The Discipline of Grace

This morning I picked up a book that I haven't looked at in a couple of years - The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges.  One of the bloggers that I follow, Tim Challies chose this book to read through, inviting his readers to join him (he does this a couple times each year).  So I decided to join in on this read and wanted to share a few thoughts with you.

In chapter one (titled How Good is Good Enough?) I was reminded once again of this truth that I so often forget - THIS LIFE IS NOT ABOUT ME; SALVATION IS NOT ABOUT ME.  Meaning it's not about my sins and failures, or the guilt that I experience when I sin and fail.  Rather it's about God's grace in forgiving my sins and failures.  Nor is it about my good works, rather it's about God's grace working through me to accomplish good.   Here is how Bridges summarized this point: 

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace.  And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace (19)

Bridges goes on unpacking what he means throughout the chapter, and I thought these lines offered a helpful explanation.

Pharisee-type believers unconsciously think they have earned God's blessing through their behavior.  Guilt-laden believers are quite sure they have forfeited God's blessing through their lack of discipline or their disobedience.  Both have forgotten the meaning of grace because they have moved away from the gospel and have slipped into a performance relationship with God. (22)

In other words Bridges is saying it's not about what WE did or do...it's about what CHRIST did through His death and resurrection - the Gospel!  But then the question comes if I cannot use "duty" or "guilt" to motivate myself and others to follow Christ, what should I use?  Bridges addresses this too:

We believers do need to be challenged to a life of committed discipleship, but that challenge needs to be based on the gospel, not on duty or guilt.  Duty or guilt may motivate us for awhile, but only a sense of Christ's love for us will motivate us for a lifetime.  (25)

So Christ's love for us should motivate us to lives of Radical discipleship...that's good stuff!  It's not to late to join in on the read.  If you are interested click here to see how it all works.