Southwood Presbyterian Church

HATE THE MASK | February 07 2011 at 10:54 am

OK, this is awesome.  You guys need to make your blogs have a “share” button that links to facebook, e-mails, etc.

Jonathan Barnette | February 07 2011 at 4:31 pm

We’ll try to implement the “Share” buttons soon. Thanks for reading.

Jim Hess | February 11 2011 at 5:06 pm

Check out some more Mark Galli here, on mockingbird blog, from a year ago:

http://blog.mbird.com/2009/11/exclusive-interview-mark-galli-of.html

My son is trying to fet me to go to NY in spring for Mockingbird conference, where Galli is speaking!

off with the mask | February 13 2011 at 1:33 pm

I highly recommend the following sermon from Martyn Lloyd-Jones from 1969.  The topic is “The Acid Test of the Christian” and its message is relevant to the present discussion:

http://www.mlj-usa.com/mlj.nsf/f/Pensacola 2/$file/MLJ5784.mp3

Anonymous | February 14 2011 at 7:05 am

Although Galli has some fine points, I think he misses something important, and because of it, stumbles into the very thing he thought to avoid. He writes,

“This sort of thing [i.e., “look instead at how much farther I have yet to go…”] can be said with false piety—in fact, with as much pride as is displayed by the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. But when it is said with a clear realization of who Christ is and who we (still!) are and what we will become—that is, with deep humility and unassailable hope—that’s when we’ve met someone on the road to genuine transformation.”

But we could just as easily say this of a person who is reflecting on how much they had been changed by the indwelling Christ, like this:

“This sort of thing [i.e., “look how far He has brought me…”] can be said with false piety—in fact, with as much pride as is displayed by the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. But when it is said with a clear realization of who Christ is and who we (still!) are and what we will become—that is, with deep humility and unassailable hope—that’s when we’ve met someone on the road to genuine transformation.”

Early in his article, Galli suggests that because one might be tempted with pride and narcissism, one must avoid speaking of one’s transformation, but at the end, he suggests that even if one might be tempted with pride and false piety, one must focus on who we will yet become. That, he says, is the mark of true maturity.

But isn’t this just more of what Galli himself thought to avoid? Whatever form maturity may take, one is always tempted to say, for example, “I am glad I am focused on future transformation, unlike this man here who is focused on past transformation.” Yet, Paul (whether we was mature by now or not, is quite beside the point) implores us, “Be ye transformed” (Romans 12:2). How can we possibly hear that without asking what this means for our walk, today, compared to where we were yesterday.

Just because retrospection is a potential minefield doesn’t mean we avoid focusing on the whole journey, and focus only on what’s left. ‘twas grace, after all, that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

If focusing exclusively on how far we have yet to go is the mark of maturity, alas, I ask in despair, “Am I future focused yet (this week)? Who will save me from this body of retrospection and non-genuine transformation?”

Smiley Face | February 15 2011 at 12:22 pm

Two words - “Tall worms”

The Dude Abides | February 15 2011 at 2:37 pm

So, I have been really wrestling with this whole idea of whether or not I get better.  Personally, I want to get better - who doesn’t. But when I focus on getting better I don’t actually get better. What I have realized recently is that I have been focusing on the wrong issue. I should be desiring for my heart to like God’s, not for me to be better.  God doesn’t care if I’m better if I am not loving him and others. I can honestly and humbly say I don’t want to get better I want to love more like Christ.

But the only way for me to love more like Christ was to come to terms with how much he loves me.  I like to sugercoat my sin, but let me tell you that my sin is big - but Jesus and the cross are so much bigger.  That is what has set me free! A wise man once said “Grace can not be amazing till my sin was amazing first.”

I love this quote from Les Newsom’s article on sanctification “These are the fruits of the spirits work in our lives to assist us to understand that 1) I am more sinful, wretched, and depraved than I could possibly imagine, and 2) I am more loved, accepted, and forgiven in the Lord Jesus than I could ever dream.”

DOTH THIS DUDE ABIDE? | February 16 2011 at 7:46 pm

Dear “The Dude Abides,”

I thought a lot about your observation that “I should be desiring for my heart to be like God’s, not for me to be better.  God doesn’t care if I’m better if I am not loving him and others.”

The original context of this blog appears to equate “getting better” with “sanctification,” and sanctification is increasing personal holiness, so may I inquire after your thoughts?

I believe it is appropriate to say that “getting better” equates to “loving Him and loving others,” because “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Certainly you are not suggesting that getting better is a different thing from loving Him and loving your neighbor?)

