Audacity of Faith

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times.” Martin Luther

It is difficult to wrap one’s head around the fact that God’s grace is freely and unconditionally given to those who believe in His one true Son. That by simply believing that Jesus Christ went to the Cross carrying all of our past, present and future sin and died the death that we all deserve guarantees our salvation seems all too easy. There has to be a catch. Nothing so valuable, nothing so delightful, and nothing so important could be given without first earning it, could it? What about the “Golden Rule”? What if I fall short and disappoint God with my failures and doubts?

“To be convinced in our hearts that we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God by grace alone is the hardest thing.” Martin Luther

There is nothing that you can do to make God love you any less. There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more. His love is infinite and He loves us more than we could ever imagine. These words are spoken at all of our Baptism celebrations. Let that soak in for a minute. I can never do enough to earn God’s love and I can never fail enough to have Him turn away. Absolute love and grace to each and every believer by our loving Father. No strings attached! So, why do many Christians serve their neighbor in God’s Name? It is because of the gratitude of the believer that he wants to please our Lord in everything we do.

“The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy.” Martin Luther

So many Christians seem to be stuck in the law. Our default is the false belief that grace needs to be, somehow, earned. We so often engage in “finger pointing”, emphasizing other’s shortcomings as if by doing so, our innate sinfulness is obscured by those we believe to be worse than us. The law convicts, the Gospel frees. We are freed from the consequences of our sin by the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The law simply informs us of behavior that is not pleasing to our God.

“Grace remits sin, and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. The law says, 'Do this,' and it is never done. Grace says, 'Believe in this,' and everything is already done.” Martin Luther

Luther is quite repetitive in his interpretation of grace. Grace by faith alone. Not by works, but works do fulfill an important component in the Christian’s life. As you want to please your spouse in everything you do, we endeavor to act in a manner pleasing to God. Forgive as He forgives you. Help those who need your help. In everything you do, do so that those who observe, will recognize the love of the Lord in your deeds. No, these good deeds are not a requirement of our faith, but our appreciation of our Lord’s sacrifice for us directs us to love others as He loves us and sacrifice for them.

“This grace of God is a very great, strong, mighty and active thing. It does not lie asleep in the soul. Grace hears, leads, drives, draws, changes, works all in man, and let’s itself be distinctly felt and experienced. It is hidden, but its works are evident.” Martin Luther

Good Works or God’s Work?

Many Christians give of their time, talents, and possessions to serve those that are in need. Our Lord instructs us to reach out to the hungry, the lonely, the imprisoned, and anyone else in need as we would provide for our Lord Himself. But, are we truly fulfilling Christ’s mission if we fail to do this to the glory of our Savior’s name. What differentiates those that perform these tasks in Jesus’ name and those that simply do this out of the goodness of their hearts? One does not need to know the Lord to give of oneself much more than many Christians would ever do. Those Christians that fail to nurture the spirit of those that they serve, do them a great disservice. If one fails to fill their heart with the Holy Spirit when doing good works, one can easily fall into the trap of the evil one and become enamored of oneself and those good works that we accomplish. Romans 15:18, "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me." Something as simple as telling someone that Jesus loves them while serving in a soup kitchen is even more important than providing food for them. We don’t need to proselytize to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our actions can serve as a beacon to those we serve. But, we must do these things in Jesus’ name and be selfless as we serve. Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Luke 22:26-27, “But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” Just as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ came to serve, so should we be servants of our Lord. It is not our willingness to merely perform these tasks; it should be our willingness to serve the Lord.

Matthew 6:1-4, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” It is so easy to forget why we reach out to those in need. When we do justice toward our fellow man, we tend to congratulate ourselves for reaching out and expect, to not only impress our neighbor, but to impress our God. When we are so wrapped up in doing good deeds, we often lose sight that our Lord taught us that this is what He expects us to do, in His name. For everything that we have and are is a gift from God. Our good deeds are merely a faint reflection of our Lord’s love for us. Every day the Holy Spirit taps us on the shoulder, offering us opportunities to serve Him by reaching out to our brothers and sisters. We are not to take credit for doing what our Lord taught us. John 7:37-39, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” When we truly believe, we will be filled with the Spirit so that we become the instruments by which the Holy Spirit uses to minister to the world. All our good works flow from the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we can joyfully reach out in true Christian love to our neighbors, and proclaim the glory of our Lord.

