Happy tensions: Grace + Temptation

Two posts are worth investing further:

• John Piper asks, Does God "Lead Us Into Temptation?" (Desiring God blog). The short answer: yes.

• Tim Chester (author of Total Church , and pastor in the UK), contrasts Communities of Grace vs. Communities of Performance (the Resurgence), an expansive of some of his thoughts earlier

• (a third comes to mind too: "Community: Convenience vs. Grace" by church planter/pastor Jonathan Dodson)

The connection is that we shall enjoy a mysterious union of Christ leading us into temptation, and our participation in being victorious by viewing ourselves, other people and our church communities through the lens of the Gospel: Grace > Performance . (Keeping in mind Romans 12:3: "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think… .") A performance-bent person will not escape temptation victoriously for that person can only draw on his or her own resources. People who seem themselves rightly — through the Gospel and Christ’s finished work — will continually come back to Christ, broken and humbled by the enormity of their own brokenness and sinfulness and draw from the infinite well of resources that is Christ and His finished work.

That is also, by extension, another argument for community. We are our weakest selves when isolated, and as we bear with one another (Galatians 6), we resemble Christ who bore our burdens. This not only pleases Him, it is of enormous benefit for us.