"Jesus Christ is Lord" Is Not Necessarily Good News!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The good news! Jesus Christ is Lord! Jesus Christ is Lord!

IS THIS GOOD NEWS? Not necessarily. It is terrifying news to an unredeemed, unrighteous world that is still under that wrath of God! Contrary to author N.T. Wright's understanding of Paul in the Scriptures, WE MUST HOLD DEARLY THE DOCTRINE OF IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS.

In John Piper's book The Future of Justification, the author is arguing to defend the historical understanding of the doctrine of justification which is crucial to the nature of the gospel.

Tom Wright is a very sharp scholar who is arguing against the historical interpretation of the apostle Paul . Wright teaches that the message of the gospel is not "how to get saved" or how to be made righteous in the sight of God, but rather "the gospel is a proclamation that Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah, is the one and only true Lord of the world."

Now this may sound like good news(Gospel), but John Piper rightly reminds us that this is not good news...necessarily. It is not good news because, without justification in that good news we are not saved. If we are not saved, then we are in serious trouble, for we remain under the wrath of the Holy God, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe! Piper points out that the announcement that "Jesus is Lord is not good news until we hear the terms of the amnesty." The really good news is that we are saved from the wrath of God through Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. We are "justified", that is, that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, which in reality makes us righteous, through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Remember Paul, knocked to the ground blind? Apart from Christ having chosen to save Paul, Paul was in serious trouble under such an infinitely powerful Being that blinded him, and grounded him. When this happens Paul's first response is not "Hooray, Jesus is Lord of the Universe". He is trembling and fearful, and at God's mercy. The good news is that God chose to deliver Paul from His fierce wrath, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Have you been delivered from the fierce wrath of God? Only if you have repented to God concerning your sinful state, and placed your faith in Jesus Christ. Then Christ has you "covered". Enjoy your Savior.

Tasting The Printed Buffet!

Well, I threw out the question to T4G brothers "Which book shall be read first and why?"

I have taken a taste of "Why I am not Emergent", "Piper's book responding to N.T. Wright on Justification, and Mortification of Sin". They are all "very satisfying and challenging to the pallet.



Piper's book will be read slowly, perhaps a portion here and there, for it is meat and must be chewed slowly. One quick note that Piper made was the use of N.T. Wrights definition of justification. You cannot use his definition in other texts. It does not work, and belittles God. Wright defines justification and God's righteousness as the declaration of God's covanent faithfulness. Piper is quick and right to point out that this doesn't work exegetically. "that we might become the righteousness of God" would then read according to Wrights definition "that we might become the covanent faithfulness of God. This does damage to the first part of the verse "He made Him Who knew no sin to become sin for us, so that in Him we might become the (righteousness) of God." "Covanent Faitfulness doesn't make sense or fit here at all.
Anyway, I'll let Piper finish his book.

The "Why I am not Emergent" book was quickly reviewed by me and passed on to a special friend who is learning much of his instruction from "emergent" disciplers in our denomination.

Last night I cracked open Owen's book "Mortification of sin", and of course, it was an icebucket of water on my head. "Always be killing sin, or it will be killing you". This book is an exposition on the text in Romans 8:13 "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." O read this book my brothers. Until later then...