How Can I Change?/Tools of the Trade (II)/es

From Gospel Translations

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Negarte a Ti Mismo y una Vida de Discipulado

Hace algunos años la compañía Fritos introdujo un ‘chip’ extremadamente picante. Traté de disimular mi placer de que, siendo que los niños no los soportaban, yo no tendría que compartirlos.

En la tienda mis hijos me preguntaban: “Oye, papi, ¿por qué compramos esa clase? ¡A nosotros no nos gusta!” Yo sé, pensaba yo. Esa es precisamente la razón.

Después de pocos meses, Fritos descontinuó ese sabor...sin duda bajo órdenes desde arriba.

El famoso líder cristiano chino Watchman Nee escribió una vez, “Recordemos que la única razón de todo malentendimiento, toda inquietud, todo descontento, es que secretamente nos amamos a nosotros mismos”.^[1] 1 Sólo puedo añadir que con algunos de nosotros, no es secreto. Podemos tratar de esconder nuestro egoísmo, pero inevitablemente las burbujas surgen a la superficie. Mucho mejor es obedecer el llamado de Jesús y tratar directamente con este amor de nosotros mismos.

Dirigiéndose a todos, declaró: "Si alguien quiere ser mi discípulo, que se niegue a sí mismo, lleve su cruz cada día y me siga. Porque el que quiera salvar su vida, la perderá; pero el que pierda su vida por mi causa, la salvará." (Lc 9:23-24)

Cada día en la escuela de discipulado de Cristo se ofrecen nuevas oportunidades para negarse a sí mismo. ¿Por qué es tan importante esta muy olvidada clave para la vida cristiana? Porque vence el egoísmo, haciendo posible que amemos a Dios y a los demás.

Una arena en la que el egoísmo se expone muy rápidamente es el matrimonio. Con frecuencia he dicho a mi esposa (en chiste sólo a medias), “Cariño, no es que no te quiera. Mi problema es que me amo a mí mismo más”. Afortunadamente, Dios nos da una cruz hecha a la medida para desechar esas actitudes.

No te dejes engañar por la verborrea de los psicólogos que enseñan que debemos primero aprender a amarnos a nosotros mismo. Ya de por sí nos amamos a nosotros mismos demasiado. De hecho, nos damos el beneficio de la duda en casi toda posible circunstancia. Culpamos a otros por los conflictos mientras nos adulamos a nosotros mismos por tener nobles intenciones. Si sólo extendiéramos a los demás la misma gracia que nos otorgamos a nosotros mismos...qué mundo tan maravilloso sería éste.

Cuando Jesús dijo que uno de los requisitos para la vida eterna era amar al prójimo como a nosotros mismos no estaba sugiriendo que el amor de sí mismo era de ninguna manera deficiente. Más bien, estaba diciendo que amemos al prójimo como ya nos amamos a nosotros mismos - y eso es amar mucho. Pero no vendrá naturalmente. Puede ser una de las cosas menos naturales que hagas. Amar a los demás se logra sólo cuando practicamos negarnos a nosotros mismos en el camino del discipulado.

La negación de ti mismo y el amor se cruzan en el punto de servir. Jesús nos dio el supremo ejemplo cuando fue a la cruz en nuestro lugar. Ese fue el supremo acto de servicio sin egoísmo. Pero durante toda su vida Él puso las necesidades y el bienestar de los demás antes que los suyos. Ya sea lavando los pies de sus discípulos o dando de comer a las multitudes, nuestro Señor dirigió con su ejemplo. En Filipenses 2 Pablo podría señalar la actitud de servicio, de negación de sí mismo que demostró Jesús como una que todos los cristianos deben emular.

Cada uno debe velar no sólo por sus propios intereses sino también por los intereses de los demás. La actitud de ustedes debe ser como la de Cristo Jesús, quien, siendo por naturaleza Dios, no consideró el ser igual a Dios como algo a qué aferrarse. Por el contrario, se rebajó voluntariamente tomando la naturaleza de siervo... (Fil 2:4-7)

Otro libro en esta serie, Disciplines for Life (Disciplinas para la vida), explica en detalle las diversas maneras bíblicas en las que podemos practicar una vida de discipulado. Los ejercicios espirituales como el ayuno, la oración consistente, y la confesión exigen esfuerzo. Pero valen la pena; prometen recompensas ahora y en la vida venidera.

