If the world grows too worldly, it can be rebuked by the church; but if the church grows too worldly, it cannot be adequately rebuked for worldliness by the world.
Legalism and Holiness Are Opposites; Not "Kissing-Cousins"
Dr. George Grant
This message by Dr. Grant is the best explanation discussing legalism and holiness that I have heard in a very long time. I post it here so that I can keep track of it and listen to it as often as necessary to remind myself why I obey. In today's church, it often feels like there is a repulsion to anything that hints at being a command...that any such law or command is under the law and not under grace...grace often being perceived as "morally casual".
Yes, my salvation is completely under grace. There is nothing I can ever do to earn this free gift. My daily walk with the Lord is under grace for I will certainly fail Him.
Why do I obey? I obey not to earn anything. My obedience has nothing to do with me. By His righteousness He brings me into right relationship with God and sets me apart as holy. I am no part of the equation. Yes, my salvation is through grace. My walk with the Lord is through grace. The law, however, is my tutor of God's holiness.
I make every effort to obey his commandments as set forth in the law, not because I can earn anything by it, but I obey because God is God. And by the grace of God, when I fail, which I assuredly do, I fall under grace.
The religion which declares that all are equal in the sight of God, will not refuse to acknowledge that all citizens are equal in the eye of the law. Religion is the companion of liberty in all its battles and all its conflicts; the cradle of its infancy and the divine source of its claims. -De Tocqueville
The protectors of liberty, the self-governed, understand how Liberty and Self-government are kindred spirits.They walk hand-in-hand. With power from within, there is no need for power from without.This gives meaning to the proverb; "He who rules his spirit [is better] than he who takes a city." Prov. 16:32b
These kindred spirits, liberty and self-government, to whom do they look?
As to liberty—“[W]here the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”(2 Cor. 3:17)
With self-government—consider the words of Samuel Adams, who stood first in the defense of the Colonists, winning the title, the FATHER OF THE REVOLUTION.
“Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age, by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, of inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity and universal philanthropy, and, in subordination to these great principles, the love of their country; of instructing them in the art of self-government, without which they never can act a wise part in the government of societies, great or small; in short, of leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system…”
Samuel Adams, Boston, October 4, 1790
Certainly, a besieged liberty and self-government cry out...
Throughout his life, J.R.R. Tolkien indicated that he did not intend Lord of the Rings to be an analogy to the gospel. However, toward the end of his life he admitted that it may have been a kin to it. You decide.
The Battle of Helm's Deep
"There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun. Over the low hills the horns were sounding. Behind him, hastening down the long slopes, were a thousand men on foot; their swords were in their hands. Amid them strode a man tall and strong. His shield was red, As he came to the valley's brink, he set to his lips a great black horn and blew a ringing blast...'Behold the White Rider!' cried Aragorn. 'Gandalf is come again!'" (Lord of the Rings -The Two Towers)
Picture This!
Great Tool for Biblical Training
www.bibledraw.com
I have found Picture This! to be a great tool for training my children in Biblical understanding. Read a book of the Bible...complete the summary or do the summary and read the book of the Bible...however you do it, this resource to "draw your way through the Bible" is a wonderful aid in training children to think Biblically. The only way to think Biblically is to know the Word of God very well. Although not a substitute for Bible devotions, this helpful resource, designed to provide a summary and overview of each book of the Bible, provides an engaging way for children to see and understand the big picture that God's Word presents to us. Great for adults, too.
Much is being said as of late concerning Teddy Roosevelt being a forbear of the modern progressive movement.The accuracy of this correlation bears some investigation.Although Teddy Roosevelt certainly was involved in a grass roots progressive movement; its face bore very little resemblance to the face of progressives today.That is a more rightful title belonging to Woodrow Wilson.
In fact, Teddy Roosevelt’s ideology appears so far removed from modern progressives; one could make the certain argument that this great patriot would in no wise identify himself a progressive as the term is understood today.
His concerns at the time were great with “mass urbanization, rampant industrialization…and sudden class dispossession”1.The concerns were noble and needed address—“industrial safety, child-labor, tenement sanitation, building standards, property rights, food purity”2, etc.These ideals were met with early success.3
The early movement in America and the English Distributist leadership fought hard to continue “Progressivism’s tradition—as informed by Christian conviction, patriotism, and family values”4.But as soon as Teddy Roosevelt stepped down, the movement splintered and ultimately became dominated by liberal activism5; which we see today.
Although his aims were just, Teddy Roosevelt’s method of using the “Bully Pulpit” and “government strength” to implement those ideals, I believe, was the weakness of the movement.Unfortunately, we do not get enough Teddy Roosevelts in office to carry the great weight of true fairness from a Biblical perspective.Power corrupts, as they say, and any ideal based on the power of government will topple with the change of climate in WashingtonDC.
This, I believe, Teddy Roosevelt recognized.To his credit, although “he remained committed to the conservative ideals of the early movement…he was forced to admit to the single greatest error of his storied career:he believed that he could carry the weight of the movement on his own considerable shoulders.”6
If you wish to know the character behind one of our greatest American leaders, be sure to read George Grant’s Carry a Big Stick – The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt.
I have to admit, I am drawn to the ideals of this early movement as long as government has virtually nothing to do with it.Based on its current definition, I will not go near the word “progressive”, but I do desire to entertain “distributism”; which I understand to mean principles envisioning “widespread ownership of productive property”; assuming it is not controlled by government but comes about through free choices made by individuals.This would certainly require a shift in worldviews of many of the people.
As with powerful government, capitalism has also shown its ugly face to us often enough with too much money in the hands of too few.Again, power corrupts.Is distributism, devoid of governmental control, the middle ground we are seeking?What really is distributism?Those thoughts, however, I’ll save for another time when I finish reading the Outline of Sanity by G.K. Chesterton.
Whatever the principles, the grassroots movement must be Biblical and come from “We the People” with a common worldview of “faith, family, & community”.The government need not apply.
End Notes:
1George Grant, Carry a Big Stick, The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt, (Tennessee: Cumberland House, 1996), pg. 155.
2George Grant, Carry a Big Stick, The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt, (Tennessee: Cumberland House, 1996), pg. 155.
3George Grant, Carry a Big Stick, The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt, (Tennessee: Cumberland House, 1996), pg. 157.
4George Grant, Carry a Big Stick, The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt, (Tennessee: Cumberland House, 1996), pg. 157.
5George Grant, Carry a Big Stick, The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt, (Tennessee: Cumberland House, 1996), pg. 157.
6George Grant, Carry a Big Stick, The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt, (Tennessee: Cumberland House, 1996), pg. 158.
Isaiah 40:31 is my sustaining verse. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
Each day He provides me with a brand new day to accomplish His will. I am truly grateful for his tender care. Thanks for stopping by....karen brummett
My BlogSport
My desire in putting this BlogSpot together is to share my study through The Principle Approach that I
had originally put together for some dear friends. If you are brand new to the Principle Approach, please consider
going through the "The Principle Approach: A Summary" located below. Then you may wish to consider going through a
study put out through the "Foundation for American Christian Education" entitled "Self-Directed Study." You can
follow that study through "The Principle Approach: Self-Directed Study" under "Categories". I hope this may add to your study as you renew your
mind in Christ.
