We need a Gospel large enough in its end to disorient us, to sweep us up into its glory. So, if we all like to take a part and make it into the whole, if we all like to think our viewpoint is the right one, if we all tend to avoid differences, if we need a large Gospel, big enough to extend from the beginning of the Christian life to our glorification, what is it?
That, says Sanders, is the Trinitarian size of the Gospel. Let me give some quotes:
The good news of salvation is ultimately that God opens his Trinitarian life to us. Every other blessing is a preparation for that or a result of it, but the thing itself is God’s graciously taking us into the fellowship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be our salvation. (98)
Opening his Trinitarian life sounds an awful lot like 1 John 1:3, what we have seen and heard we declare unto you, that you may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with the father and with His Son Jesus Christ. The eternal Son was made man for us, and through his work, we are brought into the fellowship of the Godhead.
Justification, adoption, propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, indwelling, and the rest are all to this end – that I might share in the life of God in Trinity. That is, after all, what Jesus prayed in John 17, that they may be one even as we are one. I am not given the front row box seats on the first base line, I am on the field observing the game, participating in it. I am not watching the play from the audience, I am brought into the action.
Sanders notes that the Gospel outstrips all measurements and can only be measured against God Himself. (99) He goes on to show that this is exactly what Ephesians says. Letham’s great work on the Trinity supports this view – that our salvation in bounded by the breadth of the Godhead.
Citing Thomas Goodwin, Sanders insists that God does not bless us with all good things; he blesses us with Himself. (103) This is not novel theology. It is what Protestants have held for hundreds of year. It has just been buried under the rubble of user-friendly, self-help rubbish or under a pile of “Jesus loves you just as you are” therapy. God, in Christ, gives us Himself, through redemption and indwelling and glorification. He is the bread of life. He gives us himself.
I stood in front of hundreds of people 31 years ago and gave myself to my wife. She gave herself to me. That was a radical act. It was all I could give her.
In redemption God says, “I will be your God and you will be mine.”
The Triune God has undertaken in the fullness of his glory to bring men and women -- created in his image, fallen into sin, redeemed -- into the fellowship of the Godhead. All the resources of the thee persons are put to use to make this happen. That is large enough Gospel for all of life and death and eternity. Father, Son, and Spirit by grace giving themselves to us, to me -- and inviting us into the circle of glory.
Hi,
I quoted the paragraph that starts with the words "Citing Thomas Goodwin ..." on my Facebook account. A friend of my commented on it typing this: "How is God giving us Himself incompatible with "Jesus loves you just as you are"? I mean, sure, if loves means being okay with and desiring nothing of, there an incompatibility, I suppose, but that's sort of a lousy concept of love." I'm not sure how to respond yet, because I don't want to miss understand what you or Dr. Sanders is saying. Would you mind telling me would you respond?
Posted by: Josh | October 25, 2010 at 04:31 PM