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The Means of Relating to God
- 03/28/09
- 14
I’ve been reading a new book by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. It is titled The Bookends of the Christian Life. I read it some time ago when it was in manuscript form (as I was asked to write a blurb for it) but I am reading it again for review purposes, now that I’ve received a printed copy. I should have a review of the book ready to go for Tuesday. For now, though, I wanted to share with you what I’ve found one of the most comforting statements I’ve read in a long time. In the book’s early pages the authors describe Christ’s righteousness and the present reality of our justification. And here they offer some words that we all know, and yet somehow we tend to lose track of. They remind us that as sinful human beings, even as Christians, we are tempted to rely on our good deeds to save us but also on our bad deeds to condemn us. Here is what they say:
“Faith involves both a renunciation and a reliance. First, we must renounce any trust in our own performance as the basis of our acceptance before God. We trust in our own performance when we believe we’ve earned God’s acceptance by our own good works. But we also trust in our own performance when we believe we’ve lost God’s acceptance by our bad works—by our sin. So we must renounce any consideration of either our bad works or our good works as the means of relating to God.Second, we must place our reliance entirely on the perfect obedience of the sin-bearing death of Christ as the sole basis of our standing before God—on our best days as well as our worst.
What a blessing it is that as Christians we relate to God only and always through the mediation of Christ. What a joy that we can renounce our works, whether good or bad, as our means of relating to God. What comfort!
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (14)
Amen! We don’t effect or affect our acceptace before God by any of our works … we rest in Christ’s perfect provision. Peace indeed!
“…But we also trust in our own performance when we believe we’ve lost God’s acceptance by our bad works”
I’ve always believed this to be true but it flies in the face of so much that is preached.
Most Baptists speak of getting “out of fellowship” with God. I’ve never believed this to be possible since our “fellowship” is dependent upon Christ’s work alone. I’m assuming this is what the writer has in mind and not the idea that we can lose our salvation.
I believe this also has a bearing on what we consider as “backsliding”. I’m not certain that this is possible in the way that it is understood and preached today.
I’m interested in reading what others have to say on the subject.
Ephesians 1:4 “For consider what he has done—before the foundation of the world he chose us to become, in Christ, his holy and blameless children living within his constant care.” (J.B. Phillips translation) Therefore, there is nothing we can or cannot do that will cause us to either gain or lose the salvation we have in Jesus Christ. However, we must coninually keep in mind the fifth point of the five points of calvinism—perserverance of the saints. To summarize: Because we are part of God’s elect we must do everything we can to show our appreciation for what he has already done for us. An important part of which is continually trying to lead a holy and blameless life. That is the greatest witness we can portray to those we come into contact with.
@Larry,
Our perseverance is certainly an indication that we, too, have received like precious faith. I’ve always stumbled on the idea that a holy and blameless life can be a witness to those we come into contact with. How much light can a blind man see?
We are His workmanship, created unto good works, for His glory.
Very insightful quote, thanks for posting it!
It is so true that what we need reminding of on a regular basis after conversion is the very message that we humbly received: Jesus’ righteousness is ours. We need reminding because the world pressures us every day, not only to participate in obvious moral sin, but also in continual wooing back to merit-based living, rather than humble dependence and grateful fruitfulness.
Thanks for the reminder!
This is the heart of the gospel . That is something that seems to be slipping away as we have moved away from clear understanding of being justified and mixing it with sanctification. Thanks in large parts to the popularity of the likes of Rob Bell and the miss guided teachings of the emergent church , so many people are hearing deeds and not the work of Christ. Thanks for the quote , sounds like a great book.
I first really got the meat of this wonderful truth at the Shepherd’s Conference in 2005 when RC Sproul spoke on Justification. It was awesome and liberating to know that i stand before God not only with my sins forgiven through the cross, but I also stand clothed with Christ’s righteousness. Waaaayyy cool.
However, I have also found it to be quite perplexing and even immobilizing in light of the fact that I do sin so easily - “prone to wander… prone to leave the God I love” as the hymn aptly says. I readily identify with Paul in Romans 7 when he wrestles with the fact that fails to do the good he desires and instead pursues the evil he deplores.
