guilt

Mar

2021

Legalism obscures the gospel

Last week, I came across an article in which one of our country’s congressmen was interviewed about his convictions–both political and spiritual. I found it interesting to hear a lawmaker’s view that the church, as he had experienced it, was far too much about law. (He since has affiliated with a less rigid congregation.) He described the form of religious upbringing he had as “really damaging … a very damaging religion.” He elaborated on what he had experienced: “The best way to put it is your salvation is by faith alone unless you do something wrong–and then you were never saved in the first place. And by the way, we have these really strict rules that you have to follow that nobody can follow, but everybody at the church is going to act like they are and you’re the only one that isn’t.” That sort of legalism, the lawmaker said, “took the joy out of Christianity.” He says he now understands that “Christ spent his time hanging out with sinners, not great people–and not because they were sinners but because that’s just where his compassion was.” He believes it is appropriate to “admonish the Church for the real damage it has done to Christianity” (A.Kinzinger, quoted in “The Man Who Refused to Bow,” by P.Wehner).

The descriptions sounded all too familiar. An excessive legalism has been an issue within Christianity from the days of the church’s beginnings. Read about the controversy in the early church over circumcision (Acts 15) or Paul’s letter to the Galatians, and you’ll see that to be true.

During my ministry years, I was asked to research and report on “legalism among us” to a district church conference. There was ample awareness that the problem persisted in our midst. The problem always exists, so it is continually appropriate to share thoughts on this topic. I’ll offer here a brief excerpt from the essay I presented to that church conference in the springtime twenty-some years ago.

Legalism Among Us

by David Sellnow
(excerpted from essay presented in April, 1995)

Not everyone agrees on just what can be called “legalism.” One brother whom I asked narrowed the thought primarily to that of work-righteousness: “Legalism is an attitude of law that feels I can be saved by it.” But most whom I consulted saw legalistic implications being more far-reaching. They offered expanded definitions:

“We become entangled in legalism when we try to take God’s place in establishing divine laws about what is right and what is wrong.”
“Placing the Christian for all practical purposes again under the law–this is legalism.”
“Letting the law predominate in our ministry rather than the gospel = being legalistic instead of evangelical.”
“Legalism is a confusion of law and gospel in which the law is used to accomplish the purposes of the gospel or the gospel is made into a law.”

The Webster’s dictionary that sits on my desk lists two meanings for legalism. The second one is the special theological one: “The doctrine of salvation by good works.” The first listed meaning is the common one that most comes to mind, however, including in reference to religion: “Strict, often too strict and literal, adherence to law or to a code.” I believe that meaning fits well what most of us mean by legalism most of the time. Where does this kind of legalism show itself among us in the church?

One arena is the midst of doctrinal controversies, where the promotion of one dogmatic position over another takes precedence over Scripture. Some will approach Scripture with an opinion or position of their own and try to make proof texts say what they want them to say by gymnastic exegesis. Others will rely on the tradition of what the church has long held and practiced without doing thorough study. Neither approach starts with the gospel plan of God in mind and works forward from there. Both ways start with a law or principle decided upon–either by tradition or by rejection of tradition–and from there try to figure out how the gospel fits with it.

Image credit: Bible Study Tools – https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-legalism.html

Traditionalism, in particular, all too easily lapses into legalism. Overly zealous traditionalism will reject something because it isn’t what we’re used to. We fix guilt to practices that God’s law neither commands nor forbids. Religious leaders insist on practices which Scripture leaves to our Christian freedom. The freedom of the gospel is undermined by intolerant clergy, who suggest there is something inherently wrong with an activity even though God’s Word has not spoken in the matter. The church becomes characterized by loveless criticism of each other, pressure for conformity to a certain pattern, rushing to judgment, nitpicking, and condemning every deviation from the usual ways.

