Sermon C: Trinity: John 8:51

On this coming Trinity Sunday, June 3, 2007, the three readings are Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 (The master craftsman); Acts 2:14a, 22-36 (Peter's sermon) and John 8:48-59 (Honor My Father). The verse chosen to preach at St Paul's, Mattoon, IL is John 8:51, "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My words he shall never see death."

There are two problems with this text. The first is that everyone dies! The second is that it appears that we all die because no one keeps His words! Now if those two facts are indeed true, then who can be saved? It is one thing to say that believers in Jesus Christ will first die and then go to heaven. It's quite another thing to assert, as Jesus does, that there are those who will never see death!

How do we resolve such a tension? As usual the distinctions of Law and Gospel (application) are the key after we first do a little exegesis (interpretation). It is a fact that the same word in both the Hebrew and Greek languages can have different meanings depending on the context. For example, the word "heaven" can refer to the sky, the universe, life after the Day of Judgment, the Interim between our physical death and Judgment Day as well as the Kingdom of Heaven on earth; namely, the holy Christian Church!

So also the word "law" can refer to the books of the Bible (law and prophets), the Ten Commandments, the moral, civil or ceremonial law, and so forth. Context decides what meaning is meant. So also with the word "death." If you ask someone about their marriage and they say that the marriage has died, you don't ask, "Where is your wife buried?" It is clear that the relationship has died, not the person.

So also, when Jesus speaks about "never seeing death", the "death" of which He is speaking is the death connected to the curse of the Law. "In the day that you sin, you shall surely die" resulted not in the physical death of Adam and Eve but in the spiritual death of being separated from the source of true Life, God Himself. Through sin, Eve and Adam had broken the relationship with God. Also recall Jesus pointing to unbelieving Pharisees as the walking dead!

The teaching of Christianity is that for believers, there is no more death. For the believer has already died in Christ through the waters of baptism (see Romans 6). The physical death we will experience is a passing from one mode of the kingdom of heaven to another mode of the same kingdom of heaven. Believers never really die! Unbelievers who never are converted never really live!

As to the notion of "keeping My word", that refers not to perfect obedience but Christian repentance over sin and trust in the promises of God to forgive the unforgivable. It is the revelation from the Holy Trinity that though under the Law you and I find nothing but sin and more sin, from the point of view of living under the Gospel, God no longer regards us as sinners. For He has forgiven our sins and dressed us in the robe of Christ's righteousness.

I know for Trinity Sunday this may not sound as appealing a sermon as a full-blown doctrine of the Three-in-One but that is best discussed in a Bible class. The real meaning of Trinity Sunday is that the cooperation between the three Persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit from before time began, has its fulfillment at the cross, the empty tomb, the mount of ascension and the soon-to-arrive Day of Judgment! Because of those historic events and the promises of the Gospel connected to them, the believer in Christ will never really die!

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Sermon C: Pentecost: John 14:23

This year Pentecost is celebrated on May 27, 2007. The three assigned readings are Genesis 11:1-9 (Tower of Babel); Acts 2:1-21 (Pentecost event) and John 14:23-31 (Love between Son and Father). The text chosen for a sermon is John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and Our home with him.'"

When I began this Blog over a 1 1/2 years ago, my goal was to find a passage each week from the assigned readings which appears at first glance to contradict the teachings of the Christian faith. So far, I have not been disappointed and this week is no exception. How different does John 14:23 sound from the Christian doctrine that first God loves us and then we love Him? It appears that verse 23 teaches that first we not only have to love Him but also keep His word. Then the Father will love us and both the Son and the Father will come to us and make their home with us.

To demonstrate the apparent contradiction, all one needs to read is the very next chapter 15 in which Jesus makes clear in verse 5, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." The apparent contradiction is obvious. In 14:23 it appears that first we have to love and keep God's word and then He will come to us. But in 15:5 it appears that apart from already being in Christ because He first loved us, we can do nothing!

The king of theology is interpretation (Scripture interprets Scripture) and the queen of theology is application (Law and Gospel). If you get the interpretation wrong, you will get the application wrong. The solution to our apparent dilemma is to realize that John 14:23 is read chronologically by most people. That is, first you love God; second you keep His Word; third the Father loves you; fourth, both the Father and the Son will make their home with you.

