The Thoughts of Ryan-C

*just so we are on the same page, I stole this idea from Piper*

We all have belief systems. Some are complex, some are simple. Wether you know what your’s is or not, you have one and it guides your everyday decisions and life.

This is what guides the “therefores” of life.

I love my wife, therefore I do my best to treat her as Christ loves the church.

I know I’m depraved, therefore I need a saviour. 

I have desires to learn, therefore I read.

The question we need to ask ourselves is “what shapes my belief system?”

As we look to the scriptures for answers we can very easily use the example of Paul. Throughout his writings he uses the word therefore over 60 times (ESV; not giving him authorship of Hebrews). In the book of Romans he gives us 10+ chapters of theology and then a handful of chapters full of therefores.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” -Romans 12:1

The entire 11 chapters leading up to this were full of rich theology and a biblical worldview that calls us to recognize our sinfulness and need for a saviour. And because we have a saviour we should live out of a therefore. 

You are a sinner, you have rejected God, God sent His son, He died for you and because of you… therefore you should be a living sacrifice. Therefore you should love your neighbor. Therefore you should spread the Gospel. Therefore you should be in community with others. Etc…

Every time we do something, we need to think of the therefore we based our action on and see if it lines up with out beliefs. I often find myself realizing that the two don’t always line up and that my beliefs aren’t always driving my actions. 

What therefores are you striving to live out of? What do you need to change?

Books to help with your therefores….

Surprised by Grace by Tullian Tchividjian

The Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney 

Looking at the history of mankind, there has always been a desire to strive towards some conception of morality and righteousness, but it has lacked a desire for godliness. Morality has superseded it and godliness has been forgotten. For if man can be moral and righteous on his own accord, what need does he have for godliness?

If we remove godliness from righteousness, we are simply living out lives of self-righteousness, which are ultimately lives of idolatry.

“Righteousness, or morality, has been exalted to the supreme position, and little is heard of godliness. Like the Pharisees of old, there have been many amongst us who were shocked and scandalized by certain acts of unrighteousness, but who failed to realize that their own self-righteousness denoted an ungodliness which was infinitely more reprehensible in the eyes of God.” -Dr. Martyn LLoyd Jones, The Plight of Man and the Power of God

The essence of morality is concerned with the actions of man and not the man himself. Godliness is concerned with the man and thus the actions that flow out his life. By simply focusing on morality (works righteousness) we create a false image of the capacity of man and his standing in relationship with God. By placing the works of man over the power of God we (the church and culture) are creating a false illusion that man’s work can lead to righteousness. This false thinking produces false hope and a false view that denies a need for salvific grace. When godliness is sought first and foremost, righteous acts can begin to occur. If we lose this view of morality and godliness, we are fooling ourselves and becoming our own Gods.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” -Ephesians 2:1-10, ESV

Simple chart of this concept…

Fallen Unregenerate Man ——> Righteous Acts As Filthy Rags

Regenerate Man ——> Righteous Acts As Outpouring of Godliness