Kris Miller > Recent Status Updates

This book is such a gift

“This is what God is now doing in the world: Spirit-backed gospel preaching leading to the salvation of souls. It's his program, his agenda, his priority, his focus, his project, or whatever business-related metaphor you'd like to use. And by it, he is gathering a new Christ-centred people as his very own; a quiet, steadily growing profusion of leaves on the great vine of his kingdom.”

“In focusing on … justification, we find that it affects a person's status before God, rather than a person's moral condition. It is distinct from sanctification. The righteousness imputed does not describe a person's moral condition, any more than sin describes Christ's moral condition when it was imputed to him in his humiliation. It describes a person's status, or standing, before God.”

The chapter on Union with Christ was especially helpful. Thomas a Kempis: “Jesus today has many who love his heavenly kingdom, but few who carry his cross; many who yearn for comfort, few who long for distress.”

“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

No pain is wasted

Overlooking some of the big flaws of the puritans, there is much to aspire to in their outlook on the Scriptures and the Gospel

The more antiquated language takes a little more concentration, but that yields rewards in better understanding. It’s such a gracious classic work.

A great introduction to understanding trauma through a biblical framework. The author is not a psychologist and therefore does not cling to modern therapeutic ideology. I very much appreciate his balanced perspective. Trauma is not simply difficult things we go through in life. Labeling everything that’s hard as trauma dilutes the actual meaning of trauma. Trauma, in this context, is a life-altering experience.

Helplessness is an invariable element in the experience of trauma, A person not only feels unable to help themselves, but also isolated from outside help. No one comes close. The things they have faced are unspeakably bad and the absence of speech produces barriers that prevent others from even being told of the awfulness of what has taken place. Without being able to convey their experience of harm, they are alone

A truth-filled apology has a majestic quality, while a concession lacks that freeing quality. It confuses and frustrates because it doesn’t name specific wrongs, leaving the wrongdoer’s responsibility unclear. Not accepting a concession can lead to further tension. Concessions are short, non-specific, and defensive, as the individual or organization tries to avoid facing consequences and expects immediate escape.