Enthusiasm is literally "God-within-ism". Extra Nos is the opposite. It is to look outside ourselves.
Enthusiasm
We live in a world that is constantly drinking down enthusiasm and we even see this in the Church at times. Read this: We can put too much emphasis on self-examination.
This can be from people who overly focus on self-examination so we can make sure we produce truly good works and really work hard at holiness. They want to de-convert you before they convert you (even if you think you have already been converted). Even if you have made a credible profession of faith, they want to make you think you never made a true profession of Christ before you can even look to Christ. The goal in these ministries is to take away any comfort you have, to crush any encouragement, and to only obsess over your guilt. Though He might be mentioned, there is little Christ proclaimed. And then, once you do make a profession of faith, you must constantly question yourself until you really prove yourself. You must always be looking at yourself to make sure that you are walking down the straight and narrow path. The moment you take your eyes off your walk is the moment you will inevitably plummet into a reprobate life. In this philosophy of ministry, no one can ever rest. You have to look within yourself and bring out the godliness that is there. If you don’t then no matter how hard you try Jesus will tell you “I never knew you.” And even if you prove yourself, you can never be absolutely sure. In this type of enthusiasm, the focus is still on ME.
This can also be from people who think Christianity is merely for our own self-actualization. They tell us to know ourselves, love ourselves, and find the good within. This is seen in the over-obsession with personality tests, prosperity gospel tricks, and Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. It’s all about finding the road back to yourself. The sermons and songs are more about the subject (Me) who worships rather than the object of worship (God). This really ends up being all about me worshiping me. As long as I feel good then that's good. And I will feel good the better self-esteem I have. I don't really need to esteem Christ as long as I have enough for myself. This, too, is enthusiasm.
The problem with both of these (though on the outside they look very different) is that they are both looking too much at self. This type of thinking reverses what John the Baptist says in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease." In enthusiasm, we say, "I must increase, and it's OK if He must decrease."
Extra Nos
Extra nos is a different story. With an "extra nos" mindset we recognize we need to look without rather than within. We don't ignore needful self-examination (2 Cor. 13; 2 Pt. 1:10-11) but we take more time to examine Christ and His righteousness for us because that is what actually strengthens faith (Rom. 6). Yes, we are predestined for good works (Eph. 2:10) but looking to Christ is an end in itself (John 17:3, 24). This end has the effect of good works. Matter of fact, we will never produce good works when we don't look at Christ. Remember, the good works are to be found “in Christ” (Eph. 2:10). Don’t look for them within yourself.
They are good works because they are modeled after Christ. Jesus alone has produced perfect good works. If we are to produce them then we must be united to Him. Good works aren't the end in themselves; Christ is (Col. 1). Holiness for holiness sake (if there even were such a thing) is nothing. Yet, how often is the emphasis so much on a type of “holiness” that it seems we would be fine to have perfect holiness in heaven while the God of Holiness is absent. Holiness makes no sense and has no purpose when we forget that God is Holiness itself (Is. 6). God does not merely possess holiness; He is holiness (this is called the “Simplicity” of God).1 Therefore, holiness that looks less at God and more at self is no holiness at all. It is merely treating God as an end to our own means of self-glory.
Extra nos is truly something that has to come to us in an "extra nos" way (John 3; Eph. 2). We are sinfully prone to enthusiasm due to our corrupt nature (see the tension that still lingers in the Christian in Romans 7). The gospel gives us the eyes to stop obsessing over self and to look outward at Christ.
Ironically, when we look within (enthusiasm) we don't find what we're looking for. On the contrary, when we look without (extra nos) we will actually see true change within. The Christian doctrine of sanctification (how we change to be more like Christ) is seen evidently in 2 Corinthians 3:18. Paul tells us the more we behold Christ we are transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to the next. This change is produced by the Holy Spirit within. In other words, when the Holy Spirit shines the light upon Christ and we gaze upon His glory rather than constantly look at self THEN we change inwardly even though we're looking outwardly.
Brothers and sisters, the answer for believers and non-believers is the extra nos lifestyle. We must placard Christ crucified and risen (1 Cor. 2) before our own and other people's eyes. We are mirrors reflecting the Image rather than the Image itself (we are image-bearers but only Christ is said to be "the" image in Colossians 1). We are to be like the Moon reflecting the Sun to the world rather than trying to be the Sun.
Let us press on to say with the Greeks who approached Christ's disciples and said: "Sir, we wish to see Jesus" (John 12:21). And may we also be like Peter, James, and John at the Mt. of Transfiguration when it says, "And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only" (Mk. 9:8).
Some Quotes for Your Encouragement:
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones: "We must never look at any sin in our past life in any way except that which leads us to praise God and to magnify His grace in Christ Jesus."2
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones: "The very essence of the Christian faith is to say that He is good enough and I am in Him. As long as you go on thinking about yourself like that and saying, “I’m not good enough; Oh, I’m not good enough,” you are denying God – you are denying the gospel – you are denying the very essence of the faith and you will never be happy. You think you’re better at times and then again you will find you are not as good at other times than you thought you were. You will be up and down forever. How can I put it plainly? It doesn’t matter if you have almost entered into the depths of hell. It does not matter if you are guilty of murder as well as every other vile sin. It does not matter from the standpoint of being justified before God at all. You are no more hopeless than the most moral and respectable person in the world."
- Horatius Bonar: "'It is finished,' as on a heavenly resting-place, weary souls sat down and were refreshed. The voice from the tree did not summon them to do, but to be satisfied with what was done."
- Horatius Bonar: "God, pointing to the altar, says, 'That is enough for me;' the sinner responds, and says, 'It is enough for me.'"3
- Horatius Bonar: "It is not by doubting but by believing that we are saved; it is not by doubting but by believing that we overcome."
See James Dolezal’s All That Is In God and Matthew Barrett’s Simply Trinity for more on this doctrine.
Read Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ fantastic sermon series Spiritual Depression.
One of the best books ever written on the righteousness of Christ is Horatius Bonar’s small but heartwarming book The Everlasting Righteousness.