「アントワープのセントジェームス近くの十字架で祈る女性」

十字架のキリストを見失うと「アントワープのセントジェームス近くの十字架で祈る女性」の絵のように成る、と１８世紀のオランダの画家ヘンドリク・レイスが言うのです。レイスは、女性の服の細かいところまで、超細かく描いています。背景の美しい庭も細かく描かれています。でも、大事な一つのものがないのです。十字架です。「十字架で祈る女性」という絵なのに。レイスは、女性の礼拝している姿を描いていますが、崇めるべき御方主イエスが絵にいないのです。評論家ハンズ・ルックメーカーは、こう問いました。「何が見えるのでしょうか？過去の人たち、その信念、敬虔さ、祈りは多いです。が、でも、その信仰の対象である十字架のキリストが見当たらないのです。」。。 道徳主義的な私達は、信仰の中心のお方を私たちの罪のために死なれたキリストを見失う時があるのです。あなたの人生の絵にキリストを戻すのです。キリストは、あなたを贖い、復活したのです。キリストの血によって義、正し、清いと認められるのです。。。私達、その愛と恵みを忘れてしまうから、聖餐式は、主とその贖いを覚えさせるためにあるのです。

「重荷を負う者、我に来たれ」

詩画作家の星野富弘さんがまだ高校生だった頃、家の近くに十字架の墓が建てられた。富弘さんは家の農作業の手伝いをするときに、たい肥の入った大きな籠を背負ってたびたびその前を通った。その十字架には「労する者、重荷を負う者、我に来たれ」と書かれていた。まだ聖書を知らなかった富弘さんは、これはどういう意味だろうかと考えた。「この言葉は、俺のように重い荷物を背負った人のことかな」とも思ったが、しかしそこに記された「我に来たれ」の「我」というのが誰のことなのかはわからぬまま長い年月が過ぎ去った。しかしあの大きな事故の後、ベッドに寝たきりの生活の中で聖書を読むようになって初めて、「ああ、あれはキリストの言葉だったのか！」と気づいたと言う。富弘さんはその時初めて、あの言葉「すべて、疲れた人、重荷を負っている人は、わたしのところへ来なさい」（聖書・マタイ１１：２８）を、キリストの言葉、神の言葉として見上げたのである。ここからクリスチャンとしての富弘さんの新しい人生が始まったのである。   

星野富弘さんの「いのちより大切なもの」より

"Until religious teachers inculcate clearly, full, and practically, the grace of God, as manifest in the Gospels, we shall have no vigorous growth of piety among professing Christians."

"There is a defect in our belief in the freeness of divine grace. To exercise unshaken confidence in the doctrine of gratuitous pardon is one of the most difficult things in the world; and to preach this doctrine fully without verging towards antinomianism is no easy task, and is therefore seldom done. But Christians cannot be lean and feeble when deprived of their proper nutriment. It is by faith that the spiritual life is made to grow; and the doctrine of free grace, without any mixture of human merit, is the only true object of faith.... Here, I am persuaded, is the root of the evil; and until religious teachers inculcate clearly, full, and practically, the grace of God, as manifest in the Gospels, we shall have no vigorous growth of piety among professing Christians."

Archibald Alexander

12 unique attributes that Christianity offers that other world-views, philosophies, and religions do not

Here are 12 unique attributes that Christianity offers that other world-views, philosophies, and religions do not. By Tim Keller

1.     Christianity offers a contentment and joy not based on changing circumstances. Our bad things will turn out for good (Rom 8:28) our good things can't be taken from us (Eph 1:3) and the best things are yet to come (1 Jn 3:1-3).

2.     Christianity uniquely offers a non-performative identity--not constantly ebbing and flowing based on your accomplishment and conduct. (Phil 3:4-9; 1 Cor 4:3-4)

3.     Christianity offers a basis for morality and justice that avoids the twin dangers of relativism and oppression. (I freely admit that many Christians use secular moral foundations and themselves veer toward relativism or oppression).

4.     Christianity offers a kind of freedom (embracing the right restrictions) that, unlike the secular definition (the absence of restrictions), does not undermine love relationships.

5.     Christianity offers a unique hope for the world--not eventual nothingness (secularism) and not even mere spiritual paradise (other religions). It promises a renewed, perfect physical world--a new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

6.     Christianity offers a resolution to guilt, shame, and self-laceration that avoids both minimizing your own failures and allowing other people to ultimately define you.

7.     Christianity offers a unique view of power. The incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus shows us power both voluntarily relinquished and yet deployed for service to others.

8.     Christianity offers a meaning and purpose in life that suffering not only cannot take away from you, but can only enhance. It can enable you to face death without any fear.

9.     Christianity offers a unique account of morality/truth. Not subjectivism grounded in culture or evolution (secularism) nor objectivism grounded in an impersonal transcendent norm (Greek-Roman; idealism). Rather it is grounded in an absolute Person--Jesus. See L.Ferry, H.Bavinck.

10.  Christianity offers a unique view of salvation. We are saved by sheer grace and Christ's work not ours. We cannot contribute to salvation with moral effort, religious observance, prayers, transformed consciousness, etc. A finished salvation is received, not achieved.

11.  Christianity offers a unique approach to repairing relationships. It neither privileges the forgiven (so that justice is not done) nor privileges the forgiver (so forgiveness is withheld). Without both we can't maintain human social relationships. (Writing a book on this now.)

12.  Christianity offers a unique view of uniqueness. The claim of uniqueness plays into the human need to feel superior. But Christianity's difference is the grace-claim: saved Christians are NOT better than anyone. That particular uniqueness can subvert the dangers of claiming it.

“It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end.”

“It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the Grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace wondrous grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me.” 

Martyn Lloyd-Jones