Conviction and Comfort
Thoroughly enjoying this, so far!
"The power of the gospel comes in two movements. It first says, 'I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe,' but then quickly follows with, 'I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope.' " (48)
"Preach the gospel as a third way to approach God, distinct from both irreligion [relativism] and religion [moralism].... Many genuine Christians are elder-brotherish - angry, mechanical, superior, insecure - and making this distinction may be the only way to reach them... most post-modern people have been raised in or near churches that are heavily 'religious.' They have observed how religious people tend to bolster their own sense of worth by convincing themselves they are better than other people, which leads them to exclude and condemn others. Most contemporary nonbelievers have rejected these poisonous fruits of religion [moralism] but when they did so, they thought they had rejected Christianity. If they hear you calling them to follow Christ... they will automatically believe you are calling them into the 'elder brother,' moralistic, religious approach to God. Unless you are constantly and clearly showing them that they have misunderstood the gospel and that you are talking about something else besides religion, they won't be listening for the true gospel."