Christmas- John 1:14

The Feast of the Nativity or Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ commemorates an event and also proclaims a key theological concept- the Incarnation. "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (St. John 1:14).
Of course, we celebrate the birth of a great person in human history, but as Christians, we celebrate much more; we celebrate the good news that the transcendent and eternal God has come in human flesh. He has come to save us from sin and death; He has come to offer us new life. If we can focus on these realities, then we will raise the level of our own observances beyond a simple birthday party. We will move into the realm of mystery, awe, faith, and thanksgiving. And if we appreciate the mystery of the Incarnation in faith, then maybe we will become better witnesses to a world in desperate need of God's good news in Christ.

Both Justified and a Sinner

Since my days in seminary, I have known that the Reformation concept that Christians are simul justus et peccator (simultaneously justified and sinner) accords with Scripture, observations of Christian history, and personal struggles to be Christian and live as a Christian. After a recent review of some historical and modern sources on the topic, I would add that the doctrine of simul is intertwined with other central Christian teachings. Here are some examples.

The concept is related to Baptism. In Baptism, we put on the righteousness of Christ, but the old nature remains and rebels. As baptized persons, we have died to sin and been born to a new life in Christ. Yet, even though we have been put to death to sin, sin keeps returning. The grace of Baptism is always present, but the old nature remains a constant challenge.

The doctrine of simul justus et peccator is also clearly connected to the doctrine of justification. By faith in Christ and through His grace, we are set right or made just before God. Our sin is no longer counted against us, but it is so deeply ingrained in our fallen nature that it refuses to let go. So our faith in Christ and our dependence on His grace must be renewed daily. A very rough analogy is a persistent disease. We have taken a medicine that has knocked out the raging infection, but without daily treatment, we will again succumb. If we keep looking to grace and persevere in faith, at the end of earthly life, divine grace will ultimately cure us of all sin.

The concept of simul justus et peccator can be related to the doctrine of Law and Gospel. The Law shows that we are sinners always; the Gospel promises the faith that justifies the sinner. The Law reminds us that even after faith, we remain sinners. The Gospel assures that we are justified for Christ’s sake and that sin does not have to destroy us.

Furthermore, the doctrine of simul is related to the doctrine of the two kingdoms. As long as we live in a fallen creation, believers remain citizens of two realms. In the spiritual kingdom, Christ’s righteousness declares us holy. In the temporal kingdom, we struggle with our sinful nature (sinful in tendency and sinful in real thoughts, words, and deeds) in a fallen world. This struggle continues throughout earthly life.

The doctrine of simul is also related to the theology of the cross. At the cross, we human beings are always sinners. It is our sins that nail Christ to the cross. It is our sins, collective and personal, that bring Christ to this agonizing sacrifice. Paradoxically, only the divine Christ whom we have crucified can save us. Only the cross of Christ transforms condemned sinners into justified believers. So looking to the cross is the only way to see ourselves as we really are- simultaneously a justified person and a sinner.

Finally, the doctrine of simul justus et peccator is biblical, realistic, and necessary.  If we Christians do not recognize that we remain both justified and sinners, then we exalt human effort and human righteousness. In other words, if we are determined to claim to be free from all spot of personal sin at some point in our earthly life, then we nullify justification by faith and reinstate works-righteousness. But if we recognize the reality and depend upon the grace of God in Christ, then our sinful nature can be overcome by divine power and kept in check until such time as God completely destroys our sin in the fullness of His spiritual kingdom.

Theology of the Cross- I Corinthians 2:2

Recently, I have been reading on the theme of the theology of the cross and have decided to post a few of my reflections.

At many points in Christian history. including our day, "theologies of glory" have been very popular. These theologies of glory all have numerous problems because they are not rooted in the totality of Scripture. They focus on human accomplishment. They are not realistic about the fallen human condition or about the need for divine grace. They also obscure the unity of Law and Gospel. Either they focus on some version of the Law and supposed human abilities to fulfill it. Or they have some truncated and sentimentalized view of the Gospel, not rooted in the Cross of Christ. Theologies of glory are weak theologies that cannot resolve human longings for a relationship with God. Worst of all, they obscure the unique redeeming work of Jesus Christ.

