In this blog, we'll focus on the working being done at Sligo Presbyterian Church, Sligo, Pennsylvania. We'll also look at what's happening in Sligo, Rimersburg, Clarion, and all the other communities served by our congregation.
In the series, Rooted in Christ: A Journey through Colossians, we're journeying through Paul's letter to the Colossians, discovering how to plant our lives firmly in Christ—the one who holds all things together. In seven services, we’ll explore how we might become rooted in his grace and love as we live our lives. We’ll cover the following:
In the series, Rooted in Christ: A Journey through Colossians, we're journeying through Paul's letter to the Colossians, discovering how to plant our lives firmly in Christ—the one who holds all things together. In seven services, we’ll explore how we might become rooted in his grace and love as we live our lives. We’ll cover the following:
Well, this morning, we’ve just about reached the mid-point in the month of July, which means all those things we planned to do this summer, and I’m talking about all those trips we planned to take and projects we planned to finish back in April and May, well, if we haven’t started, we’ve got only a month an a half to do them. And if you’re a teacher or got kids in school, make that about a month. How time flies when you’re having fun.
Of course, that also means we’ve reached the mid-point in this summer sermon series we started about five weeks ago, you know, the one entitled Rooted in Christ: A Journey Through Colossians. You see, over the course of seven Sundays, we’re looking at Paul’s entire letter to the Christians in Colossea and considering how we might apply his suggestions within our own congregation and community. And during the first three weeks, we’ve talked about how we might become more firmly rooted prayer and in peace and in service. And as you can see in your bulletin, this morning we’re going to look at faith.
And you know, I always find it really interesting how things sort of work out. As some of y’all know, every day on Facebook, I post a lot of stuff, some of which I share on the Sligo Presbyterian Church page. For example, I post some passages so that, together, we can read the Bible in a year. And I post a joke and a quote, a prayer request and my own Thought for the Day. And then I also post something from a theologian or missionary or church leader. Now I do that every day, and if you haven’t seen them but would like to, check out the Pastor Ed Rudiger page on Facebook. Anyway, yesterday, the randomly selected theological quote came from Michael Ramsey, the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury I the Church of England. You see, he said, “Reason is an action of the mind; knowledge is a possession of the mind; but faith is an attitude of the person. It means you are prepared to stake yourself on something being so.” Now that’s what he said and I posted it yesterday.
And as I just said, that’s what we’re looking at this morning. You see, for the next ten minutes or so, we’re going to focus on what it means to be rooted in faith, something that every Christian I know talks about all the time but doesn’t always seem to understand. In other words, we’re going to take this next section in Paul’s letter to the Colossians and we’re going to talk about three things about being rooted in faith that Paul thought the Colossians should know. Now that’s the plan.
For example, first, I think according to Paul, being rooted in faith is active. In other words, faith demands some decisions and actions on our part. You see, for him, faith is anything but passive. And I’ll tell you, I believe that’s why he wrote this to the Colossians:
You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful. [Colossians 2:6-7, CEV]
Now that’s what Paul wrote. And I’ve got to tell you, I think it’s just as applicable to us as it was for them. You see, being faithful as individuals and communities is about choosing to live as Christians, you know, taking him as an example that we can use to shape our lives and our living. For example, faith is choosing to trust. It’s intentionally deciding that, “Yes, I believe that God is the creator and redeemer and sustainer. And yes, I believe that he loved us before he laid the foundation of the universe and that he loves us right now and that he’ll continue to love us long after time has lost its meaning. And yes, I believe that this same one, this same God holds our eternal destinies in his hands.” You see, faith is choosing to trust. But it’s also choosing to follow, and I’m talking about choosing to follow the one who lived and who died and who was raised and choosing to follow the one who, before he was crucified, looked at his disciples and said, “My children, I will be with you for only a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” [John 13:33-35, CEV] And faith is choosing to follow the one who also said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:18b-20, CEV] You see, faith is choosing to follow. And it’s also choosing to listen, to listen even though that may mean admitting that we don’t already have all the answers and to listen even if that involves taking the time and making the effort to put ourselves where the probability of hearing drastically increases and to listen even when that may force us to change our opinions and our assumptions and our perspectives. You see, along with trusting and following, faith is also choosing to listen. And because of all that choosing, I believe being rooted in faith is active. And that’s one.
