Dr Paul Allen

Have you ever tried to summarize for those in your care what the Scriptures teach about the behavior of real disciples, about the everyday lives of those who follow him? It’s an important subject, most of us would agree. But nowadays it’s hard to discuss without people interpreting such summaries as volleys in the culture wars. Summaries of Cross-Shaped Discipleship The Bible is full of moral admonition for disciples—abiding in Christ, putting his kingdom above all, living by its ethics even among our enemies, and so on. It seems to me, though, that when we look to the New Testament for summaries of genuine discipleship, three kinds stand out: (1) statements about the way of the cross (and the cost of discipleship), (2) summaries of the Law and the Prophets, and (3) new commandments about practically fleshing out love for God and neighbor. I want to underscore what Jesus said of cross-shaped discipleship—the first of these three kinds of summative pronouncements: If anyone comes to me ...

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” ( 1 Timothy 1:12 ) The testimony of a changed life is perhaps the best evidence that God is alive and active today. The fact that at salvation a dead slave to sin is given life and a new nature comprises the only rational explanation for one who lives in victory and power after a lifetime of defeat. Take Paul, for example. Our introduction to him is at the stoning of Stephen ( Acts 7:58 ), after which his ardor for the Jewish traditions and hatred of Christianity caused him to wreak “havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison” ( Acts 8:3 ). This was not just casual opposition, for he was “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” ( Acts 9:1 ). He was a “blasphemer, and a persecutor [not only of Christians , but of Christ Himself— Acts 9:5 ], and injurious” ( 1 Timothy 1:...

There are only two ways of salvation: by the law or by grace. If salvation is to happen by the law, perfect obedience is necessary. There can be no blemishes or shortcomings, for the law will never show mercy. It knows nothing of grace or forgiveness. It demands perfection, because whoever transgresses in one tiny detail transgresses the whole of God's law : "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it" (James 2:10). Getting to heaven through obedience to the law requires perfection. Merely doing your best will prove insufficient; good intentions are not enough. It is vitally important to grasp exactly how much the law demands if we think we are going to be in a right relationship with God through law-keeping. Simply put, "By works of the law no one will be justified" (Gal. 2:16). Related articles God's Laws acting in our lives (gailsingle.wordpress.com) Lenten reflections: women and obedience (jess...

Can you imagine a Christian couple actually praying about living together before marriage? Can you fathom a young woman who professes Christ even bothering to pray about whether she should marry an unbeliever? Can you grasp a Christian businessman having to pray about whether he should tell the truth in a transaction? When the Word of God is so clear, praying to discern God’s will becomes a convenient excuse—or even a prolonged filibuster—to avoid doing what Scripture commands. Many who profess Christ today emphasize a wrong view of grace that makes it a free pass to do whatever they please. Tragically, they have convinced themselves that the Christian life can be lived without any binding obligation to the moral law of God. In this hyper-grace distortion, the need for obedience has been neutered. The commandments of God are no longer in the driver’s seat of Christian living, but have been relegated to the backseat, if not the trunk—like a spare tire—to be used only in case of an ...

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” ( Romans 5:19 ) Certainly the focal point of all history and the climax of Christ’s earthly ministry was His sacrificial death on the cross. Christ knew from ages past what was in store for Him, and yet He was “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” ( Philippians 2:8 ). However, as we see in our text, Christ’s obedience included more than His death, for He was perfectly obedient throughout His entire life. Indeed, it is a good thing, for any act of disobedience would have invalidated His sacrificial death. Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament (which prefigured the final sacrifice of Christ) had to be “without blemish” ( Leviticus 22:19 ). But even a perfect animal was not enough ( Hebrews 10:4 ) to satisfy God’s justice and take away sins. “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things. . . . But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without ble...