The Old Adam Lives!

I was a bit disingenous with that title. This post really isn’t about how you, as a Christian, should use your money. This post is really about the proper, and improper use of the law in a sermon.

Here is a ficticious sample sermon on the use of money (which is law, remembering the principle that anything you should, ought, or must be doing, is law language):                          

“As a Christian, you should give money to help those less fortunate than yourself. Jesus said, “give to the poor.” There is probably more you could be doing along those lines,  not hanging onto so much for yourself… for God will always provide for you all the things that you need. Jesus tells His disciples to do these things with respect to the giving of money and everything else that we own, as well. A Christian should give to be in the will of God, and show that he or she has been taken hold of by the Holy Spirit. So, friends in Christ, you have the power to get out there and do what is right.”

Was that a Biblical message?  Yes it was. It’s all right there in the Bible.

Was it a proper use of the law in a sermon? I say it was not a proper use of the law, and especially not if it was not followed up with the announcement of the gospel…the forgiveness of sins for Jesus’ sake.

Now here is what I believe to be a proper use of the law in a sermon…

” Jesus tells us to give money to the poor, to those in need, those less fortunate than ourselves. He tells His disciples that not only should they give their money, but everything else they own, as well. Are you hanging onto a little more of your money than you ought? Are you taking what you can down to the homeless shelter and making regular donations? Are you making an effort to seek out and find those truly in need and not put that extra money in a bank account or go out to nice dinners at your favorite restaurants?  Jesus expects us to give and to give generously…all the time! Well…how are you doing in the giving department? If you are anything like me, the answer to that question is…not very well. But while Jesus clearly demands that we give all, He also gave all. He gave His very life for sinners like you and me, those that for their own lack of trust in God, simply will not relinquish all that they have, or even very much of it. It was for people like that, people like you and me, that He died on that cross and asked the Father to forgive us. And the Father answered His prayer that we might live again. That our selfish aims and lack of trust in God would not be held against us.  We ought give, out of Christian charity and concern for others… we ought give. But more importantly, we ought give away the ‘good news of Jesus Christ’ and His love and forgiveness for all those that just don’t quite measure up. I you ever find youself not measuring up to the high standards that God has demanded of you, just remember that One did measure up. That One is Jesus, and He gave everything He had…for you.”

Now, in the latter example, notice how the law was not used to prod, or make better…but rather to accuse, or to expose. Once the sinner is exposed the law can go to work to kill off the old Adam who believes that what he’s doing is good enough. “I’m not perfect, but I’m better than he is”, kind of stuff. The unmitigated wielding of the law is used to crush the sinner.  Then notice how the gospel is handed over…free of charge! Nothing left to do…no more law…only the promise of what God has done for the sinner. That is the Word! And that Word, when by God’s grace, is heard by a broken sinner, can give new life. A resurrection can then take place! The gospel is actually done to the sinner…just as the Word of law was actually done to the sinner to cause the death of that sinner.

I realize that this sort of thinking with regard to preaching is certainly in the minority.

I’m just wondering what you think about this Law/Gospel style of preaching. Does this make any sense to you?

Thanks!

       – Steve Martin

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Good show on the radio right now (or on the net KFUO.  

 www.kfuo.org/LG.htm  

 If you miss it live on the net, you can catch it tomorrow on the archived programs.

Become as these little ones…and listen in!

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My hope and prayer for all of you this 5th Sunday in Easter, is that you get Christ handed over to you, fully and freely. The crucified and risen Christ. The One who forgives real sinners… not those half-righteous, half-sinful type sinners…but the full blown variety of mega sinner. The kind we know we are.

If you get something other than what you have a right to expect, (a full and lethal dose of the law and a full and complete absolution for Jesus’ sake) than grab your pastor, priest, or preacher, by the collar ( or for you So. Cal. non-denoms…by the puka beads) and ask, “what gives?” “Where was Jesus today?” “Did  Jesus miss His connection in Cleveland, and Moses took His place today?”

Keep asking him, or her, those questions until they do hand Him over. And if they refuse to hand Him over you might think twice about staying there, unless of course you like poison.  Anything else short of the gospel, is another gospel, and that’s poison….it’s just that simple.

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  We believe that it is through the gospel of the forgiveness of sins that Jesus’ power is made manifest in the lives of the believer, and not the ‘Law’.  And, we believe, as St. Paul said in 2nd Corinthians, that “the law which came carved on tablets of stone (the 10 Commandments) is the dispensation (or ministry) of death”, and that “the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

And the good Pharisee in the pew says, “So what? That has nothing to do with what I’m talking about. I’m not talking about keeping the 10 Commandments, but rather adhering to Biblical Principles.” 

As my Father used to say, “six of one, or a half dozen of the other.”  ‘Law’ is law…is law…is law. Any demand that existence places upon you to be the person you ought to be…is ‘law’. Any demand is …’law’.

Anytime you look to rules, or principles for living to become a better  Christian, you have just become a law keeper.

We, as Christians, “live in the Spirit of God, the new covenant, the fragrance of life to life”, as Paul says. “The aroma of Christ.”

The law has it’s purpose, so we don’t just jettison the law. The law’s purpose, apart from the practicality of keeping us all sufficiently hemmed in so that chaos won’t reign upon the earth (God’s gift to us),  but the law’s theological purpose is to give us godly grief that we might know our deficiency in being what God demands of us. This godly grief produces death to the self. Repentance can then occur (by God’s grace) and lead us to Christ and His Gospel of forgiveness.

So the law, used in a way as to make us better (principles for living), will not make us better (in the long run), but only worse, for the law just exposes our inability to keep it. And the law must be kept…perfectly, at all times, in all places. When the law is not kept in our lives, a price will be paid. The law must be kept.

The law kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The law is written upon our hearts. We inherently know what we ought be doing. But because of sin we inherently won’t do it out of a pure heart with no self motivations. That is why the scripture in Isaiah 64:6 says that “all our righteous deeds are filthy rags.”

Dead yet? I hope so. If not, we’ll pour more of the law on you later. You’ll get plenty of the law in the course of your day today, hopefully that will be enough to kill you off (at least temporarily) so that Christ can lead you to repentance and give you His new life.

You can no more adhere to the law to be all that you can be,  than I can. You have failed miserably in thought, word, and deed. In what you have done, and even more than that, what you haven’t done that you should’ve done.

But, be of good cheer for Jesus Christ has forgiven all of that. You have recieved a pardon! That death… was your death!  But that resurrection…that was your resurrection!      Easter!     For you!

When this life is over (and it goes by quickly), you will be welcomed into the Kingdom with a full share of all that God has to offer. The joy in Heaven will be unimaginable. No more pain, no more tears. The wedding feast that will put to shame the spread that any cruiseship could ever lay out.

All this He has done for you out of the kindness of His Fatherly heart, with nothing required of you other than faith. And this faith is also a gift that He gives to you. (so there is really nothing at all that you have to do) 

He gives you faith in His Word of Promise. He gives you faith in your baptism. He gives you faith in His Supper (Holy Communion). He acts… for you.

Why else in heaven’s name would they call it “the good news” ?

It is good news! There couldn’t possibly be any better news!

That’s the gospel.

               – Steve Martin

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