New Testament

Hard Work & the Sabbath (Workbench of Practical Christianity)

Christ Church on August 20, 2023

INTRODUCTION

Our elders recently decided that at the beginning of this academic year, we were going to have a three-week series of messages on practical Christian living, with different messages preached at King’s Cross, CCD, and here. These nine messages will then be bundled together for broader circulation. And so it is that we are taking a brief break from our series through Philippians.

The topic of our message this morning is going to be “hard work and the sabbath.” Because we are living in the time of the new covenant, we will begin with the Lord’s Day—in the old covenant, it was six days of labor followed by a day of rest. In the new covenant, the day of rest is foundational—it is on the first day, and the six days of labor follow after, and are built on the foundation of gospel rest.

THE TEXT

“And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27–28).

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: But the slothful shall be under tribute.” (Proverbs 12:24).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

The perennial sabbath snare is that as soon as we learn that the Fourth Commandment remains binding, we gravitate immediate to a list of things we are not permitted to do. This was the case with the old sabbath, and it has been a recurring temptations for sabbatarians under the new covenant. This is why Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, was routinely accused of sabbath breaking. How did He manage that? He knew that the day of rest was a gift to men, and that men were not to be sacrificed on the altar of sabbath strictness. The text from Mark 2 is from a context where the Lord’s disciples had been picking grain on the sabbath. But rest is grace. Rest is a gift.

What kind of work needs to be built on the foundation of gospel rest? This work needs to have two characteristics. It needs to be industrious and diligent (as in our text), and it needs to be skillful and competent (see Prov. 22:29).

A BRIEF SABBATH PRIMER

The fourth commandment is not the only commandment of the Ten that has somehow been retired, or put out to pasture. But the fact that it is among the moral commands of the Decalogue does not mean that it cannot be amended as redemptive history progresses. We see this when at the first giving of the Law, the ground of sabbath observance was the fact that God had created the world in six days and had rested on the seventh (Ex. 20:11). But in Deuteronomy, the text of the fourth commandment is altered, and the ground of observance was now given as the Exodus (Dt. 5:15).

In the new covenant, the ground of sabbath observance is altered again. The fact is that Christ entered His rest after the work of redemption was complete, in an analogous way to how God rested at the end of the creation week. He did this on the first day of the week, which is why we still have a sabbath, and it is why our sabbath is on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day.

“There remaineth therefore a rest [a sabbath] to the people of God. For he [Christ] that is entered into his rest [in His resurrection], he also hath ceased from his own works [of redemption], as God did from his [works of creation]” (Hebrews 4:9–10).

The Lord pointed to this new reality in numerous ways. In the old covenant, God had said numerous times that the seventh-day sabbath would last as long as the old creation did, which it did (Ex 31:16-17). But when God ushered in a new creation, what then? The sabbath was fulfilled and transformed. The Lord rose on the first day of the week (Matt. 28:1; John 20:1). He appeared to the disciples one week later (John 20:26). The Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, fifty days later, also on a Sunday (Acts 2:1). The early Christians began gathering on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). We have been honoring the Lord’s Day in this way ever since (Rev. 1:10).

A WEEKLY CYCLE

We need to take note of what this does. Every Lord’ Day when we gather together, we are pouring a foundation. We want our worship to be Christ-glorifying, which is another way of saying that we want the foundation walls to be straight. When the foundation walls are straight, you are in a good position to have the (hard) work you do line up with that foundation. And what will that mean for your work?

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

What does work with “straight lines” look like? It should be diligent, industrious. We are not just commanded to rest for one, but also to work for six (Ex. 20:9). It should be competent, skillful, intelligent (Prov. 22:29). Your work should be honest, not conniving or devious (Prov. 20:10). Your work should be imitative. You should not be too conceited to learn from others (Prov. 13:20). Your work should be creative. You must not be afraid to try something new (Eph. 2:10).

A RITUAL OF REST

Christians ought to be the hardest working people around, but the work we do must not be tormented, or driven, or under the lash. Work is a true privilege, work is a grace. Work was granted to Adam before the Fall (Gen. 2:15), and was not the result of the Fall. Work became more onerous after the Fall (Gen 3:16-19), but that is quite different. The work itself is a grace. Christ came as the second Adam to begin the process of restoring Eden. That is the image we are given with Ezekiel’s Temple, and the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven. The work we now do we have been liberated and recreated to do.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8–10).