And second, according to Paul, I also think it’s liberating. In other words, faith results in freedom, our freedom. Therefore, faithful people recognize that they’ve been set free. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s exactly what Paul was getting at when he wrote this to the Colossians:
God lives fully in Christ. And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority. Christ has also taken away your selfish desires, just as circumcision removes flesh from the body. And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins.
God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross. There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory. [Colossians 2:9-15, CEV]
Now that’s what Paul wrote, and just think about what it means. You see, since God was fully in Christ and since Christ was over every power and authority and since when he was buried, we were buried with him, and when he was raised, we have the possibility of new life, brothers and sisters, since all that’s happened without our help or permission, we are free. Man, we’ve been set free from those selfish desires that can distort and pervert our relationships with others. And we’ve been set free from the kind of guilt and shame that can cause us to isolate ourselves. And we’ve been set free from those impossible standards that tie us up and tie us down by whispering in our ears that we only have value because we’re perfect and pure. You see, because of what Christ did, we’ve been set free from all that garbage that binds us up and holds us back. Which also means that, through him, we’ve been freed to become the kind of people we were called and created to be. I mean, we’ve been freed to show mercy even though the world calls mercy weakness and to demonstrate compassion even when the world says compassion is stupid. As a matter of fact, we’ve been freed to be the kind of men and women Jesus had in mind when he said, “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” [Matthew 16:24b-25, CEV] You see, not only is being rooted in faith active, I think it’s also liberating. And that’s two.
And third, I believe Paul would say it’s also challenging. In other words, choosing to follow the example of Christ and living the freedom that we now have, I’m telling you, it’s just not easy and it sure won’t make those who don’t understand happy. And you know, I think that’s why Paul also wrote this to the Colossians:
Don’t let anyone fool you by using senseless arguments. These arguments may sound wise, but they are only human teachings. They come from the powers of this world and not from Christ.
Don’t let anyone tell you what you must eat or drink. Don’t let them say you must celebrate the New Moon festival, the Sabbath, or any other festival. These things are only a shadow of what was to come. But Christ is real!
Don’t be cheated by people who make a show of acting humble and who worship angels. They brag about seeing visions. But it is all nonsense, because their minds are filled with selfish desires. They are no longer part of Christ, who is the head of the whole body. Christ gives the body its strength, and he uses its joints and muscles to hold it together, as it grows by the power of God. [Colossians 2:8, 16-19, CEV]
Now, I think Paul had a good reason for using the word “don’t” four times in this passage that was all about faith and freedom. You see, even though, through Jesus Christ, we’ve been changed, we live in a world that really hasn’t changed at all, a world that hasn’t decided to trust and to follow and to listen and that doesn’t feel free from anything at all. And you know, because of that, it’ll try its best to distract us, to suck us into senseless arguments and to convince us to believe them rather than Christ. And It’ll try its best to control us, to shape our actions and attitudes, our assumptions and values. And I’m telling you, it’ll try its best to fool us, to convince us that self-centered arrogance is somehow spiritual and to persuade us that Jesus really wants us to limit and to qualify the love we show others. Now, according to Paul that’s what the Colossians faced, and so do we. But I’ll tell you, I’ve got some good news for you. I think we can not only face but overcome these very real challenges. And we can accomplish it by simply doing the very stuff we talked about when we looked at our faith being active. In other words, if we don’t want to get distracted by senseless arguments, we can intentionally make the decision to trust God. And if we don’t want to be controlled by a bunch of silly rules, we can intentionally make the decision to follow Jesus Christ. And if we don’t want to be fooled by a lot of spiritual sounding nonsense, we can intentionally make the decision to listen to what the Word of God actually says. And you know, when we do this, I believe we’ll be facing the challenges that faith presents. And that’s three.