The practice of discipline in the church is another area where legalism tends to take hold. I knew of a congregation that had a written policy saying inactive members would be sent a series of four letters, according to a specific timetable. If the member did not respond and become active accordingly, after the fourth letter excommunication was automatic. At an elders’ board meeting at a congregation where I interned, the head elder suggested a similar strategy in that church. Thankfully, the senior pastor blocked that proposal with reminders of our gospel mission. Nevertheless, church discipline overall remains a danger zone for legalistic tendencies. This is true both in the local congregation and in discipline of congregations and pastors as exercised by church body officials. What is our mood, our spirit? Is it, “Throw the rascals out!” and “Get rid of the dead wood”? Or is our goal to snatch others from the fire and have mercy on those who are wavering (Jude 23)? May we do everything we can to ensure that love stemming from the gospel characterizes all our actions and no unnecessary offense is caused.

How we view other Christians and interact with them also becomes a casualty of legalistic tendencies. We fail to recognize the fellowship that exists between us when we fixate on our differences. In his commentary on Galatians (1957), J.P Koehler offered a thought in regard to Galatians 2:19 (“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God”). Koehler wrote: “Formerly, sin was the element of my life when I tried to keep the law. Now, in the place of sin, God and his will are the goal and the guiding principle of my life.” The contrast is between living life to avoid sin (as under the law) versus living life to enjoy the blessings of God, basking in the joy of the gospel. Applying that thought to the issue of Christian fellowship, do we primarily aim to keep the unworthy and the unorthodox away, or do we mainly seek a positive, joyful expression of appreciation for the unity in Christ that we share? Taken to the extreme, we may act as though even to breathe in the direction of those outside our own denomination is sinful, and adopt a separatistic attitude which forbids all contact with those who are not of our own specific church. Is it not true that Jesus said, “Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40)? A genuinely evangelical (gospel-driven) attitude appreciates faith in Christ wherever it is found.

As witnesses of Christ who are called to proclaim the good news in Christ, we will work to keep the gospel central and paramount in all our thinking, saying and doing… and be patient and evangelical with each other when differences occur. A law-oriented outlook will keep trying to rear up and take control of us in one direction or another, in our individual Christian lives, in our parishes, in church bodies. To maintain an awareness of how and where the law seeks to reclaim us is vital to our ongoing spiritual health. Any form of religious life not motivated by the gospel is an outgrowth of the law. May God be with us so that more and more, all our words and practices and efforts are readily apparent as products of the gospel, aimed at bringing hope and salvation–not distrust and fear.

Nov

2020

The King who Inscribes his Character on Us

A message for Christ the King Sunday

Our King does not dominate or dictate
Our King invigorates us to be like him

There are a number of churches around the world named “Christ the King.” The Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar, Ireland, is reportedly the first church given that name. The Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta is one of the ten largest congregations in the United States. Those are just a couple of the big Christ the King churches. There are numerous smaller congregations too.

I don’t know of any churches named “Christ the Tyrant” or “Christ the Despot” or “Christ the Dictator.” I Google-searched for such names, but couldn’t find any. I did find an opinion piece arguing that Christians tend to view their Lord that way–as a benevolent dictator. But if there are people of faith who take that view, they’re mistaken. Christ the King is certainly not like some military strongman or arbitrary emperor, nor even like a benevolent dictator. Christ is not someone who looks upon us as weak subjects who do his bidding simply to suit his whims. Christ did not become our king by standing above us, pointing out what we must do from moment to moment. Christ became our king by standing with us, among us, leading us in a path we could not have followed without his leadership. Jesus said to those who followed him, “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). On the night he said that, Jesus proved his point by getting down on the floor and washing his disciples’ feet (cf. John 13).

Quite clearly, Jesus is the opposite of a tyrant. He won our allegiance by going into battle against tyrants and overlords for us. The tyrant was sin. The tyrant was the devil who accuses and all the demons that torment us. Those are the sorts of rulers that dictate and demand, that control us by fear and guilt. Christ is not like that.

Jesus is also much different from even the most benevolent dictator. Such a ruler believes that he must decide all things for the people underneath him because they are underlings and he is so much above them. Now, it is true that Christ, our King, certainly does know what is best for us. Christ is “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). As high as the heavens are above the earth, so far are his thoughts higher than our thoughts (cf. Isaiah 55:9). But the fact that Christ is superior to us in all things does not mean he deals with us as inferiors. Rather, he comes alongside us and shares his life and strength with us. He invigorates us with his words, his Spirit, so that we become alive in him. We become more and more like him as we grow in our relationship with him.