However, from John 15:5 it is obvious that our good works of loving God and keeping His Word follow our connection to Christ, not vice-versa. Perhaps the following analogy is helpful. An adopted son loves his parents who will love Him and make their home with him. Notice that when you read that sentence you do not read it chronologically in the sense that first the son does the loving prior to the parents making their home with him.

So also, John 14:23 is to be read in this way: "If there is love between you and Me it also means that you will be keeping My Word while the Father is loving you and We are making our home with you." It is the difference between verse 23 being read chronologically or simultaneously. In this way, verse 23 does not contradict the rest of Scripture at all but in fact supplements and is consistent with the Christian faith.

And what an opportunity to make this clear than on the Festival of Pentecost. For that day celebrates the Holy Spirit making our body His holy temple by forgiving our sins and dressing us in the robe of Christ's righteousness. In this process of sanctification one cannot divide the benefits received from Christ and our response of love and faith in the promises of our blessed Savior.

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Sermon for the Sun after Ascension

It is one thing to keep doing a blog from a Law and Gospel perspective analyzing specific texts. It is quite another to provide an example of an actual sermon. What follows is the sermon preached this past Saturday and Sunday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois.


Liars Don’t Go To Heaven

Revelation 22:15. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

I hated to eat peas when I was a child. At first, I would eat the good food first and hope my mother wouldn’t see the peas still on the plate. She did. So then I began eating the vegetables first waiting until later for the food I really enjoyed. The veggie part of our text is unpleasant not only because it is talking about hell but because it hits close to home. That’s the way with proper Law preaching. It really isn’t about someone else; it’s about me!

At first hearing we tend to nod our head in agreement that those going to hell should be sorcerers, the sexually immoral, murderers and dogs. Dogs? The terms dogs is used by the Old Testament to refer to male prostitutes. But then the list includes idolaters and liars. That makes us uncomfortable because then we are included in the list. However, from God’s point of view, in light of His Sermon on the Mount, we are also included as sexually immoral, murderers and the like not perhaps by deed but often by word and certainly by thought.

Is it that by eating our vegetables first, we become so ill that we are unable to partake of the good food? Or perhaps, for us, there is no good food to balance the veggies. That is true with every other religion in the world. Their diet of salvation includes eating the veggies of good works or good suffering or good sacrificies until you work off your sins. No other religion in the world has the good food of what Christianity refers to as the Gospel that salvation is by grace and not by works.

Unfortunately, many Christian groups cannot get away from making the veggies part of our spiritual diet. In some way, you become responsible for your salvation. One group talks about the need to purge your sins in a purgatory; another insists on your requirement to invite Christ into the heart; a third insists on using the Holy Spirit to finally stop from sinning.

You may remember the Worldwide Church of God under the leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong which was a cult. By God’s grace in 1995 many of their pastors and congregations became Christian and are now known as The United Church of God. They truly teach that salvation is a gift from God by grace through faith. They teach that salvation is not of works, lest anyone should boast. In fact, 90% of their doctrinal position is Christian. 90%? Listen how hard it is to leave the veggies.

In the same sentence they not only confess that the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone cleanses from sin but they also confess that happens only when we repent and cease from transgressing God’s law. Do you hear the contradiction? You can’t say on one hand that only through the atoning sacrifice of Christ are we cleansed and then in the same sentence say only when we stop from sinning are we cleansed. If I could stop from sinning, I don’t need Christ’s sacrifice!

It’s like a father who answers his son’s question as to whether he is loved. The father responds, “Son, I will always love you because you were born into our family as long as you are obedient in all that I tell you to do.” What the father gives with one hand, he snatches away with the other. Love is either unconditional or it’s conditional.

In every religion in the world and in a number of Christian denominations, love is conditional. But the Bible reveals only the God Who loves you unconditionally. Recall the verse, “God so loved the Lutherans, that He…” Oh, I’m sorry. “God so loved the Christians, that He…” Still not correct. Yes, “God so loved the world…”

The radical teaching of the Christian faith is that your works simply don’t count in regard to your becoming saved or your staying saved. Think about it. There is nothing you can do to get God to love you more; there is nothing you can do to get God to love you less.

