Jonathan’s Reviews > Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners > Status Update

9: supernaturalised
Natural inertia of Christian living is to use our own resources and ask God to add his blessings as a top up. It is the other way around!
The Spirit is what allows us to grow. We can be different on the outside without it but only through it can we be different on the inside.
The Spirit helps us to enjoy obeying God. To grow is not to add Christ to our lives but to collapse into Christ as our life

8: Breathing
Change is practically produced in the breathing cycle of bible reading (inhaling) and prayer (exhaling). Like the physical act, these are both essential to our lives.
The Bible reforms our flawed understanding of purpose and the world to how God desires it. It changes and transforms us.
Prayer is how we talk to God - a constant relationship, throughout the day, not just once or twice a day.
Foster this

7: Pain
Pain is a universal experience - traditional pain and the pain inherent to our sinful world
Pain draws us closer to God - causes us to connect professed theology with heart theology. Reminds us that we so easily hold to things that dont satisfy.

Difference between mortification and self-flagellation - reliance on God
Ongoing battle with sin = proof of God’s presence in our lives. Don’t give up!

Chapter 6: Honesty
Body of Christ = connected with other christians in such a close way. Thus important to be honest with them too - letting others into the truthful fallenness of our sin.
1 John 1:5-10 - walking in the light.
Facade of hiding sin = believing in works-based salvation -> upholding an image.
Therefore, important to find someone to share your sin with. Honesty fuels forgiveness -> reliance on God

Chapter 5: acquittal
Justification - outside -> inside
Sanctification - inside -> outside
Inside out sanctification through daily appropriation of outside in justification. Continually revisiting the completeness and adequacy of our justification solely through Christ and not us helps us to be aware of our idols (including works) and how we find subtle justification through them (having smth, do smth).

Ch3: Union
Talks about our unbreakable union in Christ - the macro and micro aspects of it as well. Macro - our fate is intertwined with that of Christ; our salvation. Micro - like head and its members, husband and wife our union with Christ is like a oneness of body. Union with Christ = umbrella doctrine of our salvation. Thus everything that happens, happens through the tender love of Christ to whom we are united.

Chapter 2: Despair
Only through the despair in recognising the depth of our sinfulness (which bleeds into literally all our thoughts and actions) can we be humbled and recognise our complete need for Christ. Seeing the resplendent pureness of Christ shows us how vile we are. Despair is not a destination though, but an intersection to which we pass through to draw to Him. Seek Christ - reject Self (repentance & faith)

Last couple aspects of Jesus highlighted
1. Perservering - Christ is unlike fickle human relationships, he perseveres with us.
2. Interceding - Jesus’ work didnt end with ascension, it continues with constant intercession by God’s side
3. Returning - Christ will return and this gives us strength for growth (awaiting his return)
4. Tender - Christ is gentle and lowly in heart- He draws to us in our deep sin

Nature 2: saving - not a watered down effort of our own + a boost from Jesus, but rather an utter and complete redemption through Christ alone (complete death -> life)
Nature 3: befriending - a friend of tax collectors and sinners -> us. Jesus is our truest friend - that means whilst we see Him with great reverence, that doesnt mean He isnt still our friend who shares in good/bad etc, and cares deeply, drawing close.