Archive for June, 2006

On July 2, 2006 the fourth Sunday after Pentecost has the following three readings assigned for Year B: Ezekiel 17:22-24 (Cedar tree); 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (Absent from the LORD): and Mark 4:26-34 (Mustard seed). 2 Corinthians 5:10 is the text chosen for preaching this Sunday which reveals, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

While I have attempted to choose a text for each Sunday that appears to contradict the Christian message, this week was a no brainer. What better verse in the Bible could one find than 2 Cor. 5:10 that appears to contradict the Reformation teaching that we are saved “by grace, through faith, not by works, lest anyone should boast”? This passage certainly gives the impression that on Judgment Day God will be checking out your works as to what you should receive for the rest of eternity.

This Blog has emphasized the distinction between living under the Law and living under the Gospel. As summarized on my radio program “Law and Gospel” that can be heard on kfuo.org, a way to understand this difference is to realize that “living under the Law” is to be thought of as living under “the thumb” of the Law while living under the Gospel is to live under “the umbrella” of the Gospel. To be under someone’s thumb is a great burden from which we seek relief and escape. To be under an umbrella is to be protected from either the wet of the rain or the rays of the sun.

Those who live under the Law attempt to gain God’s favor by obedience to the Law. Whether they are aware of it or not, they therefore have chosen to be living under the thumb of the curse of the Law which reads, “In the day that you sin, death is the result.” What most people do not realize is that God does not look for an occasional good work to fulfill His demands; He expects perfection in act, word and thought. No human being fulfills that expectation. “All sin and fall short of the glory of God.”

To live under the Gospel means that through faith in Jesus Christ we are relieved of having to fulfill God’s demands for salvation. How does that come about? Not through our works but through the works of Jesus Christ! Jesus not only died to forgive our sins but He also kept the Law perfectly on our behalf. In baptism we have the glorious good news that a tremendous holy exchange takes place in that Jesus takes upon Himself your sin and you receive that righteousness He achieved in keeping the Law perfectly.

Every theological passage in the Bible can be interpreted in one of two ways–from the viewpoint of either living under the Law or living under the Gospel. This passage is a perfect example of why one must keep this distinction between Law and Gospel clear. The old Adam interprets this verse to mean that on Judgment Day God will examine the works a human being has done by his own power, whether good or bad, in order to make a decision as to heaven or hell.

In contrast, this passage is understood quite differently by those who interpret it from the viewpoint of living under the umbrella of the Gospel. For the Gospel protects us from God’s sure wrath against us in light of our sinful actions, thoughts and words. We find instead that on Judgment Day God does not look at the sins of our old Adam but rather at the robe of righteousness in which we have been dressed. As with the prodigal son who was dressed in the best robe of his father, we have been dressed in the robe of Christ’s righteousness.

What does this mean? It means that on Judgment Day, God sees not the good works we have done, tainted through and through with sin, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit done by us through faith in Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior. Read how the righteous sheep themselves in Matthew 25 are most surprised that God regards their works as sufficient for heaven whereas all the good works of the cursed help them not at all. Only the believer in Christ is enabled to do fruit of the Holy Spirit which happens so spontaneously, without much effort, that believers are simply unaware of often such fruit is produced through faith in Jesus Christ.

Thus, what is at first reading a passage that can cause much anxiety and worry over one’s eternal fate for those who live under the Law, now becomes a passage that has no fear when we realize that God’s Judgment is based not upon the works of the sinful Adam but the fruit of the new Man through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That is how the distinction between Law and Gospel not only results in different understandings of theological passages but also brings comfort and protection from the wrath of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the only Savior from sin, death and the devil.

Got a heads up from my good friend and pastor, Kory Boster, that I had gotten readings mixed up between Pentecost 2 and 3. Here is the correct copy for the third Sunday after Pentecost which in 2006 occurs on June 25. The three assigned readings are Genesis 3:9-15 (Messianic promise), 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 (Do not lose heart) and Mark 3:20-35 (Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit). The text chosen to amplify for this Sunday is Mark 3:35 which reads, “For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

During the past few weeks there are two themes being stressed. The first is that every Bible verse which contains a theological statement can be interpreted in two very different ways; that is, from the point of view of living under the Law and the point of view of living under the Gospel. The second theme, which has been from the beginning of this Blog, is that there appear to be many Bible passages which at first reading contradict the primary message of Christianity that we are saved by grace through faith not by merit through works!

