Christ Church (Moscow, ID)

The law of God is like math. It doesn’t care about anybody’s hurt feelings. It is straight, and hard, and cold, and altogether righteous. But at the same time, when this cold, cold law is resurrected in the body of Christ back from the tomb, it comes to us as burning love. And this is why we preach cold law and hot gospel.

Guest preacher Pastor C.R. Wiley at Christ Church Downtown.

This message was given by C.R. Wiley at New Saint Andrews College's Disputatio.The last several years, Christ Church has tried an experiment in grace and has not charged for our Grace Agenda conference. In keeping with this spirit of grace, we are accepting free will donations at christkirk.com/give. Be sure to select 'Grace Agenda' in the form.

Every time we say the Apostles’ Creed, we confess that we believe in the forgiveness of sins. This is reasonable we might think—isn’t forgiveness of sin the entire point? Yes, it is the entire point, but it is also part of the point that this forgiveness is entirely grace, and must never be considered an entitlement. It is not something we deserve. And remembering this is tougher than it looks.

1) How are we to understand and imitate Paul’s striving? – What is the difference between Justification and Sanctification?2) How does this represent maturity of mind for the Christian? – What does constant use look like?3) What’s so important about citizenship? – How is this linked to being “led by the Spirit of God” as sons of God?

In this famous section of Proverbs, the father exhorts his son, “forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments” (Prov. 3:1), with the promise of length of days, long life, and peace (Prov. 3:2). How can a human father, a fallen, fallible father say such a thing? We see something perhaps equally puzzling in Paul’s repeated use of the phrase “my gospel” (Rom. 2:16, 16:25, 2 Tim. 2:8). Couldn’t this be confusing? Doesn’t this seem a little arrogant?