At this point in the postings, the question comes -- if all we do is preach Christ, will this not lead to moral laxity? will people not presume upon grace and abound in sin?
I think that question is a wonderful indication that we have made the grace of God and the Savior's sufficiency clear enough -- for that is exactly what Paul heard when he proclaimed the Gospel well.
Romans 6 addresses just such a question. The triumphant and abounding grace of God floods and overflows above all our sin. No matter how great the sin, grace is greater. The question then is simple: that sort of message will encourage sin, right?
What is significant in Paul's answer is that he does not retract one word of what he has said and he does no immediately start discussing the law. He goes deeper into the Savior and the effect of his work upon us. He explains that our baptism (yes I am a credo baptist) was the visible expression of our faith and it pictures death, burial, and resurrection. We died, were buried, and were raised. But this was not separate from Christ -- it was with Christ. We have been brought into Him, into union with God, union with Christ. When he died, we died. When he triumphed over death, we rose too. We have been severed from Adam.
In light of all that Paul calls them to faith and then to a life that is free from sin. The slavery of sin has ended. We have been joined to another that we might bring forth fruit for God.
He does not think the readers needed more precise moral instruction. There is little of that in Romans. He thinks they need to be established in faith -- to trust in Christ and all his merits as their own -- and to live in Christ and his merits every day.
As I have observed the effects of my ministry over the years I have seen this -- when I preach morality, my people leave resolved to live a better life and condemned because they do not. The couple with the really bad marriage is disheartened because their sin seems too great to overcome.
To make matters worse, when I tell them that their good lives are a preaching of the Gospel to others, the condemnation increases. They leave to go home and either force it or fake it. They are ashamed of their life, and they certainly do not want to be too public about their faith. They may hide their sin from others because they think it discredits the Gospel.
But when I preach in a way that draws out the meaning of the death of Jesus for them (as the Lord forgave you, so forgive others) and then point them to the sufficiency of the Savior to give them grace and to show himself in their lives despite their sins -- they are encouraged. They do not need a lecture in morality -- they need a picture of Jesus that encourages faith -- and to see the implications of grace in their lives.
Mark,
you wrote, "As I have observed the effects of my ministry over the years I have seen this -- when I preach morality, my people leave resolved to live a better life and condemned because they do not."
I agree 100% with the conclusion you draw from this kind of response to this kind of preaching, (1) that it does not generate faith, true repentance, or love and desire for Christ. Also, (2) to preach commands devoid of their empowering motivation (usually found in the character of God and their blood-bought relationship to him) is man-centered self improvement. And, (3) to preach commands without Christ-purchased justification and Spirit-empowered sanctification breeds legalism.
However, as I read the quote that I cited above, my heart cried out, "Yes, yes!" that's the kind of response we want when people encounter the degree of righteousness that is necessary to come to God...hopelessness. Do you feel that it is appropriate to during a sermon bring the full weight of the law and our sinful falling short of it to bear, in order that the hearts of us who have grown comfortable and familiar (in our sinfulness) to the gospel would be brought to rejoicing in it once again, not to promote sin but to defeat it, not to earn righteousness but as a righteous son?
GDL: There are two kinds of contrition, legal contrition and evangelical contrition (so says Edwards). Our prayer is for evangelical contrition -- a stunned silence in the presence of such mercy. The law may show us our sin but it must be followed by the Gospel. I think the Gospel shows us our sin more clearly than the law.
Posted by: Jacob Hantla | February 21, 2007 at 10:43 AM
CJ and Tim are great, but I would love to see your sermons online as well, Mark. In the meantime, I just listen to the Gospel Centrality series again...:)
Posted by: michael | February 07, 2007 at 09:12 AM
Someone needs to write a book and get this into the hands of more pastors. Sadly, this includes Reformed pastors as well. Where can I hear some of your sermons? I need this kind of preaching, desperately!
GDL: I always like to point people to two of the best examples of this kind of preaching. CJ Mahaney and Tim Keller. Google them and be strengthened.
Posted by: anon e. mus | February 07, 2007 at 07:55 AM
Well said!
Cristina
Posted by: Cristina | February 06, 2007 at 07:54 PM
What an edifying post. Praise God, we have been severed from Adam and brought into union with Christ!
Posted by: Matt Haney | February 06, 2007 at 11:08 AM