The church exists just as much for the world as for its own members, because it exists ultimately for God.  It is our Godward-reference that keeps us from making the needs of our own people and members primary.  The more we look upward, the more we look outward.  The church is both the community of the kingdom and the agent for the spread of the kingdom of God.”

- Tim Keller, Ministries of Mercy (Phillipsburg, P&R Publishing, 1997), p 191

The church is a dynamic body in action. It is through the church that God’s kingdom comes to all the ends of the earth. The church is not the church unless it is in action; in other words, unless it is in mission.

- John Frame, Salvation Belongs to the Lord (Phillipsburg, P&R Publishing, 2006), p 249

- Tim Keller, Ministries of Mercy (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1997), 138

The place to begin is to fully endorse this two-fold notion:

1. truth without grace isn’t truth – if we don’t embrace this we will tend to use truth to hurt or “put people in their place” rather than help
2. grace without truth isn’t grace – grace is given us by God for freedom and Jesus said when we know (and embrace) the truth that is what sets us free (Jn 8:31-32), without truth there is no power to transform

With that as the backdrop, it is helpful to listen in on a conversation Peter Kreft had with a gay activist who was troubled by the Christian notion of “hating the sin but loving the sinner.”  This is very worth your 5 minutes, read it here.

His transformation by grace made him convinced of the conquering power of Christ and His gospel. He had a deep conviction of sin, both in respect to his past and the present.  But the depth of his depravity was not his primary concern: that concern was grace.  The marvel of grace transforming him and other sinners dominated his consciousness.” – p. 80, The Heart of a Servant Leader

Brokenness over sin is not our end.  It is the necessary means by which we marvel over grace.  This is health.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. – Ephesians 5:1

In his very helpful booklet The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness (only $.99 on kindle, can’t beat that for the deal of the day), Tim Keller says Christianity is the religion where the verdict comes before the performance.  The impulse of the sinful human heart is to switch this around; to perform, perform, perform in search of that elusive verdict of approval. Ephesians 5:1 shows this is not right.

We do not seek to imitate God or obey him to become his children.  We seek to obey because we are his children, and not only children that are a tolerated annoyance but beloved.

So you may or may not be receiving the love you hope for from parents or friends or spouses or co-workers or neighbors.  May the Lord do a work to change this.  But even more, may he do a work to change you; that your status as God’s beloved would become palpable and this “love of all loves” would be enough to gladden your heart.  Though you fail and are failed, you have been served in a way that is more than you could ever hope for.  Though your list of wrongs is enough to condemn you a thousand times over, by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus you possess an approval and love that is more than you could even imagine.

So as God’s beloved child, imitate him today.

I want the Spirit to grace me with much patience, a willingness to take each small step necessary to make friends with the lost person, and then boldly stand before the heart’s door and knock.  And then to stand with tears before the person’s inner citadel and plead for the lost one to grab hold of the only salvation there is.  The Father must give much new grace if this is to happen.  I am often so far from this kind of total commitment to the Lord Jesus.  Pray for me, my brother, pray for me! (p 76)

1. Ministering to people is hard work. It was a toil and struggle for the apostle Paul.
2. Our energy is not enough. We need (and are given) energy from
another “….struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works
within me.”

“…the good news is that the peace that was broken at the fall will be restored in everything, from God’s reconciliation with sinners to his establishing of the new heavens and the new earth.  A cosmic gospel means the restoration of all things.” – Jared Wilson, Gospel Wakefulness

“Care for one’s office is, in it’s very frame of reference on earth, participation in God’s own care for human beings.” – Gustaf Wingren