“The western church—much of it drifting, enculturated, and infected with cheap grace—desperately needs to hear Edwards’ challenge.” (Charles Colson)
I would say the Asian church might well have followed in these footsteps, what with the rampant pervasiveness of the prosperity and hypergrace pseudo-gospel. Personally, I enjoy delving into the Puritans especially the theologically and philosophically profound Jonathan Edwards. Not always an easy read, but it is my ongoing reading project.
A phrase from Edwards stirs my heart: God-entranced worldview. I agree with Pastor John Piper that preaching is expository exultation, one that enables us to see God and savour God for who He is. Through God-entranced preaching, we get to see and savour the whole panorama of God’s excellencies, and become entranced at God’s supremacy in all things. We are brought into a God-entranced worldview.
Again, Piper says,”But human holiness is nothing other than a God-besotted life—the living out of a God-entranced worldview.” Much to unpack here, so only a few words from me.
Indeed, holiness is central not peripheral to Christian life. The false dichotomy and antithesis that hypergrace false teaching sets up between law and grace, holiness and faith pushes our necessary sanctification out of the radar of everyday Christian living. Holiness is sidelined and marginalised, a tragic consequence of a world-besotted life that emanates out of a world-entranced worldview. Jesus may be painted colourfully across the canvas of this world-entranced worldview but only insofar as to make Him the genie that confers satisfaction of our worldly requests.
It is not surprising then to see that sanctification and its fruit in holiness is not a feature of hypergrace’s unbiblical approach to life. Contrary to hypergrace’s false assertions equating sanctification with works righteousness, our holiness as outflow of a God-besotted life emanating from a God-entranced worldview is saturated by grace through and through.
The power of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying us is effected through our works of faith and habits of grace—spiritual formation and service, missions and evangelism, loving and giving, and more. Demolishing hypergrace false dichotomies and antitheses, let us unlearn falsehood; learn the truth; and relearn how to live out a truth-based spiritual life in Christ. Enough with cheap grace.
