Examining a Joyful Letter The NEED, God’s SUPPLY, our RESPONSE

Reformation

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ErasmusAre the scriptures fit only for the perfumed? No, the scriptures are fit for the farmer, the tailor, the mason, prostitutes, pimps, and Turks.” 

Martin Luther

Martin LutherAt this point in Luther’s life, how would he have described God?

What was Martin Luther’s problem?

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?

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The FCF is the mutual human condition that contemporary believers share with those to or for whom the text was written that requires the grace of the passage.

Where is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?

 1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.  2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.  If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

 7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

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Where is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?

Where is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?Verse Two

1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?“What aspect of the fallen condition of mankind does this

passage address?”

1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.  2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?“What aspect of the fallen condition of mankind does this

passage address?”

Easily Deceived

Priority on External Righteousness

Place Confidence In Human Effort

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?We Add To The Gospel

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What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)Verse 5

circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?An Example

Inherited Earned

Circumcised Law Pharisees

Born Into Jewish Family Zealous

Israelite Faultless

Benjamin

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?We Add to the Gospel

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Circumcision

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?We Add To the Gospel

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Circumcision

Indulgences

Only a fraction of the present body of profession Christians are solidly appropriating the justifying work of Christ in their lives. Many have so light an apprehension of God’s holiness and of the extent and guilt of their sin that consciously they see little need for justification, although below the surface of their lives they are deeply guilt-ridden and insecure.

[On the other hand], many others have a theoretical commitment to this doctrine, but in their day-to-day existence they rely on their sanctification for their justification….drawing their assurance of acceptance with God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience.

Christians who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons—much less secure than non-Christian, because of the constant bulletins they receive from their Christian environment about the holiness of God and the righteousness they are supposed to have.

Their insecurity shows itself in pride, a fierce defensive assertion of their own righteousness and defensive criticism of others. They come naturally to hate other cultural styles and other races in order to bolster their own security and discharge their suppressed anger. They cling desperately to legal, pharisaical righteousness, but envy, jealousy and other branches on the tree of sin grow out of their fundamental insecurity.

What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF)?We Add to the Gospel

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Circumcision

Indulgences

Activity

What is God’s REMEDY/SUPPLY for the FCF?  7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

What is God’s Remedy?

Inherited Earned

Circumcised Law Pharisees

Born Into Jewish Family Zealous

Israelite Faultless

Benjamin LossLoss

What is God’s REMEDY/SUPPLY for the FCF?  7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

What is God’s Remedy?An Example

Inherited Earned

Christ Christ

Christ Christ

Christ Christ

Christ GainGain

. Active vs. Passive Righteousness

Psalm Lectures

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What is God’s REMEDY/SUPPLY for the FCF?  7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through

faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

How are we to RESPOND to God’s provision?

10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

How are we to RESPOND to God’s provision?

10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

How are we to RESPOND to God’s provision?

10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

How are we to RESPOND to God’s provision?

10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

How are we to RESPOND to God’s provision?

10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

How are we to RESPOND to God’s provision?What do I add to the gospel in my life?

What difference does this passive righteousness make in my life?

Am I growing in my intimacy with God? If not, why not?

Am I fearful of sufferings, why?

Where in my life has God overcome an area which had to be accomplished with the power of the resurrection?

Do I live as one who is dead and now alive?