Pruebas en el Camino

Fue uno de los amigos de Job quien correctamente supuso, “con todo, el hombre nace para sufrir, tan cierto como que las chispas vuelan” (Job 5:7). Esa ha sido nuestra suerte desde la caída. Muchas de esas dificultades, por supuesto, resultan de nuestro propio pecado e insensatez. En más de una ocasión yo he trazado un dolor de cabeza a la tensión causada por mi propia necia persistencia en preocuparme. Cuando Clara y yo experimentamos fricción en nuestro matrimonio, es más probable que mi egoísmo sea el culpable. No debemos sorprendernos cuando padecemos las consecuencias de nuestro comportamiento pecaminoso. Sin embargo, el Señor en su gracia puede usar aún esas consecuencias para que crezcamos en santidad si nos arrepentimos y tratamos de aprender de ellas.

¿Pero qué de esas pruebas - esos escenarios como los de José - por los que no somos responsables? No es probable que nuestros familiares nos vendan como esclavos, pero hay momentos cuando los demás pecan contra nosotros, o cuando padecemos aflicciones sólo porque vivimos en un mundo caído.

José vio el cuadro completo. Reconoció su eterno destino y el destino de los que le rodeaban. Como consecuencia, pudo apreciar la manera en que Dios soberanamente dirigía las circunstancias de su vida. Como dijo a sus hermanos, “Es verdad que ustedes pensaron hacerme mal, pero Dios transformó el mal en bien para lograr lo que hoy estamos viendo: salvar la vida de mucha gente” (Gn 50:20).

Cuando las cosas parecen ir en contra nuestra, debemos darnos cuenta de que nuestro Padre tiene un propósito en mente y está primordialmente interesado en cómo respondemos. De hecho, no es demasiado decir que Dios trama las dificultades para animarnos a seguir adelante en dependiente confianza en Él:

Recuerda que durante cuarenta años el SEÑOR tu Dios te llevó por todo el camino del desierto, y te humilló y te puso a prueba para conocer lo que había en tu corazón y ver si cumplirías o no sus mandamientos. Te humilló y te hizo pasar hambre, pero luego te alimentó con maná, comida que ni tú ni tus antepasados habían conocido, con lo que te enseñó que no sólo de pan vive el hombre, sino de todo lo que sale de la boca del SEÑOR. (Dt 8:2-3)

¿Quién humilló y probó a los israelitas, llevándolos a un lugar de hambre? ¿Fue Satanás? No - fue Dios. ¿Por qué? Para que supieran cuánto necesitaban de una continua, vital relación con Él. Pausa un momento para dejar que esto penetre en tu mente: Dios está preparado a sacrificar tu felicidad temporal para lograr su eterno y clemente propósito en ti. Como cristiano genuino, para ti “Es necesario pasar por muchas dificultades para entrar en el reino de Dios” (Hch 14:22). No confundas con la crueldad o el descuido la amorosa disciplina de tu Padre.

José aprendió lo que todos debemos aprender: “que Dios dispone todas las cosas para el bien de quienes lo aman, los que han sido llamados de acuerdo con su propósito” (Ro 8:28). No algunas cosas, ni tan siquiera casi todas las cosas. Todas las cosas. Hasta en los casos de violación o de abuso sexual de un niño o defectos de nacimiento o enfermedades incurables, el soberano Dios siempre tiene un plan de redención que llevará a su mayor gloria.

Para comprender lo que Pablo dice aquí, debemos enfocarnos en los asuntos de Dios, no en los nuestros. Su propósito es que seamos conformados a la imagen de su Hijo. Por tanto, las dificultades o injusticias - aunque no nos parezcan favorables - cualifican como “bien” porque sirven para hacernos más como Cristo.