But how does one resolve this unique revelation from God with the words of our text that speak of those who practice such sins will to hell? It sure sounds like your works make a difference. How can you, Pastor Baker, say that God doesn’t regard your works as the basis of whether you go to heaven or hell in light of such a clear passage from God’s Word?

I’m not telling you works are no longer the basis for God’s Judgment. God is telling you this. Where? Listen to verses 1-3 of the same text.

1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

Did you hear those phrases, “water of life,” “tree of life,” “healing of the nations” and “no more curse.” You and I have the disease of sin. But is it NOT sin that sends anyone to hell. It is the power of sin which according to 1 Corinthians 15 is the law. What law? The curse of the Law. “In the day that you sin, death is the result.” Hell is the result due to the Law’s curse!

It is not sin that separates us from God; it is the curse of the Law. Death refers not to temporal death but spiritual separation from God Himself. In every other religion of the world, healing takes place by you stopping your sin. Only in Christianity does healing take place by getting rid of the curse of the Law. And when did that happen?

It happened on a wind-swept hill centuries ago outside of Jerusalem when a man from Nazareth spoke these words, “It is finished.” What was finished? Certainly not the fulfillment of our salvation because we are still sinners? But not from God’s point of view and that’s the only viewpoint that counts. In case, you don’t get what was finished, Jesus elaborated with another word from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Good Friday changed everything. For through His death on the cross, the dividing wall of hostility between you and God; namely, the curse of the Law, was destroyed! The words of verse 1 of Romans chapter 8 ring true, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Are you ready for the radical teaching of Christianity? As you look at yourself you may see the sins of idolatry, sexual immorality, murder and even being a dog. But God no longer regards you in that way.

Such sins no longer apply to believers from God’s point of view. To offset your sins of commission, God gives you the gift of the forgiveness of sins; to offset your sins of omission, God dresses you in the robe of Christ’s righteousness. All because of the grace of God. Grace trumps condemnation. Under the Law, you both see yourself and properly confess that you are a poor, miserable sinner, deserving nothing but temporal and eternal punishment. But under the Gospel, God regards you as such a holy and sinless saint in Christ, that He invites you to receive within yourself the holy body and blood of your precious Savior. It’s called the holy Eucharist!

The holy festivals of the Church’s liturgical calendar can be viewed as continual fulfillments of the words “It is finished” from God Himself. The “It is finished” of Good Friday reveals the fulfillment of the curse of the Law being taken away by the death of Jesus Christ. The “It is finished” of Easter Sunday reveals the fulfillment of our justification through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The “It is finished” of Ascension last Thursday reveals the fulfillment of Satan, our prosecuting attorney, being replaced before the throne of God by our Defense Attorney, Jesus Christ. The “It is finished” of Pentecost reveals the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit making your body His holy temple through the waters of being baptized into the name of the Father, the Holy Spirit and the Son, Jesus Christ.”

And there’s more to come; that is, to be fulfilled. The “It is finished” of your temporal death, your departure from this vale of tears, is the fulfillment of your spirit being taken into the presence of your Lord Jesus Christ. And the final “It is finished” of Judgment Day is the fulfillment of the rejoining of your resurrected body with your spirit to live an eternity with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

While the “It is finished” may yet to be fulfilled in our experience, they in reality have all taken place in the mind of God. For in Christ, according to Ephesians 2, verse 5 and following, you who were dead in trespasses have already been made alive together with Christ, have already been raised up together with Christ and are now sitting together with him at the right hand of God. How so? He is the head; you are the body. And where the head is, so also is the body.

God, in Christ Jesus, ate the veggies first. You are now eating the main meal with the dessert being prepared for you in the mansions of heaven. Under the Law you look at your report card and fear you will fail to be promoted to heaven. Under the Gospel, God reveals that Jesus’s score is A+++ and he transferred his score to your report. That is why your works simply no longer are factored in as to whether you go to heaven or hell. Instead, the works of Christ save all who trust in Him for salvation apart from any works lest we boast. Not works, but faith or unbelief now is the deciding factor in regard to heaven or hell. It is absolutely true that liars will not be going to heaven. It’s just that God does not regard any Christian as a liar!

