In our area the time change takes place this Sunday, April 2, 2006. Therefore, we spring forward into the three readings assigned for this 5th Sunday in Lent. They are Jeremiah 31:31-34 (the new covenant); Hebrews 5:7-9 (the Son learned obedience) and John 12:20-33 (Thunder from heaven). Keeping in mind to choose a verse that at first glance contadicts Christian teaching and doctrine, it was Hebrews 5:9 that jumped out. It reads, “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
For those of you who have been reading this Blog faithfully since November, are you not surprised how often there is a least one if not more verses in the readings that appear to go against Christian teaching that we are saved not by works but by grace through faith? And here again we have a verse that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to whom? Not to those who trust or believe in Him but those who obey Him! Do you begin to understand why it is so difficult to convey the essence of the Christian faith while there appear to be so many verses that say the opposite?
For those who live under the Law the passage is interpreted in this way, “Jesus only saves those who obey Him.” However, upon closer reflection, does that not reverse the sense of the statement? For the verse does not say that “Jesus saves those…”; rather, it says that Jesus became the author of eternal salvation. Stop and meditate upon that for a moment. If He is the author, then he completes the product. Here is the insight into this verse. It is not that He gave eternal salvation only to those who begin to obey Him; no, instead, He is the author in the sense of taking His enemies and creating within them a faith that results in obedience to Him!
For those under the Law, the sense is that first we obey and then this salvation which Jesus has authored becomes ours through works. But for those under the Gospel–which means understanding reality from God’s point of view–first Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father which results in His becoming the author or creator of those who receive eternal salvation for they now obey Him through faith given by the Holy Spirit.
Keep in mind Matthew 25 and the Judgment Day of sheep and goats. Recall that the sheep are unaware that they are considered by God to have obeyed His will. This took place on the one hand through the fruit of the Spirit that spontaneously is borne by those in faith and on the other hand by receiving the robe of righeousness from Jesus’ 33 years of perfect obedience here on earth in His state of humiliation.
The bottom line is that Jesus did not become the author of salvation and therefore those who obey Him get saved. No, instead, Jesus became the author of those who do obey Him through faith given by the Holy Spirit. During the sermon I might give the impression for a time that only those who obey Jesus get salvation. When that line of preaching becomes obvious that there is no one who can obey Jesus and merit their salvation, then the proper understanding of the text would come into play with the Gospel good news that Jesus is not just the author of salvation; He is also the author of those who obey Him through faith.
The one verse that springs to mind is Ephesians 4:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Jesus indeed is our Savior and Author of our salvation!
Name:Tom Baker
In the past I would read a verse like Hebrews 9:5 that mentioned “obey”, and I would always take it to mean that although Jesus gave us the gift of grace freely, after that initial gift, it was all up to us. If we obeyed his commands as laid out in the Beatitudes, we would make it to heaven. If we didn’t obey, we would be shut out.
In the anabaptist church I was involved with at the time, they often quoted
Rev. 22:14 “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”
The next verse, 15, goes on to explain those who are outside the gates.
(There is an alternate reading for verse 14, “wash their robes” but the anabaptists prefer the KJV!)
As long as I was lulled into thinking I was indeed obeying, I was “in” – but the more I tried to obey, the more I found all the ways I was NOT obeying, and I was terrified of having those gates shut in my face! It was like trying to climb a mountain of sand, that just kept pulling me down the more I tried to climb up. It was just a nightmare; but it was worse than that, because I thought it was the truth.
How good to hear Jesus himself is the author, and according to Hebrews 12:2 the finisher, of our faith.
Many Christians do not realize that the to obey God’s commandments is to trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is clear what a difference that makes for you, Kate, in that the burden is off of you and back where it belongs; namely, on the cross of Jesus Christ. When we mention this on the radio, we often get calls that we Lutherans make it too easy to get to heaven. I respond, “Ask Jesus how easy it was.”
Consider the ESV translation of Rev 22:14 as opposed to the KJV:
Rev. 22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (ESV)
Rev. 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (KJV)
The ESV translation seems to indicate that our robes were washed by God in BAPTISM, while the KJV translation appears legalistic at first reading.
-Frank Marron
Many Christians do not realize that the to obey God’s commandments is to trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is clear what a difference that makes in that the burden is off of you and back where it belongs; namely, on the cross of Jesus Christ. When we mention this on the radio, we often get calls that we Lutherans make it too easy to get to heaven. I respond, “Ask Jesus how easy it was.”
Excellent answer, I’m going to remember that one!
Revelation 22:14 is a great example of why the English translations fall short of indepth understanding. For as you pointed out Frank, the ESV translates “wash their robes” while the King James translates “do his commandments.”
First of all, the difference cannot be resolved by thinking that the original Greek can be translated in either way. No, in fact, the original Greek used by the two translations is different. In other words, the manuscript used by the King James translators is different at this point than that used by the translators of the ESV.
Scholars are simply unsure as to which is the original rendering. However, in light of the rest of Revelation it doesn’t really matter because the ESV translation can go back to Rev. 7:14-17 which speaks of washing their robes and the King James can go to Rev. 14, verses 12 & 13 which speak of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their works follow them.
The reason the KJV translation sounds legalistic is because we jump to the conclusion that the works God regards as holy are our own and not the fruit of the Holy Spirit or those we received with the robe of righteousness. In either case, they are not are works of our own ability but gifts from God we received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
“…Lutherans make it too easy to get to heaven…”
As I could not sleep last night I pondered that question again and thought of another revealing answer. This time on the subjective side.
Does not the very question/assertion reveal, subjectively, by the one asking/asserting it, that it is not easy at all but impossible from the subjective fallen Adam side – contra to the actual question/assertion.
I mean this: that it reveals the old Adam who is actually asking/asserting the question/assertion as against Christ alone by naked faith/trust alone. That the incurable religious fraud, “the doer”, is teh one who will NOT and simply will not and refuses to nakedly trust in Christ alone. This old Adam must die at the cross so that the new man can be raised, the naked “truster”. Thus, he/she (the old Adam/the doer/the religious fraud) dying to stay alive asks/asserts baldly in a front to unconditional free grace, “Lutherans make it too easy to get to heaven…”.
Ironically to the old Adam it is impossible for he will not give up his religious “doings” to gain heaven, the fallen man actually reveals himself!
Grace and peace,
Larry H.
What a great insight Larry that those who consider Lutheranism as making it too easy to be saved in reality are defending their old Adam’s notion that he HAS to do something in order to be saved. The attack against Lutheranism in reality, therefore, is a defense of the ego’s right to be contributing to one’s own salvation. As you put it so well, when such a question is asked what is really going on is that “the fallen man actually reveals himself.” Thanks much.