Enjoy the Cross-Centred Life: Substitution

One day I was going to a funeral about two hours or so from where I was living. I had the pleasure of travelling with my friend David Blevins. I had a good idea. 'Let's redeem our time by teaching each other a verse from the Bible to memorise.' David's favourite verse is Psalm 90:1 ('He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty'). The verse I chose as my favourite was 2 Corinthians 5:21 ('God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of Christ'). This is called the doctrine of substitution, which explains that on the cross Jesus died as a substitute for us, taking the punishment that we deserved. Listen to John MacAurthor as he claims that this concept, and this verse, is at the heart of the good news (the gospel).

'Enjoy'

'God created man for nothing else but happiness' (Jonathan Edwards, 1703-58). Does that sound strange to you? What about Jesus' call to 'deny yourself and take up your cross' (Mark 8:34)? Jesus calls us to deny ourselves so that in giving him control of our lives we might know life in relationship with him. That is life in all its fullness (John 10:10). He calls us to the joy of obedience, to live for a cause greater than ourselves and to know that he is with us even in our sorrows.

Sam Storms explains that 'Christianity forbids no pleasure save those that lead to temporal misery and eternal woe ... God has forbidden you nothing that is conducive to your ultimate satisfaction and delight.' He then explains that, 'Sin is the misguided and selfish determination to seek happiness in places where ultimately only emptiness and disillusionment are found.' Similarly C. S. Lewis spoke of how, in living for sinful pleasures rather than enjoying God, we are 'like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.'

This blog aims to point you in the direction of enjoyment in God. It is only then that we will truly give him the glory that he deserves.

Basis of faith

While evangelical Christians may disagree on a number of issues they are in agreement about the core of the Christian faith. The following is an Evangelical Alliance basis of faith.

We believe in ...

1. The one true God who lives eternally in three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2. The love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.

3. The divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God - fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.

4. The dignity of all people, male and female in God's image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which occurs divine wrath and judgement.

5. The incarnation of God's eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ - born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.

6. The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.

7. The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his assensiion to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.

8. The justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.

9. The ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.

10. The Church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all beleivers - given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit's gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.

11. The personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.