I have known God-fearing people who haven’t understood this, who haven’t grasped how Christ is seeking to lead them. They trouble themselves over every detail of their lives, searching desperately for some sort of sign from God. “What is God’s will?” they’ll say; “What does God want me to do?” I knew a woman who struggled over the smallest decisions like that. She begged to know what actions God wanted her to take, almost hoping a daily to-do list would appear like handwriting on the wall, so she’d know she wasn’t making any mistakes. In her anxiousness, she once put two pens side by side on the table and asked, “Now, which pen does God want me to use? The blue one or the black one?” That’s going too far in expecting God to direct our lives. Yes, Christ is our leader by night and by day. But Jesus leads us not as though we are blindfolded and he must guide our feet for every step we take. He instills his character and his way of life in us, so that we make our own decisions as the new persons that we are in Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). It’s an outmoded way, a childish way, to want God to dictate every direction to us, to tell us exactly what to do in every instant. It’s a new way of life, as we become mature in Christ, that we make our own decisions and take actions that flow from the mind of Christ which is in us (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:16).

Consider the Epistle assigned for this weekend for the festival of Christ the King. The prayer for the Christians at Ephesus remains an apostlic prayer for us today. Notice the emphasis on how the power of Christ works in us and inspires us as he extends his kingdom into our hearts.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you … and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion …. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:17-23).

Christ as king is head over all things for us. That’s not an image of some giant head floating in the air like the Great and Powerful Oz. There’s no false pretense of power with Christ our King. He rules in a way far better than the way any authority in this world operates. Even while Christ is seated high above in the heavenly places, he is at the same time intimately connected to us, like the head to members of the body. His thoughts pulse through us and we operate in unity with him. We are his feet to run out into the world, his hands to extend help and care to persons in his name, to put into practice his love.

Consider also the description of what Christ will find when he returns at the end of time, when he “comes in his glory, and all the angels with him” and “all the nations will be gathered before him” (Matthew 25:31-42). Who are the people he calls his own, who truly have known him?

The king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:34-36).

When Christ says this to his people, what is their reaction? “When did we do that?” They wonder what he’s talking about. Christ’s people do such actions on behalf of “the least of these” fellow members of the human family not because they’re keeping score of their good deeds, not because they’re trying to impress God by their actions. They do such things just because that’s who they are, because the spirit of Christ inhabits them and propels them into action. The people of Christ’s kingdom serve everyone they encounter without thinking, “This is something I must do because the king has issued an executive order.” Yes, the kingdom of Christ has laws, but those laws are designed by our Lord for our good and the good of our neighbors. As we grow in our understanding and relationship with our King, we embody more and more the spirit and compassion and action that he has for all who are in need. We become Christ to our neighbors.

Martin Luther famously wrote on that theme–that we become like “little Christs.” In his booklet On the Freedom of a Christian (1520), Luther wrote:

Since God has overwhelmed me with such inestimable riches, why should I not freely, cheerfully, and with my whole heart do all that I know will be pleasing to him? I will therefore give myself, as a sort of Christ, to my neighbor, as Christ has given himself to me. I will do whatever is advantageous and wholesome for my neighbor, since by faith I abound in all good things in Christ. … We each become a sort of Christ to each other, so that we may be mutually Christs, and that the same Christ may be in all of us; that is, that we may be truly Christians.

Our life as Christ’s people, in his service, is not like serving an earthly ruler who dominates and bullies to get his way, and whose subjects survive by trying to ingratiate themselves with the ruler. We serve as people whose character has been transformed by the grace and goodness of our king. We become his allies in extending the life of his kingdom into a world that has not understood him and operates by principles so often opposite to his.

