Burden & Blessing

Today is Reformation Day and, as I’m sure you know by now, not just any ordinary Reformation anniversary. It’s 500 years from the day that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Reformation Day is rightly one of the high festivals in the Lutheran Church. It was such an important movement to restoring the unconditional gospel of Jesus Christ that for many years was shrouded in mysticism and ritualism. But, anyone with just a little knowledge about the Reformation knows that in 1517 things had hardly been fixed. In fact, the Reformation was just beginning. Why, then, celebrate this date as its anniversary? Wouldn’t a later date, when everything finally settled down, be more appropriate?
In 1517, Luther was still wrestling in his heart about the true nature of God and his relationship with God. Many of the 95 Theses Luther penned were contaminated with false teaching. At this time he still confessed allegiance to the Roman Church and the papacy. In fact, in 1518, in a document which defended his 95 Theses, Luther wrote this about Pope Leo X: “Finally, we now have a very good pope, Leo X, whose integrity and learning are a delight to all upright persons. But what can this man who is so worthy of our respect do amidst such confusing circumstances? He is worthy of having become pope in better times, or of having better times during his pontificates.” Just so you know, Leo X eventually declared Luther a heretic and outlaw and excommunicated him in 1521. Clearly, in 1517, God was still maturing Luther’s faith and knowledge.
So, why not wait to celebrate the 500th anniversary of something that happened later, when things weren’t so messy? Well, the answer is simple: it was always and still is messy. There was never a point where Luther finally relaxed because he had finally accomplished everything he wanted. Even days before his death he was still busy refining his German translation of the Bible. After Luther’s death, things got even worse. War broke out in Germany. Regional princes and leaders succumbed to pressures from Rome. Even after peace was restored, major doctrines of the Reformation came under attack almost immediately during the “counter-reformation”. Mass emigrations to the Americas took place in the 1600s and 1700s because of attempts at forced unity between Lutheran and Reformed churches. There has never been a period of outward peace for faithful Christians here on this earth and the Reformation never happened for that purpose, either.
1517 is about as appropriate a date to remember as any because it was the official beginning of the Reformation. For the first time, Luther aired his grievances in public. The courage and boldness that we remember in his fiery spirit was ignited this day. But, let us remember, Luther was always a work in progress, too. He was confident in Christ’s atonement, but the Lord never told him he had finally attained perfection on earth. We, too, are being worked upon by the Holy Spirit day by day; to increase our courage, boldness, and peace by faith. Don’t expect an end to difficulties while this earth remains because you won’t find it. If you’re interested in God’s truth, hardship will be your companion; but more importantly, peace with Christ will be yours too. The blessing of the Reformation, the reason we commemorate it and celebrate it, is because it points to the real solution to sin. The Reformation continues to be a shining beacon to lead desperate people to the cross of Jesus, for renewal and forgiveness; and ultimately to eternal life with God without pain or misery; an age when things will finally change for good. That was and remains its importance in the lives of sinful men and women.
Peace through Jesus be with you today, that’s what Luther would want you to think about!

 

Question: Why does is seem like the God of the Old Testament is much more harsh than the God of the New Testament? (For example: The flood wipes out all people but one family; God kills all the first born in Egypt; The Israelites are told to kill entire populations in Canaan; and the death penalty is demanded for several offenses in the Levitical Law.)

Many people have espoused views similar to those described above. The following quote is from Richard Dawkins in his book The God Delusion (p.31). He says that the God of the Old Testament is “arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it, a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

Answer: God is not more harsh in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. God is just, and must judge those who sin against Him. In every example mentioned above, God is judging the sin of human beings. Paul says: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). God is just as serious about sin in the New Testament as He is in the Old Testament.
Compare the following from the Old and New Testaments:
Old Testament

Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die.”
Isaiah 3:11 – “Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him.”
Psalm 37:20 – “But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.”