You Get What You Pray For (Troy)

Christ Church on August 20, 2023

Sermon Text – James 4:2-3

INTRODUCTION

One of the hallmarks of Christianity which bolsters it as the one true religion is its penchant for balance. Religions derived by men are hard nosed and they will categorically define certain actions as forbidden. From Sahih al-Bukhari, Muhammed says, “Allah has cursed wine, its drinker, its server, its seller, its buyer, its presser, the one for whom it is pressed, the one who conveys it, and the one to whom it is conveyed.” Joseph Smith says in Doctrine and Covenants Section 89, “Tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man…And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.” But when the Bible speaks about behaviors that are verboten, it will often do so by contextualizing the prohibition. Drinking alcohol in and of itself is not evil, but drinking it to the point of drunkenness is evil. Sex is not inherently evil, but it quickly can become evil if it is not framed within the covenant of marriage. Similarly, raw desire cannot be flagged as good or evil without context. And this too, requires biblical balance to rightly discern it. This morning’s sermon will be about prayer, but since our text this morning is addressing the particular issue of covetousness, let’s take a moment in the introduction to discuss the concept of desire.

THE NURTURE OF PRAYER

Those who have walked with God for a time, times, and half time know that prayer has an exponential quality to it. You come to God in faith, expressing your agreement with the name of God, that He exists, and you ask Him for something specific, and you receive an answer which emboldens your faith even more, which drives you back to your knees to petition Him once again. And the cycle continues until you find yourself in line with the commandment of scripture, to pray without ceasing. It is this ever present communion with God that defines what it means to be walking in the Spirit.

Prayer reminds us that this world is fallen. In this world homes burn to ashes, metal rusts, and moths destroy. And it reminds us that one day, one glorious day, we will enter our father’s mansion where there are many rooms and every tear will be wiped away and death will be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. This is the comfort prayer can bring. This is the hope we have in God.

THE METHODOLOGY OF PRAYER

The Lord’s Prayer has seven aspects. One, acknowledge who He is and where He is. Two, bestow reverence on His name, which we covered earlier. His name is “I Exist” so you agree with that statement and extol His name in faith. Three, you ask God for change. At the moment, there is a rift between heaven and earth. And you are praying that a restoration will occur. You are praying that Revelation 22 will be fulfilled, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Number 4, you ask God for daily bread, to be sustained physically with earthly bread, and to be sustained spiritually with the heavenly manna. Five, you ask God to initiate the cycle of forgiveness that starts from Him to you and then from you to others. Six, you ask for guidance and protection from evil, and lastly number 7, you recognize that He has the power, it is his kingdom, and he is to receive glory as long as forever is forever.

THE IMPLICATIONS OF PRAYER

John 14 says, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” The cardinal verse of the health and wealth, name and claim it gospel has led many astray and many have been deceived by it. If the verse does grant us carte blanche, and the only thing that’s preventing us from having whatever we want is that we haven’t asked yet, then there is a contradiction in scripture. Because our text this morning explicitly states “you do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” So which one is it? Our choices are, there’s a contradiction in scripture or we do the hard work of harmonizing the two verses and deriving our interpretation in a way that accords with the whole counsel of God. To rightly interpret this verse let us get some help from Jesus. In Luke 11, he says, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

CONCLUSION

When we submit to the Father’s will, as Jesus did, it gives us direction. When Jesus stands up after the third prayer, having received a no from the Father, and having accepted the answer fully in his heart, you will notice that there is a line of demarcation. From this moment on, the Lord Jesus will wipe the sweat off his brow, dust himself off, gird up his loins, and display the greatest example of manliness the world has ever seen. He’s done defending himself. His actions and teachings and miracles over the last 3 years have spoken plainly as to who he is. He will say very little over the next 17 hours and he will display meekness on a scale that is incomprehensible. This is the power of prayer. It is prayer that gave Jesus the strength to endure his passion. And when the veil in the temple tore from top to bottom, he forever opened the channel by which we can commune with the Father. The Holy of Holies is opened to you saints. Your God is listening. So pray to Him and expect good gifts.

Forgetting What Lies Behind (Philippians #12)

Christ Church on August 13, 2023

INTRODUCTION

One of the great things I learned from my father is that “God takes you from where you are, and not from where you should have been.” All of us are sinners, and so none of us are where we should have been. The glory of forgiveness is that God can bring glory out of a shapeless ruin, and in the gospel, this is precisely what He has done. He provides the glory. We contribute the shapeless ruin.