There are many agencies that reach out to the world in need. Some are Christian, some are not. Some Christian missions tend to downplay the Lord’s role in their mission, instead choosing to be politically correct and tolerant with the emphasis on demonstrating their love for their neighbor. There will always be secular agencies that reach out to feed the poor, but as Christians, we are not only called to feed the poor, we are to pronounce our love of our God by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  When we engage in our good works, we do so to bring the glory to our Lord and to bring those we serve to God. So, we must remember that this life is but a mere whisper of what lies ahead. John 6:32-35, “Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Feeding the body without feeding the soul with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will only lead to spiritual starvation and death. “The first and highest, the most precious of all good works is faith in Christ.” - Martin Luther from Chapter II of the Treatise on Good Works.  So, fill your heart with the love of the Lord and let the Spirit flow like a river while you go out and do God's work.  Praise be to God!

Called to Christ's Mission

The April 2010 edition of the Lutheran magazine contained an article entitled Sexuality, issue causes division, sadness – and hope, by Sandra D. Guy. This article discussed the fallout from the 2009 ELCA assembly actions. Nine bishops responded to questions from the Lutheran. Each had a distinct and unique interpretation of the varying responses to the assembly actions. Their responses can give us insight as to how they may prioritize the role of mission in the Synods that they lead.

One bishop bemoaned the fact that the assembly actions were a distraction to the church’s ministry. Another likened the reactions to a divorce and a sense of grief over the loss of community. Two commented on the reduced financial support leading to staff cutbacks and one of them complained that rancorous partisan sniping has invaded the church. Three commented that the assembly actions send a message that the ELCA is an inclusive, welcoming and hospitable church. One bishop senses that the people who are angry “want someone to pay” and that he also noticed that “we claim that the Holy Spirit is present if a vote goes one way, and that the Spirit is absent if it goes against what we think is right.” One bishop said that the ELCA needs to focus on rediscovering a passion for evangelical outreach and putting mission at the heart of our life and at the center of our identity. At least one of the bishops seems to be on the right track. The church’s mission is not about the amount of money needed to pay for staff, it is not only about being inclusive, welcoming and hospitable, and it is not about voting to change doctrine. It is important, in this context, to explain what the mission that Christ calls on us to undertake is all about.

We know that our belief and faith in the risen Christ is the only way to our salvation. John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In John 17:20-23, Jesus prays for all believers, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one. Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one – 23 I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” This prayer is for all future believers, calling us to preach His Word and spread the Gospel throughout the world. A point of emphasis is our spiritual unity as believers, that Jesus wants us to be unified in His mission as He is unified with the Father. We are to share our love with one another as God loves us all. Brothers and sisters, this prayer was meant for each one of us.

We, as believers, are also our Lord’s disciples. Our Lord places before us the task to reach out, share the Good News, open the eyes of unbelievers, and to bring them to the Lord. Our mission in this world is to follow Jesus’ example and teachings, and to preach the Good News of the Gospel to all we meet. We must use our good works to minister to the spiritual longings of God’s children who do not know Him. When we have unity in Christ and are led by the Spirit, we will be able to guide unbelievers to the Lord and to their salvation. We need to be the branch that bears fruit for our Lord. With unity in His love we can uplift and encourage our brothers and sisters to be fruitful and serve the Lord. Our Lord is the vine and we must always keep Christ first and foremost in our hearts to remain faithful servants. John 14:23, Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” We must keep our Lords commands and strive to lead godly lives so that we may be a light to lead others to our Lord. This is the mission that our Lord expects His Church to accomplish and without Christ as the primary focus, we will only lose our way.

See the Big Picture

As much as we would like it to be, we are not isolated from the rest of the world. We often want to remain in our own little protected shell, secure that as long as we attend our church and listen to the inspired sermons of Pastor Jay we need not worry about what is going on in the greater church. We like to feel safe and comfortable and not have to worry about conflict or something new or unexpected. This is why it is easier to socialize with the same people that we are familiar with, rather than reaching out to new faces we see at church. As Christians, we have the responsibility to step out of our comfort zones and preach the Good News to the world. 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” We are Disciples of Christ, and as such, we are charged with the great responsibility to lead others to the Gospel of Christ. In our actions and our words, we are to set the kind of example that others may see and recognize that we are influenced by His Spirit.

