June 17, 2010

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:21)

There's no such thing as a free lunch. If you've spent any time at all in the "School of Hard Knocks," then you'll know this to be a very true statement. Nothing is free without some kind of string attached. There's always a little tiny asterisk hiding out at the end of the offer for the free lunch. The asterisk is explained in fine print which tells you something like you actually have to buy one to get one free. Maybe this is why when we talk about the "grace of God," and how it's "so rich, so wide, so high, so free," (CW 392:4) we might get tripped up a little on the "so free" part.

We might be tempted into thinking that we are somehow able to "pick up the pieces." Isaiah prophesied that "Though [our] sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18) Because of Christ's work and Christ's death, God changes our clothes. He takes off our scarlet dirty sin laden threads and clothes us with garments that are as perfectly clean and as white as snow. After we sport our white woolen wear, the temptation might be to think that it is somehow up to us to work a stain-stick when we trip up and get a little sin-stain. We may convince ourselves and our consciences that Jesus did the hard part and took care of our sins of the big-ticket variety, but the little blunders can somehow be washed away or forgotten by God if we just counteract them with our own "good deeds." The wages of even the smallest of blunders deserves death, but because of the grace of God and through faith are we saved (from eternal death), and this has nothing to do with us or anything we do - it's a free gift - the gift of God which is eternal life. (Romans 6:23 & Ephesians 2:8) Paul states this is no uncertain terms in his letter to the Romans, "no one will be declared righteous in [God's] sight by observing the law." (Romans 3:20)

Conversely, we might be tempted into thinking that God's work is to simply "pick up the pieces." There is a church near my home on North 76th Street that I travel past on a daily basis. The church has a sign that is very visible from the heavily-traveled street which generally displays a clever message. The message currently reads, "Do your best. Let God do the rest." Perhaps there is a proper way to understand this phrase, but as I understand it, this message cheapens Christ's justification and his sacrifice and his work. God doesn't simply pick up the pieces. God doesn't just fill in the cracks or the gaps. Because our best as humans is anything but the best when compared to what God expects of us - Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) - Jesus took it upon himself to take care of each and every case of imperfection, he took care of each and every sin in the whole world that was ever and will ever be committed (John 1:29b). When Jesus on the cross uttered the beautiful word "tetelesthai," when he said, "It is finished." (John 19:30), he wasn't just simply saying that his part was finished. Jesus was saying that it was finished - period. It was finished completely. The price for our sins, and all the sins of the world that will have been committed when judgment day comes, was paid in full - completely. Maybe the words on the church sign could be re-arranged to read, "God did the best (the action is in the past and complete) so that we will have eternal rest."

Christ didn't die for nothing. Christ didn't die for just something. Christ didn't die for just someone. Christ died for all the sins of the whole world which includes yours and mine. Through his perfect life and innocent death he completely took care of our justification. Christ didn't die for nothing because "nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling" (CW 389:3) Absolutely nothing we can do, but only everything that Jesus in grace has already done for us, can restore us into a peaceful relationship with God. And when we are at peace with God, we are promised to be blessed with more than a just a "free lunch," we are privileged to be invited to the most lavish banquet of all in heaven. "Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" (Revelation 19:9) Christ didn't die for nothing. We are invited to this feast because of nothing that we have done, but because of everything that Christ, who left nothing undone, has done for us.