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Truth-Telling That Trembles

This week the new bloggers are posting over at New Attitude.

My friend Justin Taylor just did a post that includes the following:

If you have humility without orthodoxy it's hypocrisy—a form of pride wearing a gentle mask. At the same time, orthodoxy without humility is contradictory—with one hand it offers true words and with the other hand it takes away that truth with a worldly tone. God calls us toward a better way: boldness that is broken; truth-telling that trembles; contending that communes.
That last line is gold. Read those three statements again and let them sink in. What a piercing description of humble orthodoxy. I'm studying Jeremiah right now and each of Justin's phrases reminds me of aspects of the weeping prophet's life and ministry. May they increasingly be true of our own lives.

Comments (3)

Hey Josh,
Have you ever heard of an article called, "A Kinder Gentler Calvinism." I have an exerpt from it below. When you preached on the vision of Humble Orthodoxy several weeks back it reminded me of the article.

"I consider myself blessed to have been confronted early on in my first pastorate. An elder commented to me after what I thought was a particularly good sermon on sin, "Son, don't you know any good news?" He made me mad. He made me real mad. Mumbling to myself for weeks thereafter, I privately reviewed my sermons. He was right. The love of God shed abroad in Jesus Christ was in short supply. I was unwittingly dispensing Total Depravity without much Amazing Grace. I needed new models, someone theologically correct, unyielding of the truth, yet full of the Good News. I didn't have to look far.
With my attitude adjustment, I saw the Lord Jesus and the Apostles teaching vital truth without compromise but practicing the touch of love. That's why sinners listened. That's why you listen. There really is good news. The Great Sovereign God has so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Our job is to go into the highways and byways and compel sinners to come in faith to Jesus, knowing that as many as are ordained for eternal life will come.
And they respond to the simple telling of the Good News about Jesus. This means that you can start with any of the petals of TULIP and lead directly to Jesus crucified for sinners, even real sinners with whom you are speaking face to face. This means if your TULIP doesn't lead directly to Jesus crucified for sinners, you missed the point."

Lew, can you send me a link to the original article? Thanks.

Josh

Hi Josh,

It looks like the article can be found here:
http://www.rts.edu/quarterly/summer00/mcguire.html

I haven't read it all yet, but it looks interesting.

Cheers,

James

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