Hardness of Heart

The descent into sin is often a consequence of slow hardening of the heart.  Likewise, repentance and the rise out of sin requires what is often a slow softening of the heart.

Paul makes it plain in Romans, Chapter 2, that full knowledge of the Law -- the difference between right and wrong -- is perfectly compatible with blindness toward one's own depravity.  Jesus said (Matt 23) that the Pharisees sat in Moses' Seat, but blindly and continually broke the law.  This happened because of the hardness of their hearts.  Jesus' story about logs in ones own eyes, compared to splinters in others could fit here, too.  

Therefore, if we even recognize our sin as sin, what passes for "repentance" may often not be very serious.  From bare knowledge of the Law, one can admit to sin.  But, it requires divine illumination to see sin in its true light -- to be horrified by it -- to be repulsed by it -- to hate it and pray against it.  While the heart is still hard, insensitive to sin, it is profoundly easy to fall again, because the only real fear is the fear of being discovered by man.  Softening of heart takes time.  In fact, it is a lifelong process.  It's a common thing for old men who are godly to repent of sins they committed at much younger ages.  Back then, those sins which were so easily ignored are now repugnant in memory.

It's interesting to notice the relationship between Law and Gospel in this matter.  The Pharisees could thoroughly understand how to apply the Law to others, but not to themselves.  It is beyond human capacity.  Bare knowledge of the law may harden you in your own sin.  Only the Gospel delivers from sin.  "Come unto me," said Jesus, and "I will give you rest."  Only the grace of Christ softens the heart.  This is the real work of sanctification, and it is not a work of man.

We ought to continually repent and believe the gospel of our Lord, worship the Triune God, pray, especially for others, fight sin always, and never stop serving Him -- and wait for His deliverance.

It will come.

Sin shall not have dominion over us, because we are not under Law but under Grace.

Finish Well

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.     2 Peter 3:9

In some eras and theological regions of the church there have been seasons when excruciating emphasis has been laid on starting well in the Christian life.

Now, it is excruciatingly important to know the right teaching about Christ -- the right gospel -- that Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, gave himself for our sins, died and rose again, ascended, and reigns from heaven, forgiving repentant sinners and adopting them as his children, and giving them spiritual enablement to begin to follow him.

But, knowing our own hearts -- it's sometimes another thing.  Some have great assurance in Christ, but some have little.  Some backslide and wonder if they can be recovered.  Some wonder if they were ever saved.  Some have even gone through the motions of baptism many times.

But, when I read the Scripture I don't see an excruciating emphasis on the kind of introspection that wonders if I've started well -- or at all.  The emphasis in Scripture for the baptized is on disregarding what is behind, confessing sins, daily (or hourly) grasping hold of Christ in his grace, pressing forward only in reliance on him, and keeping this faith until the end.

See the quotation at the start of this post?  Peter addresses "you"!  He is not addressing outsiders.  Peter is speaking to the visible church -- the real, solid Church of Christ on earth -- filled with saints and hypocrites, and those who struggle to be spiritual -- and he is saying that the Lord is patient -- so patient that some could accuse him of slowness in fulfilling his promise of redemption.  But he is so patient, so that all of "you" can come to repentance.

The message is the same for all.  For however long you've been a Christian, or however long you've wondered whether you are one, begin again now to trust and follow Christ, in the midst of his church. 

Receive anew the gift of salvation -- every day -- and in so doing, you will finish well!

The Theater of Life

We come into this life with a role to play in the theater of life.  Though this role has been assigned by Christ, it's not always in every way the role that we think we want.

We need to remember that our role in the play ends soon, but that the after-party is a really big deal that goes on forever.  Eternal, glorious rewards for excellence in playing our roles as Christians are given out!

However huge the sufferings and disappointments in this life, the reward for endurance is infinitely greater.  The assigned role can become the real "me"!  This gets the reward that counts!

Objective Justification

We're not commonly exposed to the doctrine of "objective justification."  An example of this way of preaching the gospel is found in 2 Cor 5:18-21:

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,  19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 

This refers to the accomplished and finished reconciliation of the world to God through the finished work of Christ on the cross.  God is judicially reconciled with the world.  God is not potentially reconciled, but is actually reconciled. There is all encouragement that God receives us for Christ's sake, and there is nothing left for anyone to do but to receive this.  There is no "work" left to be done by man.  The objective, finished justification is received by faith.