Which leads to one final point that must be mentioned. We need to take notice of the other sort of approach that predominates in this world. It is an approach not only by the rich and powerful, who lord it over others in positions of power and authority. It’s also an approach adopted by people in general toward authority — including God’s authority. It may work with the powers that be in this world, but it doesn’t work with God. In the Gospel reading for today, did you notice how those who are on the wrong side of Christ respond when Christ says they did not do the things that people of his kingdom do? They say, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you” (Matthew 25:44)? And he will answer them, “Just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (Matthew 25:45). They thought they had done good things.They thought of themselves as good people. They expected God should be pleased with them, because they had minded their own business and stayed out of trouble. They may even think they had done great undertakings for the King, that they would have an elevated position in his kingdom because of high-powered things that they did. Jesus described such persons in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:21-23):

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.”

Too often people have the wrong idea, thinking Jesus owes it to everybody to be nice to them. And they also think that if they go out of their way to do things they think God wants, that then they are entitled to extra rewards, sort of like people may think their donations or efforts on behalf of some political leader entitle them to perks and privileges in that person’s administration. But Christ our King doesn’t operate by those principles. Christ calls his people to follow him, not worldly “philosophy and empty deceit” or “human tradition” (Colossians 2:9). We are called to follow the truth according to Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world (cf. John 18:36). So let’s not be confused. Let’s not slip back into worldly thinking, into tallying up our good deeds as though keeping a scoresheet will impress Christ the King, or boasting about where we think we stand with God or how right or righteous we are. Being servants of Christ’s kingdom means setting ourselves aside and simply serving others. Christ established his kingdom by laying down his life for those whom he loved and came to serve. As servants of Christ the King, we carry on in his kingdom and extend his kingdom in the same way. We deny ourselves. We take up whatever crosses we may be asked to carry, and we do all we can to help others carry their crosses too (cf. Luke 29:23-25). As the word of our King tells us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). That’s how we serve–and whom we serve–as the people of Christ the King.

Dec

2019

Escaping the prison of guilt

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on October 30, 2015. On October 31 each year, Protestants recall the anniversary of the Reformation – a movement that began in 1517 to reclaim the life and joy and hope of the gospel within the church. Students in a history course I taught read a biography of Martin Luther, which highlighted not only his personal history but the main themes of the Reformation movement. The following student writing was an essay from a student reflecting on Luther’s experience … and her own.

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Brought to life by the gospel

by Grace Williams

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” ~ Galatians 2:21

Could you imagine living in a world where everything was up to you? As Christians, we know full well that God has already done everything for us to secure our salvation. But what if this truth was not set in stone? If achieving eternal life was based even in the slightest on our adherence to the law, the Bible spells out a very terrifying message: All persons have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. If this is true, how then could we possibly do anything to make ourselves pure in God’s eyes?

This is the question that tormented Martin Luther’s each and every waking moment during the years before he nailed up his famous 95 Theses. Luther had been raised under the law-driven doctrine of the medieval Roman Church, and his spiritual state fully exemplified the dangers of excluding the gospel in one’s worship life. He was constantly surrounded by church officials ordering him to repent of his sins, and tearful confessions were a daily ordeal. Every time Luther committed even the “smallest” of sins, he would be overcome with grief and shame and go running to a priest to beg for assurance of forgiveness. Often, he would even physically punish himself or go days without eating, in order to show penance for what he had done, in hopes that God would have mercy on his soul. The worst part of it all–the pain, the torment, and the utter humiliation–was that he never knew if the measures he was taking were enough.

Most of us can’t even imagine living in a state of constant fear that our repentance isn’t enough. While many may find it next to impossible to relate to Martin Luther, I have witnessed firsthand how powerful of a prison penance can be–and how the gospel changes everything!

When I was very little, I had severe Tourettes and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Today it has toned down quite a bit, and I have learned to cope with it and accept it as part of who I am. It is just one of the many blessings God has given me to make me unique. But I did not always see it this way. In fact, it used to make my life a bit miserable. Part of having OCD and Tourettes is that your mind is miswired to fixate itself on things that bother your conscience. For instance, if you are brought up taught that “stupid” (for a mild example) is a bad word, you will be more inclined to have that word inadvertently cross your mind. You can imagine as a Christian how fixated you could become on the bad sins you had committed! I used to go through periods of time where I was so overcome by sins that I could not get out of my head that I was literally praying nonstop throughout the entire day. (And I assure you, this is, sadly, no exaggeration!) Some nights I would stay up hours on end, asking God why I was so sinful and begging that he would forgive me for all the terrible things I had committed that day. I knew that Jesus had saved me … but I had also been taught that we should repent of all of our sins, and I was completely overwhelmed! Finally, one night, I broke down in front of my parents. That is when God swooped in with his life-saving gospel!