Esto no es fácil de aceptar ni de comprender. Yo no te culparía por preguntar, “Pero, ¿cómo puede Pablo decir que todas las cosas resultan para mi bien? Veo que muchas cosas resultan para mi bien, pero muchas otras parecen ir en contra mía”. Permíteme tratar de contestar eso con una ilustración.

Antes de la venida de los relojes digitales, el mecanismo interno de un reloj consistía de varias ruedas dentadas, unas se movían en una dirección y otras en la dirección opuesta. A primera vista parecería improbable que algo útil pudiera resultar de dicho arreglo. Pero cuando se le daba cuerda al resorte principal, aunque las ruedas se movieran en dirección opuesta, todas trabajaban juntas para mover las agujas del reloj hacia adelante.

Así es con el orden providencial de Dios del universo...y de nuestra vida.^[5] Necesitamos darnos cuenta de que Dios está tan interesado en nuestro crecimiento espiritual (santificación) que está dispuesto a sacrificar nuestra felicidad temporal para asegurarnos las bendiciones eternas.

Es fácil ser cristiano cuando las cosas van bien. Pero en el calor de las circunstancias difíciles, algunos dudan poder mantener su lealtad a Cristo. Con frecuencia, de cristiano joven, yo leía el relato de cuando Pedro negó a Cristo y me preguntaba si yo algún día haría lo mismo. Quizás tú has tenido pensamientos parecidos. Pero el hecho es que Jesús oró por Pedro y a través de la gracia lo restauró a un lugar de gran utilidad.

La razón por la que perseveramos como cristianos es porque Dios mismo nos preserva:

La razón por la que perseveramos como cristianos es porque Dios mismo nos preserva: Mis ovejas oyen mi voz; yo las conozco y ellas me siguen. Yo les doy vida eterna, y nunca perecerán, ni nadie podrá arrebatármelas de la mano. Mi Padre, que me las ha dado, es más grande que todos; y de la mano del Padre nadie las puede arrebatar. El padre y yo somos uno. (Jn 10:27-30)

Es difícil imaginarse una declaración de protección que sea más enfática y alentadora.

“La doctrina [de la perseverancia] declara que los regenerados son salvos a través de la perseverancia en fe y una vida cristiana hasta el final, y que es Dios quien los mantiene perseverando”, escribe J.I. Packer.^[7] La Palabra de Dios nos dice que Jesucristo salva “por completo” a todos los que por medio de Él se acercan a Dios (Heb 7:25).

Por tanto, todo cristiano puede tener la seguridad de que perseverará, no por la propia fortaleza ni la habilidad de ningún individuo, sino porque Dios es fiel para guardarnos.

El Lugar de la Ley

Christians are often confused about the role God’s law has in sanctification. I’ve heard some people loudly proclaim, without any qualification, that the law has been done away with—and good riddance. And I’ve heard just the opposite from others whose agenda for reforming society includes the wholesale re-institution of Old Testament law, administered much as Islamic law is enforced in some fundamentalist Moslem countries today. As I see it, neither extreme does justice to the New Testament’s teaching on the subject.

Before we go any further, though, let’s clarify what we mean by “the law.” I’m indebted to theologian Bruce Milne for the following description:

By “law” is here meant the fundamental Old Testament moral prescriptions summarized in the decalogue [Ten Commandments]. Old Testament ceremonial laws have been superseded in the sense that Christ has fulfilled them; Old Testament social legislation ceased to be normative in the sense that the church has replaced the theocracy of Israel. Principles underlying both ceremonial and social laws have continuing relevance and application.^[8]

Milne’s definition represents the distillation of a great deal of closely reasoned theological study. It makes important distinctions between the use of the law now and the way it was applied during the Old Testament era. It also takes into account the utter significance of the person and work of our Lord, whose coming, though in accord with the law, resulted in a thoroughly new awareness of what that law means. Scripture shows the transition we’ve made from slaves of the law to sons: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Gal 4:4-5).