By contrast, the theology of the cross focuses on Jesus Christ and is related to many basic Christian doctrines. Indeed, the theology of the cross might be considered more of an evangelical perspective than a specific doctrine. It is a way of viewing all things in light of the cross of Christ, and it should permeate all of Christian theology. The theology of the cross underlies all of the Reformation solas.

In a sense, the theology of the cross summarizes all that Jesus Christ has done for human salvation. At His Incarnation, the Christ Child is already the one who will suffer (Luke 2; 34-35). His earthly ministry is filled with foreshadowings of His suffering and death. Besides the Passion accounts, even the Resurrection accounts remind us that He is the crucified One. Indeed, even the ascended Christ who intercedes at the right hand of the Father is still the crucified one. It is often said that every good Christian theology is Christocentric, and so it must be. Even further, any theology that is truly Christocentric must also be “crucicentric." To paraphrase St. Paul (I Cor. 2:2), Christians must always proclaim Christ and Him crucified.

Confirmation

This post is based on a class for an adult study group anticipating the rite of Confirmation for youth in the congregation.

Most traditional Lutherans are familiar with Confirmation. We often recognize it as a rite of passage for adolescents or as an act of commitment for adults. Unfortunately, we don’t always think much about its deep meanings. Briefly, let us review its general character and then look at the details of the rite in Lutheran services.

Confirmation, which basically means “strengthening,” is a rite of the Church that goes back to ancient times.  It involves a profession of faith or affirmation of the faith into which one has been baptized and prayers for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This affirmation has often been accompanied by the Laying on of Hands on the heads of those confirmed, but many Lutherans have only required prayers of blessing as central to this rite of the church. In some other traditions, Confirmation has been administered by a regional bishop, but among Lutherans, the rite is usually administered by the pastor of the local congregation.

In Lutheran doctrine, Confirmation is not an independent sacrament but is a rite closely related to Baptism. As Baptism marks a birth into the life of grace, Confirmation marks a growth into that life. Confirmation affirms the rejection of evil and faith in Christian basics such as the Apostles' Creed. It looks toward a life of faith and discipleship in Christ's Church. Lutherans have emphasized instruction in the faith, especially from Luther's Small Catechism. This instruction includes explaining the Ten Commandments, basic beliefs in the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and basic points about Baptism and the Lord's Supper. There has been a renewal of Baptismal promises and prayers for strengthening and for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Although Confirmation can be an important step in Christian life and although it has often been associated with sound Christian training in the Faith, we must not overstate its value. The rite is not absolutely necessary for all like Baptism normally is. Although Confirmation has ancient roots and can reflect scriptural principles, the rite itself is not commanded in the New Testament by Christ or His Apostles. So let us respect the good purposes and uses of Confirmation without being legalistic about details.

Conversion of St. Paul

Saturday, 25 January, is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. The event commemorated is important even from a secular historical point of view because Paul's conversion led to the spread of the Christian message to the Gentile world. For all Gentile Christians and for all thinking Christians, the work of the Apostle Paul is of basic importance. There is much that can be said about Paul's work and writings, but I would focus briefly on a passage read in my morning devotions. In II Corinthians 12:1-9, Paul writes about some of his own experiences and mentions his "thorn in the flesh" (12: 7). In II Cor. 12: 9, the Apostle cites the Lord's response to his prayers:  "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

This response can be seen as a motto for Paul's mission. It all depends upon the grace of God, which overcomes all of Paul's human weakness. Indeed, this is one basic message of the cross- God's grace is sufficient to express divine power through worldly weakness. The same can be said about the life and mission of every faithful Christian. We are all weak in many ways, but God's grace is sufficient to transform our weaknesses into opportunities to express divine power.