Many thirst for the intimacy that comes with a relationship with Christ. Many only need to have the Good News shared with them to realize that relationship with Christ is what they have been searching for. When we emulate the life of Christ with our interaction with others, it may just open that door to an opportunity to witness for our Lord. Good works are important in this world, but if we fail to use those good works to help lead one astray to the Lord, we fail our responsibilities as disciples of Christ. The ELCA continues to do good works throughout the world, but they continue to fail to use those opportunities to give witness for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They persist in calling attention to, and praising themselves for their good works as they continue to strive for social justice. Jesus said in Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” The ELCA continues to boast of their intent to pursue social justice reforms. Social justice is  emphasized on their website and even their statement of “Who we are” leads with this goal in mind.

Bishop Mark Hansen stated that the ELCA intends to focus on and promote one particular social justice agenda item each year. All this emphasis on social justice while the ministry of our Lord plays second fiddle. Ephesians 2:8-10, ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God has a plan for us. We cannot earn our salvation by trying to take credit for our good work toward social justice. If we believe that our good work in fighting for social justice takes precedence over our mission to preach the Gospel of Christ, we fail as disciples of Christ. If we adopt a doctrine of bound conscience that allows us to disregard the parts of Scripture that are troubling or that we and our enlightened society disagree with, we are following a false gospel that leads us away from God.

Social Justice is Important

Social justice was an integral part of Jesus’ ministry. In Matthew 25:40 and 45, our Lord said, “The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me.” 45, “He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Jesus was explaining that we are called to serve, not only our Lord, but also those brothers and sisters in need. Every time we answer the Spirit when we are nudged to offer our help to someone, we are doing this for our Lord. As well, in verse 45 He offers a rebuke to those that choose to sit on the sideline and ignore the Spirit.

Our Lord was also very welcoming and often ate with the sinners of that day. This particularly infuriated the Pharisees, who denounced Jesus. In Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:13 our Lord explains that “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” In this manner also, our Lord calls us to reach out to those in need of healing, particularly spiritual healing. Our Lord not only healed the physically ill, He attended to their spiritual health and turned them away from sin. Any help for the physical body will be of no use to those that are dying in the Spirit. We must be able to temper our enthusiasm to answer to the needs of the physical being, while also ministering to those not on the path to salvation. We must also be careful not to place our goal of attaining social justice above the salvation of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to do your “acts of righteousness” in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Beware of the motives behind the ambition for social justice. Do not fall into the trap of putting these desires for earthly justice over and above our desire to reach those in need of the Gospel.

The ELCA website dedicates 5 short paragraphs to their statement of beliefs, 5 short paragraphs to the Bible, and its social justice page has links to 24 separate and distinct social justice agenda items. It would seem that, while the ELCA is doing God’s work to fight for these issues, the salvation of the world is not even being given equal time. Also from the website as to “Who we are”, the first sentence is, The ELCA is a community of faith that share a passion for making positive changes in the world. That making positive changes in the world is stated before acknowledging their strong belief in God made known to them through Jesus Christ is particularly telling. How can we make positive changes in the world without striving to bring that world to God? Why is the effort to lead others to the Lord taking second place to the worldly issues of social justice?

One of the most revealing elements in this struggle to promote social justice is how the ELCA appears to revel in the celebration of its good deeds. Promoting good deeds to the world is nothing more than placing one’s self above the Lord. It is making the social justice agenda your own god and pushing our Lord to the back burner. Everything we are and have is because our Lord, in His infinite love for us, gave it to us. We are nothing without our Lord and Savior. We may feel good about ourselves with our earthly accomplishments, but our Lord knows where our hearts truly are. We must do God’s work for Him, not to make us feel good about ourselves, or we become no better than the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. We are all sinful beings and fall short of the glory of God. When we try to glorify our good works and boast to the world rather than glorify our Lord, we drive a wedge between ourselves and God.