Of course, I doubt that this was what Archbishop Michael Ramsey had in mind when he said, “Reason is an action of the mind; knowledge is a possession of the mind; but faith is an attitude of the person. It means you are prepared to stake yourself on something being so.” Still, I also don’t think he’d disagree with what we’ve been talking about this morning. As a matter of fact, I’m fairly confident that he’d agree that faith is certainly active, with us choosing to trust and to follow and to listen. And that faith is also liberating, you know, that through Jesus Christ we’ve been set free from selfish desires and inner shame and impossible standards and freed to show mercy and to demonstrate compassion and to become the men and women we were called to be. And that faith is also challenging, because the world will try its best to distract us and to control us and to fool us with a lot of nonsense. You see, according to what Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians, I think that’s what it means to be rooted in faith.
In the series, Rooted in Christ: A Journey through Colossians, we're journeying through Paul's letter to the Colossians, discovering how to plant our lives firmly in Christ—the one who holds all things together. In seven services, we’ll explore how we might become rooted in his grace and love as we live our lives. We’ll cover the following:
In the series, Rooted in Christ: A Journey through Colossians, we're journeying through Paul's letter to the Colossians, discovering how to plant our lives firmly in Christ—the one who holds all things together. In seven services, we’ll explore how we might become rooted in his grace and love as we live our lives. We’ll cover the following:
You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful.
Don't let anyone fool you by using senseless arguments. These arguments may sound wise, but they are only human teachings. They come from the powers of this world and not from Christ.
God lives fully in Christ. And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority. Christ has also taken away your selfish desires, just as circumcision removes flesh from the body. And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins.
God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross. There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory.
Don't let anyone tell you what you must eat or drink. Don't let them say you must celebrate the New Moon festival, the Sabbath, or any other festival. These things are only a shadow of what was to come. But Christ is real!
Don't be cheated by people who make a show of acting humble and who worship angels. They brag about seeing visions. But it is all nonsense, because their minds are filled with selfish desires. They are no longer part of Christ, who is the head of the whole body. Christ gives the body its strength, and he uses its joints and muscles to hold it together, as it grows by the power of God.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Watch out that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by the removal of the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.
Therefore, do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food or drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the body belongs to Christ. Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, initiatory visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with a growth that is from God.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away from sin], having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God]. And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power]. In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but by the [spiritual] circumcision of Christ in the stripping off of the body of the flesh [the sinful carnal nature], having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.
Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food and drink or in regard to [the observance of] a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ. Let no one defraud you of your prize [your freedom in Christ and your salvation] by insisting on mock humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about visions [he claims] he has seen [to justify his authority], puffed up [in conceit] by his unspiritual mind, and not holding fast to the head [of the body, Jesus Christ], from whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows with the growth [that can come only] from God.
The Sligo Presbyterian Church Board of Deacons sponsors a worship service at the Country Springs Retirement & Assisted Living Facility. We gather for songs, prayers and praise on the first and third Sundays of each month.
On Sunday, January 19, we gathered to sing some of the old favorites, to pray and to hear the Word of God shared. This week, we focused on faith. A recording of the service is below.
Some of our best memories of Christmas involve singing some of our favorite songs and carols. Whether they’re secular or sacred, they remind us of the reason for the season and the sheer joy that’s possible during this very special time of year. And so, with that in mind, we’re going to spend some time talking about the "Great Songs of Christmas” but not necessarily the ones we associate with this holiday. Instead, we’ll look at some of the advent songs from the Bible, passages that had meaning then and can have meaning right now. During four weeks, we’ll consider the following:
During the next few months, the SPC Thursday Evening Bible Study will be looking at Paul's Letter to the Romans, the single work that may best offer his theology and ethic. You see, in this letter, he explained to the church in Rome his understanding of human nature, faith, righteousness, and God's intention for everybody. He also offered practical ways we can live as Christians within the world and the church. And as we'll see during the seventeen sessions, what he had to say to the Romans is just as applicable today as it was almost 2,000 years ago. We'll following the schedule below:
Session 5 - Faith and Righteousness (Romans 5:1-21)
Session 6 - The Living Dead (Romans 6:1-14)
Session 7 - Sin, Slaves and Spouses (Romans 6:15 – 7:6)
Session 8 - Sin Remains (Romans 7:7-25)
Session 9 - New Life ( Romans 8:1-39)
Session 10 - Back to the Jews (Romans 9:1-29)
Session 11 - But They Rejected Jesus (Romans 9:30 – 10:21)
Session 12 - God's Ultimate Plan (Romans 11:1-36)
Session 13 - Now What We Should Do (Romans 12:1-21)
Session 14 - Obedience and Love (Romans 13:1-14)
Session 15 - Concern for Brothers and Sisters (Romans 14:1 – 15:6)
Session 16 - Tying It Up (Romans 15:7-33)
Session 17 - Personal Greetings (Romans 16:1-27)
During our fifth session, we looked at Romans 5:1-21 and discussed how our relationship between faith and righteousness. The recording of our discussion and the passage we discussed is below.
