Honesty
Since scripture calls believers the body of christ, we are joined to other believers. In this chapter, the author discusses our connection to others and our need for honesty with each other. On page 115 he says there are 2 types of dishonesty, outright lying and giving a false impression of ourselves, mainly we are more morally upright than we are. 1 John 1:7 says we are to walk in the light, but can that mean we air our dirty laundry to every Christian we encounter. Most certainly not. However, he does encourage us to have a friend that you can be totally open with, who can help you be accountable.
We are not to misunderstand about our sin. We have been cleansed of all sin. Confessing to another individual can open us to “feeling free”, and thereby growing deeper in Christ. He states specifically a trustworthy friend.
Pain
Pain in our life is a means, not an obstacle for growth in Christian maturity. This pain is a vital process to our growth (Heb 12:11). We can go nowhere to escape the pain. This holds true for all believers.
Heb 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Even though we are to enjoy the God given pleasures of this world, we have to guard against them becoming idols. We are not able of our own abilities to replace idols with God. We need God to do this for us. Richard Sibbes writes of his own experience In The Bruised Reed. (pg 54-55). For John Owen, it was through his affliction, not in avoidance that he received assurance of forgiveness(John Owen on the Christian Life, Sinclair Ferguson). When pain comes, it is for our healing. The author teaches us that when this pain comes we either harden or we look to our theology. God refines us in our pain.
Growing in Christ isn’t all smiles and laughter. (p 135)
Mortification just means putting to death sin in our lives. We are either killing sin or being killed by it. This is true for every Christian. In killing sin, we are not completing the finished work of Christ, we are responding to it. Killing sin happens when we look away from it. Very quickly we realize that sin does not deliver on the pleasures we were seeking. We will feed sin if we coddle it, pine after it, daydream about it. We will suffocate sin by redirecting our gaze to Christ. Our hearts deepest loyalties have to belong to Christ, or we are just playing games to act like we are mortifying our sin. To mortify sin, Ortlund tells us to open our bible and see the wonder of his love. Puritan John Flavel (Keeping the Heart, 45) says to quit looking at ourselves, but to Christ. Nevertheless, in spite of ourselves, God will surely love us on into heaven. C. S. Lewis says that no amount of falls can really undo us, as long as we keep picking ourselves up each time we fail. (Collected Letters)
Quotes
“It’s either Jesus blood or ours. Divine justice must be satisfied.” p 121
“Find yourself feeling bathed afresh in the gospel of grace.” p 124
“Pain is not the islands of our lives but the ocean; disappointment or letdown is the stage on which all of life unfold, no and occasional blip onan otherwise comfortable and smooth life.” p 127
For next week finish the book