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Continuing a review of a women-mentoring-women curriculum... Lesson 2: Discreet: Of Sound Mind
Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: And Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Other Scripture references: 1 Timothy 4:7, 8, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 105:4, Psalm 1, Jeremiah 33:3, Ephesians 3:20, 21, Psalm 119:11, Proverbs 22:17-19
“Who ever lived a busier life than our Saviour? Yet who found more time for prayer? It we truly yearn to be suppliants and intercessors before God and use all the available time we now have, He will so order things for us that we shall have more time.” (47)
Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: And Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Other Scripture references: 1 Timothy 4:7, 8, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 105:4, Psalm 1, Jeremiah 33:3, Ephesians 3:20, 21, Psalm 119:11, Proverbs 22:17-19
In Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (55), Whitney quotes Maurice Roberts who said, “Our age has been sadly deficient is what may be termed spiritual greatness. At the root of this is the modern disease of shallowness. We are all too impatient to meditate on the faith we profess.... It is not the busy skimming over religious books or the careless hastening through religious duties which makes for a strong Christian faith. Rather, it is unhurried meditation on gospel truths and the exposing of our minds to these truths that yields the fruit of sanctified character.
“Who ever lived a busier life than our Saviour? Yet who found more time for prayer? It we truly yearn to be suppliants and intercessors before God and use all the available time we now have, He will so order things for us that we shall have more time.” (47)
The essential issue within this series is a severe lack of the Gospel. Yes, what is taught is biblical and expressions of Gospel truths, but the Gospel itself is never preached, explained, proclaimed, or reflected upon except in passing. When expressions of the Gospel are taught, moralism becomes dominant because the expressions of the Gospel focus on our doing. In other words, when the Gospel is not proclaimed, Jesus is not given the opportunity to fulfill His office of Mediator between God and man. The result is that our doing flows from only what God has commanded rather than what God has done.
Expressions of what the Gospel should look like in our lives are of utmost importance, however, the expressions of the Gospel must be couched in the Grace of the Gospel. When God commands us to seek to love others, our love for others must flow from the love of God in Jesus. When God commands us to seek after righteousness, we must seek righteousness in Jesus. He is the Righteous One. When God commands us to seek his face continually, we are commanded to seek after Jesus for He is the face of God and the embodiment of the Glory of God. When God commands us to seek godliness, we are commanded to seek Jesus.
The core sign of teaching moralism is the exhortation to follow God's commands simply because God commands them. In essence, the proclamation of moralism exhorts people to be a better person and basically moral. Moralism will even urge people to seek after God. But if God is not sought after through Jesus, we have urged people to be simply moral, not God fearing. Regardless of the stage of your Christian life, it will always be lived by faith in the Son of God for what He has accomplished on the cross, and if the Gospel is not proclaimed then our faith rests upon on laurels rather than the Gospel. The only means by which we may fear God is in the Gospel.
Continued...
Expressions of what the Gospel should look like in our lives are of utmost importance, however, the expressions of the Gospel must be couched in the Grace of the Gospel. When God commands us to seek to love others, our love for others must flow from the love of God in Jesus. When God commands us to seek after righteousness, we must seek righteousness in Jesus. He is the Righteous One. When God commands us to seek his face continually, we are commanded to seek after Jesus for He is the face of God and the embodiment of the Glory of God. When God commands us to seek godliness, we are commanded to seek Jesus.
The core sign of teaching moralism is the exhortation to follow God's commands simply because God commands them. In essence, the proclamation of moralism exhorts people to be a better person and basically moral. Moralism will even urge people to seek after God. But if God is not sought after through Jesus, we have urged people to be simply moral, not God fearing. Regardless of the stage of your Christian life, it will always be lived by faith in the Son of God for what He has accomplished on the cross, and if the Gospel is not proclaimed then our faith rests upon on laurels rather than the Gospel. The only means by which we may fear God is in the Gospel.
Continued...
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