“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” Romans 3:21-22 (Read v. 19-28)

How can you and I, who are sinners, be righteous and acceptable to God? How can we escape the condemnation of God’s perfect law and be counted righteous and holy in God’s judgment? You might be surprised how many get the answer wrong, even among those who call themselves Lutheran.

First of all, it is not by our obedience to God’s Law or by any good works or righteous deeds we perform. This was the misconception with which Luther struggled, trying to be righteous before God by doing good works and living a holy life. Having been taught by the church of Rome that salvation is by holy living and righteous works which we do with God’s infused grace and help, Luther sought to appease God, even going to the point of becoming a monk and punishing himself for sins; but it was never enough!

It is as the Bible teaches us in Romans 3:9ff. We are all guilty of sin and deserving of God’s wrath and punishment. It is as St. Paul writes in v. 19-20: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

If the Law of God reveals our sin and condemns us, how can we be righteous and acceptable to a just and holy God who demands perfect righteousness, that we be holy as he is holy (cf. Lev. 19:2; Matt. 5:20,48)? The answer is recorded in Romans 3:21-22: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” Luther found it in Romans 1:16-17.

A righteousness of God apart from our keeping of the Law is revealed to us in the Gospel. It is a righteousness to which the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, testify. It is “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” It is a righteousness which is imputed to us when we have faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice upon the cross for the sins of the world.

The following verses (23-28) explain: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Who are the “all” when it says: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”? We shouldn’t take these verses out of their context and from the full statement as some do. Even though all people have sinned and come short of the glory of God, the “all” in this passage is the same as the “all” at the beginning of Paul’s statement when he says: “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.”

This is important if we wish to rightly understand the chief doctrine of the Christian Faith. Who is it that is justified? Is it all people? Or, is it those who believe in Jesus?

Note that the text says: “Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood”; and “that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Thus, justification is by faith alone in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. And, with Paul, we conclude “that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Cf. Romans 4:1-11; 23-25; 5:1-2; Galatians 2:16.

This, of course, is in complete accord with our Lutheran Confessions (Augsburg Confession, Article IV): “Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.”

So, how can we sinners be counted righteous and acceptable to God and escape His just punishment for our sins? It’s not by works of the law because we, like all others, fail and come short of what God demands. It’s not by a supposed righteousness imputed to all sinners apart from and before faith, as some teach. Rather, it is by faith alone in Christ Jesus – it’s when we flee to the cross of Jesus and trust that God, for the sake of Christ’s perfect righteousness and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross for the sins of the world, is gracious and merciful and forgives the sins of penitent sinners for Jesus’ sake. It’s when we place our trust in Jesus and His cross, that God forgives our sins, counts us just and holy and righteous for Jesus’ sake, accepts us as His own dear children and gives a place in His everlasting kingdom!

Your Law condemns us, O God. We are guilty and deserving of Your wrath and punishment! But we flee to the cross of Jesus and trust that, for the sake of Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for all sin, You deal with us in mercy, grant us forgiveness, and count us righteous and holy in Your sight. Graciously keep us trusting in Christ Jesus that we might not be condemned but have everlasting life. Amen.

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

While most of the world will observe Halloween with its ghosts, goblins and practices which have their roots in the pagan beliefs and practices of pre-Christian Europe, a few of us observe October 31 for another reason.

It was on that day in 1517 — on All Hallow’s Eve (the evening before All Saint’s Day) — a German priest and monk nailed 95 theses or statements to the community bulletin board of the day, the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. And the posting of those statements, meant to challenge and encourage debate over the sale of indulgences in the German lands, was the spark which led to the Lutheran Reformation — an event which changed the world.

It’s hard for us today to even imagine a time when church members were not allowed to own or read the Bible, when the church hierarchy and especially the head bishop (or pope) determined what was to be taught in the churches and rejected the central message of the Bible, when those who translated the Bible into the language of the people or taught what the Bible says were declared heretics and burned at the stake, when the head bishop and his hierarchy could determine whose sins were forgiven and whose were not, and when forgiveness could be bought from the church through the sale of indulgences. But this is the way the Western Church — the Roman Church — was in the 15th and early 16th Centuries. And, in fact, this sad state of affairs in Europe had been so already for centuries before.

