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A Vision of a Man with a Measuring Line - Part 2

The passage we are examining is  Zechariah 2.  In the previous Blog, we learned that this vision of the "surveyor" points forward to the time when God will dwell with His people and the city of Jerusalem, will be filled with the God-worshiping nations of the earth.  Let's look at some of the details of the vision and try to determine who or what they are; and what they mean.

There is a:

1. Man with a measuring rod, a surveyor. 
2. There was an angel who talked with Zechariah
3. There was an another angel who came forward to meet this angel.
4. There's a young man.
5. Jerusalem with no walls
6. The recipients of the message who have been scattered by the Lord.

We are not sure who the surveyor is.  Some believe he is the Angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Christ, similar to Ezekiel 40:3.  The angel who talked to Zechariah was probably the interpreting angel and we are not sure who the second angel is other than a messenger from God.  "The 'young man' (v. 4) is Zechariah himself." [1]   The Jerusalem with no walls and multitudes of people is undoubtedly the eschatology Jerusalem. "This anticipates the Lord's personal presence through the Messiah in his kingdom on earth (cf. 2:11-12; 14:9; Isa 60:19; Ezek 43:1-5, 48:35)." [2]

The recipients of the message of this vision are those scattered by the Lord. "These verses are addressed to the exiles remaining behind in Babylon. They are urged to come forth, and flee from the land of the north (i.e., north with reference to Jerusalem viz., Babylon). The matter is urgent. The exiles have been spread … abroad by the LORD, though they are urged to take the initiative in returning." [3]

“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 2:11–12, NIV). "The result will be Jews and Gentiles together in one nation, my people, with the Lord dwelling in their midst (cf. Ephesians 2:13–16)." [4]

The call to Israel is to "return". God is going to judge Babylon. They mustn't fail to listen to this message or they will be destroyed with the rest.  They must come out, in order to separate themselves and distinguish themselves from the pagan nations. Not unlike Lot, he must escape the city.  And to us today we hear the call of God, 

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”” (2 Corinthians 6:14–18, NIV)  

Separation from the influences, the coercement, the obligations of unbelievers is a necessary state of living for the Christian. Zechariah is clearly seeing a New Covenant relationship, the one Church.  The believer needs to stay in fellowship with Christ and His people and stay out-of-fellowship with the world.  

Father, the joys of this passage are mingled by the sorrow and the concern that we would not be counted as one with the world, but one with Christ and His people.  The call of the Gospel is that we are not our own, we are bought with a price.  There is no question as to our need to withdraw from the world and its entrapments and feast on the nourishment that You alone can provide. Anything that draws me away from my Savior is of the world.  Anything that captivates my love for You is wrong.  Anything that grasps my affection, apart from Jesus, must be discarded.  Indeed my heart is prone to wander.  Take it today, Lord Jesus.  Seal it.  Seal it for Thy courts above.  Amen. 



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1.  Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Zec 2:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/II. A Series of Eight Night Visions (1:7-6:8)/C. The Third Vision: The Surveyor (2:1-13), Book Version: 4.0.2
3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1802). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
4. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (1755). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 

God's Endgame: To Dwell With Man.

The third vision of Zechariah was:

A Vision of a Man with a Measuring Line - Part 1.

Remember these visions form more of a collage than separate prophetic looks.  In general God has been telling Zechariah that Christ will build His Church and it will stand for eternity.  He has been telling him that Christ's kingdom will come and reign forever.  This is the motivation for Israel to continue on the work God has called them to do.  It is intended to pry them from the lethargy.  Now we have a third aspect called The Man with a measuring line.  You can read it in Zechariah 2.

This vision involves such players as a surveyor ("a man with a measuring line in his hand"), an angel that provides the meaning and another angel.  The point of the surveyor is to show the immensity and the size of this future "city".  "The “man with a measuring line” (v. 1) is not identified, though it is conjectured that he is probably the Angel of the Lord, as in Ezek. 40:3." [1]  This is a vision that is pointing forward to the progressive fulfillment of the promises of God.  "Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it.” (Zechariah 2:4, NIV).

