FROM THE PASTOR
Salvation is by grace
Welcome to the series on Grace. The theme or direction (GW) I’d like to go this year, is from our tag line, “Living by Grace. Growing in Faith. Sharing Christ’s love with All”. For this year – Living by Grace. What does this mean? Well, Grace begins and ends with God, the grace shown to us in Christ first, is then reflected and responded to in love toward God and each other.
Last month’s theme began with Salvation is by Grace, Alone, my article ended with talking about Good Works another time. All that needs to be said for now is that good works are a result of a living and active faith in Jesus Christ. Here’s a paraphrase from Article 20 “Faith and Good Works” from the Augsburg Confession:
“Our works cannot reconcile us to God, or obtain grace for us, this only happens through faith, i.e., that when we believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake… for the conscience cannot come to rest and peace through works…, good works are to be done but we don’t rely on them to earn grace. It is always faith alone that apprehends grace and forgiveness of sin… when through faith the Holy Spirit is given, the heart is moved to do good works… these works cannot be done without the help of Christ”.
A brief story… There was once a fella who worked out at the same Gym I went to. His name was easy to remember and his name is Jim. So, to me he was always “Jim at the Gym”. Now Jim was a bloke who was not only fit, but quick-witted, and you couldn’t help but smile the minute you saw him and you’d be waiting for him so say something to make you laugh and your session more enjoyable. Now, conveniently located across the road from the gym was a coffee shop, and of course Jim was a regular there too. He would often tell me how he chuckles to himself while enjoying a coffee after his workout. This happened when a few of the gym regulars went to the same coffee shop after their work out, and they would order a Skinny Late and a Caramel Slice! I’ll allow a moment to think about that.
Our congregational bible verse is from Ephesians 2:8-9; “By grace you are saved through faith..., not by works..., not from ourselves but a gift from God...”,
Grace is the opposite of works. Grace is the activity of God, not of Humankind. Works (understood by many) are human efforts, to make up for what is not good in our lives, with actions that are. But no such works can undo what’s been done. Good behaviour doesn’t cancel out bad behaviour, anymore than a skinny coffee takes the calories out of a Caramel Slice.
Our actions, no matter how good can’t save us. They cannot set us right with God, with whom we have wronged with our actions. Only God can save us. Only his undeserved love which is always active in Jesus Christ can save. That is, Jesus’ holy life; Jesus innocent suffering and death; Jesus’ victory over the grave! This is the grace of God that rescues helpless sinners from an eternity separated from God. There is no other gospel. There is no other way. The gospel cannot be exchanged, replaced, made up for on our part.
Gospel means good news; accepting anything else but the gospel of Jesus Christ, is anything but good news. It’s just the opposite; bad news. When the people St Paul cared about, were in danger of doing this, it came as a shock to him and he responded in Galatians chapter 1, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all”.
What the Galatians were about to do was substitute the gospel of Christ and to exchange it for something else. And that was, the idea that “what” they did in the way
of religious activity, was “what” made them right with God. Dear friends, don’t you substitute it either. It’s not your doing, your achievements, your goodness that puts you in a position to even call God, “God”, or, “Heavenly Father!”. No. It’s the doing and dying of his Son, “Jesus”, this truth is one we never dare exchange, or leave behind, but rather one we build our lives, our hearts, minds and faith and church on.
Here’s a prayer that Martin Luther wrote to George Spenlein in 1516. The following prayer has been stuck on our fridge door for nearly 20 years: it is a beautiful summary of the gospel – our Christian faith.
Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness; just as I am your sin. You have taken on yourself what is mine, and given me what is yours. You have taken upon yourself what you were not, and given to me what I was not. You have made my sins your own, and made your righteousness mine. Amen.
We Pray For:
† Those who teach in our homes, congregations and communities.
† Those who sow God’s word in the minds of strangers.
† Those who learn, so that they use their knowledge wisely.
† Those who work in the media.
† Those who can’t read or write.