THE TEXT

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Philippians 3:13–19).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Paul is not claiming that he has somehow “arrived” (v. 13). He knows that he has not. But he does know what direction he is facing, what direction he is running. Like a runner stretching toward the finish tape, he is leaning toward the end of the race, and has forgotten the past (v. 13). What is that prize that he is running for? It is the high calling of God in Christ (v. 14). He is doing this, but he is also actively recruiting all other Christians to do the same (v. 15). He knows he is not perfect, but he urges this duty upon as many as are perfect. This is the goal of Christian maturity—complete maturity (v. 15). If you are lacking in your understanding of this, God will fill in the gap. We all need to live up to what we have already attained, and not turn back (v. 16). We should all think this way. He then urges the Philippians to imitate him, not to mention imitating others who walk the same way. They all serve as examples (v. 17). This is necessary, he says with tears, because there is another way of walking. There are many who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ (v. 18). These are not pagan outsiders, but rather false teachers within the church. It didn’t take long for corrupt teachers to infiltrate the church. Their finish line is different from Paul’s—their finish line is destruction (v. 19). Their god is their belly. Their glory is in their shame. Their mind anchored down here on earth (v. 19).

RUNNING WITH PURPOSE

In order to run with purpose, which is what Paul is urging here, it is necessary to lay aside every weight (Heb. 12:1-2). That weight, for many of you, is a backpack filled with regrets. But how can you run the Christian race if you are running with a pack filled with guilt-bricks?

In order to run the race that is before you, it is necessary to forget what lies behind. And what lies behind? All your failures as well as your previous victories. Remember what we said last week about repenting your virtues. You must not only forget your stumbles and errors, but if you are on the fourth lap, you can’t be thinking about the second lap—however well you ran it. The Christian life is directional. It is purposive. It is all geared to the last day.

IMITATION IS THE WAY

The way of godliness is learned by imitation, as in our passage here. Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children (Eph. 5:1). The Thessalonians learned by imitating the churches of Judea (1 Thess. 2:14). Paul summons the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1). Hebrews tells us not to be sluggish, but rather to imitate those who through endurance inherited the promises (Heb. 6:12). We learn by imitation.

But this godly way of learning to walk faithfully is discredited by those who imitate foolishly. Instead of imitating the walk, the things that are imitated are the haircut, or the clothes, or the accent, or the mannerisms. That is not what we are talking about.

Imitate character, not personality.

ENEMIES OF THE CROSS

The cross deals with our little lizard egos. The cross crucifies all selfish ambition, carnal striving, lustful yearning. And yet there are those who see the religious world as containing a great number of opportunities, with not a few chumps, and so they gravitate toward us, with easy sermons laced with easy lies.

“Which say to the seers, See not; And to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, Speak unto us smooth things, Prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10).

“If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; He shall even be the prophet of this people” (Micah 2:11).

All their sermons run downhill. Everything is tailored to suit, and slathered with the heated butter of flattery.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3).

By way of contrast, our salvation is all of grace. But it is a grace that works in us, both to will and to do what God has purposed for us (Phil. 2:12). And what He has purposed for us is to run this race. He works in the heart to run, and so we run, forgetting what lies behind.

The Nations are Clean (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #16) (King’s Cross)

Christ Church on August 13, 2023

INTRODUCTION

In many ways, this passage is the hinge of the book of Acts. The whole book describes the continuing work of Jesus, and just as He promised, the goal is a mission from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Everything has been pointing to this: all the languages at Pentecost, Stephen’s message that God is not bound to one place, the conversion of the Samaritans, the baptism of the Ethiopian, the conversion of Saul, and now we come to Peter’s vision.

But while Jesus had clearly sent the apostles out to preach the gospel and disciple the nations, it had not yet been made clear that this meant that the Gentile nations could remain Gentile nations without converting to Judaism and still be full members of the household of God. Here, God declares the unclean nations to be clean. This means the nations can come to God. And since Jesus is Lord of the nations, this means that they will come.

The Text: “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always…” (Acts 10:1-20)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Luke emphasizes the faithful devotion of this Roman soldier, as does the angel who appears to him (Acts 10:1-4). The angel does not give Cornelius the plan, but he does give him instructions for finding out the plan from Simon Peter, which Cornelius then explains to his servants and a devout soldier in his house (Acts 10:5-8).