The gospel is then preached not as if God were imperiously demanding our submission, but rather that he is pleading for men to rest in the finished work of his son:

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.  21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

On the basis of Paul's teaching here, one can teach that the reconciliation of the world is accomplished, and not tentatively, but finally.  The word of the gospel is the word of the finished reconciliation.  God is not angry with sinners any more, but sinners are angry with God.  Hearing that God is no longer angry, they should be reconciled to God and accept the objective justification that Jesus Christ has earned for them.  They should believe the gospel.  Faith is not a work.  The truth is simply received. 

Objections:

It is not as if God were content with persons in their natural state, regardless of whether or not they believe.  He is not.  But, he is reconciled with all men in the preaching of the gospel.  There is nothing one can do to ingratiate oneself with God or to earn the application of the merits of Christ.  Just believe the truth.

Nor does this doctrine of objective justification imply that God in Christ is frustrated by those who never receive his atonement.  The death of Christ does not go for nought, but fully reconciles those whom he has predestined to glory.

Conclusions:

There are many theological mysteries which cannot be answered, but this passage shows how the gospel is preached.  God is already reconciled to sinners in the gospel.  Sinners need to hear that Christ's work is finished, and that God is no longer angry, in Christ.  They should freely receive it!

One should also carefully inspect the context of this passage in Chapter 5 and 6 of the epistle.  It's not only about calling outsiders into the faith, but is also, even mainly, about calling people to rest in Christ who are in the church and who already profess his Lordship!  The context is dealing with unbelief!  It's not only the outsiders and "sinners" who need to hear this gospel and effectively rest on the rock Christ.  It is us.

Perseverance and Apostasy (v3)

Article v3, because it's hard to exactly rightly say this.

Paul speaks of his own need to persevere previously to Chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians, and he continues his argument as follows, as he quotes the experience of Israel in the wilderness (my underlines and [square brackets]):

1 Corinthians 10:1-14 

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [analogy to water baptism into Christ], all ate the same spiritual food,  and all drank the same spiritual drink [analogy to the Lord's Supper]. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ [their sacraments connected them with Christ].  But with most of them [church-members] God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 

They were apostates.  They had professed allegience to God, but proved themselves unreliable, due to their lack of faith.  Considerable material may be accumulated from Scripture to show that the apostates were regarded by the Israelite leadership as not possessing the "circumcision of the heart," that is, true spiritual rebirth.

Now let us see how Paul treats the Corinthians, as he draws the analogy between ancient Israelite apostasy and what can happen in the church (i.e., at Corinth):

Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.  And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."  Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;  nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;  nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 

We speak from the true, but hidden perspective of deity when we recognize that the ancient and the modern rebel church-members who give way unreservedly to sin are not regenerate.  But, Paul does not accuse the Corinthians of this.  Rather, he exhorts them to prevent their own apostasy!  In other words, rather than threatening the Corinthians' conversions to be false, Paul appeals to them as church members:

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 

The principle is enunciated:

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 

This is not just a warning against the consequences of falling into any kind of sin that Christians can commit and be disciplined.  It is best, and makes most sense, to refer this warning to the threat of apostasy.  Let all those who profess faith take heed to avoid falling into sin, because unreserved falling into sin may lead to apostasy.  By taking heed, apostasy will be prevented.

Furthermore:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

In other words, God will not allow you to apostatize, because he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to withstand.  This is a promise to those who believe.

Put simply, there are two truths here:

1)  We must take heed not to fall into apostasy through the seductiveness of sin.

2)  God will not permit us to be tempted beyond our capacity to resist falling into apostasy through the seductiveness of sin.

Each of us who truly know the Lord must hold both sides of this exhortation in our minds:  I must take heed not to let the deceitfulness of sin lead me to apostasy; and, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will, by grace, never permit me to fall unreservedly into sin leading to apostasy!

The mystery of the divine sovereignty of grace and human responsibility in grace cannot be resolved by the mind of man.  We have to have both -- confidence always first in the free grace of Christ, because the outcome does not depend on us, but also God-given caution that causes us to flee to God (instead of away from God) when sin threatens, or when we are found in it.