Contraconditional Love

My friend Jim shared an article with me that was published in the Journal of Biblical Counseling (what a geek, who reads that??)  It is titled Idols of the Heart
and “Vanity Fair” by David Powlison.  I think the author does a fine job of summing up much of what the previous blogs have said about the basis of our standing with God. 

The ideas I have been working through are summed up in this; the freedom to love myself and my neighbor and my God will never be found in the answer to the value question (how do I rate? How much am I esteemed?).  It can only be found in the settled fact that I am accepted by Jesus and through his work.  Now I can know me and love me.  Now I can know you and love & serve you.

Here is how Powlison said it:
“The Gospel is better than unconditional love. The
Gospel says, “God accepts you just as Christ is. God has
‘contraconditional’ love for you.” Christ bears the curse
you deserve. Christ is fully pleasing to the Father and
gives you His own perfect goodness. Christ reigns in
power, making you the Father’s child and coming close
to you to begin to change what is unacceptable to God
about you. God never accepts me “as I am.” He accepts
me “as I am in Jesus Christ.” The center of gravity is
different. The true Gospel does not allow God’s love to
be sucked into the vortex of the soul’s lust for acceptabil-
ity and worth in and of itself. Rather, it radically decenters
people—what the Bible calls “fear of the Lord” and
“faith”—to look outside themselves.”