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" Behold the Beloved of God, perfectly spotless and holy, yet made an example of the severest vengeance; prostrate and agonizing in the garden; enduring the vilest insults from wicked men; torn with whips, and nails, and thorns; suspended, naked, wounded, and bleeding upon the cross, and there heavily complaining, that God had for a season forsaken him. Sin was the cause of all his anguish. He stood in the place of sinners, and therefore was not spared. Not any, or all, the evils which the world has known, afford such proof of the dreadful effects and detestable nature of sin, as the knowledge of Christ crucified.25 "
― Tony Reinke , Newton on the Christian Life: To Live Is Christ (Theologians on the Christian Life)
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" This simplicity of aim covers every decision and situation faced in the Christian life. The heart blessed with simplicity of intention is a gospel-filled heart that can endure everything in this life. The gospel-simple heart knows that every trial or stroke of pain comes from God’s hand, with his own glory at stake ultimately. The gospel-simple heart finds the love of God in Christ to be our highest temporal joy and finds freedom from the perpetual entanglements of sin and self. Simplicity of intention is self-denial before God—self-denial of our self-righteousness, self-denial of our self-wisdom, and self-denial of our self-will.15 The gospel-simple heart takes its rightful place under Christ’s lordship, and there is protected from “low, sordid, and idolatrous pursuits.” It entertains no rivals to Christ. It does not accept the bribes of the world. It lives for the glory of God. In enduring trials, or fighting sin, or living out our calling in the world, the gospel-simple heart is driven by one aim: “a single eye to [God’s] glory, as the ultimate scope of all our undertakings.”16 "
― Tony Reinke , Newton on the Christian Life: To Live Is Christ (Theologians on the Christian Life)