A group of us are going through the timeless classic book, Knowing God, by J.I. Packer.
I am hoping to write a chapter by chapter summary of the kernels of value that are in this little book.
Chapter 13, the Grace of God.
"It is a staple diet in the Sunday School that grace is God's riches at Christ's expense." ....and yet there do not seem to be many in our churches who actually believe in grace.
One must understand 4 crucial truths presupposed in the realm of the doctrine of grace.
1. The moral ill/desert of man. wow.
Modern men and women have such a high view of themselves, and they tend to think that their few good virtues compensate for their sins and vices, so that they don't really think there is anything wrong with them.
On top of that, they imagine God as a magnified image of themselsves, and because they are not bothered by their sins, they never consider truly God's condemnation over mankind which has utterly rebelled and are unclean and guilty.
2. The retributive justice of God.
Just as in J.I. Packer's time, we also turn a blind eye to wrongdoing and try to correct things only as a last resort. We then tend to think that this is a virtue, to not be overly principled and nitpicky, and consider that God must also be such.
The idea that retribution might be the moral law of God's world, and an expression of his holy character, seems to us quite fantastic. Yet God is very clearly the judge of all the earth and he WILL do right.
3. The spiritual impotence of man.
We have reverted to the same pattern of ancient pagans, who try to force their gods to answer them by the sheer amount of gifts and sacrifices, in today's time this is done by the amount of good works and morality. Yet the base line of the gospel is that "no one will be declared righteous in his light by observing the law. (Romans 3:20).
4. The sovereign freedom of God.
We think that God is so "nice" that he must forgive us, yet the only thing we can rightfully claim from God is justice, and for all of us that means condemnation. Paul says, "It does not depend on man's wlil or effor, but on God's mercy." (Romans 9:16).
God's grace is his showing goodness to persons who deserve only severity.
The words grace and salvation belong together as cause and effect. How often are we true to that?
There are three connections in the New Testament to grace:
1. the source of the pardon of sin.
2. The motive of the plan of salvation.
"the stars, indeed, may fall, but God's promises will stand and be fulfilled."
3. the guarantee of the preservation of the saints.
"I need not torment myself with the fear that my grace will keep me believing to the end. Faith in it's origin and continuance, is a gift of grace." (Phil. 1:29).
It has been said that in the New Testament doctrine is grace and ethics is gratitude. Love awakens love in return, and love, once awakened, desires to give pleasure, and the revealed will of God is that those who have received grace should henceforth give themselves to 'good works' and gratitude will move anyone who has truly received grace to do as God requires, and daily cry out, "Oh to grace how great a deptor, daily I'm constrained to be....take my heart oh, take and seal it, seal it from they courts above."
Chapter 14.
God the judge.
Do you believe as God, our judge?
"Many, it seems, do not. Speak to them of God as a Father, a friend, a helper, one who loves us despite all our weaknes and folly and sin, and their faces light up; you are on their wavelength at once. But speak to them aof God as Judge, and they frown and shake their heads."
Whether we like it or not, God as judge is a strong and repeated theme in the the Bible, both Old and New Testament.
The theme of God as judge is much more prevalent in the law and prophets than even the point of the coming Messiah! Wisdom literature and New Testament are also very sure and filled with this idea.
What does it then mean?
1. the judge is a person with authority. "....as our maker, he owns us, and as our owner, he has a right to dispose of us, to make lawas for us, to reward us whether or not we keep them."
2. The judge is a peson identified with what is both good and right. He loves justice, fair play, and loathes people being mistreated.
3. the judge is a person of wisdom, to discern truth. He needs no jury, as he is the seracher of hearts and the finder of facts.
4. The judge is a person of power, to execute sentence. Unlike the worlds view of judge, God is both legislator, sentencer, and punisher. And he can be because only he can be surely fair and right in all things.
5. Retribution. Christians, as well as non-Christians, will recieve according to their works.
"For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that each one may recieve what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10)
The doctrine of final judgement shows us that man is accountable to his thoughts and deeds, and there is a dignity in each humble action. Also, justice will finally triumph, and this gives calmness and assurance to those in the thick of the battle.
Jesus is given authority to Judge on the Fathers right hand.
Index of the heart. Our actions and words are an overflow of the heart, When we are justified by faith, and then we build upon our lives, either with eternal or wordly means. And this will be whosn in the end, in the time of judgement.
Also, where a man has been given much, much will be expected of him.
No need to flee. We all will appear before the judgement seat, and we known we in oursleves are not fit to face the judge. The most beautiful answer in the New Testament is: call on the coming Judge to be your present Savior.
"As the judge, he is hte law, but as Savior, he is the gospel." ....and then you will discover that you are looking forward to a furture meeting with joy, knowing that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom 8:1).
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