Milne has effectively refuted the would-be reformers seeking to institutionalize Mosaic laws, but we still need to address those who consider the law null and void. Is the law an ongoing help or an outdated hindrance?

The un-unequivocal answer to this question is...both. If we view the law as a means to right standing with God (justification), then we’ll be hindered from true sanctification as the Pharisees were. They failed to see law-keeping was never intended to justify us, not even under the Old Covenant. On the other hand, if we understand God’s purpose for the law, then it remains a useful tool in our pursuit of sanctification.

The law has always represented the character of God, reflecting his interest in holiness. And the Ten Commandments still serve as the effective summary of God’s moral and ethical expectations of the human race.

Let’s pose another fundamental question: Why did God give these “moral prescriptions” in the first place? If the law was never intended to justify us, what is its purpose?

To restrain evildoing. According to Scripture, the “lawful use of the law” serves to curb the spread of evil (1Ti 1:9-11 NAS). Because lawlessness threatens both individual godliness and society, some check on it is essential. In this regard God’s law corresponds to secular criminal law.

To show us our sin. “Where then lies the point of the law? It was an addition made to underline the existence and extent of sin until the arrival of the ‘seed’ to whom the promise referred” (Gal 3:19 Phillips). As the New English Bible puts it, the law was added “to make wrong-doing a legal offense,” that is, to make men clearly aware of the distinction between good and evil. Or as William Hendriksen states, “to bring about within his heart and mind an awakened sense of guilt.”^[10] J.B. Phillips expresses it well in his translation of the Bible: “It is the straight-edge of the law that shows us how crooked we are” (Ro 3:20). Once it has exposed our true nature, the law can accomplish its next crucial purpose.

To bring us to Christ. “Before this faith came,” wrote Paul, “we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed” (Gal 3:23). Trying to fulfill the law’s demands is a futile task. And that, in fact, is the very revelation the law is intended to bring. It exists to show us our sinful, weak, and desperate condition. “Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24 NAS). Once we’ve battered our legalistic selves silly against the law’s unyielding demands, we will be ready “to turn to God and to his Son Jesus Christ for pardon and power.”^[11]

To serve as a guideline for godly living. Like guardrails along a highway, the law is designed to keep us from going off course. It also clarifies the course we ought to pursue. Torah, the Hebrew word for “law,” has several meanings, including “the sort of instruction a good parent gives his child.”^[12] God as our Father wants to spare us unnecessary difficulties. If we want to live smart, we’ll keep his law.

Once we come to Christ, our relationship to the law changes radically. Our motive for obeying its decrees is no longer fear but gratitude. When we realize that the God who created, redeems, and sustains us with unmerited grace is worthy of our joyful obedience, we will say with the psalmist, “Oh, how I love your law!” (Ps 119:97).

Those who consider the law outdated and irrelevant pose a number of questions worth answering:

“But hasn’t the law ended?”

Only as a means to righteousness. “Christ is the end [goal, completion] of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Ro 10:4).

“Didn’t Paul say we ‘are not under law’ (Ro 6:14)?”

It’s true that we are now under grace, not law, as the controlling force in our lives. But what Paul meant is that “we are no longer under condemnation because of our failure to keep the law.”^[13]

“Didn’t Jesus abolish the law?”

Not at all. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Mt 5:17). “What Jesus destroyed,” writes J.I. Packer, “was inadequate expositions of the law, not the law itself (Matthew 5:21-48; 15:1-9; etc.). By giving truer expositions, he actually republished the law.”^[15] Jesus clarified the spirit of the law, saying in effect, “No adultery, not even in thought. No murder, not even hate.”

It is the Christian’s great privilege to be free from the law. However, we must not interpret this as a disparaging commentary on the law. The fault is not with the law but with us; it is weak because our flesh is weak. But fortunately, what we were unable to do, God did for us.

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Ro 8:3-4, emphasis added)

We can sum up our discussion as follows: The law is still in effect and serves a valuable purpose, but through Christ our status under the law has forever changed. God’s role in our lives is now primarily that of Father, not Judge. When we sin we grieve him and are disciplined, but we are not disowned. His dealings with us are now the chastening love of a father, not the legal disapproval of a judge.

