Wrapping it up.

The gospel is counterintuitive to our moral reasoning as sinners, not to reason itself. (Ch. 10)

I am going to wrap up the book with this quote from Chapter 10. It is an interesting thought, one that challenges us to be honest, something that I know that I have a hard time doing.

The gospel, the message of Jesus, that He came and stood in my place, is counterintuitive to who I am, because I would have a hard time standing in someone else's place, and to think that the God of heaven and earth did that for me is mind blowing. But there are also other things that go against my sinful mindset. Like the idea that, to quote Jesus on the cross, "It is finished." The atoning work is done, and I didn't do it, it didn't earn it, there is nothing left for me to do but to appreciate it.

And then there is reason. I still have a hard time seeing God doing this for me, but that is why He is worthy of my worship! But my reason tells me that there is no other way. There is no way that I can earn or deserve what God has done in the Gospel. There is no other way for me to get to heaven than to climb on His back and let Him take me there.

No matter how hard we want to believe that somehow we have earned a part of our salvation, true reason tells me otherwise. No man with a few pennies in his hand can put Bill Gates in his debt. I don't deserve what God has given me. But I can appreciate it.