There really is no place for Christ in many people’s Christianity. Their faith is not actually in Christ; it is in Christianity and their ability to live it out. This kind of ‘Christianity’ is really about shadow glories of human knowledge and performance. It does not require the death to self that must always happen if love for Christ is going to reign in our hearts.
Paul David Tripp A Quest for More 106 HT Of First Importance
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2 comments:
I can tell this series is going to be very challenging! Thanks for being prepared to think and blog through something like this. I've been convicted of perfectionism and legalism in myself recently and was just contemplating making a start on "You Can Change", and it's a more pleasant prospect with your virtual-friendship-and-ministry along the way.
Dear Rosie,
Challenging sums it up perfectly!! Perfectionistic legalism is such a hard nut to crack, isn't it? It's so close to the truth (doesn't God want us to be perfect?!), it wins people's admiration, and it's really, really hard to give up, because it's such a "successful" approach to life. But it undermines the gospel and produces death, not life - don't I know it?!
Half way through last year I sat down with my journal during a holiday and wrote down all the things that go through my head when I'm thinking like a perfectionist. I read them and thought, "Aargh! This is much too hard for me!" and shelved the issue once again.
Then I opened "You can change" and thought, yes, it's time to deal with this. I have a much deeper understanding of the gospel now.
I'm looking forward to thinking through the issue and reading the book with you.
In Christ,
Jean.
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