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
During the next few months, the SPC Thursday Evening Bible Study will be looking at Paul's Letter to the Romans, the single work that may best offer his theology and ethic. You see, in this letter, he explained to the church in Rome his understanding of human nature, faith, righteousness, and God's intention for everybody. He also offered practical ways we can live as Christians within the world and the church. And as we'll see during the seventeen session, what he had to say to the Romans is just as applicable today as it was almost 2,000 years ago. We'll following the schedule below:
August 15 - But There's Faith (Romans 3:21 – 4:25)
August 22 - Faith and Righteousness (Romans 5:1-21)
August 29 - The Living Dead (Romans 6:1-14)
September 5 - Sin, Slaves and Spouses (Romans 6:15 – 7:6)
September 12 - Sin Remains (Romans 7:7-25)
September 19 - New Life ( Romans 8:1-39)
September 26 - Back to the Jews (Romans 9:1-29)
October 3 - But They Rejected Jesus (Romans 9:30 – 10:21)
October 10 - God's Ultimate Plan (Romans 11:1-36)
October 17 - Now What We Should Do (Romans 12:1-21)
October 24 - Obedience and Love (Romans 13:1-14)
November 7 - Concern for Brothers and Sisters (Romans 14:1 – 15:6)
November 14 - Tying It Up (Romans 15:7-33)
November 21 - Personal Greetings (Romans 16:1-27)
During our fourth session, we looked at Romans 3:21 – 4:25 and discussed how our relationship with God is based on grace and faith. The recording of our discussion and the passage we discussed is below.
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. So also David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.”
Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.” How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised. For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,
as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.”
Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
There are many words and images that we associate with Easter, both secular and sacred. During the Sundays leading up to Easter, we'll focus on seven words that the Apostle Paul used when he described the importance of the crucifixion and resurrection. We'll consider the following:
During the second message, we used Romans 4:1-5 to consider the word FAITH. Below is a copy and a recording of the sermon. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.
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As you can see in the bulletin, today is Debbie’s birthday, and this year is really special, because on this day, she turns forty, again. But you know, regardless of her actual age, I have absolutely no doubt that the next time we’re out together, somebody will probably assume that I’m her father. But be-that-as-it-may, today is a special day. And I’ll tell you, that’s the reason Maggie is with us this morning.
But of course, we’re not here for just birthdays. I mean, this morning we’re on the second message in a series we started last week entitled Easter in Seven Words. You see, in these Sundays leading up to the cross and the empty tomb, we’re looking at seven different passages from the Apostle Paul that deal with a word that he considered important. And last week, we started this by looking at some scripture from his letter to the Romans that focused on the word grace. And during our discussion, we talked about how we can experience grace when we understand the human condition and the divine response and the end result, and I’m talking about our sin and God’s gift and the reconciliation that we’ve received. Now that’s what we did last Sunday.
And this morning, we’re going to use another passage from Romans to discuss another word that Paul considered important, namely faith. And I’ll tell you, if most Christians consider grace important, faith is sort of like grace on steroids. Man, it’s huge. But you know, just because it reflects something that most believers consider important, that doesn’t mean it’s not confusing, even for folks who’ve been around the church for a while. And you know, I think a lot of that confusion comes down to some assumptions that a lot of believers tend to make. For example, I think a whole bunch of people assume that, when it comes to God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit, faith is actually the same thing as certainty. In other words, they are faithful only when they have absolutely no doubts ever. And I’ll tell you, maybe that assumption explains why they also assume that their faith is grounded in stuff that they’ve done. I mean, for many, faithfulness is really based on words said and promises made and actions taken. Now that’s another assumption. And all of this is crucially important because these same very sincere and dedicated believers seem to assume that their faith will determine where they spend eternity. They really do control their destinies. And for that reason, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and so, as they look at themselves, they had better do everything they’ve been told to do so they can be certain. And as they go out into the world, well, they tend to assume that those they may meet along the way are going to Hell in a handbasket, man, they’re eternally lost, unless they can prove that they’re not. Now for a lot of Christians, that sure seems to be what faith is all about.
