tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073520120575862412.post3434031334316772501..comments2013-12-19T11:22:41.053-08:00Comments on Faith Through Hearing: A "pretty good" ChristianAaron E Elmorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182578465789525261noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073520120575862412.post-90260615987057433442010-11-16T10:02:28.827-08:002010-11-16T10:02:28.827-08:00I think you have wrapped it up fairly nice yoursel...I think you have wrapped it up fairly nice yourself. We understand (as best we can) and receive the grace of God and his redeeming love. Then we respond with a life of overflowing love in word and deed.<br /><br />Where I think we get into trouble is when we go too long without hearing the message of God's grace and our complete dependence upon Him. We are attempting to live out our faith, but that can easily get swept up into attempting to earn God's favor or "trying to do stuff" for God...rather than allowing Him to live through us.<br /><br />We need to keep hearing the gospel. We need our music to contain the gospel, our preaching to be constantly be shaped by it, our Sacraments to intentionally reflect it.Aaron E Elmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16182578465789525261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4073520120575862412.post-35630359178378564362010-11-11T10:24:16.228-08:002010-11-11T10:24:16.228-08:00Good thoughts here. I think it is part of our nat...Good thoughts here. I think it is part of our nature to focus on works. It is more tangible and easier to grade ourselves and gauge how we are doing. It is especially nice to compare ourselves to others and bask in the warmth of our smug superiority :) As you point out, it ends up being a burden, because we simply cannot be good enough.<br /><br />In general, we are suspicious of any free gift, no matter how small. A gift as huge as forgiven of our sins is hard to grasp. As I have matured, I see more clearly just how wide the gap is between me and our holy God. My response to that grace - that He loves me and wants a relationship with me - drives my behavior. I focus on the motivation for my works - loving God - and not on the work itself.<br /><br />What do you think? How do you wrap this up into a neat package?Otternoreply@blogger.com