Lenten Devotional (23), and Interview with the American Moment
He is for us!
…and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
God is for us because of the cross of Jesus. “He is for us!” Say those words out loud today. Like a father is for his child; like a mother who praises her daughter; like a satisfied teacher with his student; yes, in those ways, but so much more. He is for us even though it cost the life of his very Son. He is for us, even though it would shake the very universe he created. He is for us even though we were not for him: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
To answer Paul’s rhetorical question, nothing! There is nothing to say to these things. God’s glorious grace made us new. His electing love justified us, and now we have nothing to say except to boast on that glorious tree all our days. God is for us on the cross of Jesus!
Prayer: Our Father, you did not spare your own Son for us but delivered him up for our salvation. We cannot answer you for our words would be too shallow to compare to the glories of your wisdom and power. But alas, we answer with our lives by serving you all our days in the knowledge that you are for us in Jesus Christ our Lord, amen!
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Notations:
*I think this debate on eschatology is so crucial that I will have more to say in the days ahead, but for now, it’s imperative to note that if we think these are only issues regarding the exegesis of a text or two, we are sorely mistaken.
Alistair Roberts rightly summarizes the larger portrait:
An eschatology without the final resurrection of the body is almost certainly an eschatology divorced from protology and the physical creation more generally.
Your theology of creation is completely thrown into chaos with a denial of the final resurrection of the body.
**I am so grateful for the partnership with American Moment in D.C. My interview on Christianity and Politics should be out sometime today, but you can find the promo video here:
***Baptisms and Weddings have decorated my weekend:
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