Morals Driven v.s. Gospel Driven
[This was written as a response to an objection raised against a gosepl centered approach to the book of Hebrews.]
I grew up in Sunday Schools who often used Bible Stories as a way to spur the children on to obedience.. Is this kind of approach familiar with anyone? Joshua was a strong leader therefore you go and be a strong leader. Enoch walked with God and never died therefore it is your duty to walk with God. What do you notice about this kind of approach to teaching? I think that it is radically man-centered and hopelessly Christ-less. I don’t think that it’s God’s intention for us to learn “by example.” Paul resolved to preach nothing but “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” If the gospel is not the center of our preaching, exhorting, interpreting, studying, and living, then our lives will be hopelessly stuck in the quicksand of moralism and man centered ethics.
If the message of hope lies in the reality that “not everyone hardened their hearts” then our “message of hope” excludes Jesus Christ and ignores Heb. 8:1-2. This kind of reasoning is typical of the Arminian driven approach to Christianity preached in many of our pulpits and churches today. It’s dangerous because it places the power of faith and godliness within the hands of men and ignores the past and present work of Christ for his people. Faith is the most supernatural, beautiful, and wonderful act that a Christian possesses. To say that man can conjure it up in his own strength and “through example” live a life of fidelity towards God is both preposterous and radically semi Pelagian. Only God can sovereingly work both justifying and sanctifying faith within us. He uses the Word of God and the Spirit of God to direct our minds towards Jesus whose work (past and present) enables us to worship, grow, obey, and love. Hebrews is written to exalt Jesus Christ and to present Him as the glorious high priestly King whose vicarious life and death is the foundation for our justification and whose present high priestly ministry is the foundation for our sanctification.
I grew up in Sunday Schools who often used Bible Stories as a way to spur the children on to obedience.. Is this kind of approach familiar with anyone? Joshua was a strong leader therefore you go and be a strong leader. Enoch walked with God and never died therefore it is your duty to walk with God. What do you notice about this kind of approach to teaching? I think that it is radically man-centered and hopelessly Christ-less. I don’t think that it’s God’s intention for us to learn “by example.” Paul resolved to preach nothing but “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” If the gospel is not the center of our preaching, exhorting, interpreting, studying, and living, then our lives will be hopelessly stuck in the quicksand of moralism and man centered ethics.
If the message of hope lies in the reality that “not everyone hardened their hearts” then our “message of hope” excludes Jesus Christ and ignores Heb. 8:1-2. This kind of reasoning is typical of the Arminian driven approach to Christianity preached in many of our pulpits and churches today. It’s dangerous because it places the power of faith and godliness within the hands of men and ignores the past and present work of Christ for his people. Faith is the most supernatural, beautiful, and wonderful act that a Christian possesses. To say that man can conjure it up in his own strength and “through example” live a life of fidelity towards God is both preposterous and radically semi Pelagian. Only God can sovereingly work both justifying and sanctifying faith within us. He uses the Word of God and the Spirit of God to direct our minds towards Jesus whose work (past and present) enables us to worship, grow, obey, and love. Hebrews is written to exalt Jesus Christ and to present Him as the glorious high priestly King whose vicarious life and death is the foundation for our justification and whose present high priestly ministry is the foundation for our sanctification.
posted by ReformedVictorious at 9:27 PM
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