And it was into this setting that Dr. Martin Luther — not to be confused with Dr. Martin Luther King, the civil rights advocate of the last century — lived. Fearing for his own soul, for he knew he was a sinner, Luther became a monk and later a priest and university professor. As such, he was privileged to read for himself the Bible and teach it to his students and parishioners. But Luther found that the teaching of the Bible and the doctrine of the Roman Church were far from the same.

Through the prayerful study of the Scriptures, Luther learned that no one was righteous or could be acceptable in God’s eyes by his own works or life “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Nothing that a person could do was enough to satisfy God’s just wrath against sin. But he also learned that all are “justified freely by (God’s) grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Jesus Christ, by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death, made atonement for the sins of the whole world and rose again. He “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

Thus, Luther, who was so troubled over his own sins and shortcomings in keeping God’s commandments and pleasing God that he abused and punished himself, found comfort for his soul. He found his hope in the Gospel, which reveals the righteousness of God which is ours through faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Romans 1:16-17). He came to know and believe “that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28).

He realized the Roman Church was wrong when it taught that people had to do good works assigned by the church to be saved. He knew that the indulgences the Roman Church was selling to raise money could offer no forgiveness and were entirely contrary to the teaching of the Bible. And He knew that the popes and the bishops and priests had no authority to preach and teach anything but the Word of God — the Bible.

Thus, beginning with his 95 Theses, Luther began calling the people and their churches back to the Bible as the only source and judge of all Christian teaching and to its central message, that salvation is by God’s grace alone, for the sake of Christ’s redemption alone, and is received through faith alone.

Later, when facing the likelihood of being put to death for his teaching, Luther was called upon to recant and take back all his teachings and writings which were contrary to the Roman Church and its hierarchy. He is said to have replied: “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

Luther’s stand for the truth of God’s Word and his preaching of the true and saving Gospel which had for centuries been silenced has brought blessings to us all, whether we realize it or not. Because of his stand and his translating work, we can read and study our Bibles today. And we can and should use our Bible as the only source of truth and with it judge what is taught to us in Bible classes and preached to us from pulpits. And through the preaching of God’s Word by Luther and others who have followed in his steps, we still can hear today that though we are sinners unworthy and guilty before God, we are justified and forgiven for the sake of Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead, and that this grace and forgiveness won for us by Christ is ours, not by works, but through faith alone in Christ Jesus, our Savior!

Now that’s a great reason to observe the day!

“Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” John 4:50 (Read v. 46-54)

Are we willing to take Jesus at His word or must we see to believe? When Jesus returned to Cana in Galilee, a certain official at Capernaum whose son was sick and at the point of death heard of Jesus’ return and went to Jesus for help. He begged Jesus to come down to Capernaum and heal his son.

Those who have had children sick and facing death can understand this royal official’s desperation. All seemed hopeless. Only a miracle could save this man’s son, and he had heard of Jesus’ power to work just such miracles. If only Jesus would make the trek down to Capernaum in time!

How did Jesus respond to the nobleman’s request? He said, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” And it’s true. Think of Martha’s words to Jesus when Lazarus died: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” (John 11:21). And we might think the same thing as we stand at the bedside of a dying loved one: “If only Jesus were here, he wouldn’t die.”

But wait, Jesus is here. He’s present everywhere. He’s with us always, even to the end of the world (cf. Matthew 28:20). Do we have to see His presence to believe He’s with us? Do we have to see Him lay His hands on the sick and dying to know that He has done so? Must we see signs and wonders with our own eyes before we believe? Is it not enough to read of His mighty works in the pages of Scripture, hear of His love and mercy toward us and know that He Himself died for all our sins, rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God the father?

