Archive for the 'Self Control' Category

Thinking About “Means of Grace”

Published
by
Chris
on September 13, 2008
in Self Control and Soteriology
. 0 Comments

Where is the grace of God?  How does God work powerfully in my life?

Titus 2:11ff teaches that the very grace of God which brings salvation also continues to work in our lives, teaching us to say “no” to ungodliness.  The grace that saves also sanctifies so that we are increasingly conformed us to the image of Christ.

Get this: If you are truly a believer, then the God who spoke Creation into existence is at work in your life.

Your average Christian then asks, “Well, concretely, how can I expect this to take place?”  Why am I not experiencing more victory?  Why can’t I change?

And, the Protestant answer to that question has been that God works through certain appointed means.  It is as we study God’s Word, pray, fellowship, and worship that God pours out his grace in our lives.  This is not to be understood in a mystical sense.  Nor, is it to imply that God does not work graciously work throughout the day.  But, there is a focus on being sanctified through these central activities of the church.

Berkhof writes, “Sanctification takes place partly in the subconscious life, and as such is an immediate operation of the Holy Spirit; but also partly in the conscious life, and then depends on the use of certain means, such as the constant exercise of faith, the study of God’s Word, prayer and association with other believers.  L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, Fourth ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976), 534.

Grudem adds, “The New Testament does not suggest any short-cuts by which we can grow in sanctification, but simply encourages us repeatedly to give ourselves to the old-fashioned, time-honored means for Bible reading and meditation (Ps. 1:3; Matt. 4:4, 17:17), prayer (Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6), worship (Eph. 5:18-20), witnessing (Matt 28:19-20), Christian fellowship (Heb. 10:24-25), and self-discipline or self-control (Gal. 5:23; Titus 1:8).

So, if you aren’t in God’s Word, with God’s people, praying, worshiping, then don’t expect to experience God’s grace.  (Moreover, you should probably question the authenticity of your faith!)

Want to study more? Read an intersting article by Fred Sanders on Wesley’s views (click here) of the means of grace here.  I don’t mean to imply that I am in complete agreement with Wesley’s positions, which honestly I haven’t studied that well.

Messin With "Sins-squatch"

Published
by
Chris
on September 5, 2008
in Self Control
. 1 Comment

Studying Colossians 3 for the weekend.  Paul admonishes the Colossians (3:5) to put to death sin.

How many times is our approach more like the clowns in certain beef-jerky commericals?  With a similar, though worse, outcome.

Feeding your wild side doesn’t end well.  Kill it.

 

We Need More Anger

Published
by
Chris
on June 23, 2008
in Recommended Reading and Self Control
. 0 Comments

Most of the time, we think of anger as a negative thing.  Perhaps, most of the time it is.  But, in this insightful post, Tullian Tchividjian distinguishes righteous or God-centered anger from self-centered anger. 

Self Control, Atkin’s, Discipline, Etc.

Published
by
Chris Brauns
on May 10, 2008
in Self Control
. 4 Comments

You can expect that by Christmas I’ll look like the guy over on the Jollyblogger. 

Here’s the deal.

Proverbs 25:28, says, “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”  When we fail to be disciplined, our lives are vulnerable to all kinds of invaders.

And, we are in an increasingly undisciplined culture.  Hence, our lives are invaded by obesity, financial irresponsibility, temper problems, poor time management, and many other symptoms of a lack of self-control.

So, I’m thinking about doing a series on self-control in the Fall - - not a real long one - -just a parenthesis in our time in Hebrews. 

But, preaching a series means that I have to get my own house in order and one of the areas where I am most undisciplined is in how I eat.  Jollyblogger has me thinking about the low-carb approach to life.  He refers to this Jimmy Moore guy who has lost a “Subway-Jerod” (see here) like amount of weight.

Here are a couple of questions for you, dear reader.

(1) Can you think of other areas besides the ones I mentioned (eating, finances, time management, and temper) in which a lack of self-control causes problems in life?

(2) Do think a series on a biblical theology of self-control would be good to do?

(2) Do you have experience with a low-carb approach to eating?  How did it work?  How did/do you feel?

I never liked bread that well anyway.