While they are on their way, Peter is in prayer on the rooftop and sees a vision of a great sheet being let down from heaven to earth, full of all kinds of ceremonially unclean animals (Acts 10:9-12). The Lord spoke to Peter by name, inviting him to “kill and eat,” and when he declined, the voice insisted by saying that what God has made clean, do not call common/unclean – and this happened three times (Acts 10:13-16). Then, while Peter was puzzling over the vision, the men from Cornelius arrived at the house asking for him, and the Spirit ordered Peter to go with them, doubting nothing (Acts 10:17-20).

WITH ALL HIS HOUSE (OBEDIENCE)

Nations are built out of families and households, and the kind of nation you get depends on the kind of households that make it up. Family is the building block of human society. You cannot have virtuous society apart from virtuous families. You cannot have faithful leaders who fear God and hate covetousness and all lies, if you do not have many families led by such men.

Not only was Cornelius a devout man, but he led his whole household in this piety (Acts 10:2, 4, 7). It seems all the more remarkable given the notorious reputation of Roman soldiers for often being brutal, rapacious idolaters. Here was a man who likely risked his job, his reputation, and his fortune in worshiping the God of the Jews. While all is grace, the angel of God specifically notes the obedient devotion of Cornelius in prayers and alms as noticed by God (Acts 10:4). Obedience put Cornelius in the path of God’s plan and blessing.

We are saved by grace, but we are saved for good works that God prepared for us to walk in, and God loves to reward the good works He prepared for us. We earn nothing, but like a faithful Father, God blesses obedience. Honoring father and mother is the first commandment with a blessing (Eph. 6:2-3). In a difficult marriage, a godly woman seeks the attention of God by her gentle and quiet spirit (1 Pet. 3:4). A godly man takes responsibility for his household and is particularly zealous to remain in fellowship with God and one another (Josh. 24:15, Job 1:5). We are not often given the whole plan, but we are given instructions for finding out the plan. Daily obedience in our families puts us in the path of God’s plan and blessing.

WHAT GOD HAS MADE CLEAN

The clean/unclean laws were part of the schoolmaster-law to lead Israel to Christ (Gal. 3:24, 4:2). It taught Israel to pay attention to what they ate, what they touched, who they had fellowship with in order to teach them that sin has infected everything and if it is not cleansed, it is infectious and it will only spread to everything. And you cannot appear before God in that unclean state. But when Christ came, Israel graduated from that schoolmaster and came into maturity, where the real clean and unclean distinctions must now be made not between different kinds of animals or people, but between sin and righteousness (2 Cor. 6:14-18). Sin is what destroys our fellowship, but we have fellowship with God and one another as we are cleansed by the blood of Christ, confessing our sins to God and one another (1 Jn. 1:7-9).

Food and drink are central signs of our fellowship, and everything is sanctified by the Word of God and thanksgiving (1 Tim 4:3-5). So we must not destroy fellowship for the sake of food and drink (Rom. 14:19-21). This can be done through a pharisaical strictness, demanding of others what God does not require. Or this can be done through pharisaical laxness, not requiring of others what God does require. Demanding that others cater to your food fads or preferences and making fellowship difficult is disobedience to this principle: rise and eat. And parents must not let children become little food tyrants or become tyrants themselves. Those with scruples about alcohol may not bind the consciences of others, but in our community, it is far more likely for drinking to become an occasion for harm. Honor God and love your neighbor.

CONCLUSION: LORD OF THE NATIONS

The vision that Peter saw means that the nations are clean. The nations do not have to become Jewish in order to come to God. Russians, Japanese, Somalis, and Americans may come to the Father, through faith in Jesus Christ. The Church is therefore a multinational body from every tribe and tongue, but the nations still bring their own unique treasures into the Kingdom: people still live in tribes and speak different languages (Rev. 7:9, 21:24).

This cuts against fleshly prejudice and fleshly uniformity. And the best way to learn this dance is by building devout households that stay in fellowship and are ready to obey. Love and serve those closest to you first, beginning with the neighbors in your own house, working your way out from there, including your nation. And in this way, all of the nations will come to Christ.