So I put these together and I get a big fat “?!?!?!?!?” Since this wrestling match is neither new nor unique, I thought I’d toss it to y’all. What do you do with theological oil and water?
Great quote Tim, thanks for posting it. I’m grieved that often the gospel presentation that is given today is one of Christ dying for our sins, and having our sins forgiven; yet, without a mention of Christ’s active obedience, whereby we are imputed with His righteousness and not simply forgiven. Properly understanding justification (and what Christ accomplished in His life, death & resurrection) is such a comfort to the Christian.
May the gospel we preach aim to be as Biblical as possible, and exalt the entire work of Christ in redemption.
“…So we must renounce any consideration of either our bad works or our good works as the means of relating to God.”
This is a great reminder. I’ve read the “Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges as well and it has been a blessing for me to pursue a life pleasing to God. And the quote above remind me of who I should rely on when I fall back on my sinful habit. Thanks Tim!
Beautiful quote, especially where the first paragraph spoke about how we we show we are relying on our performance when we think we have lost God’s acceptance through sin/bad works.
It’s good to rest in grace, or recognise we ‘stand in grace’, as Paul says in Rom 5:2.
I just blogged a couple of days ago on Christ, Our Holiness, giving some thoughts after reading some passages in Leviticus. I am always reminded of this great Scripture when it comes to Christ being our holiness and righteousness: ‘It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
It’s beautiful, freeing and amazing stuff!
Tim, I agree that this is a comforting notion that our bad works do not cause us to lose our salvation. However, I have some questions, and maybe you can help me with them.
Scripture exhorts us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In order to examine ourselves, don’t we have to see what our works say about the genuineness of our faith?
I hold to the teaching of our Reformed catechisms and confessions. How do we harmonize the truth that Bridges and Bevington are bringing out with these statements from the Heidelberg Catechism:
94 Q. What does the Lord requirein the first commandment?
A. That I, not wanting to endanger my very salvation,avoid and shun all idolatry . . .
Or,
87 Q. Can those be savedwho do not turn to Godfrom their ungratefuland impenitent ways?
A. By no means.Scripture tells us thatno unchaste person,no idolater, adulterer, thief,no covetous person,no drunkard, slanderer, robber,or the likeis going to inherit the kingdom of God.
Or, the end of Q&A 86:
And we do good so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits . . .
Can we really expect to have assurance of our salvation when we fail to live in devotion to Christ or follow the leading of the Spirit? While I agree that bad works cannot take away salvation from a genuine believer, it seems as if they can take away his enjoyment of assurance. Further, for those with a presumptive faith and “who show by what they say and do that they are unbelieving and ungodly” (Q&A 82) shouldn’t their bad works cause them to examine themselves so that they might truly flee to Christ and his cross?
I write, not to disagree, but to gain insight. Thanks, Bill Weber
Grego,We have been taught that God loves us if we do good and that he will punish us if we are bad. This Is Not True. When you are chosen by God (Believe in Jesus) you are not instantly made pure. It is a slow process. You start dropping away your fleshly parts and keep growing in you spirit each day. You will go forward and then go backwards. Slowly you will start to go forward more that you go back., and then you will start to see everything with spiritual eyes.As you study and listen to the Father you will not have a revelation, you will have a burning desire to stop the things that “YOU” are condemning yourself about, remember God is not condemning you. Jesus was tempted just as we are. He was a human just like us. It was difficult for him to overcome as it is for us. but he did, he is our example. You don’t have to get up and do something about it. You don’t have to do something about it as this time. You will make yourself crazy worrying about it. Don’t fill guilty, take it to the Father, trust in him. Don’t try and do your own healing, it will come. You will start to see results in the way you think.
Thanks so much for the quote and for the reminder that we can only relate to God through the mediation of Christ. Let the gospel never grow old to our hearts.
Tim: I see what you’re trying to say, but I don’t entirely agree. Some of us DO relate to God through our works. Christ told us that those who love Him obey His commandments. Obedience to Christ is also a means of relating to God inasmuch as it’s done out of genuine love and conversion of heart. Yes, Christ is the one mediator between man and God—but this is not to the exclusion of actually DOING the work He tells us to do. Or perhaps I’m not understanding your position correctly?