New Testament

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Yet there is one thing in particular that can help us to understand why the Old Testament records God’s involvement in the particular physical judgment of certain groups of people throughout that period of history.
Keep in mind that the Old Testament covers a much longer period of history than the New Testament. (Over 4,000 years compared to less than 100 years!) From the very beginning of the Old Testament, following the fall into sin, God had promised to send the world a Savior from sin and God’s just judgment against sin. While God repeatedly demonstrates patience toward sinners throughout the Old Testament, God was also acting in history to preserve a remnant of His faithful people in the Old Testament, from which the promised Savior would eventually be born. Throughout the Old Testament God gives us a “behind the scenes” view of His actions in history. Here God describes His work through the lives of people and nations, to judge sin and to preserve a particular people through which He would fulfill His promise of redemption, for the benefit of all people. This difference in time and perspective is the reason why God “seems” to be more harsh in the pages of the Old Testament.
Examples of God’s judgment in the Old Testament

• The flood wipes out all people but one family – Genesis 6:5
• Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah – Genesis 18:20
• God kills all first born in Egypt – Exodus 1:8-22
• The death penalty for several offenses in the Levitical Law – Leviticus 20:2,9,10-16,27; Deuteronomy 13:10-11
• Israelites kill entire populations in Canaan – Deuteronomy 7:1-5; 20:16-18; Joshua; Judges; (Compare Genesis 15:16; Leviticus 18:2-30)

God is just as unhappy with sin today as he was in the days of Noah (the flood), Lot (destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) and Moses (destruction of nations), and sin still brings God’s just judgment. (Compare the death of Herod in Acts 12:23: “Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”) We are all under the death penalty because of our disobedience to God’s laws. At the same time, God is also merciful and has provided a means of salvation for all people in the person of Jesus Christ. Both the Old and the New Testaments are clear about this as well.
Old Testament

Isaiah 52:10 – “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

New Testament 

1 John 4:9 – “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

The God of the Old and New Testaments are one and the same. While the LORD is just and demands that our sin receive its just punishment, He is also merciful, and desires the salvation of every sinner. This He has accomplished by His grace in the person and work of Jesus, and His gift of salvation and eternal life becomes ours through faith in Him. Yes, God hates sin, but He loves the sinner, and He has demonstrated that in Jesus.

In our continuing study of important doctrines of the Reformation, Pastors Nathanael Mayhew and Rob Sauers take us through the Doctrine of Vocation. It has been said that this is one of Luther’s most original contributions to understanding the spiritual life. When we think about vocation, probably the first thing that comes to mind is our job our occupation, but, as we’ll discuss, vocation involves much more. We’ll focus on 1) that Biblical difference between a vocation and an occupation, 2) how God bestows His First Article gives to sinners through vocation, 3) how the Doctrine of Vocation puts the role of good works in its proper place, and 4) how the Doctrine of Vocation gives purpose to our lives in this fallen world. We hope that this study will be a blessing to you!

As we continue our series of Reformation words for the Word of the Week in October, Pastor Mark Tiefel defines the Biblical word Justification. He discussed justification in its objective and subjective sense. Christ’s death is an objective truth through which all sinners have been declared not guilty before God (Romans 3:23-24, 28; Romans 4:25; Romans 5:18-19) but the benefits of this declaration are received by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 2:16) We are all sinful. But through God’s work for sinners in Christ and through faith, we have been justified (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Romans 1:16-17). Thanks be to God! Listen, learn, study and proclaim God’s Word of Truth as faithful heirs of the Reformation!

Over the next five weeks, our Friday podcast will take up a series covering some of the important doctrines of the Reformation. This week, Pastors Rob Sauers and Nathanael Mayhew take us through “The Theology of the Cross.” This is a term coined by Martin Luther in 1518 in the Heidelberg Disputation that understands the cross as the only source of knowledge concerning who God is and how God saves. It is contrasted with the “Theology of Glory” which places greater emphasis on human abilities and human reason. The Theology of the Cross teaches the truth that God does not reveal Himself to us through displays of glory and signs in the heavens, but through the cross, and through the simple Means of Grace. It also describes the reality of the cross we are called to bear in this world as Jesus says to His disciples in Mark 8:34: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Yet that cross is also a blessing as it keeps us running back to the Savior and His cross where we find life and salvation. May the Lord bless our study!

For our Word’s of the Week this October, we will be focusing on words related to the Reformation. This week, Pastor Rob Sauers takes us through a study of the three “Solas” of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), and Sola Fide (Faith Alone).

Sola Scriptura is really the foundation for the other two as we would know nothing of Grace Alone or Faith Alone without the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” John 20:31 summarizes the primary purpose of the Scriptures: “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” 

Sola Gratia is the Scriptural teaching that God chose us for salvation because of His undeserved love for us. 2 Timothy 1:9 speaks of God “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” 

Sola Fide is the Scriptural teaching that God saves us through faith in Jesus Christ, not through our own good works. Romans 4:5 says, “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” 

A good summary passage for these “Solas” is Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

May God help us to cling to these important Scriptural truths.