When Exhortation Becomes Christ: One of the things I have occasionally encountered in some grace circles is an approach to Scripture in which exhortations are no longer allowed to function as exhortations. Instead, they are transformed into direct descriptions of Christ. That question came back to mind while listening to a sermon yesterday. As the preacher read through Romans 12, each exhortation gradually became another statement about Christ: ‘That’s Christ… that’s Christ… that’s Christ.’ I appreciate the obvious desire to exalt Christ, and I have no doubt that was the preacher’s intention. Yet I found myself wondering whether, in our desire to keep Christ central, we sometimes interpret passages in a way that unintentionally changes how they function. I really did not want to quote any of the sermon, but, without a reference point, I think most would not understand what I am even talking about.
Sermon: “Two Sundays ago a brother read scripture, and he read Romans 12, verses 9-21. And as soon as he started reading, my mind silently said, I just acknowledged to myself, this is all good, holy, true, profitable advice for us. But that’s Christ. This is speaking of Christ. This brother began reading in verse 9, look at verse 9, Romans 12:9. Let love be without dissimilation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. That’s Christ. Verse 10, be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honor, preferring one another. That’s Christ. You say, well, you don’t want to strive to do that? Oh, yes, I want to strive to do that. But that’s Christ. He’s the only one who actually did it. Verse 11, not slothful in business. Know ye not that I must be about my father’s business? Father, I finished the work you gave me to do. Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. That’s Christ. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. That’s Christ. Distributing to the necessity of the saints, given to hospitality. That’s Christ…. we can see the cross of Christ in every word in the scripture.”
Ironically, in an effort to avoid legalism, the passage almost seems to move so far in the opposite direction that Romans 12 no longer functions as Romans 12. This is not the first time I have encountered this kind of interpretation, and hearing it again yesterday reminded me why I have never been entirely comfortable with it. Since it is not an isolated example, I thought it might be worth offering a few thoughts.
I certainly believe Christ is the perfect fulfillment of every righteous requirement. He alone loved perfectly, obeyed perfectly, and fulfilled the law completely. But I also believe the apostles intentionally wrote exhortations to believers. Those exhortations are not conditions of acceptance with God, nor are they additions to Christ’s finished work. They neither establish our standing before God nor diminish the sufficiency of Christ. In the New Testament, exhortation flows from grace, not toward it.
Sometimes I wonder whether, in our desire to avoid works-righteousness, we become almost suspicious of exhortation itself. Yet the New Testament is filled with exhortation. The same apostles who proclaimed salvation by grace alone also repeatedly said, “love one another,” “bear one another’s burdens,” “forgive one another,” “put away bitterness,” and “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Those exhortations do not compete with grace. They are the fruit of it.
The question isn’t, ‘Is Christ the perfect embodiment of Romans 12?’ Of course He is. The question is, “Is that what Romans 12 is actually about?” Paul seems to be doing something very specific in the book of Romans. After eleven chapters unfolding God’s mercy in Christ, he writes, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice…” Romans 12:1. The mercy of God is the foundation of Paul’s exhortation, not the reason to explain it away. This discussion also reminds me of how the Song of Solomon is sometimes interpreted. Sometimes, in our desire to make every passage a direct description of Christ, the original purpose of the passage begins to disappear. The historical and grammatical meaning is gradually eclipsed by a spiritualized reading.
Every passage of Scripture ultimately leads us to Christ, but not every passage does so in exactly the same way. Sometimes it does so through promise, sometimes through prophecy, sometimes through types and shadows, sometimes through history, and sometimes through apostolic exhortation. Perhaps we should allow each passage to fulfill the purpose for which God inspired it. MPJ
PostScript: Reading both of your comments made me wonder if legalism begins much earlier than we imagine. Perhaps it begins the moment we start looking anywhere other than Christ to measure ourselves. And I have a feeling I do that far more than I even recognize.