Photo by Kristina V on Unsplash
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We Americans are proud of our freedom. Of course, we aren’t free to do whatever we want. But, within the confines of our laws, agreed upon by our elected representatives, we live in freedom.
The opposite of freedom is slavery. Someone who is enslaved can’t do what they want. They are compelled to do what their master wants. In Martin Luther’s day, like today, people knew they were sinners and feared the consequences of their sin. The church in those days preyed on these fears teaching people that if they didn’t earn enough merit through their works to earn God’s favor, they’d be sentenced to eternity in hell. Since nobody wants to suffer eternal torment and nobody was ever certain if they had achieved enough merit, they were enslaved to their master – sin – piling up rituals and works, hoping they’d outweigh their sin and earn God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Martin Luther, a priest in the church, was tormented by this uncertainty – until he understood Romans 1:17 “For in (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” In these words, Luther discovered it was not slavery to the law or man’s rituals or traditions that earned God’s favor. Rather, God in His grace, gives it as a gift to those with faith in Jesus Christ, His sacrificial death, and His resurrection. Luther realized he was freed from his sin when he entrusted his life to Christ.
Jesus tells us, “If you abide in my word … you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) Luther abided in Christ’s word. He discovered he was indeed free by God’s grace. And so are we. We are freed by God’s grace alone, based on our faith in Jesus’ works alone, found in God’s Word alone. God’s love has set us free. Let's join together to celebrate God’s love for us which frees us to love our neighbors and God without concern or worry.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim