\n<\/p>
\u201cWith what disgust, contempt, and hatred Christ must look upon every second of our lives, the reviewing of which must be a long torture for us, were such a judgment in our future!\u201d <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n These are the words of a Presbyterian minister, writing in a prominent evangelical magazine. <\/span> He\u2019s trying to refute the belief that we\u2019ll be judged according to works at the last day. <\/span> He\u2019s wrong on that point. <\/span> Paul says clearly and repeatedly that everyone will be judged according to his works. <\/span> But that\u2019s not my main interest this morning. <\/span> My interest is the attitude this writer attributes to Jesus. <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do you think Jesus is filled with \u201cdisgust, contempt, and hatred . . . every second of our lives\u201d? <\/span> Many Christians do, and there are others who want to reinforce that view. <\/span> Job\u2019s friends did. <\/span> They posed as \u201ccomforters\u201d but they were really little \u201csatans,\u201d accusers more interested in convicting than comforting. <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Job\u2019s response is not meekly to turn over and take it. <\/span> His response is not, \u201cWell, you\u2019ve got a point there. <\/span> I admit I\u2019m totally depraved.\u201d <\/span> His response is to deny their accusations and defend himself. <\/span> <\/span> That should be our response too. <\/span> But how? <\/span> We know how sinful we are, how often we fail and fall. <\/span> How can we defend ourselves with the same confidence as Job? <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The answer will come in a few moments, as it comes every week in the liturgy. <\/span> As we enter the Lord\u2019s presence, we first need to be cleansed by confessing our sins. <\/span> When we\u2019ve confessed, the Father tells us how he regards us, and He doesn\u2019t express disgust, contempt, or hatred. <\/span> What He expresses is free and absolute forgiveness, love, favor, brotherly kindness, mercy. <\/span> Because you are in the Son, \u201cHe forgives you all <\/em> your sins.\u201d <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n When the accusations come, don\u2019t grovel and don\u2019t let yourself be manipulated. <\/span> Instead: Remember the words of absolution and realize that even more than Job you have grounds to protest your innocence. <\/span> Remember the declaration of forgiveness, and believe that in Christ your sins are completely, utterly gone. <\/span> Remember that you have been cleansed, silence the satans, and know that Jesus Christ by His Spirit is the true Comforter. <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The next time some sophisticated theological accuser, some Confessional satan, wants to convict you of sin, you\u2019ve got a choice: Believe the accuser, or believe God. <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cWith what disgust, contempt, and hatred Christ must look upon every second of our lives, the reviewing of which must be a long torture for us, were such a judgment in our future!\u201d These are the words of a Presbyterian minister, writing in a prominent evangelical magazine. He\u2019s trying to refute the belief that we\u2019ll […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-theology-soteriology"],"yoast_head":"\n