Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Swim in the Reality of What You Have

Some of the best writing on the meaning of grace and acceptance in Christ continues to come from Tullian Tchividjian:
"Christian growth does not happen by working hard to get something you don’t have. Rather, Christian growth happens by working hard to daily swim in the reality of what you do have. Believing again and again the gospel of God’s free, justifying grace everyday is the hard work we’re called to.

This means that real change happens only as we continuously rediscover the gospel. The progress of the Christian life is “not our movement toward the goal; it’s the movement of the goal on us.” Sanctification involves God’s attack on our unbelief—our self-centered refusal to believe that God’s approval of us in Christ is full and final. It happens as we daily receive and rest in our unconditional justification. As G. C. Berkouwer said, “The heart of sanctification is the life which feeds on justification.”"
From:  Tullian Tchividjian - Rethinking Spiritual Growth

Hat Tip: Vitamin Z

2 comments:

  1. In the New Testament, Paul said that you (the people he was addressing in the early churches) were already resurrected --in Christ, and to live their lives accordingly.

    Believe it or not, it was an Irish theologian from the notorious Jesus Committee who drew my attention to it!

    I came to this blog by way of the 'next blog' feature. There are no accidents with God.

    Cheers, Bob

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  2. Bob - Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you will come back and comment some more.

    Glad to hear the Irish are still "saving civilization," and I agree, there are no accidents with God!

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