Boasting Only in the Cross
My lesson tonight at the Transformation House was based on chapter 33 in John Piper's book The Passion of Jesus Christ. Its primary text was Galatians 6:14, and the premise is that Christ died on the cross so that all the boasting we do as believers might be a boasting in the cross. It's quite clear in Scripture that boasting in ourselves, what we have or do, is contrary to God's plan for the world. Boasting in ourselves over such things is misplaced praise, as if we are responsible for our very lives and the things we have been able to do. The Bible teaches instead that God is the giver of life and the one who enables us to do all things, and His desire is that as we come to understand this, we would render praise to God as is fitting for all the good things we enjoy in this life and all the bad things God uses for good in our lives.
This sort of life is only possible through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. He received in his flesh willingly, according to the plan of God, the penalty for our self-centered sin. All who trust in this substitution no longer stand condemned and are freed from an essentially self-centered life, so it makes sense that the cross would become the Christian's greatest treasure. According to the Bible, it frees a man or woman to live life as God intended which is by nature the most satisfying thing for him or her to do and the most honoring to God.
I believe these truths and teach them on Tuesday evenings to a group of men who could be my fathers (or at least my decade-older brothers). It is no secret that they have lived lives centered on themselves, particularly as a result of destructive addictions. I've seen several times now guys come through who stay clean for a few weeks, get tired of living under someone else's authority or in shared living space, and decide to get back out on their own. They think that they just need to keep strong like they've been doing, maybe with a meeting at AA or NA to check in with a support group. Unfortunately, it is this pride in what they've done, even for a short amount of time, that takes them prematurely out of a safe environment and right back into temptation's arms. Inevitably, they relapse, and sometimes we'll get to see them again at the T-House. The others I pray we'll see again if possible.
This is why it encourages me so much when the guys respond like they did to tonight's lesson. A new believer was eager to learn, to have all his questions answered so he can understand what the Bible teaches about his relationship with God. An mature believer was willing to confess that he often feels the temptation to enjoy sin and regret the life he left behind. And my favorite of the evening, a 51 year old man was able to confess that until our very lesson tonight he would say things like, "I came to the T-House because I was tired of getting drunk and high. I'm making changes by keeping strong. I have a job because I get myself up every morning at 4 AM." Now, he realizes it hasn't been all him at all... These things are mercies from a God whose kindness is intended to lead men to repentance. And as a Christian, he can boast in the cross of Christ Jesus, through which he's been made a new man and received a Spirit which strengthens him to make such wonderful changes in his life.
Comments
#1 A Co-worker In Ministry
Submitted by M.J. Miller MEd, LPC, LCSW (not verified) on Fri, 08/06/2010 - 20:19.
I could not help but notice your mentioning of AA and NA groups in your post. There tends to be a great debate in many evangelical Christian circles about the involvement of the 12 step programs in the church. Some welcome them and some declare their presence as apostasy. Having worked in the field of addictions for nearly 30 years and studying the history of these programs extensively I am of the opinion that Christians should simply do what you are doing by showing the love of Christ, preaching the truth and steering clear from the controversy. Certainly as a Christian counselor I have seen many souls falsely believe that their sobriety and 12 step principles alone provided a pathway to eternal salvation. While it is unquestionable that many in AA have stopped drinking and even improved their character to a degree, real transformation and eternal security can only be found in a genuine relationship with Christ as our personal Lord and savior. Anything short of this is indeed a counterfeit gospel.
This being said, I have also witnessed numerous people who sobered up in AA come to find the saving grace of our Lord Jesus as they searched honestly for God. Certainly God has His way of leading those who truly seek Him (Jer. 29:13).
My heart also cries out, however, to the many Christian families within our churches whose lives have been seared by the devastating effects of alcoholism and other drug addictions.
The Christian families with an alcoholic or illicit drug user are obvious. Yet, I can’t tell you how many times I have also witnessed precious saints sitting in the front pews or even persons in ministry themselves who were addicted to prescription medications, unaware that these addictions were changing their brain, behavior and impacting their families. Due to advances in neuroscience and molecular biology, much is known today about the impact of alcohol and other rugs on the brain’s pleasure center and overall human physiology. The development and progression of these syndromes is in the body and in the family is well distinguished with characteristic signs and symptoms.
Since much of my time is devoted to helping wounded members in the body of Christ, it is very evident that many Christian families and ministers are still very much in the dark when it comes to imparting the specific knowledge and strategies needed to pull down these strongholds in the lives of those held captive. That convinces me that Satan works at both ends of the spectrum. He wants to convince the suffering addict that he has found salvation when he sobers up in AA and he wants to keep the church from understanding the complex factors and physiological mechanisms involved in the development and progression of the problem. If Satan can keep well meaning people in the church focusing only on the “sin” in the person’s life, he knows that the guilt and shame most addicts carry around on the inside will keep them far away from the Church.
As far as I know, one of the names of our God is still Jehovah Rapha “The Lord our Healer”. God wants the alcoholic and drug addicted person set free. If we as believers want to engage in this mission, approaching the matter with an accurate knowledge of the problem and loving compassion is clearly the best approach to lead people to the truth.
All of our strength and restoration comes by His great mercy. May the Lord continue to prosper your good work of grace and truth.
Blessings in Christ.
M.J.Miller Med, LPC, LCSW
www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com