And even that precious faith you have received is not of your own making; it is a gift from God as David reminds us in Psalm 51 that God creates within you a new heart and a right spirit. You no longer need to look to your experience of who you think you are; you now are to look to the promises of Jesus Christ that assure you that the threats of the world, the devil and your own flesh have been removed by the “It is finished” of Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension Thursday, Pentecost Sunday and the glorious homecoming of the Day of Judgment soon to come. As the third chapter of Titus reminds us,

4. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5. not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6. whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7. that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is most certainly true. Amen.


May the words of God, “It is finished” that passes all understanding, sustain your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen.

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Sermon C: 7S Easter: Rev. 22:15

It is the Sunday after the Ascension so that it might be important to have an Ascension theme even though it is the 7th Sunday of Easter on May 20, 2007. The three readings are Acts 1:12-26 (Matthias as apostle); Revelation 22:1-20 (the new Jerusalem) and John 17: 20-26 (Pray for oneness). Chosen to preach this Sunday at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Collinsville, IL is Revelation 22:15, "But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie."

At first reading who would disagree that dogs (used in the Bible to refer to male prostitutes), sorcerers, sexually immoral murderers and idolaters deserve to go to hell? But what's this about those who practice a lie? Maybe that is a mistake? Those other people deserve hell but telling a lie deserves hell??? In case some might think this is a scribal error, here's what the previous chapter 21, verse 8 says, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

It is verses like these that at first reading give the impression that Christianity is just like every other religion. Those whom God regards as sinners will not be permitted to enter heaven. In all other religions the path to salvation is simply to stop doing such sins. Salvation takes place by becoming pure. And that is why Christianity is not just better but totally different than any other man-made religion.

Ready for a shock. In the context of these verses, the truth of Christianity is that from our point of view, those who are cowardly, murderers, sexually immoral and liars are going to heaven. But going to heaven is not from the point of view of humans but from the point of view of God Himself! What God does is refuse salvation to those who practice such things but provides free salvation to those who appear to be just like these people but from God's point of view are no longer practicing them. What does that mean?

Those who practice these things are NEVER repentant (contrition plus faith) in regard to such sins. In contrast, through the faith that God puts into our hearts, the Christian believer is contrite over such sins. It is not the contrition that is the foundation of salvation but the cross of Christ. By faith in the Gospel given as a gift by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace we hear the words of Revelation 21 that God will be our God, we will be the Lamb's wife even though we don't deserve it and we will receive the fountain of the water of life FREELY (21:6).

Law and Gospel. It makes all the difference. For those who live under the Law expecting their good works to credit them with salvation have rejected the gift of salvation in contrast to those who live under the Gospel. Living under the Gospel does not mean that we are not sinners but that we are freed from the curse of sin we ought to deserve because of what Jesus Christ has done.

Who goes to hell? Sinners. Who goes to heaven? Sinners. The difference is not that the latter have less sin. It is that in God's sight they have NO sin because of the two gifts of the forgiveness of sins and the robe of Christ's righteousness. And that's how the Ascension of Christ is included in the sermon explaining that Jesus is now our ascended Prophet, Priest and King!

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Thoughts on 1 Peter 1:16

In response to a great conversation on the phone, the 1st chapter of 1 Peter does indicate how different is Christianity than any other religion. After reading from verse 13 through 17, it at first appears that Christianity is not that different from any other religion that commands us to be sober, obedient, forsaking lusts to the point of becoming holy just "as I am holy."

A superficial reading comes to the conclusion that our becoming holy like God is based on our being sober, obedient and so forth. Christianity is then regarded as just somewhat better than other religions that command you to do that on your own because we have a Messiah Who will help us become more holy. But Christianity is not just better; it is totally different. How so in light of I Peter, chapter 1?

If we truly become holy like God in being sober, obedient and so forth, then how do the following verses relate? "You were not redeemed with corruptible things" (verse 18) and "so that your hope and faith are in God" (verse 21) and "having been born again...through the word of God" (verse 23)? You can't have it both ways in any other religion that you are to become holy by works yet are regarded already redeemed, hoping in God and born through the word.

