Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Cross Centered Life Discussion

"Do you desire more passion for Jesus Christ? Return to the very essence of your faith-the cross of Christ. Here, the deepest truths of Calvary will stir your passion for him into an unquenchable fire" (C.J. Mahaney). Read the book and join in the online conversation. Get into discussions at the dinner table, when out with friends, maybe even at lunch with co-workers. Ask God to use this book to transform, inspire and ignite the New Hope Church family as we prepare for Easter 2010 and move beyond the season and live out our daily lives.
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4 comments:

  1. Pastor BryanMarch 5, 2010 at 3:50 PM

    Hi Steve,

    Thanks for logging on to the blog, but I've removed your comment. The point of this blog is to discuss The Cross-Centered Life, not to assess C.J. Mahaney or Sovereign Grace Ministries (full disclosure: C.J. is one of my spiritual heroes).

    That's not to say that we wouldn't welcome critical comments regarding the actual content of the book. In fact, that can help generate interesting and engaging discussion, and I will certainly respond! So if you've read the book and would like to discuss its content (you or anyone else!), please do post your thoughts.

    Thanks, friend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 14, 2010 at 3:13 PM

    Pastor Bryan,
    Chapter three is interesting.
    Justification provides for eternal life.
    But what benefit is there from being more or less involved in Sanctfication?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Q DaddyMarch 19, 2010 at 9:11 PM

    Anonymous,

    I think one way to look at it is that, as you stated, justification provides for eternal life and then to consider that sanctification prepares us for eternal life. Might be oversimplifying it, but...

    One area where I sometimes have difficulty is separating being legalistic with becoming sanctified. It can be easy to think that our process of becoming sanctified somehow adds to our justification.
    I really appreciated chapter 3 and believe that it is important, paraphrasing CJ Mahaney, to pray, thanking God for sending His son, who alone, justifies us and that we seek His will for us as we become more sanctified by living in Christ Jesus.

    PB,or someone else care to help us out a little more here?

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  4. Pastor BryanMarch 23, 2010 at 11:30 AM

    Q Daddy and Anonymous,

    I think the best way to think about all of this is to recognize that justification and sanctification are inseparable. In other words, biblically speaking, a person cannot be justified but then refuse to be sanctified. If a person does not make progress in sanctification over the course of their life, it demonstrates that they were never truly justified (Hebrews 12:14).

    On the other hand, if a person is truly justified, sanctification will inevitably follow and confirm their justification (2 Peter 1:10).

    Every genuine believer makes progress in sanctification as an outworking of their justification. Justification provides the "forensic" righteousness that covers us as we progress (sometimes very slowly!) in sanctification

    ReplyDelete

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