justification.

In the opening talk at CSU this summer, Tim Keller talked about the Gospel, and why it's super important to have in us as Christians. At the beginning he mentioned an analogy from his wife of a coke machine [aka Christian]; you can put the quarters [Gospel] in it [us] but you won't get a coke [Fruit] unless you pound it [pound it] until the money [message] get to the center [center] of the machine [heart]. Clever analogy to me.

Keller's passage of discussion was Romans 3:21-28 and free justification, a "sharp edge of the Gospel we tend to blur." Keller claims that on this concept, the quarters don't drop for many of us, including some of his congregation members. This could be a reason why effects of the Gospel aren't present in a Christian's life.

He then goes on to make a distinction between righteousness form God and self-righteousness, explaining that when we nowadays use the term righteousness, people often mean/interpret it as self-righteousness. The two are not synonyms. We must present righteousness when we present the Gospel.

The next term Keller explains/defines is 'VPR:' validating performance record. When you go to a job interview, you state your work accomplishments. When you go to a grad school interview, you state your intellectual accomplishments. I used to find my identity in my resume (definitely a VPR). I tried for years to no longer find my worth and belonging in what I accomplish, but I never really understood what to find it in besides "Christ." I mean, He is who I should find my identity in, but I never really knew what that meant and no one would really explain it.

In the past, children would inherit their VPR from their parents' job and take over the family business. Now, we live in America and we have the freedom to do whatever we want in terms of an occupation, and Keller says this had led to everyone developing their VPRs, saying 'look what I've done, you must accept me.'

So, people believe that, if there is a God, he must work on the same system of meritocracy (I had to look that word up: advancement based on achievement/ability). We don't get out our work record or academic record with God, we get out our moral record- "God, I deserve to get into heaven because look at how good I am." This element is generally accepted widely by many, many people, and one that we tend (I tend) to revert back to. And it's very, very dangerous.
Keller warns us to be incredibly clear and upfront about this with people. When we explain the concept of praying a prayer to someone who is interested in coming to Christ, they may automatically think that, if they are really sorry for their sin, if they really surrender all of themselves to God, if they really promise to do better next time and mean it, then their VPR is confession and surrender, and God will finally come in to their lives because of it. How awful to think that God will now come into my life and bless me because I prayed the prayer and figured out the real VPR. This is typical Pharisee fashion.

Cue Paul's message in Romans 3:21: "But now, a righteousness from God apart from law has been made known..." "For the first and last time in history," we are given a perfect record, through Christ. And we just need to live for Him. No way can we say to God- look at how sad I am for my sins, look at how committed I am to you, etc etc etc. This is the end of our struggle for validation!

I have no idea who Sydney Pollack is, but Keller quotes him as saying that although the gruelling movie making process was wearing him down (in his old age and poor health), he couldn't justify his existence if he stopped. "Every time I finish a picture, I feel like I've earned my stay for another year or so. I feel like...I'm a worthwhile human being...but then it wears off I have to go out and make another movie."

Same deal, Keller says, for a guy whose blog he was reading one day: a father who was a writer who is very unsuccessful and generally bummed about his books not selling, career going nowhere. But then Keller says the guy writes on his blog 'but then I look at my two little girls and know they need their father, and my life is justified.' No matter his purpose/feelings, there are thoughts of people out there whose VPR is their kids (uh, hello Jon & Kate?) Your kids cannot be your justification.

Everybody does this. I do it. And every knows there is something wrong with them in this area. Adam and Eve knew something was wrong with them and they had to control it. Every one is trying to find a justification for their existence. And it's not right. What do you do when your children are your justification and they go off the rails? You cannot bear it, because your self-worth is tied up in them. What do you do when your ministry, to put it bluntly, sucks? If you are devastated by your lack of success in ministry, maybe your ministry isn't just for Jesus, it's for you and your own righteousness.

Have your coins been dropping?