"To make this as simple as possible, let me say it this way: Justification is all about Jesus. Jesus' work, not our works, saves us. Jesus' Life, not our works, saves us. Jesus' life, not our own life, is our hope. Jesus' death, not our religious works , is our payment. Jesus alone forgives sin. So, we're to repent of our sin to Jesus. Jesus alone gives righteousness. So we trust in Jesus for our justification. Our justification is not accomplished in any part by our own work, morality or religious devotion. Justification is accomplished by Jesus plus nothing, and Jesus plus anything ruins everything.....
...You are free to stop working for your righteousness and start working from Jesus' righteousness."
-Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are?: Finding Your True Identity in Christ, page 144
The Bible teaches us to be missional, but not worldly, to love the neighbor, but not love the idols of the neighbor. Jacob's family suffered drastic consequences when he chose to buy the land in Shechem rather than than to go to Bethel, or to Isaac. Instead, he learnt the hard way the consequences of remaining in Shechem. Requiring unbelievers to practice merely for the sake of complying with the church culture would be like Jacob's sons to be circumcised in order to mingle with them. The men of Shechem happily consented, knowing the type of benefits they would get from Jacob and his people. We need to be intensely missional, using the following passage as the guiding principle:
ReplyDelete1 Corinthians 6:14-18
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
“And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.