And if “getting better” is the same as “loving Him and loving your neighbor,” then your sentence turns into something rather curious: “God doesn’t care if I’m better if I am not better.”

Could it be that we say such things because we fear what Sanctification really implies: greater conformity to the law? And a fear that if, in our hearts, we truly desire greater conformity to the law, we will face accusations of self-righteousness, so we couch our aspirations for Sanctification in terms that avoid what it really means?

Let’s be honest: Sanctification, as the Lord defines it, is greater conformity to His law: “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ez 36:27).

Is it possible that instead of saying “God doesn’t care if I’m better if I am not loving him and others,” we should say, rather, “God has the power to cause me to love Him and love my neighbor, and He works in me both to will and to do for his good pleasure”?

I await your input, and appreciated your thoughts.

Jean F. Larroux, III | February 16 2011 at 8:48 pm

I wonder whether ‘DOTH THE DUDE ABIDE?’ might consider rescinding such a terse screen name choice for their blog entry?

I find it quite troubling that someone who has expressed a desire to see increasing levels of personal holiness in others would suggest that, based on an opposing view expressed on a blog, the other person might not ‘ABIDE’. Such caustic insinuations are troubling.

Please reconsider your ‘screen name’ and consider what is going on in your heart. I would urge you to ask yourself why your love of the ‘law and the prophets’ hasn’t produced more charity toward others, even when it’s such easy charity to extend, anonymously on a blog post.

-THE PASTOR ABIDES

FIRST PERSON | February 16 2011 at 9:03 pm

Sorry for the confusion, Pastor. “Doth this dude abide?” is a screen name in the first person. That is “Do I abide?” There is no question that that dude abides.

I just asked if it made sense to say “God doesn’t care if I’m better if I’m not better.”

Given that clarification, does the comment take on a different flavor?

Thanks for creating this forum, and thanks for your patience. I’m unaccustomed to this mode of communication.

Jean Larroux | February 16 2011 at 9:54 pm

It definitely makes more sense and is MUCH MORE charitable. Thanks for the clarification. I’m not totally sure I understand your question, but I think that clarification makes the spirit of it all much more agreeable, thanks.

For what it’s worth I don’t think that ‘better’ in this context can be squarely equated with ‘loving God and loving others.’ The concept of ‘better’ as I initially framed it was really more of a progressive view of Sanctification where one progresses more and more in their Sanctification. I usually refer to it as ‘collegiate Christianity’ where you move from 100 level holiness to 200, 300 and so on…

As it’s most commonly understood ‘better’ would look like having a ‘10 minute quiet-time’ a few years back, but now having an hour ‘with the Lord’ even studying in Greek and Hebrew. It may also look like ‘cursing less’ or ‘not speeding anymore’ etc… The concept of ‘better’ is actually a reduction of true holiness (loving God and neighbor) to a stair-stepped, progressive ladder of performable tasks which we zealously undertake all in the name of holiness.

When I read ‘the Dude abides’ post what I read was: God doesn’t care ‘how often I read my devotional guide’ if I’m not loving him and others.

I don’t want to put words in their mouth, but that was my takeaway. Good night and thanks for your humble response.

-Jean F. Larroux, III

The Dude Abides | March 01 2011 at 11:26 am

First of all I did not sign up for the follow-up comments so I did not get the email - sorry about keeping y’all waiting.

Second, my screen name is meant to just be a comical movie reference.

Now let me get back to the debate.  When I hear “getting better” I associate it with having my life more suitable for the pews, i.e. for my depression to go away.  Here’s my background I have spent a year growing up in rehab for depression, anger, suicide, etc. And I graduated the programs and got “better”.  But my “better” was all performance and religion and I was still just as empty as I was before getting “better”.  It was not until I discovered scandalous grace that I was set free.  I gave up my attempt to be “better” and I clung to the cross. I will probably always struggle with depression, but God is not waiting for me to get “better” he rejoices over me now.

I still struggle with my sin, but now I see that God calls me to love like he first loved me, NOT to have all my behaviors in check before I walk into church.

I don’t argue with the need for personal holiness, but it must stem for what Christ has done for me.  Not my attempt to earn my righteousness.  Does that make sense? I hope I was more clear.

Jean F. Larroux, III | March 01 2011 at 12:43 pm

Dear ‘the Dude abides’

Thanks for your candid, transparent, honest and messy profession of faith. You are in good company brother! As a friend of mine told me once, “The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well…” or as my hero Jimmy Buffett says, “If we weren’t all crazy we’d just go insane!”

Grace bought blessings,
Jean