Theocast
The Self-Validation Project
June 15, 2022
Summary
In the church, we can struggle to rightly understand and apply the grace of God in Christ. We know we need grace on the front end of salvation, but then, once in, we flip to an economy of merit. And now, we're just collecting stars and earning cookies. It is as though we think that through our working we can retroactively vindicate God's saving of us and turn ourselves into the kind of people God would've been happy to save in the first place. In this episode, Jon and Justin talk about how the Christian life is a project of self-validation for many.
Topics
- Episode focus: The Self-Validation Project
- In the church, we can struggle to rightly understand and apply the grace of God in Christ
- We know we need grace on the front end of salvation, but then, once in, we flip to an economy of merit
- And now, we're just collecting stars and earning cookies
- It is as though we think that through our working we can retroactively vindicate God's saving of us and turn ourselves into the kind of people God would've been happy to save…
Transcript
Edited machine transcript. May contain errors. Select a timestamp to watch that moment.
Hi, this is John, and today on Theocast, Justin and I are going to have a conversation about a problem within evangelicalism or within Christianity in general, where we feel like we must always be validating our faith or validating
the faith of others.
It's a lively conversation.
We really hit home on the power of the gospel and how often grace can be offensive when it should be our motivation.
We hope you enjoy.
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Thanks for listening.
Welcome to Theocast, Encouraging Weary Pilgrims to Rest in Christ.
Conversations about the Christian life from a confessionally reformed and pastoral perspective.
If you want to know what that means, well, stay tuned or read our free e-book.
Either one probably should be fine.
Your host today, our pastor of Covenant Baptist Church, Justin Perdue, and I'm John Moffat, the pastor of Grace Reformed Church in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
I think I forgot to mention that you're from Asheville, North Carolina.
Well, the problem is, Justin, we've done this three times now, and I can't remember what I've said.
We've had all kinds of technical problems, and it's been a glorious morning.
We had some spiritual warfare going on with like lights going on and off, and all kinds of things.
Yeah, I was going to say, we've done this three times for the triune God we serve.
I mean, why do it once when you can do it three times?