Not Having My Own Righteousness ( Philippians #11)

Christ Church on August 6, 2023

INTRODUCTION

We come now to a particular gospel “turn” that is extremely troublesome to the carnal mind. The square peg of “alien righteousness” goes not go into the round hole of any “righteousness of my own.” Consequently, a great deal of ingenuity has been expended on trying to make it fit. We might even go so far as to say that this problem, this tension, is the driving engine of almost all new developments in theology. And that is not a good thing. The challenge always comes down to the unvarnished gospel versus the “cold clatter of morality.”

THE TEXT

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:7–12).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

In his previous life, prior to his conversion, Paul had been proud of his resume, proud of his heritage. All those things had been “gain” to him, but no more. He uses the same word that he used in Phil. 1:21 (kerdos), but showing a complete reversal of values. He counts all that a loss for the sake of Christ (v. 7). He goes on to extend the exchange to “all things,” considering the loss of everything to be insignificant when compared to the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (v. 8). More than insignificant, he counts every possible honor as skubalon—rubbish, garbage, offal, dung, or refuse (v. 8). He does not just know Christ now, he also strains to win Christ at the last (v. 8). He rejects his own righteousness, that which is “by law,” and wants to be found in Christ by faith, not having his own righteousness, but rather the righteousness which is “of God by faith” (v. 9). He not only wants Christ now, and Christ at the last, but also Christ on the journey (v. 10). This refers to the koinonia of his suffering, lining up with His death, so that he might know the power of resurrection (v. 10). Experiencing the power of resurrection now means a promise of attaining to the resurrection of the dead at the last day (v. 11). Not that he has already made it, because he knows that he has not, but he pursues it nonetheless. He wants nothing more than to apprehend that for which he was apprehended. He wants to seize that for which he was seized (v. 12).

ALL THE WAY IN

This is an area where we must pay close attention to the exhortation given by that great Puritan Richard Baxter, when he said, “screw the truth into men’s minds.” If we don’t take care to do that, this particular truth will always pop out again, rattle on the floor for a moment, and disappear into an obscure corner.

SUBMITTING TO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

There is another place in Paul where he summarizes this glorious truth, talking about how the exquisitely pious Jews, in all their zeal, managed to miss it. What went wrong?

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

The word for submit here is hypotasso, and is the same word that is used in a number of other places. Domestic servants, house slaves, are told to be subject to their masters (1 Pet. 2:18). Wives are commanded to be submissive to their own husbands (Col. 3:18). We are called to be subject to principalities and powers (Tit. 3:1). The young should submit to the elderly (1 Pet. 5:5). The problem that the Jews had was found in their unwillingness to submit to the righteousness of God. This is why the gospel is described by Paul as a message to be obeyed (Rom. 10:16), and why those who reject it are described as a disobedient people (Rom. 10:21).

In our text, Paul says that he wanted to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness (Phil 3:9). In Romans 10, he says that the Jews went around trying to establish their own righteousness, and refused to submit to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:3). This means that what we are talking about is not acknowledging that God, over there, is righteous. We are not acknowledging that, but rather trusting in. The righteousness of someone else is imputed to me, and so it is that every form of ego-credit vanishes.

POISONOUS PRONOUNS

The poison of autonomy is therefore found in the personal possessive pronouns—mine, ours, and so forth. It is not to be found in the external things we cook up to do, which may or may not be noble and right. If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). This is because I gave everything away except my own righteousness. As long as I cling to that, I am clutching at my own essential unrighteousness.

And this is why the deepest repentance possible is not of the things we are ashamed of, but rather of the things we are proud of. Men are not truly converted until their virtues humiliate them. This is why tax collectors and whores enter the kingdom first (Matt. 21:31). They know how valuable all their virtues are, which cannot be said for the theologians and scribes.

Flannery O’Connor describes this principle wonderfully at the conclusion of her potent short story Revelation. Mrs. Turpin has been given a vision of a procession into Heaven.

“Upon it a vast horde of souls were tumbling toward heaven. There were whole companies of white trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of blacks *** in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs. And bringing up the end of the procession was a tribe of people whom she recognized at once as those who, like herself and Claud, had always had a little of everything and the given wit to use it right. She leaned forward to observe them closer. They were marching behind the others with great dignity, accountable as they had always been for good order and common sense and respectable behavior. They, alone were on key. Yet she could see by their shocked and altered faces even their virtues were being burned away.”