I've been thinking about your question regarding the centrality of the cross and I wanted to try quickly explain to you why the doctrines of grace are so important and why I love the work of Christ on the cross and why it is the center of my life. Nearly every Protestant denomination claims to be biblically faithful and cross-centred. Many known heretics claim this, such as Joyce Meyer and Benni Hinn. The question is, are they telling the truth or are they paying lip-service? I don't have time to go into all the crazy things these people teach (e.g. Jesus paid for sin not on the cross but in hell when the demons were torturing him). What I mean is just because someone says "I'm Christ-centred and all about God's glory" doesn't mean it's true.
The doctrines of grace are extremely important to the work of Christ on the cross. Let me explain by way of comparing what the doctrines of grace teach about Christ's work on the cross to what "Free-willism" teach about it (those who believe in Free Will would vehemently deny some of the below because they know those things are false, but yet they are the clear implications of Free Will):
- Free-willism: Jesus shed His blood for every single human, most of whom go to hell. As a result, Jesus' blood does not actually save anyone! (if 20 people cheat for an exam, but only 10 people pass the exam, then clearly cheating itself does not cause someone to pass, but something else, e.g. intelligence)
Doctrines of Grace: Not a single drop of the blood of Christ is wasted. Not one person for whom Christ died will go to hell. As a result, Jesus' blood actually and fully saves those to whom it is applied. (Mat 1:21, John 10:15,27-30, John 6:39, 1Pe 1:5, etc etc) - Free-willism: God the Father counts the blood of Jesus as worthless by sending millions of people to hell for whom Christ died and pouring out His wrath upon some of those for whom His Son shed His blood.
Doctrines of Grace: God the Father values the blood of His Son so highly that not one for whom Christ shed His blood will experience even the smallest drop of His wrath. (Rom 8:1,17,28-39, 1Jo 4:18, John 17:2-3 etc etc) - Free-willism: Since Christ did exactly the same for every single person, what is the difference between those who go to hell and those who are saved? It certainly is not Christ or the cross. It is their own choice. Therefore, they cannot truthfully say "I am what I am by the grace of God", 1Co 15:10, but should, to be true to their belief regarding Christ's work, say "I am what I am by the grace of God and by my own choice". Note, that most Free-willists (except Roman Catholics) would vehemently deny this and would say they are what they are by the grace of God alone, but they do so in spite of their belief regarding the (uneffective) work of Christ on the cross.
Doctrines of Grace: The only difference between a hell-bound sinner and a heaven-bound sinner is grace: Even though I am just as wicked as all others, I am saved by the sovereign choice of the Father who sent His Son to die on the cross for me. What is the difference between those who are saved and those who are not? Christ died for those who are saved. Therefore, I can fully and with all my heart, in accordance with what I believe regarding Christ's work, say "I am what I am by the grace of God". See also 1Co 4:7. - Free-willism: By the same reasoning as the previous point, Free Willists cannot truthfully say "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ", Gal 6:14. Instead, they must admit that although they should only boast in the cross, they also have grounds for boasting in their own decision/faith. Note, that Free Willists would vehemently deny this and would say they glory only in the cross, but they do so in spite of their belief regarding Free Will.
Doctrines of Grace: In full accordance with my belief regarding the work of Christ on the cross I can, from the bottom of my heart, say "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" because the cross is the only thing that makes me, a sinner, different from those who perish justly for their sins. Jesus says "not that you chose me, but I chose you", John 15:16. - Free-willism: God is unjust because He punishes some sins twice: First, by pouring out His wrath toward those who go to hell on Christ, then by pouring out His wrath again on those people themselves (by sending them to hell).
Doctrines of Grace: God is perfectly just because He punishes all sins once: His wrath toward the sins of the elect is poured out on Christ, His wrath toward the non-elect ("reprobate") is poured out on them. (Rom 3:21-26)
In summary, the Christ of Free-willism only makes salvation possible; their Jesus does not actually save anyone. Christ is unable to save because it is up to the Sinner whether the Sinner allows Christ to be effective. Free Will churches teach that salvation is by grace plus the choice of man, by Christ's work plus man's work of faith (this faith being a work of the unregenerate man), to God's glory and the glory of the person who made the right choice.The Christ of the Bible fully and actually saves those for whom He died. His blood makes full atonement for those it was shed. Christ is everything. It is Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone (this faith being a gift of God, Eph 2:8), to the glory of God alone. This is the teaching of Limerick Reformed Fellowship.
From my experience, Limerick Reformed Fellowship is the only church in Limerick that teaches the Christ of the Bible. That is the main reason I wish to be a member there. I really hope this makes sense and shows clearly that the Doctrines of Grace are not a nice add-on but are, in fact, the Gospel. The Doctrines of Grace are all about the person and work of Jesus Christ.
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