A while back I posted a quote on the Facebook fan page about Jesus drinking the cup of wrath for us on the cross -- and how when the last drop was taken he said "It is finished." Immediately there were responses reminding me that it was all about "Jesus being raised from the dead!" That's the gospel message that so many have clung to. Yes the Resurrection is vital and without it redemption would incomplete, but the part of Jesus being our Lamb and that our sins were placed on Him and He fully took on the wrath that our sins earned -- and then gave us His righteousness, is just not the crux of it any more. I think this is a "dressing up" of the gospel. We can never leave out that we crucified Him with our sins.

We don't have to name our churches "First Church of the Mortified Flesh" or anything like that, but I think we should never compromise the message of the gospel to make others comfortable. Our Lord and Savior drank that cup of wrath for us, imputed His righteousness to our account, and we have hope! We should be joyful and exuberant in telling others that wonderful news!

I have listened to or read much about what the term draw means in John 6:44 means: "No man can come to me unless the One who sent me 'draws' him." It doesn't mean 'force', and doesn't mean 'attract', or 'woo'. The meaning in the original text is akin to drawing water from a well. It is the same term used when we are told Paul and Silas were 'dragged' off to prison. They went willingly to prison for the gospel, and the guards did not need to force them at 'gun point' That original meaning seems to fit well with the concept of 'effectual grace', whereby men see their desperate condition apart from Christ and run willingly to the Cross.