John 8:31-36, Romans 3:19-28
Made Free
One of the hallmarks of The
Reformation is also one of the reasons why the message of The Reformation still
hasn’t quite made it into the personal beliefs of many Christians. It is restated in that last sentence of today’s
Gospel text. “So, if the Son makes
you free, you will be free indeed.”
The “freedom” part is widely celebrated and appreciated. What is missed is the process by which that freedom has come into our lives. John could not be more clear – we are free because we have been MADE free.
The Church for which Martin Luther wrote his catechisms had allowed itself to set up all sorts of hoops and roadblocks. Luther’s writings grow out of his personal experience. He was overcome with fear and anxiety as to whether he had done the right thing or enough of the right thing. The Church had the 15th century equivalent of Excel spreadsheets which tabulated the amount of time one would need to spend suffering in order to make up for the transgressions committed during their youth and childhood. It is in response to such warnings and threats that Martin Luther began to share the words of scripture.
The writings and words of Martin Luther were just too good to be true. The peasants in the pews rejoiced to hear the Reformation’s message of a God who looks for opportunities to love us rather than reasons to condemn us. It is always welcome news to be told that we are “free.”
When we hear news “too good to be true,” our skeptical brains are inclined to start looking for reasons why it can’t be true. And this is what began to happen, even before Martin Luther had finished his last sermon. While the members of the congregations rejoiced to be out from under the thumb of the structures and systems put in place by the popes and archbishops, those same members were easily swayed into thinking this was just “too good to be true.” Those folks talked to a few more folks and pretty soon you get to the point where even the denominations of The Reformation fail to consistently teach and preach that our freedom is the result of Christ’s work – and never, ever our own.
“There must be something one has to do?” It does seem logical. Particularly in a society where individual effort is so clearly linked to that individual’s success.
“Maybe it is a free gift, but someone has to untie the bow.” Is another subtle way of reinserting at least a bit of a hoop for one to jump through in order to be absolutely sure that justification is rightfully ours.
No! There are no hoops. There are no prerequisites. There are no preconditions. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
We dedicated a new banner some months ago. It is clearly a Reformation Banner. I created several weeks of confusion, as we were ordering it. There are three critical words on that banner, the order of which can make all the difference in the world. I raised questions as to the order of those words on that banner. Those words are “Saved,” “Grace”, and “Faith.” The order in which we place those reveals to us whether we hold firmly to that crucial Reformation insight or have begun to slip.
“Saved,” “Grace”, and “Faith. What is the order and relationship between these three words?
One way of discerning is to ask which of the following best sums up how it is that you have received the assurance of salvation. (Please note: I am not associating these with whether or not you have received the assurance of salvation; merely how best to sum up what you have experienced.) Is “faith” the vessel into which “grace” is poured? Or is “grace” the gift which enables me to have “faith”?
Do I need to repeat those options? Is “faith” the vessel into which God is able to pour “grace”? Or is it the “grace” of God which enables us to have “faith”?
Many – practically most in this part of the world – would share the conviction that you have to have faith in order for grace to save you. There is evidence of this in that ever popular painting of Jesus standing at the door, knocking. Remember the all important feature about that door? There is no doorknob on the outside. Jesus can only come in if someone on the inside opens the door and lets him enter. The painting expresses the conviction that “Faith” is the mechanism for “grace” to enter one’s life.
Martin Luther had a somewhat different understanding. He writes of prevenient grace. This is the “grace” which becomes active in our lives making “faith” possible. God’s grace saves us; faith enables us to trust that this good news isn’t too good to be true. Faith is the confidence to live lives without the fear and anxiety of fretting about the horrible things we have done and the loving acts we have failed to do. We sing of this faith in the hymn, Amazing Grace. “Twas grace that taught my heart to fear; and grace my fears relieved…..”
We like to earn our own way, and we prefer to determine our own fate. Even when this is a difficult path, we seem to prefer struggling along rather than being lifted and carried. We may hope for a free scoop of ice-cream, but when it comes to our eternal fate, we won’t trust anything that could come that easily.
I don’t expect everyone to jump on the Reformation bandwagon. There is always a danger and a disastrous effect to everyone wearing the same jersey. We need those who would remind us to be moral and hold to strong ethical standards. Heck – I will remind you to do the right thing and think the appropriate thoughts. But when it comes to being free – never, ever forget that we have been set free. We are free because the Son has made us free. Not because of our adherence to the deeds prescribed by the law. Not because of our obedience to some moral or ethical code. And not because we merely say we agree with some statements or convictions.
You have been given the gift of freedom. “if the Son makes you free, you will be
free indeed.”
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