And if we see no miracle, has none occurred? If a loved one dies in the Lord Jesus rather than being restored to health and life here in this world, is not this an even greater miracle? Think about it. Jesus died for the sins of the world and rose again. His Holy Spirit raised up our loved one’s soul, which was dead in sin and unbelief, to faith and life in Christ Jesus. For Christ’s sake, a soul destined to eternal damnation in hell received God’s pardon and forgiveness and was restored to fellowship with God and destined to the eternal joys of heaven. When that loved one died a temporal death, God’s angels came and carried his or her soul into the very presence of Christ our Savior. Is not this a greater miracle than any temporal healing we might see with our earthly eyes? We cannot see it now but, when we get home, we shall see!

When the nobleman said to Jesus, “Sir, come down ere my child die,” Jesus said to him, “Go thy way; thy son liveth.” Jesus wanted this man to trust Him and take Him at His word — He challenged this man’s faith. And, indeed, when we think about it, wasn’t it better that this man’s sick son be healed immediately rather than waiting another day while Jesus walked from Cana down to Capernaum?

Jesus wants us to take Him at His word as well. He promises us forgiveness for all our sins and life eternal with Him in heaven through faith in His name. We can’t see these blessings now, but they are ours just the same. Must we see signs and wonders to know His word to us is true? Must we speak in tongues or work miracles in Jesus’ name before we can believe we are really forgiven and have a place in God’s eternal kingdom?

Knowing our weaknesses, Jesus does give us visible means connected with His Word that we might take hold of and receive the promises. That we might know our sins are washed away and forgiven and that we are born anew as God’s children, He gave us the waters of baptism. Water is used by God’s command and connected with His Word of promise, and through it, He washes away all our sins for Jesus’ sake, regenerates us and makes us children of God by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit (cf. Titus 3:4-7). In and with the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper, Christ Jesus gives us His body and blood which were given and shed for the remission of our sins — all that we might be assured of full and complete forgiveness as we partake of the sacrificial “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

The Bible tells us that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). When this nobleman heard the words of Jesus, he “believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.”

Now think of Jesus’ words to us: “Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matthew 9:2); “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20); or “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2, 3). Jesus spoke these words and they are recorded for us that we, too, might believe. Through these and many other passages of Scripture, He creates faith in our hearts and assures us of eternal salvation — of a place in His everlasting kingdom!

We may not be able to see all these blessings now — we can only take Jesus at His word and live our lives here in confidence — but when we get home, we’ll see that His words are true. When we were brought to trust in Christ Jesus, God did indeed forgive us all our sins for the sake of Jesus’ innocent sufferings and death in our stead! God was watching over us, caring for us and preserving us in the faith throughout our earthly lives! Heaven is real, and Messiah Jesus did prepare a place for you and me to dwell with Him there in the mansions of His Father’s house!

In fact, when we get home, we’ll be amazed and struck with awe at the blessings which are ours in Christ Jesus — blessings which we didn’t begin to fathom here in this world! The Bible tells us “That in the ages to come” our gracious God will show us “the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).

Yes, when we get home, not only will we see that Christ Jesus our Savior lives, we will see that we indeed live forever in Him!

O gracious God, grant us faith to take Jesus at His word until that day when we go home and see with our own eyes that all He has promised us is indeed true! Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son….” Matthew 22:2 (Read v.1-14)

The chief priests and Pharisees, along with many of the Jews, rejected Jesus and would not trust in Him for the forgiveness of their sins and a place in God’s eternal kingdom. God’s servants, the apostles and prophets, proclaimed to them the way of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus; but they made light of God’s gracious invitation and even mistreated and killed God’s servants.

With the parable of the king who made a marriage supper for his son, Jesus illustrated to his hearers how they were rejecting God’s gracious invitation to have part in His kingdom and partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb through faith in His own dear Son, Jesus Christ (cf. Rev. 19:7ff.).

As described in Jesus’ parable, the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants were judged of God for their rejection of Christ Jesus. The city was destroyed and burned with fire, and its inhabitants were either killed or carried away captive. (This was done by the Roman armies in 70 A.D.)