Looking back on it, I realize now how foolish it was for me to doubt God’s forgiveness and mercy. For a long time I wondered how God could possibly use that chapter of my life for my good–aside from me having A LOT of one-on-one time with him in the early hours of the morning. It wasn’t until recently that I realized why he allowed me to carry that cross for so long. Thanks to my experiences, I can relate to those who are burdened down by sin, and I can offer them the reassurance that God’s love covers over even a multitude of sins. I understand better than ever how the law, without gospel, is meaningless! Without gospel, we are slaves to sin and penance. We cannot earn our way into Gods arms, nor can we atone for the good we have failed to do. The gospel is truly the life-giving message that people so desperately need to hear! That is why Luther’s work and the Reformation are so vital to Lutherans today. God help us never to lose sight of the gospel, so that in confident faith we may proudly proclaim, “That no one is justified by the law before God is evident; for, the righteous person shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11).

The law is a prison … but the gospel is the power of God for salvation, to everyone who believes!

Dec

2019

Washed by Jesus

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on September 5, 2014.

Washed by Jesus

by Sarah Allerding

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Sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers … That is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:10,11).

We all have sinned many times in our lives. Some of our sins may stick in our minds more than others. They may even come back to haunt us. Maybe we start to think that the sin from our past was too much for God possibly to forgive. Is that the case? Did Jesus die only for some sins? Are there sins too great for God to forgive?

Think about the men who nailed Jesus to the cross. They were killing the Son of God. What did Jesus say? Did he say, “Father this sin is too great to be forgiven; I want these men to spend eternity in hell for what they are doing”? No. That is what they deserved but instead, Jesus said, “ Father forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Imagine that! The Son of God was willing to forgive the men who crucified him. In fact, at that very moment he was dying for their sin and the sins of the whole world. He was dying for you and me.

We may have done some things we are really ashamed of. Jesus died for those sins too. There is no sin that Jesus did not die for. We were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. That is who we were. Our past sins no longer define who we are. We are forgiven children of God.

Thank God he does not give us what we deserve!

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross to take away our sins. When the sins from our past come back to haunt us, please help us remember that we were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. In your name we pray. Amen.

Dec

2019

A Cry from the Depth of One’s Heart

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on August 1, 2014.

During the summer of 2014, The Electric Gospel featured items written by participants in a summer writing workshop. In this post, Carl Heling shares with us a prayer from his heart, leaning on God in the midst of frustrations with life. His lament echoes what psalmists have cried — and what our own hearts often feel.

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A Prayer, a Lament – From my Heart to God

by Carl Heling

O Lord, God, maker and preserver of all things, hear me as I come to you. Listen to my cry. As I sit here pondering on my life, I realize time and again how wretched and lowly and poor a human being I am. Surely, I do not deserve the gracious blessings you have given to me nor to be called your child, but you still do so continually. Oh, how my heart can’t fathom your love!

As I lie here, I feel lost in a world of chaos and uncertainty. Every day I labor and toil long hours to make a dollar, pay the bills, help the family, go to school, and give to church. I do so with my best effort, knowing that it is my duty to do so as a citizen and member of the family and because that is what you desire from your children. Yet I am unhappy, full of grief and pain. I am disappointed and uncomfortable with myself and my doings. Things never seem right or good enough. I could have done this better. I should have done that better. O Lord, my heart is plagued and overrun with grief and pain on account of the sins and failures I commit every day of my life!

As I sit here, Lord, every day feels so futile. I feel lost and powerless in this large world of chaos. I don’t know how I am to best serve you with the unique talents and abilities that you have given to me. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1:1). I am filled with urgent desire for knowing your Word, and yet despite that still find myself feeling as if everything I do is useless and fruitless. And so I am filled with grief and sorrow. Along with this, I feel sorrow on account of always feeling grief and sorrow! I sorrow for the things I should or could have done better. I grieve over all the sins and failures I have done in my everyday tasks. And I sorrow and grieve about how much I sorrow and grieve.

