alwaysreforming
Puritan Board Sophomore
A couple of years ago, I borrowed numerous archives of the "White Horse Inn" from the local RTS and devoured them. They brought fresh life into my spirituality and acquainted me with the great truths of the Reformation, ...and Christ!
Since then, I have realized that I may have misunderstood and perhaps been off base in some of my thinking about sanctification. There has been so much of an emphasis on "Christ and his finished work on the cross" that I'm now having trouble coming to grips with what my personal responsibilities might be.
Specifically, I was listening to Dr. Gerstner's exposition of the WCF the other night and he was going over the topics of Repentence, and then Good Works. When he got to the part about "your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees", terror went through me!
I had always interpreted that verse to mean that "you need something other than your own righteousness to be right before God; the righteousness of Christ." And while that's true, he explained that the verse is to be taken at face value, and one's OWN, personal, subjective righteousness is to exceed that of the Pharisee's.
I realized that I have not been zealous towards keeping the Law, and have been careless in battling sin, as if it really didn't make that much of a difference. Now I'm left dealing with passages like, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord;" "Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect", etc! Quite frightening!
What shall I do? Is it true that we'll be judged according to the Law? If we are "doing poorly in our Law-keeping", could that mean that perhaps we are not really numbered among the elect? I'm frightened and confused...
Since then, I have realized that I may have misunderstood and perhaps been off base in some of my thinking about sanctification. There has been so much of an emphasis on "Christ and his finished work on the cross" that I'm now having trouble coming to grips with what my personal responsibilities might be.
Specifically, I was listening to Dr. Gerstner's exposition of the WCF the other night and he was going over the topics of Repentence, and then Good Works. When he got to the part about "your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees", terror went through me!
I had always interpreted that verse to mean that "you need something other than your own righteousness to be right before God; the righteousness of Christ." And while that's true, he explained that the verse is to be taken at face value, and one's OWN, personal, subjective righteousness is to exceed that of the Pharisee's.
I realized that I have not been zealous towards keeping the Law, and have been careless in battling sin, as if it really didn't make that much of a difference. Now I'm left dealing with passages like, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord;" "Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect", etc! Quite frightening!
What shall I do? Is it true that we'll be judged according to the Law? If we are "doing poorly in our Law-keeping", could that mean that perhaps we are not really numbered among the elect? I'm frightened and confused...