Lovelace mentions two preconditions of continuous renewal. They are an awareness of God's holiness and conviction of the depth of our sin. (p.80) After all, as Luther said,...."Hunger is the best cook."
He cites that this two-fold awareness accounts for the almost devastating impact of the sermons of Puritan preachers during the First Awakening.
This approach to preaching is not much in vogue however. I don't know a lot of churches that want to hear a regular diet of this. Even in our own church, I've heard it mention that sin and evil and our depravity has been over-stated and exaggerated.
Lovelace says "Many American congregations were in effect paying their ministers to protect them from the real God."
Of course any discussion of our total depravity and God's holiness brings us to the Cross.
"The Cross of Christ reveals the severity of God's anger against sin and the depth of His compassion in paying its penalty through the vicarious sacrifice of His Son."
and
"The Cross, in fact, is the perfect statement both of God's wrath against sin and of the depth of His love and mercy in the recovery of the damaged creation and its damagers."
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