Had a lovely session this morning with Jerry Bridges at the
Irish Biblical Reformation Conference, Lurgan. He's 80, but still going strong. Today's message was, according to him, the chapter he wished he had added to his classic,
The Pursuit of Holiness :
http://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Holiness-Jerry-Bridges/dp/0891099409
A few points:
We do not relate to God today by our own obedience - still only by faith in Christ:
Galatians 2:20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Justification a present reality - not a performance based relationship.
Embracing the gospel of justification doctrine is necessary for our encouragement. Lack of love comes from our failure to recognise how much God loves us. The desire for holiness comes from contemplating God's goodness to us, especially in our justification.
God is pleased with 'Want to' obedience, not 'Ought To' obedience. Old type watch analogy: The gospel, not obedience the mainspring of the Christian life. The gospel has to be wound-up in our hearts every day. The gospel is the motivation to obedience.
Self-effort fails, but so also the passive 'Let Go and Let Jesus'. DEPENDANT RESPONSIBILITY is the key. We must do, but in the Spirit's power. Not some ability in us and some in Him -
all in Him,
none in us.
John 15:4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
'Abide' means to rely on. On Him, not just on the means of prayer and study.
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Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
