A Lesson in Justification March 26, 2007
Posted by Joe in : General Lessons , trackbackErin,
I can’t help but share the ‘light’ that dawned on me yesterday morning at church. It was a joy. I shared it with you already of course, but it is good to put it down in writing. Surely, it will become more concrete. So…
After being way too frustrated and angry with myself over failing to move the car and subsequently having it towed (heaven forbid right?), I went to my knees (not fast enough I know) over the Word and prayed through the gospel. Light was coming, little by little, but not as fast as I would have liked. I was still struggling. Maybe it was guilt. Whatever it was, I just wasn’t at peace in the Lord. Then we went to church.
While at church, we took the Lord’s Supper (as we do each week–a practice that I am loving by the way!). During that time of thought and meditation and confession, light came. It went something like this: “Do I believe that Jesus has removed every hindrance to my receiving God’s full love and blessing? Yes. Then why do I still seem to think that God is frustrated with me and disciplines me accordingly? Well, I suppose I don’t really understand the gospel.”
Then I turned to you and said, “I don’t think I struggle with thinking that God is angry with me. I think I struggle with thinking that He is frustrated with me, that is, up there shaking His hand in frustration over my stupidity and sin.” That’s when it really hit me. And as you know, it kept hitting me for quite some time.
Somehow, I thought that God related to me the way I tend to relate to Abigail many times. That is, I am frustrated with her sin and shake my head, as if to say, “What is your deal?!” Then I discipline her accordingly. But that is not how God relates to us in Christ Jesus at all! How far I was from the truth! The Lord is doing no such thing, but instead, always responds with utmost love and patience and wisdom! Because Jesus Christ suffered in my place, and because I bear His righteousness before the Father, He has nothing but good for me. He is pursuing me with goodness and mercy all of my days! Now that is gospel!
As it relates to parenting, I realized that my understanding of God in this regard was informing the way I related to Abigail. Sadly, I have been failing to reflect the patience and wisdom and love of our Heavenly Father by shaking my head in disbelief over her willful rebellion. What I see now is that the more I come to understand the gospel, that is, the more I realize how God relates to me through Jesus Christ, the better father I will become. And who says theology isn’t practical!?
The truth of justification is a very big deal in parenting. The more we understand Christ’s substitutionary work, the better parents we will be. That being said, let’s labor to be overwhelmed by the truth of the gospel! The Lord reveals Himself in great measure through the awesome good news that Jesus Christ came to suffer and die in our place. The more overwhelmed we are, the greater our impact will be on our children!
Seeking to faithfully reflect the Heavenly Father,
Joe
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