A Thought from Romans, Thoughts from AW Tozer, and Old School...

a)

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

When was the last time you told people about God's righteousness when you shared the Gospel? Last week, I used the concept of righteousness when sharing with a friend. I realized how rarely the concept (not just the word) is communicated in my attempts to proclaim the Good News.

Yet Paul says the Gospel has power because it reveals the righteousness of God (v. 16-17). It reveals God's righteousness in His judgment of Sin (Rom 2:5, 3:21-23). It reveals God's righteousness in His justification of Sinners through Christ's substitution (Rom 3:25-26). It reveals His righteousness through Christ's obedience (Rom 5:19). It reveals His righteousness in His Law (Rom 5:18, 7:12).

So, a suggestion - next time you share the Gospel, explain to people what a brilliant picture of God's righteousness is. It is not just His Love, but also His Righteousness, His moral greatness and beauty, that acts to draw the sinner to faith in Jesus Christ.

b)

Reading Tozer's Pursuit of God:

"The doctrine of justification by faith.... has in our time fallen into evil comapny and been interpreted by many in such a manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless... The man is "saved", but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact, he is specifically taught to be satisfied and is encouraged to be content with little..." (p 14)

Tozer reminds us that the true Christian is the true seeker. A real believer has a new life in which the Pursuit of God is its highest aim and greatest joy.

"Moses used the fact that he knew God as an argument for knowing him better. "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight" (Exodus 33:13)" (p 15)

I hope it will be a reminder to me to never stop seeking and always desire more.

c)

Wow...