Romans 4:1-5,13-17                        Made right with God                      16/3/14

                                                                not by works, but through faith alone

 ¹ What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? ² If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. ³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. ¹⁴ For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, ¹⁵ because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

 This morning we are confronted in our readings with one of the most    important issues facing our church today: as it has been throughout its history. Here, more than in any other area, we have many heading or being led down the wrong track. This danger is one that we can all run into very easily and that we all need to wary of.

 Now to help us to grasp the significance and importance of this message; and to understand what it really is all about I’d like to relate a little story. Fred Jones had lived all his life here in town: he was one of those good guys that you run into occasionally - in fact one of the best. He worked hard - made a success of his business, despite a difficult beginning and a few hardships along the way. He was actively involved in his community and church. He was a good family man  - had a go at various sporting activities and in almost every way could hardly be faulted; particularly when compared to many others about.

 Now when Fred started to get up in years he was asked whether he would get to be with God in heaven. Now everyone around said of course he would because he was one of the best. If anyone deserved get there, he did. And they were all envious of him in a good way.

 But Fred was not so sure; yes he had worked hard and tried to do the best he possibly could, particularly in trying to be the kind of person he thought God would want him to be. He had tried desperately to live the good moral way that the church talks about; and yes was doing a pretty good job of it. So if anyone should get there he would.

 But he was not so sure. What if? What if there was something he'd overlooked. What if he had slipped up somewhere along the way and he hasn’t considered it. What if he died at the wrong moment? What if the devil’s whisperings in his ear were right and he wasn’t good enough? What if …!

 But no, surely God would accept him for he has tried his best: he had done all he could possibly do. So he would just keep on working at it - keep doing the best he could. Surely it would all come right in the end.

 Now Fred died shortly after this and the time came for him to meet his maker. Out came the Book of Life and the list of all of his sins, and he fell over backwards. All the trust that he had put in his own goodness and his own work was gone.  Even his religious activity counted for nothing. His goodness did not measure up to God's expectations; so he was left with nothing but to face the wrath of God.

pause

If you were to die at this moment would you be entering eternity with God? Are you sure about getting to be with God in heaven? And why?

 The Scriptures tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Throughout the Bible God has promised us that as a result of Jesus' death on the cross, eternal life is ours for the receiving.  That call to join God in eternity goes out to all, no matter who they are or what they have done.  Jesus died for everyone here in Adelaide - everyone has opportunity of certainty in heaven. All he simply says to us is - trust in Lord Jesus Christ because it is all there for us.

 But unfortunately that is not the way that many want it. They can't or don't want to take God at his word and don't believe. Our sinful pride thinks that it must depend on our knowledge of God or our accepting Jesus into our hearts, or some such thing, to be necessary if we are to be saved. These people have conditioned themselves and one another that it must still depend on our goodness, even if in some small way.  They think that as long as they live up to a certain standard:  as long as they have responded appropriately; as long as they now live as a Christian should.

 As proud human beings we like to think that I have to do my little bit.     I, I, me, my easily comes to the fore for us all. The focus has shifted from Christ and what he has done, to me and what I must do; and that is disastrous. I fail to be perfect.  I fail take God at his word. I fail to trust - therefore I am in trouble. That is what God has to say to us.

 Sadly much of what we hear and read in Christian circles panders to this ego-centrical way of thinking. Much is said of how we should live and act if we are to be truly Christian, and little attention is given to the centrality of Jesus death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.  As a result our sinful nature and the devil’s leading we then so easily fall into the trap of thinking that it is what we do that will in the end ensure our being in heaven.

 At this point let us stop and think back to Abraham for a minute. Here this homeless guy and his wife are getting well on in years. He is on his own in a far country, without support and roots; and in that situation, at that time, a person like that was considered a nobody, and a nothing. Now add to that the fact that he didn't have children - no sons to carry on the family name; that was considered a sign that God was dissatisfied with him. So we would have to say that he didn't have a future. For him there would have been nothing to live for or look forward to.

 However God says to him to get up and go to this land far away that God would show him, and God would make of him a great nation and all people would be blessed because of him. Now we are told that Abraham believed him. Abraham believed God, despite what looked to be an impossibility: He and his wife were on their own and too old to have children. How could they even become a small nation?  It was impossible. He had nothing going for him, and yet he believed God when he said otherwise.

Abraham believed God; and in that God was happy to declare him righteous. He left himself in the hands of God; allowing God to control his life, so he went were God led and did what God commanded, leaving himself open for God do as he pleases. As a result he was credited as living in the right with God. Not that he was right or that he always did the right thing, but because he believed what God had told him he was credited as such; and in the end he and us were richly blessed.

Now God says to us here today: because of Jesus’ death on the cross our transgressions are forgiven and our sins are covered: eternal life is there for each one of us without us in any way having to earn it: without us having to struggle in order to be accepted. He simply says: trust me. Trust me and let my words fill you.  Let my Spirit lead you and guide you. Let my love flow through you to others around you. Have faith in me for I am 'the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.’

 There we have THE great message for us to give us hope as we go forward as God’s people. There we are given a right perspective with which to look at life and with which to go forward with. It is a message that sets us apart from every other ideology and religion; and from many other denominations. We are saved by God’s grace alone rather than having to go out, seek, find and keep God happy in order to be blest and attain heaven. It is his free gift to us, won for us by Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.

 So now we can live like Fred in our story. Not in order to be acceptable, but because we have that certainty of salvation; and because we are so very grateful for God’s acceptance of us for Jesus sake. Now we can be very confident of attaining heaven, not because of our ability - but in what God has promised us as a result of Jesus Christ.

 So let us hold unswervingly to this Good News that we are reminded of again here today: to this great message that has been given to us. May God through this message inspire us to live and be the people that he wants us be: people who trust that God is true to his word.  May we not be led to doubt in this free gift that he has for us; and so be tempted to look to what we think and do as being necessary for our salvation.

 May God ever keep us mindful that no matter who we are or what we have done, that he has eternal life in heaven for each one of us, not because of our goodness, but because of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. This promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all. So may we be enabled to go forward with confidence and a sure hope, that because of his promises everything will work out for our good. And may we then seek to live and be people who not only have a sure hope, but also who want live in accord with how God would have us live, every day of our lives.

May God give us this faith now and always. Amen.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish