1. It explains life - why we are not free from temptation
2. It gives patience towards other Christians who are also fighting against indwelling sin
3. It brings humility - we become aware of our weakness, God's ongoing work, and that sweeps away self-righteousness
Okay, so what is sin? It is rebellion, "a willful choice from the heart to make something besides God our ultimate concern" (p. 166). Part of dealing with sin is repentance, which we discussed earlier (the other part is grace). But what are we turning to? Obedience based on convictions, "heart-level, settled belief[s] before God that [don't] change with our environment.... something we believe... because we are convinced it's what God would have us believe (p. 170). We must strive to become like Jesus, not just by not doing wrong but by pursuing obedience--"actively doing righteousness" (p. 171). We do this because we love Jesus and that's what it's all about.
Question: Are you aware of an area in your life needing sanctification that you've been avoiding? Maybe it's how you talk to your kids, or showing respect to your unbelieving husband, or gossiping at work. Does the idea of obedience as loving Jesus change your sense of need for change?
The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Whether you're cessasionist (believe the gifts ended with the last apostles) or continuationist (believe the gifts continue today), Harris focuses us on our common ground as believers: the Holy Spirit exists. So what do we know about him?
1. The Holy Spirit is God
2. The Holy Spirit is a person
3. The Holy Spirit partners with the Father and the Son in the work of salvation
4. The Holy Spirit is active in our sanctification
Jesus himself referred to the Holy Spirit as another Helper or Counselor. The Greek words is "paraclete," which means "one who advocates for, defends, counsels, encourages, comforts, and helps" (p. 192).
Question: "There is no greater gift that God bestows than the gift of his Spirit. Are you aware of how he is working in you?" (p. 186, emphasis added). Start paying attention even in the "mundane" things in your life and see where God shows you his Spirit actively working.
The Doctrine of the Church
Harris says it best: "Most Christians neglect the doctrine of the church.... How can we claim to know and love Jesus and yet be indifferent toward his bride, his temple, his family, his own body? Can I say that I love Jesus but hate the wife he cherishes? Can I say I enjoy spending time with him but refuse to enter his house? Can I claim friendship with Jesus but think his body is repulsive? It's not possible.... What if we learned that the church was so precious to Jesus that he was willing to shed his own blood to obtain it?" (p. 197-199).
Many treat the church as a gas station--a place to fill up on Sundays and then move right along. But as Harris puts it, "It's the bus I'm supposed to be traveling on" (p. 203). And it's not a trip we take alone, but rather with other believers.
There are two essential elements of a church:
1. Right preaching of God's word - this means presenting the gospel, "Jesus' substitutionary death and resurrection for sinners as its central message" (p. 203).
2. Right practice of baptism and communion - these things "[reemphasize] the necessity of the church being a defined community fixated on the gospel of Jesus Christ" (p. 203).
"Christians are to join an assembly not just for their own spiritual health but so that the world around them can clearly see the reality of Jesus Christ" (p. 205). "God's purpose for me is inextricably tied to his purpose for his people" (p. 207). The world can't see God. The church is how they see him. We are representing him to the world as we join our lives together in the church. But we can't do this only by hanging out in our local church. We must go into the world and show them a different way, a better way: the transforming power of the crucified, risen Christ. "The advance of God's kingdom takes time. And contact" (p. 213). And love has to fuel this mission: "He told us just to love him, love each other, and love the world by telling them about him" (p. 214).
Question: What is one way you can advance the kingdom of God this week, even from the boundaries of your home, in the way you teach your kids, or your attitude at your job?
Humble Orthodoxy
To refresh, orthodoxy means right thinking about God. What's he getting at with the humble part? "Whether our theological knowledge is great or small, we all need to ask a vital question: what will we do with the knowledge of God that we have? Will it lead us to an ever-growing desire to know and love the Lord? Will it practically affect the way we think and live? Will we have the courage to hold on to the truth even when it isn't popular/ And how will we express our beliefs? With humility--or with pride?" (p. 218).
Okay, so we want to be humble in our knowledge of God, but what does that look like?
1. Strong commitment to sound doctrine
2. Courageous standing for biblical truth
3. Gracious in words and interaction with other people - "Genuine orthodoxy--the heart of which is the death of God's Son for undeserving sinners--is the most humbling, human-pride-smashing message in the world. And if we truly konw the gospel of grace, it will create in us a heart of humility and grace toward others.... The humility we need in our theology is first and foremost a humility before God" (p. 225).
Question: In your teaching of your children, in your living of life before unbelieving coworkers, in your handling of conflict with your husband, are you putting the beauty of God's truth on display or are you obscuring it?
Next week, Jenny will kick off the discussion of our next book, Living the Cross Centered Life, by C.J. Mahaney, which we start on Monday, March 15. Make sure to stop by the bookstore this Sunday to pick up a copy.
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