Law and Gospel distinctions can sort this out. The following analogies are helpful. Every other religion in the world regards a relationship with god as one of employee to employer by which you get right with god through performance. Only Christianity sees our relationship already rock solid by being redeemed, born again and saved by faith in the true God. Then why the encouragement to bear fruit if God already regards us as a perfect tree?

The answer is mirrored in the father/child analogy. While the child is told again and again that no work or obedience he does can either create or sustain his relationship with the father, that doesn't mean such works and obedience are not encouraged. It's not that the father needs them to assure himself of the fact that the child is his. No, instead, the works are encouraged for the sake of the child.

For example, a 2-year old boy is adopted and given some food to eat. He is encouraged to do the work of eating that food. Eating that food neither establishes nor sustains the relationship between parent and child. But it sure is good for the child to eat. In same way, the apostle Peter encourages the Christian to be obedient to God not in order to merit a relationship but because the relationship is already set in place by the redeeming work of God Himself who saves you by grace through faith on account of Jesus Christ.

Works therefore are not to be encouraged as the means of sustaining the relationship. That already took place through the Holy Spirit's gift of faith. Works are instead encouraged not for the sake of God but for the sake of the neighbor who receives benefits from God through us. In that way, sanctification has no role in our justification; that having already been accomplished by the work of Christ through the means of grace (Word and Sacrament) with the Sanctifier--the Holy Spirit.

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Sermon C: 6S Easter: John 16:23

Mother's Day, May 13, 2007, is also the 6th Sunday of Easter. The Revised Lutheran lectionary suggests the following three readings: Acts 16:9-15 (Paul to Macedonia); Revelation 21:9-14, 21-27 (Holy Jerusalem) and John 16:23-33 (Jesus' prediction of His death and resurrection). Chosen to speak on is John 16:23 in which Jesus makes this promise, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you."?

There's a verse that at first reading sounds really comforting until you stop to think about it. It's at first comforting that we have a Father Who will give to us what we ask. However, how are we to judge our standing with Him when we don't get from Him what we asked? Like children in a store who go into a temper tantrum when they don't get what they want, we can go into an anxiety tantrum wondering what we did wrong now because of the apparent failure to get from God what we asked.

However, there is a difference between asking the Father for something and asking the Father for something in the name of Jesus. In fact, Jesus clearly states in the next verse 24 that up to this time the disciples have not asked anything "in My name." How can this be reconciled with the fact that during the ministry of Jesus, the disciples had been asking for many things?

Once more the distinction to be made is between "asking" and "asking in My name." Another passage about the "name" of God is found in the Great Commission by which we are to make disciples by baptizing people "in the name" of the holy Trinity. In fact, the original Greek should be translated as "into the name of" rather than "in the name of." What Jesus is saying is that through baptism, one becomes a member of the family of the holy Trinity. We are baptized into the name of that Trinity.

To pray in the name of Jesus is first of all to pray with faith in His promises. That means that the answer we expect from God is different than just praying to the Father. The possible answers one could receive by just praying to a god are "yes, no or wait." But praying in the name of Jesus results in only one answer--"YES"! How so?

There are only two kinds of requests. The first is asking God for that which He has already promised us. The second is asking God for that which has no promise. The first kind of prayer would be one in which we ask God to grant the newly baptized infant true faith. The second is asking God for a new car. Only in the second kind of prayer do we include, "Thy will be done."

That second kind of prayer was heard in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked that the cup of suffering be removed but with this addition, "not My will but Thy will be done." God's answer to Jesus was "yes" as His will was done! For according to the eternal will of God, the second Person of the Trinity was to become a human being to die for the sins of the entire human race.

To pray in the name of Jesus is always answered with "yes." If it is a prayer on the basis of a promise, then the promise is kept with a big "Yes" from God. If it is a prayer requesting that for which there is no clear promise but with the inclusion of "Thy will be done" then the answer is again "Yes" for God's will shall be done!A connection to Mother's Day might be made at this time. The congregation can be reminded that even though Mom's decisions were not all appreciated, she was attempting to make them on the basis of what is best for her child.

The promise that backs all this up is Romans 8:28 that "all things work together for good" to the one who has faith. No longer like theologians of self-glory do we need to regard the answer to our prayers as some kind of sign of God's attitude toward us. For through faith as we ask in the name of Jesus, we are confident that whatever God answers is always "YES" on our behalf. For He knows better than we what is really needed for our life here on earth and the continued eternal life yet to come.