This vision points forward to the time when God will dwell with His people and the city of Jerusalem, will be filled with the God-worshiping nations of the earth. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” (Revelation 21:2–3, NIV).

There is a constant allusion here to the eschatology reality of God dwelling with His people:

• Zechariah 2:4–5 (NIV), ⁴ and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. ⁵ And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’
• Zechariah 2:10 (NIV), ¹⁰ “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord.
• Zechariah 2:11–12 (NIV), ¹¹ “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. ¹² The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.

There is a warning to pagan nations in this vision also.  "In view of the return of the Lord’s glory to Jerusalem and his coming judgment on their former rulers (1:18–20), those still in exile in Babylon should escape from there and return to Zion, the home of the temple." [2]  And this is certain, for the vision ends with a similar call as Psalm 46:10: “Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”” (Zechariah 2:13, NIV).

The joy, the peace, the security, the glory of God are all contingent on His Presence.  His lack of presence leaves a people insecure and vulnerable.  We become very aware of the devastation when the glory of God's Presence departs. But even more so, when God's Presence is manifest in His fullness, what joy!  What peace!

Father, to see again that Your goal is to dwell with mankind in holy, radiant, glory is no surprise. We know that the consummate blessing is when You cause Your face to shine upon us; when instead of turning Your back on us, You turn toward us.  We know that the ultimate security is when You dwell in the center of the habitation.  Like Moses we pray today that Your Presence will go with us and before us.  I thank You this day for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  I thank You that You have not left Your children orphans, but You have sent Your Spirit to be with us always.  Yet as unspeakably miraculous that is, it does not compare to what it will be like in the New Heavens and New Earth when You dwell with Your redeemed in unhindered glory.  My mind cannot conceive of such wonder.  I cry, "Be still world!  My God is in His holy Temple!  My God is coming to dwell forever with His people!"   Oh come Lord Jesus, come.   Grant the grace of diligent service and obedience as we await the day when our faith shall be sight.  Amen!

 

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1. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Zec 2:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 

2. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (1754–1755). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

 

What If There Was A Relationship Between Our Spiritual Health and Physical Health?

3 John 1–4 (ESV),

¹ The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. ² Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. ³ For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

It appears that John is writing his friend Gaius -- a friendship that has its bonds "in truth."  "While some have taken the phrase to mean simply “truly” or “really” (Mark 12:32; John 1:47), John’s usage of this phrase elsewhere in these letters where truth takes on such a significant meaning suggests that the elder intended the kind of love that is consistent with the fundamental truths of the faith (cf. v. 4; 1 John 2:21; 3:19)." [1]

John's prayer for his friend is in regard to his life, his health. This is affirmation that these are good things to pray for.  But there is more here. John is aware that Gaius' soul (his spiritual condition) is good.  With this as a basis then, he prays, "I hope the rest of your life is going as well as your spiritual walk."  Would that be true of all of us?  Imagine if God came to us and said, "I'll make you a deal.  I will tailor your health and your life's journey proportionate to your spiritual progress?"   John is aware of Gaius' condition because of reports of travelling brothers who gave testimony to that.

In his second letter, we glean more from the phrase "walking in truth" but suffice to say that "... he walks (Gr peripateō) in the truth, meaning that he lives according to the message of the apostles, rather than just giving mental assent to it." [2]   Gaius is probably a convert of John's for John exclaims: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4, NIV).  This is undoubtedly the joy of every true pastor, mentor, church leader and parent.

Here again we observe the importance of congruency in our lives.  "The importance of doctrinal integrity and truth is evident in John’s affirmation that nothing brings greater joy to him than to know that his children walk in truth." [3]

Father, what if I were to pray today asking you to so direct my day and grant me the health and blessings consistent with my spiritual condition?  What if I heard a voice from Heaven that said, "I hope today goes as well as your soul?"   This is a stunning suggestion.  Thankfully Your grace exceeds the demands of this notion.  Thankfully You do not treat me as I deserve.  Thankfully Your love covers a multitude of my sin.  But Father, I am humbled about how little attention I and my brothers and sisters give toward spiritual health.  If we were to give 1/10th the money, time, interest, investment to our spiritual health as we do to our physical health, there would be revival.  I'm sure. Father, help me today to measure this day on these terms.  Indeed “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV).  “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” (Colossians 2:23, NIV).  May I attend to the work of the Spirit, that my soul might be refreshed and renewed, sin would be mortified and Christ be exalted.  Amen.

