Poverty of spirit and the glory of God

“When the gospel comes to you, it will come to you only if you only if you get rid of your middle class spirit and become poor in spirit. You cannot be a Christian unless you are poor in spirit. You cannot be a Christian if you are middle class in spirit. What do I mean by that? I will tell you. Religion appeals to the able. Religion appeals to people who say, “I can do it if I work hard enough.” But the gospel only comes into the lives of people who are poor in spirit who say I have absolutely nothing of value, and I have no power, and no choices, and I need to rely completely on the salvation and sheer grace of Jesus Christ. If you are middle class in spirit you cannot be saved. You’ll enjoy religion. You’ll love religion. But the gospel is not religion.” Tim Keller

In regard to being justified by our obedience, Jonathan Edwards says this, “It diminishes the glory of the grace of God and the Redeemer, and proportionably magnifies man.”

- A few more Edwards quotes -

“Faith abases men and glorifies God.”

“It is the delight of the believing soul to abase itself and exalt God alone: that is the language of it.”

I never tire of hearing the gospel. I read these Edwards quotes yesterday and found the Keller quote this morning in my desk. I am grateful to know that my obedience (even Holy Spirit powered obedience) does not qualify me for God’s presence. I spent so many years believing that obedience saved me. I am so thankful to know that God is glorified when I admit my only hope is the cross of Jesus Christ.

Quote and Hymn of the Day Come Ye Sinners by Joseph Hart

"Works! Works! Can a man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand." George Whitfield in his last sermon

Come, Ye Sinners

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus, ready, stands to save you,
Full of pity, joined with power.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing; doubt no more.

Come ye needy, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Without money, without money
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry ’til you’re better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous;
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you, this He gives you,
’Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.

Our filthy righteousness

Isaiah 64:6
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away

"The best obedience of my hands
dares not appear before Thy throne
But faith can answer Thy demands
By pleading what my Lord has done"

From 'I Boast No More' by Isaac Watts

I had a really good day today. Flat tires, unexpected meetings, and sickness were the rule and not the exception, but through it all the Holy Spirit gave me strength to bless God's name and turn to him when trials came. There was victory through the fight.

The good days present one of the worst temptations a Christian can face. Good days (and for lack of a better phrase - good performances)tempt me to approach God on my own merit instead of the sacrifice of Christ. As I was driving home from work and thinking of my day I realized my sin. I realized (by the Spirit's conviction) that I needed to repent for my trust in my "goodness."

One of my favorite gospel preachers says, "Pharisees repent for their badness. Christians repent for their goodness." Jesus said the prostitutes and tax collectors would enter the kingdom before the Pharisees because they saw their need for a savior. I am thankful today that God has allowed me to see that my righteousness is as a filthy rag before His holiness. I am broken and humbled to know that my best obedience does not dare approach God's throne. However, I approach him boldly tonight knowing my Redeemer lives and is interceding for me based on his perfect righteousness.

Hymn of the Day - Let us Love and Sing in Wonder by John Newton and The Justice of God is Satisfied in Christ

Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
John Newton

Let us love and sing and wonder
Let us praise the Savior’s name
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame
He has washed us with His blood
He has washed us with His blood
He has washed us with His blood
He has brought us nigh to God

Let us love the Lord Who bought us
Pitied us when enemies
Called us by His grace and taught us
Gave us ears and gave us eyes
He has washed us with His blood
He has washed us with His blood
He has washed us with His blood
He presents our souls to God

Let us sing though fierce temptation
Threaten hard to bear us down
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conqu’ror’s crown
He, Who washed us with His blood,
He, Who washed us with His blood,
He, Who washed us with His blood,
Soon will bring us home to God

Let us wonder grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store
When through grace in Christ our trust is
Justice smiles and asks no more
He Who washed us with His blood
He Who washed us with His blood
He Who washed us with His blood
Has secured our way to God

Let us praise and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high
Here they trusted Him before us
Now their praises fill the sky
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood
Thou art worthy Lamb of God

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Sin certainly needs to be redefined in our modern culture. Our society (religious as well as non-religious) is permeated with a high view of mans' ability and virtue. But if we are honest with ourselves we know and feel the chasm that exists between ourselves and a perfectly holy and just God. In fact, the chasm is so vast, not even God himself could just "make it better." Just forgiving (if there really is such a thing) is not an option. Anyone who has truly been wronged knows that true forgiveness involves voluntary suffering. True forgiveness is only given when the person wronged pays the debt down for the other person. When Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died with the sin of the world on his shoulders, he was voluntarily suffering in our place. He took the wrath and justice of God for us.

This is one of the most unbelievable parts of the gospel to me. God has set up redemption in such a way that he would be unjust to punish those whose faith is in Christ. He has been wounded for our transgressions. Sin doesn't need to be punished twice. Those who are in Christ will never die because the Son has died in their place. My favorite line in the hymn of the day is:

"Let us wonder grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store
When through grace in Christ our trust is
Justice smiles and asks no more"

Justice is satisfied in Christ. He has taken the sword of God. He has borne the weight of God's wrath and made a way for salvation. Let us love and sing in wonder at this great and amazing salvation.