{"id":9141,"date":"2015-06-12T20:11:37","date_gmt":"2015-06-13T01:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=9141"},"modified":"2015-06-12T20:12:09","modified_gmt":"2015-06-13T01:12:09","slug":"book-review-the-finished-work-of-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=9141","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: The Finished Work of Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"9781433531545m\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Two summers ago, I was finishing up a School Law class at Liberty University and was first introduced to the writing of Francis Schaeffer through his book How Should We Then Live?<\/em> which I reviewed here<\/a>. \u00a0Since then, I’ve enjoyed a number of his articles and commentaries on theology, doctrine, and other topics regarding spiritual growth. \u00a0I was particularly intrigued by the title of \u00a0The<\/a> Finished Work of Christ<\/a><\/em> as the cover describes it’s focus as the truth of Romans 1-8. \u00a0The book of Romans is such a great resource for anyone seeking a clear understanding of what the gospel is all about. \u00a0In this work, Schaeffer takes Romans 1-8 and exegetes the text with a particular focus on Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. \u00a0For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”<\/em><\/p>\n

I would recommend this book to anyone that seeks to understand Romans more deeply…particularly when considering our current culture and what it means to subscribe to a faith that points to absolute truth and a Savior who keeps His promises. \u00a0Grace upon grace upon grace.<\/p>\n

I highlighted several things while reading and posted my notes below…<\/p>\n

Romans 1:7a<\/div>\n
The New Testament teaches\u00a0that you are a saint as soon as you accept Christ as your Savior. \u00a0Christ has taken your guilt and you are clothed with His perfection. \u00a0If a little boy puts on his father\u2019s overcoat and buttons it above his head, you see nothing but the overcoat. \u00a0Likewise, when God looks at us, He sees nothing but the righteousness of Jesus Christ that covers us. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
JUSTIFICATION Romans 1:18-4:25<\/b><\/div>\n
There was much greater knowledge of Christianity in past generations. \u00a0We are living in a post-Christian world today.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Romans 1:21b<\/div>\n
When\u00a0people refused to thank God and give Him the glory, their hearts and imaginations\u00a0became dark and vain. \u00a0This is not the vanity of a girl spending two hours in front of the mirror\u00a0combing her\u00a0hear. \u00a0It is the vanity of the creature not willing to be the creature, but wanting rather to be the creator at the center of the universe. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
If the problem with mankind is his rebellion against God, then no amount of treating the result is going to bring any real cure. \u00a0One must treat the malady directly, which is the rebellion against God. \u00a0No cosmetic covers will provide the necessary cure.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We all stand condemned before God. \u00a0None of us can be haughty because of any\u00a0\u201choly mountain\u201d we might claim. \u00a0Anything that might cause us to be proud is only a reason for greater judgement. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
If we have the Bible, if we enjoy all the blessings it brings, and yet by our lives bring shame upon God\u2019s name, we are guilty of the greatest irreverence. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
How many finite\u00a0buckets of righteousness would it take to dump into an infinite chasm of infinite guilt? \u00a0It\u2019s impossible! \u00a0Having once sinned against an infinite God, the chasm is infinite and nothing we can dump in this chasm can\u00a0fill it up.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
When we accept Christ as our Savior, all of our sin is put on His account. \u00a0Because He suffered infinitely on the cross, He can pay our infinite debt!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
SANCTIFICATION Romans 5:1-8:17<\/b><\/div>\n
Romans 6:10b<\/div>\n
Jesus died once for all, but now He continues to live\u00a0\u201cunto God.\u201d \u00a0He died, not just to die, but to be alive to God. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Being alive to God does not mean being dead to a series of rule; it means being dead toward\u00a0self. \u00a0And this death to self is not just so that we might\u00a0suffer but so that we might be alive to God. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Christian life does not mean always being as active as possible. \u00a0The Christian life means being quiet and still in our fellowship with\u00a0God, so\u00a0that we can be alive to Him. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There is no real Christian work done except as people are dead to both good and bad at that moment and are yielded only to God.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
When we come to this place of being totally yielded to God, we will not only enjoy Him more deeply, we will find far greater enjoyment in all our natural human relationships as well.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There\u00a0is\u00a0therefore\u00a0now\u00a0no\u00a0condemnation\u00a0for\u00a0those\u00a0who\u00a0are\u00a0in\u00a0Christ\u00a0Jesus.\u00a0For\u00a0the\u00a0law\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Spirit\u00a0of\u00a0life\u00a0has\u00a0set\u00a0you\u00a0free\u00a0in\u00a0Christ\u00a0Jesus\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0law\u00a0of\u00a0sin\u00a0and\u00a0death. Romans 8:1-2<\/div>\n
If we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we will never have to face \u00a0the prospect of eternal condemnation. \u00a0Eternal life is forever. \u00a0Eternal life is eternal. \u00a0If we have taken Jesus as our Savior, our condemnation is past forever.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The past aspect of salvation, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, is our justification: The guilt\u00a0of our sin is gone. \u00a0The present aspect of salvation is\u00a0sanctification, which is salvation from the power of sin. \u00a0Then there is the future aspect, glorification, which will be salvation from the very presence of sin, and which will take place at the Second Coming of Christ. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
GLORIFICATION Romans 8:18-39<\/b><\/div>\n
We long for the day when Christ will be completely honored and praised in our body as well as in our mind and spirit.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There\u00a0is\u00a0therefore\u00a0now\u00a0no\u00a0condemnation\u00a0for\u00a0those\u00a0who\u00a0are\u00a0in\u00a0Christ\u00a0Jesus. Romans 8:30<\/div>\n
Too often God\u2019s choosing is presented in such a cold theological fashion. \u00a0It is treated as though it were merely a process of selection and elimination. \u00a0But when Paul wrote these words, he had only one purpose: to give you assurance. \u00a0If the idea of predestination is presented in such a way that it decreases your assurance, then it isn\u2019t being presented the way the Bible teaches it. \u00a0The Bible only teaches about God\u2019s choosing in order to give you assurance of your salvation. \u00a0If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, your heart can be still. \u00a0He\u2019ll carry you through the gates of glory. \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Yes, if you have believed on Jesus as your Savior, go ahead and pull back the curtain. \u00a0Dare to look ahead. \u00a0Look ahead to the day when your body will be resurrected, when with your resurrected eyes you will see the glories of the redeemed, restored creation. \u00a0Look ahead to the day when, free in your glorified state from the very presence of sin, you will live with your Lord forever. \u00a0And when the storms of life come, and we stumble, and we cry out,\u00a0\u201cOh God, will I be there?\u201d \u00a0the answer is, Eternal life is forever; beloved, be still, you will be there. \u00a0You do not need to worry. \u00a0If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, you will be there. \u00a0And this rests upon the work of the whole Trinity.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two summers ago, I was finishing up a School Law class at Liberty University and was first introduced to the writing of Francis Schaeffer through his book How Should We Then Live? which I reviewed here. \u00a0Since then, I’ve enjoyed a number of his articles and commentaries on theology, doctrine, and other topics regarding spiritual […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,20,23,28,17,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-study","category-blog-review","category-generosity","category-integrity","category-leadership","category-truth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9141\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}