The Gospel Coalition Regional Conference Snippet

The weekend prior to this I was able to attend the The Gospel Coalition's Regional Conference at Desert Springs Church in Albuquerque. The theme of the conference was "The Cross Shaped Life" and featured D.A. Carson and Fred Zaspel as speakers. Needless to say it, it was excellent and refreshing for my wife and I. It was also a wonderful time to spend in fellowship with the close to 20 people from Mountain Christian Church.

With a conference like this, I try to go back and look at my notes after the conference is over. There is just so much to take in during the conference so looking back at my notes helps to bring important points out that often times get lost in the shuffle of everything during the entire conference.

In an effort to keep this post short, I just want to actually quote from the conference booklet that we received regarding the topic of the conference. I thought it was just so good and said so well that I wanted to share it. So here it is...it is about the gospel:

"This gospel fills Christians with humility and hope, meekness and boldness, in a unique way. The biblical gospel differs markedly from traditional religions as well as from secularism. Religions operate on the principle: “I obey, therefore I am accepted,” but the gospel principle is: “I am accepted through Christ, therefore I obey.” So the gospel differs from both irreligion and religion. You can seek to be your own “lord and savior” by breaking the law of God, but you can also do so by keeping the law in order to earn your salvation.
Irreligion and secularism tend to inflate self–encouraging, uncritical, “self–esteem”; religion and moralism crush people under guilt from ethical standards that are impossible to maintain. The gospel, however, humbles and affirms us at the same time, since, in Christ, each of us is simultaneously just, and a sinner still. At the same time, we are more flawed and sinful than we ever dared believe, yet we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope.
Secularism tends to make people selfish and individualistic. Religion and morality in general tend to make people tribal and self–righteous toward other groups (since their salvation has, they think, been earned by their achievement). But the gospel of grace, centered on a man dying for us while we were his enemies, removes self–righteousness and selfishness and turns its members to serve others both for the temporal flourishing of all people, especially the poor, and for their salvation. It moves us to serve others irrespective of their merits, just as Christ served us (Mark 10:45).
Secularism and religion conform people to behavioral norms through fear (of consequences) and pride (a desire for self–aggrandizement). The gospel moves people to holiness and service out of grateful joy for grace, and out of love of the glory of God for who he is in himself."

Couldn't have said it any better.

P.S. This quote is found on TGC's web site under Vision for Ministry.