This verse of Mark 3:35 again underscores both of these themes. First, it definitely gives the impression that the way to relate to Jesus is not through faith but by doing the will of God. Second, that misinterpretation is due to a reading of the passage from the point of view of living under the Law; that is, as a theologian of glory. How so?

Verse 35 is Jesus’ answer to His own question, “Who is My mother or My brothers?” in light of the fact that Mary and His brothers were calling to Jesus Who was busy teaching a group of those who were listening to Him. Note well that the question is not, “How do you become My mother or My brothers?” but rather, “Who is My mother or My brothers?” That difference is significant. The Theologian of Glory reads verse 35 therefore as Jesus answering how people become His mother and brothers rather than a statement of how those who He regards as His closest relatives act in His presence.

Perhaps the following analogy is helpful. I’m asked at a neighborhood backyard barbecue which of the children present are mine. I answer, “My children are those who are sitting at the table with my wife over there.” My answer is NOT explaining how those kids became my children; no, instead, I am simply pointing out a characteristic of my children that makes it clear which are mine.

The bottom line is this. No one can obtain Jesus as brother by doing the will of God. However, those who already have Jesus as brother do the will of God. In this case, who truly is demonstrating a proper relationship with Jesus? His biological mother and brothers who are trying to get Him to stop teaching lest He continue to embarrass them or those who are sitting at His feet in eager anticipation of what He is saying. What we have here is another example of the Mary and Martha situation in which Mary chooses the right thing to listen to Jesus while Martha is busy with temporal matters.

The passage is also similar to Matthew 25 in which Jesus appears to separate the sheep from the goats on the basis of works that merit salvation. However, upon closer reflection, the sheep are those who have received the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the works to which Jesus is pointing are not the foundation of their salvation but the evidence that they have already been saved.

I intend to preach this by pretending that one obtains Jesus as brother by doing the will of God. Then I will point out that since no one can do the will of God perfectly, Jesus is the brother of no one. That is Law preaching. The Gospel will then be preached which focuses on our baptism as the occasion when Jesus became our brother. And in that baptism, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit by which we first are enabled to practice good works, or better yet, the “fruit of the Holy Spirit” to which Jesus is referring.

This proper Law/Gospel interpretation agrees with what Jesus says elsewhere. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. Without Me, you can do nothing!” Living under the Law or under the Gospel makes all the difference as to how one interprets every theological passage in the entire Bible.

Sorry for the late posting of this 2nd Sunday after Pentecost but as the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost posting makes clear, I got the readings a bit mixed up. The correct readings for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost are Deuteronony 5:12-15 (Sabbath); 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 (Preach Christ the Lord) and Mark 2:23-28 (Sabbath made for man). The text chosen to amplify is Deuteronony 5:12 which reads, “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.”

Do we still obey this commandment today? When I ask that question at seminars throughout the country, I always get a mixed response. Some say “yes”; others “no” while most are not sure. The art of theology is the art of making distinctions. The distinction which is most important in regard to this question is that between the three kinds of law as found in the Old Testament. The first is moral, the second civil and the third ceremonial.

It might surprise some of you but we are no longer bound to either the civil or ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. “What! I thought that whatever God said in the Bible bound us!” No, for example, the civil law of the Old Testament is to stone a woman caught in adultery. That is not what we do today. Now we are bound to civil laws. But they are the civil laws that the government today has put in place under the authority of God Himself. (See Romans 13)

More importantly, we are no longer bound to any of the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament as they had the purpose of pointing us to Jesus Christ. Once He came, those laws are abrogated or done away with for there is no longer a need to remind that we should be waiting for the coming of the Messiah. He has come!

