Re-Entry

I wasn't going to blog this now, but i have to before i sleep.

John Piper has returned from his sabbatical, and preached on Luke 18:9-14, listen here, or read here you really have to listen. Piper says that 'if you are trusting in your own righteousness you. Are. Going. To. Hell.'

This may seem like an obvious point, but the Pharisee in this parable thanked God for his righteousness, so he knew it was produced by God. But, it was in this he trusted. He trusted in his own works, the ones driven by God, and not in Christ alone. He was prepared to go into the judgement room on that day, and present to the Judge what he had done, as the basis for his justification. And he was going to be condemened for it.

I don't want to get this wrong. I thank God that He has made an unrecognisable person from the one who met Him four and a bit years ago, i thank God He is doing a work in me, to sanctify me, i thank God that every second word is no longer a swear word, i thank God that i am no longer driven on by anger and hatred and lust. These are good works in me driven by God's grace. But if i present them to Him on that last day, as the reason for my salvation, i will not be saved. I must trust in Christ's righteousness alone for my salvation. Sure He is doing good works in me, but as a result of my justification, not as some sort of addition to it, or even that those works are my justification. By faith alone in Christ alone. Why should i be saved? Because of Him, not because i now don't swear.

It saddens me that, according to Piper so many are turning away from this. So many are trusting in their own works for their salvation. What a terrible thing, to have the righteousness of Christ offered to you, and to say 'no thanks, look at me'.