Did I say that I love that book: [amazon_link id=”0802458408″ target=”_blank” locale=”UK” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Good News We almost Forgot[/amazon_link]. You should read it, really. Here is another quote from the book. I wish I could put the whole chapter:
Protestants don’t pray to saints, but we sure work hard to do what is right. Deep down, and sometimes we don’t even have to dig that deep, many of us feel confident before God because we haven’t royally messed up our lives, at least not lately. We don’t get drunk or do drugs. We show up on time for work. We keep our yard clean and get involved in church. I’d feel pretty good with a record like that. I do feel pretty good sometimes! And that’s my problem. I put trust in Kevin. The fact that when I sin I feel like I should earn my repentance before I come back to God tells me that I live too much of my life feeling good with God because I feel like I am good enough for God. I don’t need Pelagianism or semi-Pelagianism or liberalism or the power of positive thinking to make me full of myself. I was born full of myself, and every days needs to be emptied and filled with Christ.
There is nowhere else we ought to look for our salvation than in Christ. You cannot trust Christ truly unless you trust Christ alone. No matter how much you boast of Christ or talk of your love for Christ or passion for Christ, if you add anything to Christ, your boasting and love and passion are all in vain. There is no “both-and” with Jesus, only “either-or.” Either Jesus is the only Savior, the perfect Savior, and your only comfort in life and in death, or Jesus is for you no Savior at all.
Kevin DeYoung, The good news we almost forgot.