Each of the 10 commandments had moral, civil and ceremonial aspects. For example, the 5th commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” broke the moral code anytime you took someone’s life inappropriately. War and capital punishment are appropriate taking of another’s life. In the civil laws, after killing someone you could attempt to get into one of the cities of refuge where you would be safe from retailiation under certain circumstances. And ceremonially, after killing someone you had to follow through on various ceremonial sacrifices depending on the circumstances of the killing.

So also with the 3rd commandment to remember the Sabbath Day. The civil part, for example, was that during the wilderness trek, the Israelites could pick up manna every day except on Saturday. On Friday, they were to pick up a double amount to carry over for Saturday. The ceremonial part of the commandment was that the day of rest beginning at Mt. Sinai was on the 7th day of the week; namely, Saturday. As an aside, that was not always true. Prior to that time there are occasions when Sabbath worship took place on other days of the week.

Those two aspects of the 3rd commandment are no longer viable since we do not have to pick up manna and we are free to worship any day of the week. In fact, the early Christians picked the first day of the week to worship; namely, Sunday, in remembrance of the Day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

What then is the moral part of the 3rd commandment to which we remain bound? Luther’s explanation of the Ten Commandments are most helpful in focusing on the moral aspect of each commandment. For the 3rd commandment he writes, “We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and His Word but gladly hear and learn it.” For the true Sabbath rest is to hear from God which takes place in a worship service through the hymns, liturgy, readings, sacraments and sermon.

Under the Law going to church is a burden that we must do in order to be saved. But under the Gospel, attending worship is a privilege through which God provides you with all that is necessary to cope with this life of sin, death and the devil. Going to church is not something you have to do but something you want to do both to worship Him and to receive from Him what He is ready to give you freely and by grace.

So on what day do we worship? No, not just on Sundays but also on Lenten WEDNESDAYS, on Maundy THURSDAY and on Good FRIDAY. In fact, we worship on any day that we decide because we are no longer bound to the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and we are free to obey the moral aspects of the Ten Commandments by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

On June 11, 2006 Trinity Sunday will be celebrated. Readings are from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (The Shema); Romans 8:14-17 (Led by the Spirit) and John 3:1-17 (For God so loved…). The text chosen to preach about is Romans 8:16 which reveals, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

This verse can be easily misunderstood, particuarly by those who are Theologians of Glory. One of the characteristics of such a “theologian” is that he substantiates what he believes by what he experiences. Turn on most radio and TV religious programs and the mantra will be heard again and again. “You know you are saved because you feel saved; you experience Jesus within you; you have evidence of how much God loves you by the blessings you receive.”

No matter how it comes across, the bottom line is ALWAYS that the assurance of “my” salvation is up to me. This verse is then interpreted to mean that my spirit feels the presence of the Holy Spirit within me and I know He is there because “I invited him into my heart” or “I prayed the prayer of invitation” and the like.

What is missing is the crucial distinction between Christianity and every other religion in the world of objective and subjective truth. First, the latter. Subjective truth means that I acknowledge something to be true because I feel it or I know it or I believe it to be true. This of course leads to the idea that truth is whatever is true for me.

In contrast, objective truth means that we realize something to be true because something outside of my feelings and experience assures me that it is true. As a simple example, do we know that evolution is wrong and creation is right because I have been persuaded by the evidence (subjective truth) or by the Word of God (objective truth). Of course, that goes for other teachings of the Bible such as the virgin birth, Jesus as God and man, His resurrection from the dead, infant baptism.

Then what does this passage means that the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God? Subjectively, it would mean that we “feel” or “have experienced” the Spirit within us testify to that truth. Objectively, we know that to be true because of our baptism. Yes, water baptism becomes the evidence that God provides to assure me that I am His child. In fact, what else can be meant by the previous verse that we “did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out ‘Abba, Father.’”

When did that adoption take place? According to the Scripture, in water baptism even infants receive the gift of the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Peter’s sermon in Acts 2). Moreover, how else can you understand Jesus’ words that the way we make disciples is “to baptize” and teach all that He has given us. Theologians of Glory look within themselves for verification that they are children of God; Theologians of the Cross look to Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing us into the family of God as His children through the waters of baptism. In that way, our spirit bears witness that we are children of God because of the promise of God Himself connected to water baptism.