As my passion for theology continues to ebb and flow, at times I am inspired by Charles H. Spurgeon. This week I read his sermon number 1325, entitled “Christ the End of the Law”. I want to share this with you as today’s Sunday musing. This sermon is a major reason why I still consider myself a Christian, and why the desire for seminary stays with me, haunting me at times. If what Spurgeon says is true, then count me in.
Imagine preaching a sermon in 1876 at the Metropolitan Tabenacle in London! I love imagining such an event. To hear the voice of the Prince of Preachers! Spurgeon delivered this sermon on the morning of November 19th, 1876 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
“I am going to speak about two things, this morning, as the Spirit of God shall help me: and the first is, Christ in connection with the law—he is “the end of the law for righteousness”; and secondly, ourselves in connection with Christ—”to everyone that believeth Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.”
Why do we cling to the Law for moral guidance?
“The law is that which, as sinners, we have above all things cause to dread; for the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. Towards us the law darts forth devouring flames, for it condemns us, and in solemn terms appoints us a place among the accursed, as it is written, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.” Yet, strange infatuation! like the fascination which attracts the gnat to the candle which burns its wings, men by nature fly to the law for salvation, and cannot be driven from it. The law can do nothing else but reveal sin and pronounce condemnation upon the sinner, and yet we cannot get men away from it, even though we show them how sweetly Jesus stands between them and it. ”
“They are so enamoured of legal hope that they cling to it when there is nothing to cling to; they prefer Sinai to Calvary, though Sinai has nothing for them but thunders and trumpet warnings of coming judgment. O that for awhile you would listen anxiously while I set forth Jesus my Lord, that you may see the law in him.”
What has Christ to do with the Law?
“Now, what has our Lord to do with the law? He has everything to do with it, for he is its end for the noblest object, namely, for righteousness. He is the “end of the law.” What does this mean? I think it signifies three things: first, that Christ is the purpose and object of the law; secondly, that he is the fulfillment of it; and thirdly, that he is the termination of it.”
“The law is the sheriff’s officer to shut men up in prison for their sin, concluding them all under condemnation in order that they may look to the free grace of God alone for deliverance. This is the object of the law: it empties that grace may fill, and wounds that mercy may heal. It has never been God’s intention towards us, as fallen men, that the law should be regarded as a way to salvation to us, for a way of salvation it can never be.”
The Law is not for young believers or mature believers
“Another thought arises from the text, and that is, that there is nothing said by way of qualification as to the strength of the faith. He is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth, whether he is Little Faith or Greatheart. Jesus protects the rear rank as well as the vanguard. There is no difference between one believer and another as to justification. So long as there is a connection between you and Christ the righteousness of God is yours. The link may be very like a film, a spider’s line of trembling faith, but, if it runs all the way from the heart to Christ, divine grace can and will flow along the most slender thread.”
Thanks, Brian. Spurgeon emphasizes Christ, the gospel and the primacy of grace. A few verses come to mind: 2 Tim 2:1; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 2:11.
This also reminds me of how a reformed theologian contrasted Protestants with Catholics. It’s a mathematical formula with three words:
Protestants: Faith = Salvation + Works.
Catholics: Faith + Works = Salvation.
It is based on this that he criticizes Catholic theology as works contaminating faith in Christ as the way of salvation.
That criticism goes both ways, I think. You can point out the caution for Catholics as works contaminates faith in Christ as the way of salvation. You can also point out the caution for Protestants as salvation contaminates works as the way of faith.
In other words, Catholics need to avoid depending on works too much and not having good faith; Protestants need to avoid depending on faith too much and not doing good work.
I love the imagery of the spider’s line of faith running from the heart to Christ. I often feel that my own faith is wavering like that spider’s line, however so long as my heart is still connected to Christ directly or indirectly through my firmer believe in God then I am able to maintain a healing relationship with my heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I love the imagery of divine grace flowing along the slender thread of my faith. Today in a Starting Point group at Urban Village Church I learned about God’s grace. I realized through today’s group that I am often my own worst critic and judge when in reality God is so forgiving and loving of me despite my flaws.
It was through this newfound understanding of God’s grace that I have become more empowered in my own relationship with Jesus Christ. To be completely honest, as a former member of UBF I felt that there was not much grace in my life from God. I felt that my relationship with God was really condemning and I felt that the culture of UBF reinforced this. I am not sure if it was the leadership of the church or a combination of other factors, but I really felt like my thread of faith while in UBF was not showered with the divine grace of God that I am experiencing now that I am liberated from the hold UBF had on my psyche.
I do not mean to make my commentary as a form of attack on UBF. I do earnestly miss the relationships I had with UBF members, particularly second generation members of the church. In my attempt to guard my ego I made it seem in my portrayal to the world that I was not missing anything by leaving UBF, when in reality I lost a big part of myself in cutting off my relationship with UBF in the way that I did. My aim through these posts is to heal my relationship with UBF, as I would like to get to the point where I am not terrified of being manipulated into returning to UBF and instead focus on having a loving, prayerful connection to all Christians (UBF Christians included). I also hope that through these posts that God’s grace may shine through on the hearts of those still involved with UBF whom I have emotionally and energetically connected to so that they may be healed as well.
Back to the topic of God’s grace. I often feel that because of past decisions I am unworthy of God’s grace. In reality, God accepts me regardless of all my shortcomings and He has the ability to heal me of the emotional wounds caused by past decisions. I often think of my drug use in the past being something that hinders me from accepting God’s grace. I feel unworthy of the love of a God who saves me from addictions to alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and harder drugs. However, God’s grace is specifically intended to heal those emotional wounds that near death drug experiences have caused me. I recognize that despite how thin the thread of my faith may have seemed to myself in times of hardship and spiritual disconnectedness with God that God ultimately was still showering me with his grace in those times of terror to pull me out of the abyss that Satan wanted me in.