 

 

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1. The MacArthur Study Bible. 1997 (J. MacArthur, Jr., Ed.) (electronic ed.) (1981). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.

2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2644). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (3 Jn 4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

A Picture and the Purpose of the Church

2 John 12–13 (NIV),

¹² I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. ¹³ The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

The aforementioned verses are commonly understood as the 'final remarks' or 'concluding thoughts.' John realizes that visiting them in person would be more beneficial than continuing to write about additional things. The phrase "so that our joy may be complete" was the purpose of his first letter. “We write this to make our joy complete.” (1 John 1:4, NIV).  John's ambition (ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν πεπληρωμένη ᾖ) in his letter of encouragement, correction and warning is that their joy and his joy might be πληρόω [play·ro·o], full, overfilling, completely realized. Jesus spoke of the same purpose for his disciples: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete . . . I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” (John 15:11; 17:13, NIV).

The relationship between pastor and people, the elders and the flock -- the goal of instruction, correction and encouragement in the Gospel seems to be for this important reason: our fully realized joy (and may I add: eternal joy!).  One hears, often enough, that doctrine divides.  Many would want to dismiss doctrine.  Give me Jesus, not theology.  But the opposite is the case. "Doctrinal deviation threatens the joy of the church because it destroys unity and imperils the approving presence of Christ in personal lives and the corporate assembly." [1]

So the letter concludes with greetings from the "children of your elect sister."  This again is undoubtedly the members of a sister congregation -- possibly even the congregation that John was a part of.  Again we have significant insight into the attitude of congregations.  This church was a "sister" church because the membership were made up of people "chosen in Christ" -- the Elect.  Someone asked me recently, "Which denomination is the true denomination?"   Part of my answer is this:  

" A faithful church is made up of born-again, regenerated members who admit they only see in part, who are convinced that what they believe is an honest representation of the Scriptures and who love and respect other churches of like faith and mind, albeit acknowledging their differences."

Yes, there are multitudes of congregations around the world, but for those in Christ -- truly chosen by God and born of the Spirit, we all share the same heavenly Father.  These multitudes of congregations then are multitudes of sister churches.  All human calls for unity are vain and redundant.  True believers and faithful churches are one.  

Father, in the small but profound letter of John, he concludes with some very poignant thoughts. These thoughts beg important questions from the depth of my soul.  Do I seek the eternal joy of my congregation?  Above all the other things, do the people of my church long for and seek my joy?  Do we view other churches of like faith as sisters -- and long for their joy?  These questions are challenging and provide well-needed correction to my thinking.   We are so often fraught with territoriality, clannishness, and protectionism.  Forgive us Father for such immature myopia. Grant to us eternal joy -- the joy that comes from the Savior, by the Spirit -- for Your glory.  Amen.

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1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2442). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Circular Argument of Love and Truth

2 John 4–6 (NIV),

            ⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, 

just as the Father commanded us. 

            ⁵ And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the                   beginning.

 I ask that we love one another. 

                ⁶ And this is love:

               that we walk in obedience to his commands. 

As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

The NASB translates verse 4: "I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth . . .." [1] Noting the italicized word "some" we recognize that it is not in the Greek phrase.  Does the some mean that only a group were walking in the Truth; or does it mean that John had only met some. We are not sure.  But the some did bring him joy.  Some translations do not add the article "the" to truth indicating a walk that is truthful or authentic.  But the NIV, correctly adds "the" to Truth indicating a specific body of truth.  This is emphasized by the words which follow as he writes of the Father's command.