But I’ll tell you, I don’t believe that was what the Apostle Paul believed, not based on what he wrote to the Romans. And so, that’s what we’re going to look at this morning; we’re going to focus on faith. In fact, we’re going to talk about three aspects of faith that I think Paul explained to the Romans using the example of Abraham. I mean, just listen to what Paul wrote:
Well then, what can we say about our ancestor Abraham? If he became acceptable to God because of what he did, then he would have something to brag about. But he would never be able to brag about it to God. The Scriptures say, “God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him.”
Money paid to workers isn’t a gift. It is something they earn by working. But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him. [Romans 4:1-5, CEV]
Now that’s what Paul wrote about the person that Jews back in the day considered the father of their people. And like I said, in this example, I believe Paul pointed to three things that folks need to know if they want to understand faith.
For example, first, for Paul and Abraham, faith means trust. But that shouldn’t be a surprise, especially since that’s the preferred definition for the Greek word that’s generally translated faith, πίστις. You see, based on the word Paul chose to use, faith isn’t the same as certainty at all. As a matter of fact, if you’re certain, you really don’t need to trust, do you? No, faith is more like stepping into a room that’s pitch black. Of course, when you open that door, it’s natural to assume that this particular room is like every other, right? But I’ll tell you, even if that’s the assumption you make, you can’t be certain, and I’m talking about 100% sure that there’ll be a floor on the other side. And yet you still go in, trusting that, when you take a step, something solid will be under your foot. Now, I think that’s exactly what faith is, and Paul knew it. And I’ll tell you something else, I also think that same thing was reflected by our ancestor Abraham; he trusted God. And if you have any doubts, just listen to what it says in Genesis:
The Lord said to Abram:
Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you.
Abram was 75 years old when the Lord told him to leave the city of Haran. He obeyed and left with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and slaves they had acquired while in Haran. [Genesis 12:1-5, CEV]
You see, for Abram, whose name will be changed to Abraham a little later, faith meant trust.
And you know, because that’s the case with both him and us, faith demands a decision, but I think that runs counter what a lot of folks seem to assume about faith. I mean, think about it; we don’t decide to be certain, and we don’t decide to know something. We’re either certain or we’re not. We either know it or we don’t. But I’ll tell you, trust is different, because it’s always a decision. I mean, whether it’s about your twenty-one year-old daughter in Morgantown or a politician running for office or the Almighty Lord of Universe, somewhere down the line, we’re going to have to make the decision to trust or not. I mean, that’s just the way it is, and even though information may make that decision easier, a decision still has to be made. In other words, like Abraham, if we want to be faithful, we need to decide whether or not we’re going to trust God; because, faith means trust. And that’s one thing we need to know if we want to understand what faith is all about.
And second, I think we also need to recognize that faith is grounded in a gift. In other words, faith is not about the words we say or the promises we make or the actions we take. No, our faith is grounded in that wonderful gift we discussed last week, and of course I’m talking about grace. And you know, it’s called a gift, because, as Paul wrote, it’s not like money paid to workers. And it’s not something that we can earn by doing. Man, it’s not even something that we can deserve or expect. Instead grace was and is a gift from God himself, something that really only has meaning if we trust that it’s been given. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s what Paul had in mind, when he wrote this in the a passage that follows the one we read a little while ago:
Everything depends on having faith in God, so that God’s promise is assured by his gift of undeserved grace. This promise isn’t only for Abraham’s descendants who have the Law. It is for all who are Abraham’s descendants because they have faith, just as he did. Abraham is the ancestor of us all. The Scriptures say that Abraham would become the ancestor of many nations. This promise was made to Abraham because he had faith in God, who raises the dead to life and creates new things. [Romans 4:16-17, CEV]
You see, when he trusted in God, I think Abraham understood and appreciated the gift he’d received.
