This episode builds off the last one, in which sinners identify with one of three kinds of sinners: the religious person who excels in keeping the outward law, the average person whose obedience is not particularly noteworthy, and the open rebel who respects neither God nor man. The prudent evangelist notes which one the potential convert identifies with and conveys his testimony accordingly, highlighting comparable experiences and struggles that might resonate with his audience. Few receive the gospel on the first hearing, but many will remember a testimony that is relatable. The Holy Spirit often uses individual testimonies to draw people to Christ on the day of visitation, for they represent real live examples, not just abstractions. The evangelist consequently needs to listen to both the Holy Spirit and the potential convert, as both often provide a veritable roadmap for evangelistic encounters.
A Helpful Analogy that Shuts up ALL under Sin
This episode reviews the salient points of the previous week, emphasizing that we are co-laborers with the Holy Spirit. He is responsible for "saving" sinners, not the evangelist. Most of the episode applies a common helpful analogy to explain the desperate plight of ALL people apart from Christ. A ship 1,000 miles from land sinks with 3 people aboard, an Olympian, an average guy, and a quadriplegic. The three represent the range from professional religious persons to Hitler. All miss the righteousness of God completely and desperately need a Savior. Ironically known sinners are often first to receive Christ before religious people. The evangelist should note which of the three the potential convert identifies with, incorporating his own testimony as the Holy Spirit leads.
Sons of Abraham Follow His Example
This episode spells out the significance of the covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 15, in light of the rest of the Scriptures. The previous episode noted that Abraham was justified by faith (Genesis 15:6), and Abraham rejoiced when he saw his perfect representative in Christ. (John 8:56) God did not make a covenant with Abraham directly but made it through his representative. These foundational planks of Judaism help answer the question "do Jews and Christians believe in the same God?' To the extent that Jews continue to relate to God in the manner of Abraham, they believe in the same God as Christians. Christ came 2,000 years ago, perfectly fulfilling the hope of Abraham, who saw Christ's day and was glad. (John 8:56) Just as Abraham believed and saw his perfect representative in Christ, albeit in types of a "smoking oven" or a "flaming torch," believers in Christ become sons of Abraham when they put their faith in the second Adam.(Galatians 3:7) The emergence of the distinctive traits of Judaism in the father of Judaism, Abraham, point to their full development and expression in Christianity, highlighting the continuity between the Old and New Testaments.
“Mourn the Residing Power of Sin, not the Penalty”
Building off of the last episode, this program contends that "mourning" should be a common occurrence in the life of believers. The same Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11), leading to repentance and faith in Christ--well that same Spirit continues his convicting work in the life of believer. Though eternal destiny is settled for believers (position), seemingly endless adjustments are in order as the Holy Spirit conforms the saint into the image of Christ, as He addresses our condition. James 4:8-9 insists that believers mourn their remaining affinity with worldliness: "Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep.."
“Also no Salutations to Saints in Thessalonica”
On the road to answering the question regarding the omission of the word "saints" in the intro to Galatians, this episode notes that the same omission occurs in the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Paul uses the words "saints" in 6 of his 9 epistles to churches. The episode notes Augustine's distinction between the visible and invisible church, and posits that Paul addressed his letters to the visible church, which included believers and unbelievers. Christ's use of the word church in Matthew 16:18 only referred to believers. "Upon this rock, I build my church." The distinction between the visible and invisible church might possibly influence how the question is ultimately answered.
The Grounds of “Sainthood”
This initial episode lays the foundation needed to properly answer the question concerning Paul's omission of the word "saints" in his salutations to the Galatians. Most of Paul's letters to churches are addressed to saints, even 1 Corinthians, a very carnal church. The ground of "sainthood" in Paul's theology is the imputed righteousness of Christ, the gift of Christ's perfect holiness that is accounted to everyone who embraces Christ. The Christian's fundamental identity is his POSITIONAL holiness before a holy God, who regards us through the blood of Christ, and ACCOUNTS us holy. Christ's gift of His righteousness to believers is therefore the ground of "sainthood." Another meaning of "hagios" [saint in Greek] is "consecrated" or "set aside," both of which indicate the calling dimension of sainthood. the church is literally composed of those who are "called out," the literal meaning of church. "ekklesia" Consequently Paul describes believers in Corinth as "those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling." (1 Cor. 1:2) "Sanctified" here is derived from the same root as saint. Saints then are those called and set aside by God to receive Christ's positional holiness. This foundational plank of the Christian faith, our sainthood in Christ, is the basis for all subsequent growth in practical holiness, in which the Holy Spirit conforms our sinful CONDITION to our perfect POSITION in Christ.
Affliction Leading to Awe of God and His Law
This episode takes the central theme of Psalm 119, "oh that my ways may be established to keep your statutes," and applies it to Christian sanctification. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit conforming us into the image of Christ: He gradually conforms our condition with our perfect position in Christ. With respect to the believer's attitude and obedience to the Law, the Holy Spirit cultivates the inner delight of God's law in the inner man (Romans 7:22), making it the governing disposition of the soul, where we love God (and His Law) with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Psalm 119 describes affliction as one of the means God uses to force the issue of holistic delight in God's Law. Similarly, the Holy Spirit orchestrates affliction to push the urgency of sanctification, hopefully leading to a more exhaustive embrace of God and His Law. God intends that affliction graduate the believer from simply parroting God's Law into apprehending the "why" of God's Law, leading to delight.
The Law Expresses the “Beauty of Holiness”
This episode is a recap of the previous week's teaching on Psalm 119, emphasizing the common threads of God's work in establishing our way, ultimately leading to a genuinely positive delight in God's law. Since the law is a reflection of God's character and beauty, love of God coupled with disdain for God's Law is inconceivable. While true believers would never seek to justify themselves by keeping God's Law, they nevertheless delight in that Law based on being born again. Romans 7:22 affirms that they "delight with the Law of God in the inner man." The episode closes with Jonathan Edwards' phraseology describing believers' delight in God's holiness described in the Law. Christians alone can apprehend the "beauty of holiness."
Called to Repent and Obey
The beginning of this episode presents a positive description of repentance from God's perspective: God is not a cosmic killjoy imposing commandments on us to keep us from enjoying ourselves. His commandments are the guardrails that ensure an ultimately fulfilling life. Repentance and subsequent obedience are therefore part of the purpose of the Christian life, according to 1 Peter 1:2, where the Spirit separates us for obedience and the forgiveness of sins. Holistic salvation incorporates repentance as an ongoing practice with the aim of obeying Christ more. And all the mistakes along the way are covered by the blood of Christ.