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Christianity is NOT Better; It's Different

After hearing a lecture by Methodist pastor Dr. Sweet on how Christianity is not better but different, the radio program "Law and Gospel" spent the rest of the week on elaborating on that topic from a L&G perspective. You can listen to an archive copy of Thursday's broadcast by going to kfuo.org and then "Law and Gospel" and the Thursday first hour on May 3, 2007. Those of you who have been requesting that the second hour be archived will soon get your wish. It should take place in about 2 months.

To show how different Christianity is, let's start with the realization that there are only two religions in the world. Christianity and...everything else. Using a ladder as an analogy, "Everything Else" attempts to climb the rungs of that ladder to reach a god by various means including moralism, rationalism or mysticism. Christianity is totally different in that God climbs down the ladder, finds you, puts you on His shoulders and then climbs up the ladder carrying you all the way.

Most sermons that do keep you awake often do so by touting how much better is the Christian faith than other religions. That's a consumer driven approach and will result either in disappointment or self-righteousness. It's not true that the Christian God is better because of the grace dispensed to help you please Him and thus be saved. No, the Christian revelation is that God saves you without any contribution from you.

Your works are not only never part of the equation why God saves you but they also are never part of the equation as to why God regards you as remaining saved. In fact, only sinners go to Hell and only sinners go to Heaven. What then is the difference? The difference is that the sinners who go to Heaven trust in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior while those who go to hell are unbelievers.

This Blog attempts to interpret and apply the various lessons for each Sunday not just better than do other religions but totally different. That most Americans are ignorant of basic Christian facts is clear when surveys show that there are those who think that Joan of Arc was married to Noah! Just imagine what they understand about the theology of Christianity.

There is a growing understanding in the world that all religions worship the same god but just in different ways. Listen to the sermons delivered on the Day of Prayer recently and try to find even one that preaches about Jesus Christ as the ONLY way of salvation. One of the best examples as to how little people know about Christianity is the attempt on the part of Mormonism to consider itself not only as Christian but also as better than other Christian denominations!

That the world often is unable to differentiate between religions and Christianity is not just the fault of illiterate mindsets. It is also due to the lack of imagination by preachers in demonstrating the radical and shocking truths of Christianity that do not even come close to the commonsensical, reasonable teachings of all other religions.

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Sermon C: 5 S Easter: Acts 11:8

For May 6, 2007 the 5th Sunday of Easter has the following three readings: Acts 11:1-18 (Peter on the roof); Revelation 21:1-7 (new heaven, new earth) and John 16:12-22 (the Spirit of truth). Our focus is Acts 11:8 as Peter refuses the command of the Lord to eat unclean meat with the words, "Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth."

Part of the reason why there are so many Christian denominations is because of the apparent contradictions in the Bible. Of course, there are no real contradictions in the Bible. Yet at first reading it appears that the God Who told His people during Old Testament times not to eat unclean meat is contradicting Himself when he commands Peter to eat that same food. Most of these apparent theological contradictions are easily resolved by means of the distinctions between Law and Gospel.

What we have here is the critical distinction between the old and new covenants. Attached to the old covenant were the ceremonial laws. These laws were unlike any similar laws found in other religions. For in other religions, the ceremonial laws were to be done to get right with their false god. However, the Biblical ceremonial laws were instead proposed by the only true God as a reminder of the depth of sin on the part of each human being and the impossibility of getting right with God by works.

Instead, the ceremonial laws pointed forward to the need of a Savior Who would alone take care of sin by taking upon Himself the curse of the Law so that we would not need to go to hell. In light of the fact that the Christ has not only come but successfully finished His mission, there is no longer any need to follow the ceremonial laws because our sins have been forgiven!

Thus, needing to worship on the 7th day, sacrificing animals or the requirement for 8-day old males to be circumcised are all now abolished. The preaching of law to be directed to the congregational members is how often each of us continue to insist on following ceremonies or habits that are not commanded by God. Christ has freed us from any burden that needed to be fulfilled beyond what Christ has done. The pastor who knows his congregation will be able to apply both the Law and Gospel appropriately.

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