Wish I were there

Tara Barthel is liveblogging the CCEF conference. I wish I were there. Secondarily, I also wish I could be glued to the computer screen watching as she types, rather than skimming snippets every once in a while.

One particularly interesting session for me was Mark Driscoll's keynote. I'll definitely be going back and reading the whole thing, but here's a part that just caught my eye:

In Christ, we are justified by faith. Not by works. No one is justified by the works of the law.

People are inherently religious.

Luther: "Idolatry is the default mode of the human heart."

People often do not appear religious, but they are pursuing righteousness.

In my city, it looks like recycling, hybrid vehicles, tolerance. Are those things bad? No. Religion takes even good things and makes them objects of worship; to be righteous; to keep score and appear to be righteous.

People can't help themselves but yearn for righteousness; so that they will perform well.

Justification answers the question: How can we as sinners stand before a Holy God and have Him declare us righteous?

Religion says through our own self-righteousness and works.

The gospel says through THE CROSS.