Can we live without grace? Are we improvable without the Cross of Christ? I just taught through Galatians in a month and was once again impressed that the issue seems to be moral power without the cross. A bootstrap mentality. I did it my way type of thinking.
Does a self powered improvement show that kind of hope and grace that can help people who are not so strong willed or resilient. The self improvment industry is incredibly strong and has some real winners as poster children.
I continue to believe the weight of evidence is on the gospel side. If there could be a law that could perfect the soul, then Christ came needlessly. There is also hope for the very weak and very battered and very defeated to be lifted by the cross to healing and wholeness. And, God will and should be glorified for the gospel of grace.
I do not think He came needlessly. His power to lift the weak and humble the strong it a necessary two edged sword. The cross less self improvement churches have an ultimately cruel message when they borrow more from mind science than from Christ's spirit to transform. Just an opinion, not whistling dixie, though.
2 comments:
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH TWELVE STEP PROGRAMS? WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE BOOT STRAP MENTALITY OR GRACE? AND WHAT IS YOUR HONEST OPINION ON THEM?
I have been involved with 12 Step programs, particularly OA because I am a compulsive overeater. For me, Christ and His grace were the core of the 12 steps so I found it graciously empowered by the spirit.
I also believe the wide open identity of the greater power was an attempt to lift the process above peoples woundings and sectarianism. If that power is self, then the program would be bootstrap. I tend to think the drinkers who begin or keep smoking like fish are not finding power, but transference of addiction from one substance to another.
I am finally pragmatic, they have helped so many break addictions that it is good, and many go on in relationship to the Higher Power to find faith in the revealed God in Christ.
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