So what is this commandment of the Father that we should "walk" in?  It is the commandment to love one another.  So we ask John, "What is love?"  His answer is that love is obeying God's commands.  "Four times in vv. 4-6 the author uses the noun "command" (entole). This is his way of making clear that what he is saying is a direct expression of God's will. And how does one know that he fulfills the will of God? The test of love is obedience to God's commands, and the test of obedience is whether one "walks in love." [2]

If you sense a circular argument here you are right.  Christian living is never departmentalized or lived in an isolated vacuum.  There is an overlap and interrelationship with all we do.  This means that when we discuss the centrality of the Christian message, i.e. love for God and one another, this begs the definition of walking in truth and obedience. Negatively, if I am living a disobedient life then I cannot assume that I am truly loving God and/or others; or vice versa. There is a word that describes this.  It is the word "congruity."

The word congruity is from the Old French congruité  for "relevance and appropriateness." Congruity is a quality of agreement and appropriateness. When there's congruity, things fit together in a way that makes sense. If a team has congruity, the players work together well.  If a Christian Church has congruency, it means that what they believe, what they say they believe,  how they act -- on the outside and the inside -- public and private all send the same message.  

This is the ultimate description of a healthy congregation.  It is a joy to the Pastor.  It brings glory to God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Father this is the ultimate battle of Christendom.  This is my ultimate battle.  I can't imagine what the Day will be like, when “. . . we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2, NIV). The most congruent Man in the cosmos is Jesus Christ.  What you see is what you get.  No deceit. No hypocrisy. Oh to be like Him!  I long for the Day when what I believe is who I really am.  I long for the Day when what I am on the inside is the same as the outside.  I long for the Day when all that I am is encapsulated in love for God, obedience to God, and love for others.  That Day is coming. Because of the essence of the Gospel -- because of Christ, that Day is coming.  Today, Father, I thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is keeping my eyes of the glory of Christ in the Gospel -- and thereby being changed a little bit at a time, each day.  But today Father, I long for That Day when I shall know Him and be like Him, in all His glory.   Maranatha, Lord Jesus.

 

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1. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (2 Jn 4). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:2 John/Exposition of 2 John/II. A Formal Word of Instruction (4-11)/A. An Exhortation (4-6), Book Version: 4.0.2

Love Is Not The Goal!

Galatians 5:22–25 (NIV),

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

"The Apostle saith not, the works of the Spirit, as he said the works of the flesh, but he adorneth these Christian virtues with a more honourable name, calling them the fruits of the Spirit. For they bring with them most excellent fruits and commodities: for they that have them give glory to God, and with the same do allure and provoke others to embrace the doctrine and faith of Christ."[1]

"The list is not exhaustive, but representative (e.g., no mention of generosity). It presents the desires and characteristics God cultivates in believers through His Spirit. This list describes a community of believers “under the Spirit”—empowered and directed by God’s living presence rather than the dictates of the law. Just as fruit needs time to grow, these qualities require time to grow in the life of the community." [2]

"Against such things there is no law." "Although the flesh resist, yet do they walk after the Spirit. So a Christian accomplisheth the law inwardly by faith (for Christ is the perfection of the law unto righteousness, to all that do believe), outwardly by works and by remission of sins. But those which perform the works and desires of the flesh, the law doth accuse and condemn both civilly and spiritually." [1]  Or in other words: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."  This is a settled matter for the believer.  For the Christian, our identity with Christ has "indicatively" crucified the flesh (See 2:20; 6:14; Rom. 6:6.). Sin's grip has been broken.  And because this is true "indicatively" we have the power to obey this "imperatively". "The Christian is to daily give outward expression of his inward experience and in order to do this, he must constantly reckon himself “to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 6:11)." [3]

How do we crucify and deal with the "cancelled sin" in our lives?  Answer: We live by the Spirit. We keep in step with the Spirit.  We follow the Spirit.  "For where the Spirit is, it reneweth men and worketh in them new motions: that is to say, whereas they were before vainglorious, wrathful and envious, &c., it maketh them now humble, gentle, and patient, &c. Such men seek not their own glory, but the glory of God: they do not provoke one another, or envy one another, but give place one to another, and in giving honour prevent one another." [4]

There can be the tendency as we examine these attributes of the Spirit that we so desire them for our lives that we fall prey again to making laws to arouse them and keep them in our behavior.  Not so. In fact the best way to be loving is to not try to be loving, but in fact to be filled with the Spirit, to be living and walking in the Spirit.  To follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.  “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13, NIV).