Oh, how I long to be with you and with all the saints in heaven! Heal this broken and plagued heart and mind of mine, Lord. Invigorate my mind, body, and spirit with your strength and grace. Forgive me of all my sins and failures and lead me to do better. Ultimately, give me true, godly wisdom and understanding, as well as a steadfast and true heart set on your ways and your heart.

This is my cry, O Lord. In your mercy in Jesus, hear me.

¹Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
²    Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
³If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
  Lord, who could stand?
⁴But with you there is forgiveness,
  so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
⁵I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
  and in his word I put my hope.
⁶I wait for the Lord
  more than watchmen wait for the morning,
  more than watchmen wait for the morning.
⁷Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
  for with the Lord is unfailing love
  and with him is full redemption.
⁸He himself will redeem Israel
  from all their sins.

(Psalm 130)

Dec

2019

From stained to righteous

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on September 10, 2017.

From Stained to Righteous

by Kimberly Buchholz

Imagine if every person on earth were issued a special robe to wear. What if this “special robe” kept a record of a person’s sinful thoughts, words, and actions – marked by stains? Any time one sinned, a stain would appear on the robe as a representation of the person’s innate depravity. The stain of sin becomes a visible account of a person’s corrupt heart and mind, day after day recording the balance of sin like a wearable ledger. While a bleak image, this stained robe represents the obstacle lodged between us and the righteousness of God due to our sin, ruining our fellowship with him.

Unfortunately, the scenario runs even deeper when we consider what Scripture says. Because we were “sinful from the time [our] mother conceived us” (Psalm 51:5), our stained “robe of sin” would wrap us from birth, our account balance of sin already maxed. By nature, we are born enemies of God, steeped in sin, and deserving nothing more than God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3). God is just and cannot tolerate sin. Sin earns God’s judgment and condemnation.

But there is good news, and we find it in the gospel message of Christ. The apostle Paul explained that Jesus Christ brings salvation from the eternal death we earn through sin (Romans 6:23). Through faith in Jesus, we receive forgiveness of sin. When a lost and condemned sinner receives the message of salvation found in the gospel, the Holy Spirit goes to work through the power of God, bringing “salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). By the sacrifice of his Son, God cancels our account balance, and our stained robes are washed clean by the blood of Jesus. Not only are we forgiven for the sins of the past, but our merciful Father goes even further by keeping our ledger free of recorded sin forever. He spares condemnation for the believer, protecting us from accusation, all thanks to his undeserved love for us, and not for the sake of anything we’ve done or could ever do (Ephesians 2:8).

God takes his redemptive plan a step further when he completely covers the obstacle of our fellowship with him by placing Jesus’ robe of righteousness upon us. While our own robes have been washed by his forgiveness, they continue to reveal our sinful human nature, which is in battle with the perfection God demands through his law. It is not enough that we are forgiven, but we also are to be holy and righteous in his sight. He is holy and demands such holiness from his creation (Leviticus 19:2). God is not only just, but he is also merciful. So, a great exchange took place, and the apostle Paul tells us how God did this: God made Jesus, “who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf.” Why? “…so that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). God exchanged our guilt and sin for the perfect status Jesus has. Therefore, we are justified.

By definition, justification is “the act of God whereby human kind is made just or free from guilt of penalty of sin” (Dictionary.com) Four important words from this definition are integral to the doctrine of justification: “the act of God.” Notice that “the act of God” completely eradicates any human involvement. We didn’t have to hand him our stained robes, begging his mercy, to predicate his forgiveness; nor does sin relegate us from the freedom Jesus won. Rather, God distributes his forgiveness by means of grace he has chosen: the gospel in Word and sacraments. The blessing of forgiveness is already there for all because Christ’s work of salvation is complete. Paul’s letter to the Romans further explains Jesus’ atoning sacrifice as the plan of God’s salvation “to demonstrate his righteousness…and to be the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).

