The root of religion runs deep. Deconstruction is invasive and painful, but ultimate joy is to be had for all who will root out religion and replace it with the pursuit of Christ.
Asides
The law can ensure external compliance
The law can ensure external compliance, but God wants more than external compliance – He wants our hearts.
“I love prayer. It is that which buckles on all the Christian’s armor.” Matthew Henry.
“I love prayer. It is that which buckles on all the Christian’s armor.” –Matthew Henry.
God never overlooks or makes peace with human pride
God causes the fall of Tyre because He never overlooks or makes peace with human pride. “The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pompous pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth.” (Isaiah 23:9 ESV)
Self Rescue
The people ignored ultimate realities and focused on distracting themselves. The temporal is all that they saw. Ultimately, God condemns them for their self-rescue attempts. They did not look to and trust in the Lord God, but instead in themselves. (Isaiah 22:13–14)
Nobody wants a God who declines to deal with evil. They just want a God who declines to deal with *their* evil.
“Nobody wants a God who declines to deal with evil. They just want a God who declines to deal with *their* evil.” -Greg Gilbert (@greggilbert 8/13/2011)
The Golden Chain of Salvation
“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:30 ESV)
This is the golden chain of salvation – there are no fingerprints of man on it. It is all of God.
Our doing things in the kingdom of God should always be fueled by our pursuit of our King & God.
Our doing things in the kingdom of God should always be fueled by our pursuit of our King & God.
“To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ of none effect.”
“To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ of none effect.” John Owen
It’s Okay to Not be Okay
The gospel liberates us to be okay with not being okay. We know we’re not okay—though we try very hard to convince ourselves and other people that we’re basically fine. But the gospel tells us, “Relax, it is finished. The pressure’s off.”
The Gospel Centered Life 