JOLLYBLOGGER

The Good News of Justification

Hi everyone - here I am popping in with one of my infrequent blog posts.  This is a quote from Hywel Jones that is too good and too life giving not to share.  To fail to share this would be to deprive all of you of a great statement of the greatness of the gospel.

Only a fraction of the present body of confessing Christians are solidly appropriating the justifying work of Christ in their lives. Many have so light an apprehension of God's holiness and of the extent and guilt for their sin that consciously they see little need for justification, although below the surface they are deeply guilt ridden and insecure.

Many others have a theoretical commitment to this doctrine, but in their day to day existence they rely on their sanctification for justification drawing their assurance of acceptance with God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience.

Few know enough to start each day with a thoroughgoing stand on Luther's platform; you are accepted, looking outward in faith and claiming the wholly alien righteousness of Christ as the only ground for acceptance, relaxing in the quality of trust which will produce increasing sanctification as faith is active in love and gratitude.

Happy Easter and Check out iMonk

No, I haven't forgotten how to read a calendar.  I just remembered that we worship on the first day of the week because Christ was resurrected on the first day of the week.  Every Sunday is an Easter Sunday in some sense.  So, may you celebrate the resurrection with God's people with great joy tomorrow.

Also, I keep thinking I'll do a tribute to Michael Spencer some time but I never seem to get around to doing it for the same reason I don't get around to blogging much anymore.  What energy I do have I have to put into time with the family, preparing sermons and doing as much pastoral work as I can before I need another nap. I'm not against blogging, and in my heart I haven't really abandoned the blog though it seems like it - blogging just has to take a perpetual back seat these days. 

But now worries, there are plenty of tributes to Michael out there so mine won't be missed if I don't get around to it.  For those of you who don't know the iMonk's writings, Chaplain Mike is minding his blog and is reposting some of Michael's best stuff.  So let me invite you to go over to the Internet Monk and get to know his writings if you never did and get reacquainted if you did know him.

Rest in Peace Michael Spencer

I have been a bit away from the computer these last couple of days and only heard of Michael Spencer's graduation this afternoon.  Indeed, a fellow pastor who is aware of my own limited prospects encouraged me to think of my remaining days as preparation for graduation.  It is a time when the graduate leaves home to the next phase of their life.  For who are left behind, we feel the keen sense of loss in saying goodbye to them and are sometimes overwhelemed with sadness and sorrow.  The graduate himself or herself will feel great sadness at leaving but anticipation at where the are going.

I may share more thoughts in coming days but indeed Michael has graduated and now sees the one he loved the most, face to face.  I rejoice that he sees Jesus and is unimpeded with and freed from the terrible diseases of the fall that caused him such pain over these last months.

For now, and I hope that maybe Denise Spencer or one of the kids might see this post, I just want to state my sincere love for Michael and appreciation for his many challenges to me and all those who read him.  We tangled a few times over some issues but we tangled as colleagues in  a similar pursuit of Jesus.  All in all, Michael always succeeded in what he sought ought to do - to make much of Jesus.  I am very glad I was able interact with him about these matters on a number of occasions. I'm glad that Michael sees who those of us who are left can only see from a distance and write about.

And he paves the way for several of us who will, unless God intervenes in a different direction, join him very soon.  I hope that we who are soon to be with Michael in the presence of Jesus will finish our callings well.  And I do pray that Denise and the kids will see, hear and feel the immense love that so many of us had for your beloved and that you are well cared for in these days and feel the love that is pouring in from all over for your family.