Monday, January 30, 2012

Grace and the Crisis of Intervention

Can God speak to you through other people? Can you be used by God for the transformation of others? Explore with Pastor Sayer the reality and power of God at work within us and around us in regular ordinary people.


Grace and the Crisis of Intervention
01/29/12
Sayer Strauch
Series: Grace and the Crises of Life

2 comments:

  1. You keep talking about our messiness. Is that your term for "sin"? It confuses me, because we can clean up our messiness and God cleans up our sin with his forgiveness. Please explain.
    -Anon-i-mess

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for asking--this is a question that may be helpful for another sermon. :^ ) I think more than most of us get caught in this confusion from time to time.

      Yes, when I use the term "messiness" I am, among other things, referring to the problem of original sin as well as to the problem of behavioral sin.

      What you are asking, in theological terms, is a question about sanctification (God shaping our character so that it is perfectly like Jesus' character). And the question is this, "Does God shape our character like Jesus' character instantaneously or gradually?" Put another way, "What does the Bible mean when it says, "work out your salvation"? Or yet another way, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, when and by what means can I expect to be behaving perfectly and constantly in alignment with the way of God?"

      Your question also addresses the tension as a Christian of being, as Martin Luther described it (and including himself as one who participates in the tension), "simultaneousy sinner and saint".

      Is your character perfectly shaped like that of Jesus'? Your answer to this question is your answer to your question.

      If you answer "No", then you give us all the gift of prompting us to be asking of our Leader, "How can I cooperate with You as You shape my character more like Yours?"

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