The LORD God has also sent His servants out to invite others to have part in His eternal kingdom through faith in Christ. The Gospel has been preached, not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles around the world; and many, by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit through the Word, have heeded God’s gracious invitation. Through faith in Jesus Christ, they have received forgiveness of sins and will partake of the eternal joys of heaven.

They are clothed, not with their own sin-tainted righteousness, but with the perfect righteousness of Christ. It is only for the sake of Christ and His innocent sufferings and death in their stead that they are acceptable to God by faith and have a place in His kingdom (cf. Eph. 1:6ff.).

But, like the man who came without a wedding garment, there are also many who try to earn a place in God’s kingdom by their own sin-tainted works rather than simply receiving the righteousness of Christ which is ours through faith. Such, who attempt to partake of God’s eternal kingdom clothed in the spotted garment of the flesh rather than in the righteousness of Christ, will be cast out into the darkness and eternal torment of hell.

God’s gracious invitation goes out to all, but only the elect of God heed the Gospel call and trust in Christ alone for eternal salvation (cf. 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 1:3ff.; Acts 13:48). It is only by the grace of God that we who trust in Christ have heeded the Gospel invitation (Eph. 2:8-9).

We also need to beware lest we take that invitation lightly or begin to depend upon our own sin-tainted righteousness rather than trusting in the perfect righteousness of Christ our Savior.

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness my beauty are, my glorious dress; midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head. Bold shall I stand in that great Day, for who aught to my charge shall lay? Fully thro’ these absolved I am from sin and fear, from guilt and shame. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #371, Verses 1-2)

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” Matthew 9:2 (Read v. 1-8)

In private confession and absolution, and each Sunday in corporate worship, sinners confess their sins to the Lord God and look to Christ Jesus and His cross in faith for the forgiveness of sins; and the pastor announces unto them the grace of God and, in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgives the sins of penitent sinners. “But who can forgive sins but God alone?” some may ask.

This is what the scribes asked within themselves when Jesus forgave the sins of a man, sick of the palsy. They thought Jesus was guilty of blasphemy because He, seeing the faith of this paralyzed man and his friends, said to the man, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.”

Of course, anyone can say the words, but if they lack the authority to forgive sins, those words are but a deception, a lie, a sham. But Jesus proved His authority to forgive sins. He said, “Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.”

And, what happened? The paralyzed man “arose, and departed to his house.” Jesus’ proved His authority to forgive sins, and He proved that His words to this man were indeed true. This man’s sins were forgiven! He could depart in peace.

And what about the words of your pastor when he hears your confession and points you to Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross for the sins of the world – when he tells you to “go in peace; your sins are forgiven you”?

He may not be able to heal the sick or raise the dead; but Jesus did, and it is Jesus who commands him to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in Christ’s name (Luke 24:47). It is Jesus who commands His disciples and His pastors to forgive the sins of penitent sinners and to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent (John 20:22-23). It is Jesus who said, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).

And notice that pastors do not forgive – or baptize, or administer the Lord’s Supper, or preach – in their own name and by their own authority. Rather, it is “in the stead and by the command” of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus healed the paralyzed man, proving His authority to forgive sins. Jesus even rose from the dead, proving the sufficiency of His sacrifice on the cross to satisfy God’s just wrath against all sins (cf. Romans 4:23-25; 1 Corinthians 15:1ff.; John 1:29). Certainly, He who paid for our sins with His blood and then rose again from the dead on the third day has the authority to forgive the sins of all who look to Him in faith.

So, when you confess your sins to God – whether in corporate worship or in private confession – and the pastor, based on your confession and your profession of faith in Christ Jesus, announces unto you the grace of God and proclaims to you that your sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, you can depart in peace, in good cheer, for indeed your sins are forgiven by the Lord Jesus Himself – He has the authority to forgive sins! (Cf. Luther’s Small Catechism on Confession.)

O gracious and merciful God, forgive our sins for Jesus’ sake and grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may believe and rejoice in the pardon and forgiveness won for us by our Lord Jesus Christ and promised and assured to us in Your absolution spoken by the pastor. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]