The Church

The Christian life is inescapably corporate. The idea of a holy man or woman apart from a holy church is foreign to the New Testament. And yet a large majority of Americans today think they can serve God just as effectively apart from the community of believers. In the words of one Gallup poll respondent, “I am my own church.”

One of the unfortunate consequences of American “rugged individualism” is an independent streak that keeps many from forming the lasting relationships that characterize the church. Resistance to commitment in the name of freedom results in stunted spiritual growth.

Then there is the fear that paralyzes people the moment they consider church involvement:

“What if they find out what I am really like?”

“Everybody but me has his or her life in order.”

“I’m not like everybody else.”

I’ve heard comments like these so often I can say with confidence that every church member has (or had) similar thoughts. The answer to such fears is that the church is composed of imperfect people who, with God’s help, are learning to follow him. No one has “arrived.” Are you imperfect? Great! You’ll fit right in.

Selfishness is another problem that keeps people isolated from the fellowship of the church. Some folks are just too into themselves to be bothered with caring about anyone else. But the simple fact is, we need each other. “One cannot claim to be a Christian,” writes Charles Colson, “and at the same time claim to be outside the church. To do so is at the least hypocrisy—at the worst, blasphemy.”^[16] Sanctification can only be worked out in the context of Christian community.

There is no substitute for the encouragement and admonishment that comes from faithful brothers and sisters in the church. The New Testament contains thirty “one another” passages showing the importance of shared lives. Besides, we all benefit from people who demonstrate faith in action, showing us how to be good husbands, wives, parents, friends, or workers. As mentioned in the previous chapter, taking part in a small group where you can know and be known is very important.

In addition to all this, it is to the Church that Christ has given the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Why? To equip the saints so the saints can fulfill the work of ministry to which they are called (Eph 4:11-13). God provides spiritual leadership for Christians within the local church. It is in the church that we receive pastoral care and are trained to serve. We may thank God for parachurch ministries and the good they do, but they are not indispensable. The Church is.

The Sacraments

If you grew up attending church services, you are probably familiar with the sacraments. Though Christian traditions disagree on the number or practice of the sacraments, there are two—baptism and communion— that have always been regarded as distinctively Christian and central to the life of the Church. These two are equally essential in the life of each believer.

A sacrament is really a promise of God acted out before our eyes.^[17] We are told that our sins are washed away by the blood of the Lamb. But then we are invited to give evidence of our faith in that promise by following Christ through the waters of baptism. Likewise, we are promised eternal life and fellowship with Jesus, and then allowed to commune with him as we receive the Lord’s own supper.

There is no magic in these acts. Baptism does not make one a Christian. Rather, only Christians qualify to be baptized. Nor is saving grace imparted through communion. Yet Christ is certainly present by his Spirit as we remember his broken body and shed blood.

These ordinances have great value for our sanctification. They are vivid experiential reminders of the great truths of the Christian faith—our redemption through the finished work of Jesus Christ and our abiding fellowship with him until he returns for us. Or, as Sinclair Ferguson has put it, they bring “fresh realization of our union and communion with Christ. They point us back to its foundation and forward to its consummation in glory.”^[18] The sacraments keep these truths front and center, helping us maintain the firm footing essential for spiritual growth.

Worship and Praise

Recently I attended a conference on biblical counseling. Though the opening prayer was far from perfunctory, none of us were particularly moved. The next day’s session, however, began with worship. This time when the leader prayed before starting his message, verbal praise, lifted hands, and scattered “Amens” punctuated his every phrase. What was the difference? Worship had directed our hearts upward and softened us to the Spirit of God.

Among our great privileges as Christians, none is greater than the privilege of worship. Its power to restore perspective can hardly be overestimated. How easy it is in this fallen world to “get out of tune,” to lose touch with the greatness and mercy of God. Self-confidence on one hand and discouragement on the other can keep us from seeing our exalted Lord. But when we begin to worship...when his Spirit lifts our eyes to behold again the majesty and wonder of God...we are brought back into contact with eternal realities. Also, in magnifying God we invariably humble ourselves, and that puts us in a perfect position to receive grace. We would each do well to echo the hymn writer who said, “Come Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing your praise.”

