J-Curve Session 7: (Pastor Matt Carter, Chapter 8)

Class Description: Session 7, Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Missing Justification by Faith: The J Curve Without Justification

In chapter 4 we explored at some length the foundation of the J Curve (Justification by Faith). In this chapter, Paul Miller explores the ramifications of attempting to do the J Curve without that foundation. He looks at both Mother Teresa and Martin Luther as his case studies...

Class Notes:

C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity: Peter Mountz

How are the things we’re discussing and learning changing the way you’re thinking and living?

Has being in Christ enabled you to edit yourself in recent weeks instead of becoming touchy and defensive?

1.    P. 71 “My pride and will were constantly exposed and stripped.  During this time, I got to know God like never before. He took away everything I loved in ministry and gifted me with his enduring presence.”

a.    What are the common ways we tend to respond when we’re living with this kind of exposure?

b.    PM describes the enduring presence of the Lord as a gift...  What is he talking about?  What is this enduring presence and what kinds of things does it bring with it?

2.    P. 72 Entire middle paragraph...  “When Luther...”

a.    Think about the ways you’ve grown as a Christian over the years.  Have you ever had seasons when the Lord pulled back the curtain to reveal sin dwelling in you that you had never seen before, but that was there all along?  If awareness and confession of sin in sum total were a requirement for justification, where would that leave us?

b.    Stare at the last two sentences of that paragraph again.  If what Paul Miller says here is true, how does it expand the way we often think about the forgiveness we’ve received?

c.     How does it answer the concern that some have about dying with specific sins left unconfessed?

d.    Discuss future sin.

3.    P. 73 Mother Teresa struggled with depression b/c she focused on the quality of her faith.  Quote middle of page beginning w. “She made the common error.... “(through end of paragraph).

a.    To what extent do you and I struggle with evaluating the quality of our faith? What does that look like? Is there ever a time to do that?

b.    We know we need to have and express faith, but we know our salvation is not based upon having exquisitely perfect faith.  How is focusing on Christ’s finished work an expression of beautiful faith and what does it produce in us?

4.    P. 73 “Because they also lacked a grounding....” (Brilliant paragraph here - don’t let it be lost on you!)

a.    What’s the message Mother Teresa actually needed to hear and embrace?

b.    Luke 18:9-14

c.     Isa. 57:15

d.    Matt. 5:3-4

e.    John 21:7

5.    P. 74 Diagram...

a.    It’s pretty clear how the J Curve apart from Justification by faith might produce a good neighbor.  How might it lead to: 

i.     Legalism?

ii.     Moralism ?

iii.     Depression? 

6.    Last paragraph beginning w. “Justification grounds...”

a.    What about sharing in the sufferings of Christ as opposed to suffering for suffering’s sake makes the weight bearable? 

7.    If the fervency of our faith is not the barometer for saving faith, how do we know if our faith really is saving faith?