Has American Christianity Failed?

I'm reading Has American Christianity Failed? by Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller.  

In this book, Pastor Wolfmueller points out that American Christianity burdens us with teachings on how to live and be good Christians, while it should be comforting us and teaching us to know God's gifts and God's goodness.




As an example - American Christianity describes repentance as a person committing a sin and then resolving to stop sinning.  But Pastor Wolfmueller clarifies, "Repentance is what happens to us when the Law and Gospel do their work on us."  It's not an act we do.

God exalted [Jesus] at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.       Acts 5:31

Repentance is a gift from Jesus.  In repentance, the law convicts us and we're sorry and afraid; then the gospel comforts us.  

This book is abundant in substance and the topics it covers.  Looking thru my notes, I think this passage is a good summary:

Faith brings freedom.  The Christian life is a life of freedom:  freedom from the dominion of the devil; freedom from slavery to sin; freedom from the bondage of self-love; freedom from the fear of death, from the fear of judgment, from the fear of God's wrath.

Because of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, we're free.  

We're free to love and to do good works.  We're free from focusing on our own need to matter and to succeed.

And any "Christianity" that doesn't include the "freedom that faith brings" as revealed by God's Word, that "Christianity" fails. 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  2 Corinthians 3:17

Martin Luther said:

On the cross, the very heart of God is shown.  We know who He is because of what He does.  We know that "God is love" because we know that Jesus has died.

Jesus has died and set us free.

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36

Read the book - it'll change how you view your Christian life.  Everything is a gift.  And the "gospel truth" will give you freedom in Christ to lose yourself in loving others. 

I'll end with this quote:

The Scriptures comfort us poor miserable sinners with the joy that Christ has died and risen for our salvation.