Psalm 95 provides us with a wonderful pattern for worship and an understanding of its role in sanctification:

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song...Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts... (Ps 95:1-2,6-8)

After inviting us to sing, shout, thank, and extol, the psalmist urges us to bow in worship. He also warns us not to harden our hearts when we hear God’s voice. The connection is not merely coincidental: God frequently speaks to our hearts as we worship. He tells us of his majesty, his sovereignty over our lives, his providential care for us, and many other wonderful things. He may also reveal specific areas where we need to change or venture into new realms. If we fail to listen, or if we harden our hearts as Israel did so often during her wilderness wanderings, we risk God’s displeasure and discipline.

As a pastor, I am keenly aware of the struggles people face throughout the week, and of my own limitations in helping them. But when we gather as a church to worship on Sunday mornings, I see how consistently God uses these times to shepherd his people. The discouraged, the lonely, and the fearful all find God’s strong and tender hands there to uphold them as they worship him.

I don’t think there is a more effective pastoral strategy for helping people than leading them into the place of worship where God himself can minister to them. In the place of worship, lives are changed.

Group Discussion

1. What is one especially sacrificial thing you’ve done for someone else?
2. “We love ourselves too much as it is,” says the author. (Page 70) Do you agree or disagree?
3. Describe one trial you experienced which ultimately turned out for good.
4. What specific benefits may result from trials you are facing right now?
5. Did this chapter change the way you think of the law? Explain.
6. What was the law never intended to do? (Page 75)
7. In response to your invitation to attend church, your neighbor says (with just a trace of arrogance), “I am my own church.” How would you answer?
8. Read aloud the quote by John Piper on this page. Why are obedient lives a natural byproduct of worship?

Recommended Reading

Disciplines for Life by C.J. Mahaney and John Loftness (Gaithersburg, MD: Sovereign Grace Ministries, 1992)

Trusting God by Jerry Bridges (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1988)

The Body by Charles Colson and Ellen Santilli Vaughn (Dallas, TX: Word, Inc., 1992)

Desiring God by John Piper (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1986)

In the Shadow of the Cross: Studies in Self-Denial by Walter J. Chantry (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1981)

References

1. ↑ Watchman Nee, The Release of the Spirit (Coverdale, IN: The Sure Foundation, 1965), p. 16.
2. ↑ A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, Inc., 1982), pp. 22-23."
3. ↑ Walter Chantry, The Shadow of the Cross (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1981), p. 7.
4. ↑ Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1991), p. 182.
5. ↑ D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 8:17-39: The Final Perseverance of the Saints (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), pp. 169-170.
6. ↑ Sinclair Ferguson, The Christian Life (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1989), p. 174.
7. ↑ J.I. Packer, Concise Theology (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1993), p.242.
8. ↑ Bruce Milne, Know the Truth (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1982), p. 153, note.
9. ↑ R.C. Sproul, “The Law of God” in Tabletalk, April 1989.
10. ↑ William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Galatians (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1968), p. 140.
11. ↑ J.I. Packer, The Ten Commandments (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1977), p. 12.
12. ↑ Ibid., p. 16.
13. ↑ Anthony A. Hoekema, Saved by Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989), p. 225.
14. ↑ John R.W. Stott, Men Made New (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1966, 1984), pp. 65-66.
15. ↑ J.I. Packer, The Ten Commandments, pp. 17, 18.
16. ↑ Charles Colson and Ellen Santilli Vaughn, The Body (Dallas, TX: Word, Inc., 1992), p. 70.
17. ↑ David Powlison, Dynamics of Biblical Change, course syllabus (Laverock, PA: Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation, 1993), p. 5.
18. ↑ Sinclair Ferguson, Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification, Donald L. Alexander, ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), p. 74.
19. ↑ John Piper, Desiring God (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1986), p. 66.