I was reminded yesterday of the need for homilitcal humility and the need for the pastor to be ever cognizant and even fearful of rightly dividing the word of truth. Our Senior Pastor is preaching through Matthew and we have now arrived at Matthew 24.
Regardless of your eschatological views this passage is wrought with issues. Our pastor admitted yesterday that he was not ready to preach the passage and instead of serving God and others with less than what is necessary, he would take some additional time to study. This act of humility in the pulpit was so refreshing to me and served to exhort me strongly again of the unflinching seriousness of God in commanding the shepherds of Jesus’ church to handle the word rightly.
Instead we were treated with the first of a two part series on the anchors of justification. This was a most encouraging time for us as we gathered round the cross to behold the certainties that were purchased by the Savior.
One particular point that I wanted to highlight is the reality of imputation (being credited with Christ’s righteousness…Rom. 4.4-5; 2 Cor.5.21). It has been popular for folks to define justification with the convenient phrase, “I am just-as-if-I’d…never sinned”. As Pat mentioned yesterday this is a good place to start but regrettably it short sells the power of the cross.
In justification we are not restored to a position of moral neutrality, similar to our forefather Adam. Though this would have been an improvement it would not be salvation!
Instead in Jesus we are imputed (charged) with Christ’s eternally perfect righteousness, even the righteousness of God (Rom. 3.21ff). This position is far better! Christ having been tested has loved and obeyed the Father perfectly in the place of sinners and has also satisfied the penalty of sin (death) through his glorious crosswork. So believers are given his glorious righteousness, a righteousness that launches us into an eternally secure position of acceptance as the Judge views sinners like you and me as robed in the perfection of Jesus. Indeed this is far better! For Jesus is far better!