Father, I find it so easy to be a judaizer.  As soon as I hear that I need to be loving or patient or whatever I immediately start to think of rituals and disciplines that I can engage in to make me so. I'm a great law-keeper.  Unfortunately that always fails in my life. It is the Holy Spirit who must produce these wonders of grace, not me.   Help me today to get over this knee-jerk reaction.  Train in me the desire to look to the Spirit for help.  Sins power has already been broken.  Now with the grace of the Spirit we can produce His fruits and in a way that He gets the glory, not me.   Help me, Father, to do so.  For Your sake and Your glory.  Amen.

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:22). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

2. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 5:22–23). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2399). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:25). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Hope That Never Disappoints

Verses 15 and 16 in Chapter 2 start a lengthy discussion by Luther -- and justifiably so, for it is the heartbeat of the letter. ““We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” (Galatians 2:15–16, NIV)

 

That is a interesting statement in verse 15: We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles . . .. The righteousness that Paul speaks of is a righteousness that implies a desire to follow the Law.  Of course, as Luther comments, "Notwithstanding, although we have this prerogative, that we are righteous by nature, born to the law and the works thereof, and are not sinners as the Gentiles, yet are we not therefore righteous before God." [1]   By the Law, Luther believes Paul to mean the whole Law.  In other words, Paul is not just talking about the ceremonial law, but in fact the whole corpus of Law.  He makes this sharp distinction: "Whatsoever is not grace, is the law, whether it be judicial, ceremonial, or the Ten Commandments." [1] 

The point is this: "For by the righteousness of the law, saith he, a man is not pronounced righteous before God: but the righteousness of faith God imputeth freely through grace, for Christ’s sake." [1] 

Then how is a person saved?  Here is Luther's "evangelistic tract":

• "Now, the true way to Christianity is this, that a man do first acknowledge himself by the law, to be a sinner, and that it is impossible for him to do any good work. 
• When a man is thus taught and instructed by the law, then is he terrified and humbled, then he seeth indeed the greatness of his sin, and cannot find in himself one spark of the love of God: therefore he justifieth God in his Word, and confesseth that he is guilty of death and eternal damnation. 
• The second part is: if thou wilt be saved, thou mayest not seek salvation by works; for God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. He was crucified and died for thee, and bare thy sins in his own body." [1]

So Luther's counsel is to first preach the true knowledge of ourselves before God and preach repentance; and from that preach Christ.  The Law should drive us to Christ and His finished work. "Faith therefore justifieth, because it apprehendeth and possesseth this treasure, even Christ present . . . By this means we are delivered from sin, justified and made inheritors of everlasting life; not for our own works and deserts, but for our faith, whereby we lay hold upon Christ." [1] 

So we ask Luther, "What role do good works play in this?"  He answers, "These are good works indeed, which flow out of this faith and this cheerfulness conceived in the heart, for that we have remission of sins freely by Christ." [1]

What comfort You give us, Father, in the Gospel.  Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling.  If I were to hope for an ounce of salvation because of my goodness and work, I would be of all men, most miserable.  Father, I have not lived a millisecond of merit before Your eyes.  There is not a particle of perfection found in me. Apart from faith, imputation and justification I would be still on a road to eternal horror.  In Christ alone, my hope is found.  This is the only theology that leads to doxology.  This is the only truth that truly inspires music and dance.  All glory, honor and praise belong to You.  Now grant, Father, to me this day, enabling grace propelled by justifying grace, so that all the credit will go to You.  Amen and amen.

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 2:15). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.