Tag: Kevin DeYoung

Our New Position in Christ

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HoleHolinessThe gospel aids our pursuit of holiness by telling us the truth about who we are.  Certain sins become more difficult when we understand our new position in Christ.  If we heirs to the whole world, why should we envy?  If we are God’s treasured possession, why be jealous?  If God is our Father, why be afraid?  If we are dead to sin, why live in it?  If we’ve been raised with Christ, why continue in our old sinful ways?  If we are seated in the heavenly places, why act like the devil of hell?  If we are loved with an everlasting love, why are we trying to prove our worth to the world?  If Christ is all in all, why am I so preoccupied with myself?

– Kevin DeYoung in The Hole in Our Holiness

Supernatural Power

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HoleHolinessThe same Spirit who was present at creation and caused you to be born again is at work to empower your inner person (that is, your will or heart) so that you might resist sins you couldn’t resist before and do the good things which would otherwise be impossible.  Defeatist Christians who do not fight against sins because they figure they were “born this way” or “will never change” or “don’t have enough faith” are not being humble.  They dishonor the Holy Spirit who strengthens us with supernatural power.
– Kevin DeYoung in The Hole in our Holiness

The Hole In Our Holiness

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HoleHolinessI recently read The Hole In Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung, a much needed book to refocus our eyes on what God has called his people to be.  Here are a few good quotes to ponder and live out:

The Great Commission is about holiness.  God wants the world to know Jesus, believe in Jesus, and obey Jesus.  We don’t take the Great Commission seriously if we don’t help each other grow in obedience.

The faith that joins you to Christ and makes you right with God is a faith that works itself out in love.

Christians should display a consistent pattern of obedience, along with a quick habit of going to God for cleansing when they are disobedient.

Holiness is not ultimately about living up to a moral standard.  It’s about living in Christ and living out of our real, vital union with him….  Our progress in the pursuit of holiness comes largely from understanding and appropriating our union with Christ.

When it comes to sanctification, it’s more important where you’re going than where you are.  Direction matters more than position.  Your future progress speaks louder than your present placement.

Repentance is a way of life for the holy child of God.

Regret feels bad about past sins.  Repentance turns away from past sins.  Regret looks to our own circumstances.  Repentance looks to God.

Disappointment at Church

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It happens all the time.  People become disappointed in their church and leave.  Maybe they were offended by someone.  Maybe they didn’t feel like anyone cared.  Maybe an important crisis or milestone in their life was missed.  Any number of reasons can cause disappointment in church.

Yet the local church is the context God created for us to grow in our walk with the Lord.  We were saved individually to be part of a community – the body of Christ.  Leaving a church in most situations neither helps the person leaving or the church.  And those who walk away from church altogether do terrible harm to their walk with Christ.  Again, God did not save us to be lone ranger Christians – he saved us into the body of Christ.

How can the church address these disappointments?  What can pastors do?  What can the disappointed do?  Kevin DeYoung gives some great thoughts on this in a three part blog.  Part 1 is an introduction.  Part 2 is addressed to pastors.  Part 3 is addressed to the disappointed.  By reading and applying these ideas, our churches could become much stronger and more united.  May God grant this in each of our churches.

Loving Christ and his Church

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I had the opportunity today to attend a pastors conference entitled “Don’t Stop Loving The Church” with Kevin DeYoung, Ted Kluck, and Mike Wittmer.  A few take home points:

DeYoung: Some folks want Jesus without the church, but if the church is built on Christ’s foundation, then without the church we have a basement without a house.  If the church is the body of Christ, then without the church we have a head without a body.  If the church is the bride of Christ, then without the church we have a wedding without the bride.

Of course all of these things are absurd (or disgusting), and in the same way so is trying to claim Christ without his church.  If we love Christ, we must love his church.

Wittmer: Some folks want to be part of the universal church but not a local church.  That’s like being married but never living together.  (Think about it.)

Also Wittmer: It is not enough to be Christ-centered.  We need to ask: who is the Christ we are centered on?

Indeed, a good question.  Is it the Jesus revealed in the Bible or a Jesus made up from our own imagination?  This question may have many applications, but on this topic consider that the Jesus of the Bible is passionate about his church (he loved her so much, he died for her – Ephesians 5).  If that is not our view of Jesus, then our view of Jesus is simply wrong.  Or if we hold that view of Jesus but still refuse to love his church, then to that extent we fail to love Jesus.  I will never believe you if you claim to love me but reject my wife.  It is no different if we claim to love Christ but reject his church.

Someone might say that church is full of problems (add your list here).  Granted, but Jesus still loved her and died for her, and he calls us to love with the same love he has.

Let’s drop the nonsense about embracing Jesus but rejecting his church.  If we really love Jesus, we will love his church too.