Is forgiveness of sin, then, only a possibility of faith? This leads to an important message of the pure gospel. Paul outlined exactly who wears the stained robes of sin when he said, “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But he concludes by proclaiming Christ’s redemptive work, applied to the same collective group – that all “are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Nowhere does God’s Word say that one must believe before he is forgiven. Forgiveness of sins is complete and does not need to be completed by faith or any other work. The letter to the Romans (chapter 5) highlights two points regarding justification. We are “justified through faith” (Romans 5:1). Faith, then, is the instrument of forgiveness in which salvation is received. In the same chapter, Paul wrote that we are “justified by Christ’s blood” (Romans 5:9). Objective justification was satisfied by Jesus’ bloodshed on the cross. God offers it to all, but some reject his gift, forfeiting the benefit of heaven. So, while God has justified ALL people, there is not a universal salvation for all mankind. Jesus’ redemptive work does not mean all will receive eternal life. In fact, the Gospel writer John is quite direct in his warning against those who reject God’s Son, stating that they “will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36).

The doctrine of justification is one of great peace for all believers. As one pastor put it, it is “the shining jewel of our faith.” It is central to our teaching of salvation. We must first understand, through God’s law, that we are sinful, shamefully donning stain-riddled robes of sinfulness. Through the sacrifice of our Lord, those robes are washed clean, never to record another act of sin again. Finally, he covers our sinful nature by robing us in Jesus’ righteousness, his righteousness imputed to us. Our forgiveness, dependent on nothing we do, gives us a sure foundation for faith in what Christ has done for us. He has justified us, declaring us “not guilty.”

Dec

2019

God doesn’t hold grudges

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on February 25, 2017.
Author’s name withheld by her request

God doesn’t hold grudges

She could not forgive herself. She was convinced that God was angry with her over her sins. She felt the need to keep begging for forgiveness as though God were holding a grudge against her. She just assumed that until God was satisfied that she had suffered enough for her sin, he would not help her if she prayed for help. The reason this woman felt this way was because, as a child, someone would grow coldly silent for long periods of time and hold grudges against her. She tried and tried to get forgiveness but nothing worked. As a child, she didn’t have many experiences and this was normal to her. She ended up translating this behavior to God.

Maybe you endured someone’s silent anger when you were growing up. Maybe it is happening now. Maybe you tried and tried without success to get this person to forgive you. As a result of this, you may have a hard time forgiving yourself, thinking that God is treating you the same way. Maybe you feel like you can’t be forgiven. Maybe you can’t forgive yourself.

God is not like this. He did not wait until you “suffered enough” to send Jesus to be your Savior. If he had, Jesus never would have come, because we deserve nothing less than eternal suffering for our sins. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus died for you when there was nothing good in you. That is how much he loves you. Because Jesus was punished for you, your sins have been forgiven in full. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). There is no need to earn your forgiveness by begging God. Your forgiveness was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross. When he looks at you, God sees Jesus’ righteousness in place of your sins. Because of this, you can live in peace, knowing that Jesus already did everything necessary for you to be forgiven. God does not hold grudges, no matter what it is you have done. Like Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, he will say to you, “‘Then neither do I condemn you…Go now and leave your life of sin’” (John 8:11).

Dec

2019

Starving Soul

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on January 22, 2017

Starving Soul

by Brooke DeAnda
Eating disorders are very serious and scary diseases, even deadly. The same is true for spiritual eating disorders. Your soul needs to be nourished daily, just as the body does. Let this poem remind you just how to feed your soul.

You’re so hungry but you won’t eat
Take this bread and you can breathe
Let the other life be born
And drink the wine that you long for
You were filled with emptiness
He loved you despite your sickness
Your heart was small and hostile still
Because your hunger was not fulfilled
He can give you what you need
Hear his word and you will see
Sick inside, you are dead
But he won’t give up on you yet
Anorexic is your soul
No wonder why you are so cold
He can give you warmth inside
Please just promise you will try
With the water he can give
Wash away your frigid skin
He will hold you when you’re clean
From your sickness you are free

Legalism Among Us

Brought to life by the gospel

Washed by Jesus

A Prayer, a Lament – From my Heart to God

From Stained to Righteous

God doesn’t hold grudges

Starving Soul

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