Other realms of my life that intersect with past substance abuse have been impacted by God’s grace. I believe it is by God’s grace that I have been able to keep my job that I love at Massage Envy Spa as a front desk associate and membership sales specialist when in the past I have lost jobs due to my drug addictions. I burned a bridge with a job I initially loved because of the effect alcoholism and marijuana use had on my mind. I burned a bridge with a job as a sales specialist making the highest pay I have made in my life because I attended work under the influence of marijuana and in my mind altered state I rejected the authority of my assistant manager. I believe it is by God’s grace that I have been able to flourish at the job I currently hold at Massage Envy and that I was even able to get a month medical leave from my job to take care of my mental health when I did a month of intensive outpatient therapy. I am honestly not mentioning my job at Massage Envy out of pride but instead out of thankfulness to God for having allowed me to finally cultivate a healthy relationship with an employer. I am sure it is only through God’s work in my place of employment that I am able to succeed and accomplish such feats as earning top performer as a membership sales specialist in August (selling a total of 20 memberships for the company’s massage wellness program).
I believe that even other areas of my life are impacted by God’s grace as well. I believe it is by God’s grace that I am able to be a part of a gay affirming church with the Urban Village community. I felt like I had to live such a double life while a member at UBF because I felt I was not fully accepted for who I am, and my gay identity has so much to do with who I am as a person. I feel that I am able to learn how to cultivate a healthy relationship with my sexuality as a gay man who wants to learn to live a Christian lifestyle within the LGBTQ community. I believe that it is God’s grace that has allowed me to seek Christ again in my life and heal spiritually instead of making do like many other LGBTQ individuals and using drugs to suppress my emotional pains. I believe it is by God’s grace that I am connected to this forum and that I have heard of Brian Karcher and your outreach efforts to the LGBTQ community. I realize that God has so much love for the LGBTQ community and that God fully accepts me as a gay man. God approves of my desire to have a loving committed relationship with another man according to biblical and spiritual principles and I believe that God will guide me to the right person to start my own family with one day. I believe that all these blessings are possible through God’s grace that is flowing more powerfully now than ever in my life on my thickening thread of faith (I’d prefer to refer to it as a totem pole of faith extending from my heart to Christ). I pray that God may continue to shower me with grace as I am in a transition period in my life in finding community in my new church, as I explore what it means to be a gay Christian, and as I explore the career path that God has intended for me in the short-term at Massage Envy and in the long-term as a CPS teacher (if that is where he leads me).
I am trying to regain some of my flow in my own writing process and am working on connecting my ideas a little more coherently. I also am using this writing process as a therapeutic aid like I mentioned for my healing process, so I pray to God that he may be my guide in my writing process in organizing my stream of thoughts into writing so that He can speak through me. Thanks for the share, Brian, and I will definitely continue to return to this forum.
Hi John. I am really glad you have to courage to share this, and even more glad to hear that you are recovering and healing! I have so many thoughts that cannot really express how I feel.
I hope you get a chance one day to meet my friend Matthew Vines. I am part of his Reformation Project. We are working with churches around the country to make a safer place for gender and sexual minorities and to bring justice to racial inequalities.
It is not just ubf, but most of the church in our generation, who have abandoned many groups of people–racial minorities, gays, transgender, intersexual–all kinds of human beings God died for. Yet the church rejects them in the name of serving God. Matthew and I and many others think this is not pleasing to God. We are working to promote a gospel-centered attitude toward all people.
To that end, I am an ally for life. I hope you know that you are carrying a double-burden. Not only are you dealing with the abuse of being in a mind control cult, you are dealing with the rejection LGBTQIA people face in the church.
I hope you also know that you are not alone. Others who are gay and who left ubf have reached out to me. I hope to be a friend and ambassador of Christ to such people. Just as the first Christians extended the right hand of fellowship to Paul and the uncircumcised Gentiles, so we extend the right hand of fellowship to you!
I think your words reveal that you are understanding the grace of God in a correct manner. Grace to me is not a compass pointing us to some moral high ground. Grace to me is a buoy, supporting us in the ocean of life, and always pointing up 🙂
“Professor Peter Cohen argues that human beings have a deep need to bond and form connections. It’s how we get our satisfaction. If we can’t connect with each other, we will connect with anything we can find — the whirr of a roulette wheel or the prick of a syringe. He says we should stop talking about ‘addiction’ altogether, and instead call it ‘bonding.’ A heroin addict has bonded with heroin because she couldn’t bond as fully with anything else.
So the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is human connection.”
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/the-real-cause-of-addicti_b_6506936.html)
when dysfunctional groups (religion/education/etc) interfere with bonding/connection, they damage us; if we can reform groups, they could rather help us (recover, or better yet, avoid trouble to begin with..)
one more comment based on previous sited article:
“Professor Alexander argues this discovery is a profound challenge both to the right-wing view that addiction is a moral failing caused by too much hedonistic partying, and the liberal view that addiction is a disease taking place in a chemically hijacked brain. In fact, he argues, addiction is an adaptation. It’s not you. It’s your cage.”
if our environment (‘cage’) becomes too isolating (lacks human bonding/connection), we seek whatever satisfaction we can find; if environment becomes more connecting with others in healthy ways, we find healthier satisfaction
In my book, The New Wine, I expound on what I call the “new wine gospel”. This perspective is rooted in Spurgeon’s sermon I mention in this article.
When we come to understand this new wine Jesus brought to the world, we find the freedom to “touch lepers” and the ability to see that gay people are normal human beings and no more broken than anyone else. We can begin to see beyond the gender binary that cannot accurately describe humanity.
(perhaps less broken in reality than presumed elite leaders..:)