† Those who are ashamed of their bodies.
† Those who suffer from low self-esteem.
† Those who are so proud of their learning they are of no help to anyone.
† Those who are wise enough to trust God more than anyone else.
Last month’s theme began with Salvation is by Grace, Alone, my article ended with talking about Good Works another time. All that needs to be said for now is that good works are a result of a living and active faith in Jesus Christ. Here’s a paraphrase from Article 20 “Faith and Good Works” from the Augsburg Confession:
“Our works cannot reconcile us to God, or obtain grace for us, this only happens through faith, i.e., that when we believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake… for the conscience cannot come to rest and peace through works…, good works are to be done but we don’t rely on them to earn grace. It is always faith alone that apprehends grace and forgiveness of sin… when through faith the Holy Spirit is given, the heart is moved to do good works… these works cannot be done without the help of Christ”.
A brief story… There was once a fella who worked out at the same Gym I went to. His name was easy to remember and his name is Jim. So, to me he was always “Jim at the Gym”. Now Jim was a bloke who was not only fit, but quick-witted, and you couldn’t help but smile the minute you saw him and you’d be waiting for him so say something to make you laugh and your session more enjoyable. Now, conveniently located across the road from the gym was a coffee shop, and of course Jim was a regular there too. He would often tell me how he chuckles to himself while enjoying a coffee after his workout. This happened when a few of the gym regulars went to the same coffee shop after their work out, and they would order a Skinny Late and a Caramel Slice! I’ll allow a moment to think about that.
Our congregational bible verse is from Ephesians 2:8-9; “By grace you are saved through faith..., not by works..., not from ourselves but a gift from God...”,
Grace is the opposite of works. Grace is the activity of God, not of Humankind. Works (understood by many) are human efforts, to make up for what is not good in our lives, with actions that are. But no such works can undo what’s been done. Good behaviour doesn’t cancel out bad behaviour, anymore than a skinny coffee takes the calories out of a Caramel Slice.
Our actions, no matter how good can’t save us. They cannot set us right with God, with whom we have wronged with our actions. Only God can save us. Only his undeserved love which is always active in Jesus Christ can save. That is, Jesus’ holy life; Jesus innocent suffering and death; Jesus’ victory over the grave! This is the grace of God that rescues helpless sinners from an eternity separated from God. There is no other gospel. There is no other way. The gospel cannot be exchanged, replaced, made up for on our part.
Gospel means good news; accepting anything else but the gospel of Jesus Christ, is anything but good news. It’s just the opposite; bad news. When the people St Paul cared about, were in danger of doing this, it came as a shock to him and he responded in Galatians chapter 1, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all”.
What the Galatians were about to do was substitute the gospel of Christ and to exchange it for something else. And that was, the idea that “what” they did in the way
of religious activity, was “what” made them right with God. Dear friends, don’t you substitute it either. It’s not your doing, your achievements, your goodness that puts you in a position to even call God, “God”, or, “Heavenly Father!”. No. It’s the doing and dying of his Son, “Jesus”, this truth is one we never dare exchange, or leave behind, but rather one we build our lives, our hearts, minds and faith and church on.
Here’s a prayer that Martin Luther wrote to George Spenlein in 1516. The following prayer has been stuck on our fridge door for nearly 20 years: it is a beautiful summary of the gospel – our Christian faith.
Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness; just as I am your sin. You have taken on yourself what is mine, and given me what is yours. You have taken upon yourself what you were not, and given to me what I was not. You have made my sins your own, and made your righteousness mine. Amen.
We Pray For:
† Those who teach in our homes, congregations and communities.
† Those who sow God’s word in the minds of strangers.
† Those who learn, so that they use their knowledge wisely.
† Those who work in the media.
† Those who can’t read or write.
† Those who are ashamed of their bodies.
† Those who suffer from low self-esteem.
† Those who are so proud of their learning they are of no help to anyone.
† Those who are wise enough to trust God more than anyone else.