The Joy of Sovereign Grace
Unregenerate men are obsessed with themselves. Read what they write. Listen to what they say. In their mind, everything is framed with themselves as the subject of their sentences. They are the center of the universe in their own minds.
When asked to self-evaluate, they could not be happier. In judging themselves, it is yet another opportunity for them to turn the lamp of inquiry upon themselves. With the light of scrutiny, the ungodly see their goodness. They are deeply impressed with their good works. It is difficult for them to keep their own resumes shy of a novel.
When a man of the world is introduced to Jesus Christ, at first, he is impressed with Jesus’ accomplishments. Jesus is one to add to his “aspire to” list of admirable heroes. The man of achievement asks, “What would Jesus do?” His aspiration is to emulate the good man of the Bible. The unbeliever is fully comfortable with his limited knowledge of Jesus.
Greater exposure to the record of the Person and work of Jesus Christ poses a problem to the lover of self. A view to Jesus, with greater illumination, causes the observer to see his own self with greater clarity. This man sees that the Bible has names for him, as well as names and titles for Jesus.
The natural man (one of those titles) is called: ungodly; unholy; unrighteous; sinner; wicked; evil; unbelieving; unspiritual; etc. For this reason, men raise the shield of pride to protect themselves against the piercing darts of truth, fired at them by soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ. The darts are words preached. Unregenerate unbelievers work hard to not sit under the Gospel preacher.
The longing for a good friendship or a fair maiden has positioned the unwary rebel in the direct line of fire on Sunday mornings. When struck in the heart, there is a conviction of sin and an antidote preventing one from dying of despair on the spot. The realization of total depravity is humiliating to the pride of man. God’s evaluation takes precedence over errant self-evaluation.
There is a false gospel that does not produce the conviction of total depravity. This false teaching dilutes the severity of sin and its consequences. Instead of the preached Gospel being an absolute killer of self, the man is only wounded. The result is a religion of “Jesus-help” which replaces godless “self-help.”
The deity of self-help is man himself. The deity of “Jesus-help” remains man, himself, with Jesus’ help. He is going to let Jesus assist him in becoming more like Jesus. Read what this man writes. Listen to what he says, even to what he preaches.
The goal for the “Jesus-help” man is better performance at keeping the Law. Jesus is going to help this man become a better man and become a change agent for “changing the world.” This false conversion is marked by the change from “gaining the whole world” to “changing the world.” Jesus wants this man to be the best he can be, and as the lifestyle coach for others, ironically this man gains the whole world by leading others astray in this false religion of “Jesus-help.”
The end product of this false Christianity is a better moral person, whose works righteousness, that is, prowess a keeping the commandments and being a good person, leaves the unregenerate unbeliever in the same place as before. He still thinks he is good and is doing some good things for Jesus. He is ready to tell others the good news of how Jesus made him a better person. He assures others that they too can be good like him, if they only decide to accept Jesus, and let Jesus help them be better.
The true Gospel, in contrast with the false gospel stated so far, is a destroyer of self. The true believer, pierced with the dart of truth embedded in the heart, is killed. His self is utterly decimated. The Spirit, now living in him, illumines his total depravity. This man knows he is a wretch, even being a Christian.
The Spirit reveals the knowledge of God’s grace required to save this man from the wrath of God directed against him as a sinner.
The regenerate believer sees the sovereignty of God in the salvation of ungodly, unjust, rebels like himself. He is ruined by the good news about Jesus. He was struck in the heart with the Word of the preacher, the dart of truth, and he died to self. The story, he now realizes, is not about him. It was never about him choosing to accept Jesus, in order to help him be a better person.
The Gospel of sovereign grace is all about Jesus Christ exalted. He is exalted because of who He is and what He has done to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). It is the prerogative of the members of Christ’s body, not to declare what they have done with Jesus, but to declare what He has done with them. Jesus is the subject of the Gospel and His redeemed people are the object. We are beneficiaries of His mercy and grace.
Christian, if that is what you call yourself, examine your faith. Is your trust in a gospel that celebrates Jesus helping you improve yourself? Do you boast more in your decision to let Jesus help you become more ethical and moral? Repent!
Repent to the Gospel of grace. The true believer is detected by the joy in telling others what a wretched man is talking to them. This peculiar man also glories in telling of the grace of Jesus Christ, who saved him from just judgment and punishment for his wretched depravity. Which person are you?
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 13, 2022