And you know, I think that can also be the case for us. You see, this unearned, undeserved gift of grace can be real to us the minute we decide to trust that it was given. And you know, that just makes sense, doesn’t it? But I’ll tell you what else it’ll do. I think it’ll make us more humble as we look in the mirror and then out into the world. My goodness, if grace really is a gift that’s both unearned and undeserved, do we have any reason to boast and to brag about it or to feel anything other than humility and gratitude? And if it was given to us, why should we assume it hasn’t been given to others? You know, with respect to the gift of grace, maybe the only difference between them and us is that we’ve been told about it and have decided to trust that it’s real. And if that’s true, maybe God has given us the opportunity to make the gift known so that they can trust too. You see, just like faith means trust, for Paul, it’s also grounded in a gift, something else we might need to know in order to understand faith.
And third, I think we also need to understand that faith leads to acceptance, and I’m talking about our acceptance by God. You see, according to Paul, God wants to be in a relationship with us. That’s actually what he was talking about whenever he used the word righteousness. Now that’s what God wants. But as we all know, a genuine relationship demands two sides. I mean, as I learned many times in high school, you’re not in a relationship unless both sides want it. And that’s the way it is with God. You see, from his side, God has given us this incredible gift of grace, freeing us from sin and cleaning up all the stuff that might get in the way with our relating to him. And that has all been done without our permission or help. And now, well, now we have the chance simply to trust that the gift was given. And when we do, we’ve done our part to make the relationship complete. We have been made righteous. We’ve been accepted by God, something about which Paul wrote in the verses we read as well as in this little passage from his letter to the Philippians:
Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. [Philippians 3:8-9, CEV]
You see, when we trust in what God has already done, our acceptance by him and our relationship with him is complete.
And I’ll tell you, because of that, I think we can feel hope, and I’m talking about hope for both ourselves and for others. You see, when we decide to trust that the undeserved and unearned gift of grace was given two thousand years before we were born and through that trust, we’re now acceptable to God, if that’s what we’ve done, how would we not look into the future with confidence and peace, knowing that what we didn’t earn and don’t deserve, man, we just can’t lose? And so I believe faith enables us to feel all kinds of hope for ourselves. But I’ll tell you, I think we’ll also feel more hope for others. You see, if we trust that grace isn’t like a wage and it can’t be earned by words or promises or work, instead it’s a gift, when that’s what we believe, then I think our view of those who haven’t decided to trust changes. I mean, even though we know that having the kind of acceptance, the kind of relationship that trust offers is a whole lot better than not, we really can’t say that God withdraws his grace from those who don’t have faith in him. Who knows, maybe they’ll decide to trust tomorrow or next month or next year. And you know, even if they don’t, I mean, even if they never have faith, who knows; although they may have lost the hope that comes from trust and acceptance during their lives here, maybe God can still be gracious, even to them? Who knows; I don’t, because that’s in the hands of God. I’m telling you, just like it means trust and it’s grounded in a gift, faith leads to acceptance, something else we might need to know in order to understand what this word means.
Of course, having said all this, I know that faith will always be challenging. I mean, when Maggie gets in her car tomorrow morning and heads back to Morgantown, I want to have faith that she’ll be safe and happy. And when I go to bed tonight, I want to have faith that Debbie has had a good birthday. And as I get myself ready to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, I certainly want to have a strong and growing faith in God. And even though it’ll probably always be tempting to approach him assuming that faith is the same as certainty and that it’s grounded in what I choose to do and that it gives me the power to determine where I spend eternity, I’m going to resist that temptation. And I’m going to claim the example of faith Paul offered when he wrote about Abraham and I’m going to recognize that faith means trust; therefore, it’s always a decision. And I’m going to recognize that faith is grounded in God’s gift of grace. And I’m going to recognize that faith leads to God’s acceptance of me, which puts me in a right relationship with him. You see, this is really what faith is all about. And next week, as we move toward Easter, we’ll discuss another word Paul considered important, and now I’m talking about peace.
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