Do work, son.

In October of 1517, the great reformer, Martin Luther, posted his 95 Theses on the doors of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. He was fighting Catholic doctrine and religious practices, namely the use of indulgences--the idea that sin could be forgiven by essentially paying the Church. Salvation reseted not in the shed blood of Christ but in doing things to earn one's way into Heaven. Luther took a stand for justification by faith alone through grace alone.

Elyse and I have almost completed our study of James and while we haven't been able to discuss that much, as our schedules have been busy and incompatible, I know that the study has been teaching each of us a lot. Lately, I have been really convicted by passages like James 2:22, 24, and 26.

"You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works...You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone...For as the body apart form the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."

James is not arguing Catholic dogma & religious practice, the need for penance and/or indulgences-- faith BY works. Rather, he is making a case for faith THAT works. James knows that faith cannot be earned. He is exhorting his readers to action that is compelled by Christ's work on the cross for them. 

Faith and works go hand in hand, one cannot be without the other. Evidence of salvation is works, doing things out of a love for God; not to bring about salvation, but because salvation has been granted to us. We recognize that salvation and justification are by grace alone, but a heart changed by the Gospel will be pressed to do things for God's glory.

It's hard for me to walk this fine line, believing and acting upon faith THAT works. Too easy is it for my heart to fall into either legalism or lawlessness. Legalism thinking I can do something to earn a better standing with God, telling myself i don't read enough. I don't pray enough. I don't evangelize enough. "Enough" is the worst word in the Christian faith. We can't do enough. Christ did enough and praise God that His righteousness has been imputed to us that we might stand before God justified. But, at the same time, in my wickedness and depravity I twist and rape the goodness of the Gospel and turn it into antinomianism, the idea that because I am freed from the bondage of the law & am covered with Christ's righteousness, I can do [or not do] whatever the freak I please.

People who genuinely have faith THAT works are hard to come by. "Christians" usually fall into one of the camps, either legalism or its polar opposite antinomianism. I know this side of Eternity no one will be perfect and I know that is why the Gospel is not only needed but treasured. But it still begs me to question, Where are all the godly men and women?

T.

John & Molly.

Today marks the day that John Wesley literally fell for his future wife, Molly. As the story goes Wesley was off on some preaching tour but was unable to complete it when he slipped on some ice and sprained his ankle. He cancelled his preaching thing and went to spend a week at Molly's so that she could care for him. Soon after the two were married. But not happily.

This past Sunday our sophomore girl class [finally] had our first single gender prayer meeting. We've been trying to get together since last quarter, but everyone is so busy that it has been difficult. I was starting to think everyone hated God/ the only reason why we all went to normal class prayer meetings were for the boys. Just kidding!

Anyways. For girl's prayer meeting we are going to study "Biblical Femininity" by examining 1 Peter 3: 1-7. Pray for us. It will be interesting, especially considering the scrutiny that this passage has suffered in our modern cultural context. I also think that this will be one of the best things we could study at this time. We're at (or we've been at) that age where the semantics of the term "woman" are crucial. 

"Woman". Not a girl. "Woman". Not a man. Feminine maturity & feminine... femininity.

So what does this have to do with Wesley's marriage? Wesley liked Molly because he thought she was attractive not godly. He thought she dressed nicely. Molly's fault was her unwillingness to submit. 

I hope that as we study 1 Peter that we will become godly women. Godly women  who attract godly men for the right reasons, are wise & discerning, and who above all love God.

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she will be praised."

T.

Irony.

Elyse and I have restarted our study of James for this year. I love the book of James. And though Luther called it the "Epistle of Straw", I'm certain it is part of God's inspired Word and find it intensely practical & theological. James doesn't mess around. He writes his greeting and then he's off to doctrine and how to apply it. The short epistle acts as a litmus test for the Christian, allowing us to examine our lifestyles-- the way we react to trials, our speech, how we treat others, etc--and it causes us to look at our hearts--what motivates and compels us to act Christian. 

We finished the first chapter. Joy in trials. I love how God orchestrates things so that all that I am learning will interconnect and how it all comes at the perfect time. In CCM this week we learned all about suffering & sanctification. And how fitting this was in light of this crazy week with midterms, the general busyness of this year, & this sucky spiritual dryness that I feel has been plaguing my soul. Yet, amidst these things I can still rejoice & find comfort in the grace of God.

Lately, ironies of the Christian faith have been more apparent to me; and O! how I love them! Because of the Gospel, trials-- which the world would deem as unkind or unfair of a loving God to give me--are evidences of His faithfulness, love, and grace, in that they are given to make me more into the likeness of Christ. 

Even this time of dryness has been such a blessing. It sucks that my heart is so "prone to wander" & so apt to whore itself to the world, misplacing its affections in things other than the Gospel. But, this battle is showing me how much I need God. I know that Christ not only saved me, but that it is the Gospel that will also sustain me and move me through sanctification to glorification. I cannot wait for that day when my sin will cease & I will be able to see my Saviour. Until then, I shall continually echo the statement of the father in Mark 9, "I do believe; help my unbelief."