Theological distinctions between Law & Gospel

31
Jan

Sermon C: 5 S Epiph: Is 6:5

Posted by Tom Baker

On 2/4/07 the 3 readings assigned for the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany are Isaiah 6:1-13 (God confronts Isaiah); 1 Corinthians 14:12b-20 (Praying in tongues) and Luke 5:1-11 (The catch of fish). The text chosen to elaborate on is Isaiah 6:5 in which Isaiah laments, “Woe is me, for I am undone!”

It is not always that one finds such an obvious passage easily comprehended using the distinctions between Law and Gospel. While the first distinction between L&G involves their proper use, this passage indicates clearly a second distinction between “Living under the Law” in contrast to “Living under the Gospel.” To “live under the Law” means to assume that your works make a difference to God as to whether you become saved and whether you remain saved. It’s called legalism.

God confronts Isaiah in this chapter with Isaiah’s response being, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” Note the reason for his fear. “Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” As James points out, the most damaging member of the body can be the tongue which often speaks words that one wishes he could take back but which is impossible to do.

Every religion of the world concludes that because God is so holy and almighty, the only task of the human being is to attempt to placate His anger and wrath directed toward us. Every religion lives under the Law assuming that our obedience or meditation or sacrifice or living right, etc. etc. will move God to love and accept us. The concept as revealed in Christianity that God loves you while you were his enemy and takes upon Himself the whole work of your salvation is simply unknown.

To Isaiah’s astonishment and delight, God sends a seraphim angel to Isaiah to touch his mouth with a live coal from the altar. In the context of the Bible, who cannot realize that the only altar of sacrifice from which comes redemption is the cross of Christ? Note that both “iniquity” is taken away and “sin” is purged. The word “iniquity” refers to the punishment of sin that is removed from Isaiah while the word “sin” in the Hebrew points to the the offerings that are no longer required to offset one’s sin!

Isaiah, living under the Law in fear of the holy God, receives the Gospel gift of forgiveness and righteousness. When God therefore asks whom shall He send to go for “Us” (the Trinity), Isaiah responds “Here am I! Send me!” That’s how sanctification works! First God makes the move to redeem us; then we respond with delight and joy in taking up the privilege to obey His call.

Category : Law & Gospel

4 Responses to “Sermon C: 5 S Epiph: Is 6:5”


natamllc January 31, 2007

Tom,

my HOPE LEVEL is running high these days and the more I come to understand the proper distinction between Law and Gospel the more I am able to make those proper distinctions and come to understand more clearly the depth and meaning of Scripture, Scripture such as this from Isaiah.

I am reading a lot of Translations of the Bible these days. Today I was reading this from the English Standard Version:

1Ch 2:7 The son of Carmi: Achan, the troubler of Israel, who broke faith in the matter of the devoted thing;

Of the sixteen or seventeen translations I refer too, this one is the only one that writes: “WHO BROKE FAITH”!

When I read about this PROMISE in Romans to Abraham and his descendants:

Rom 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
Rom 4:15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

I am more encouraged and hopeful of realizing the same in the world I live in!

How easy it is to judge the world according to the law. How difficult it is understanding what you have been teaching and then becoming a guiding light to the world to find favor from God!

It is becoming clearer and clearer to me and loving people has become more rewarding in these days, especially when I can now name the sin and offer Absolution without watering down the WRATH OF GOD, already expressed on the body of dying Jesus, who was dead after, buried after and now raised up Life Eternal to bring about the fulfillment of the Promises of God in our lives and our lifetimes too.

I predict that just as Abraham increased more and more, you also will increase more and more in your world as more and more people are helped by your teachings to make proper distinctions between Law and Gospel.

This world is lost. Most of the Church world is lost. Somehow this understanding was lost in the translation you might say. And I will say boldly, even the Church world is sitting indeed in darkness, darkened to this understanding you teach!

It is being found again with many, though.

Thanks again,
michael
G.O. Eureka, Ca.

David February 3, 2007

Pastor,

With your permission I would like to use some of this material in a couple of evangelical and reformed forums for discussion.

Would this be permissable with of course a link back to your blog and reference to your radio show?

David in Phoenix, AZ

Tom Baker February 3, 2007

Anything that appears on this Blog that is of my own writing you may use to your heart’s content in regard to any forums for discussion. Keep me posted as to how they go.

David February 4, 2007

Thank you Pastor I sure will keep you posted.

David from AZ