Grace is unimaginable in a world where everyone believes grace is deserved. And when grace is transformed into entitlement the definitions change, both for those inside and outside the church….In a culture that thrives on self-affirmation and self-determination, “showing grace” now means accepting someone else’s definition of their own righteousness. Our age of expressive individualism leads us to find meaning in the identities we’ve constructed for ourselves, and then to expect (no, demand!) that others affirm our self-construction and give us their blessing.
Self-affirmation is the gospel of the American culture; we are idolaters when we make it the gospel of the Christian church. The church exists not to affirm ourselves, but to adore the King who loved us and gave himself for us when there was nothing good in us to affirm. The more we affirm ourselves, the less we adore the King for his grace.
It is a mark of a Pharisee to want the church to affirm us as we are, and whether Pharisaical religion infects us through legalism or license, through “respectable, churchy sins” or sexual immorality, it still kills.
It is because God loves us that he welcomes us. It is because God loves us that he refuses to affirm us in our sins. Because he longs for us to find joy in him, he will ruthlessly oppose self-righteous self-definitions, whether our pride shows up in a Sunday school roll or a city parade.
The cross levels us all, but in that dirt of our despair comes deliverance. The Father runs to the prodigal. He entreats the older brother to come inside. He doesn’t affirm the prodigal in the pigsty or the older brother in his pasture of pomposity, but he does open his arms to both his sons. And that’s why, just like our Father, the church should welcome everyone and affirm no one.
–Trevin Wax, excerpted from his article: Welcome Everyone, Affirm No One
The Gospel Coalition blog, Oct. 12, 2017
I really appreciated this article for pointing out the cultural idol of affirmation. It is sometimes hard to see the errors that we live surrounded by and unthinkingly imbibe, as a fish the water in which it swims. I think it can even slip into our online interactions. Who doesn’t appreciate an affirming word? I do think Trevin has overstated the case and hasn’t left room for affirming the work of God in a believer’s life though. Yes, we are sinners but if we have been redeemed by Jesus sacrifice on our behalf and brought near to a good, good Father, we can know His ‘Well Done’ without violating the Gospel truth that all are sinners. He is in the process of sanctifying us and making us resemble His Son Jesus. There is room for pointing out to one another what we see Him doing in each other’s lives. This is the stuff of encouragement!
By trying to address believers and unbelievers, Pharisees and saints, all in one swipe Trevin has overstated his point. Likely he knows this but the provocative slant of the post’s headline was too potent to resist. “Welcome Everyone, Affirm No One” does what so many online titles do, it shouts to be argued with and it gets attention. Is this justifiable if the content is mostly sound? Or is it another area where Christians have been blindsided by the world’s way of doing business?
–LS
”How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God.” Jn.5:44
“For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” II Cor.10:18
Dawn's Quotes and Notes 