July 3, 2011 Pentacost 3A
The Real Independence Day
Grace mercy and peace from God the father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
The text for today is the Epistle lesson -- Paul’s letter to the Romans chapter 7:14-25a. Saint Peter commented about Paul’s letters (2 Peter 3:16b) when he said: ( Paul’s) letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. I believe that today’s lesson may be one of the letters that Peter had in mind when he penned these words. I am also aware of St James’ words concerning teachers:
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)
So with these caution flags in place let’s get into this text.
Who is Paul writing about here? It seems rather clear to me that he is describing his own struggle with sin. In the passage he clearly states: I am of the flesh, I do not understand my own actions, I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. These are all I statements. He is not standing above everyone, in his lofty pulpit, pointing his finger and saying You did, You are, You do not understand.
I believe he is talking about himself and we can be assured that the Holy Spirit can can point His finger and He can speak to us through these words of scripture.
Some have a hard time comprehending that Saint Paul is speaking of his struggle after he became a believer. Once again look at his words. I do, I Am, I do not do. These are in the present tense. This struggle is not something from his pre-Christian past. It does not say I did, I Was, I did not do. Paul is speaking about his struggle post conversion. As Luther said we are sinners and saints at the same time. We know God’s will and desire to serve Him ,but we can not overcome sin even when we try we fail. Our struggle is not a past event , it is a present reality. A analogy might be found in a description of kleptomania :
Kleptomania is an irresistible urge to steal items of trivial value. People with this disorder are compelled to steal things, generally, but not limited to, objects of little or no significant value, such as pens, paper clips, paper and tape. Some kleptomaniacs may not even be aware that they have committed the theft.
Kleptomania is distinguished from shoplifting or ordinary theft, as shoplifters and thieves generally steal for monetary value, or associated gains and usually display intent or premeditation, while kleptomaniacs are not necessarily contemplating the value of the items they steal or even the theft until they are compelled without motive.(Wikipedia)
In other words -- some of our sins are on automatic pilot………..
I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. -- This statement is made at thousands of twelve step programs that meet daily for people suffering from a wide range of addictive behaviors and substance addiction.
I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Paul is careful not to tell us the nature of his sin and in honor of the Eighth Commandment ( You shall not give false testimony about your neighbor), I will not speculate about this here, and in the process, tarnish Paul’s reputation. My sanctified imagination tells me that Paul had a confessor or two and shared the details of his struggle within these confidential relationships. He did not give the gory details out to everyone.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran Pastor, martyred by the German Nazis, states in his book --“Life Together,” --- the following reality of congregational life: “He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. It may be that Christians, notwithstanding corporate worship, common prayer, and all their fellowship in service, may still be left to their loneliness. The final break through to fellowship does not occur, because, though they have fellowship with one another as believers and as devout people, they do not have fellowship as the un devout, ---- as sinners. The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everyone must conceal sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is we are all sinners!”
Some seek comfort that their churches don’t provide and join self help groups so that they are not so alone in their sins. There is value in these programs but a person could be very sober yet very damned if their recovery is not Christ centered.
I think Paul and Bonhoeffer are saying the same thing: confess your sin, confess it again and again but to mature Christians like a Pastor or to someone committed to confidentiality.
Sadly we also sometimes see the opposite problem. What scripture clearly states as sin is explained away. Some defiant sin is called a “life style choice.” Scriptural sin is redefined to align itself with the world, the sin is embraced, and Churches become politically correct but biblically in serious error. Unrepentant sinners, in total denial of any wrong doing, continue with full approval and support.
No where does Paul give his sin or our sin a wink. No where does he say this doesn’t apply now, no where does he embrace sin. He does understand the slip, the transgression, the lapse, the relapse and the temptations that we experience. In spite of this understanding he says to surrender to Christ and not to sin, embrace Christ not your addiction to sin.
It is a fact that all Christians struggle with sin. We sometimes visit old playgrounds, often in our minds, and reminisce. We hang out with old playmates and regress. We hit our heads on a hanging lamp and the vocabulary turns vernacular. -- The urge to give in lies beneath the surface. Right now for example it is all that I can do to not speculate on Paul’s struggle and violate the 8th commandment!
Sin has been equated with disease. Some diseases left untreated will cause death. Most diseases affect quality of life. Sin affects our quality of life in Christ Especially when our sins become defiant, they can lead to the unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:32) and our certain damnation. By hardening our hearts to God’s word and commandments, we can ultimately separate our selves from Him. We can become so hardened and defiant that we actually promote our intentional sins to others -- helping to justify and rationalize our actions in our minds.
Instead of saying I do not do what I want, We say we are doing what we want and do not care about God’s law. We no longer hate the sin but we love it.
Type I diabetes, where a patient’s body produces no insulin, will result in the death of a patient rather quickly. There is a treatment that effectively extends life for decades -- that is Insulin-- originally produced from animal sources and now produced through newer DNA technology. The choice is simple, use the insulin and live. Refuse the Insulin and die.
No amount of dietary change or exercise or other diabetes treatments will change this. Only Insulin will prevent death.
Paul gives us the one and only cure for the disease of sin. Verses 24-25 in today‘s epistle --- “What a retched man I am ! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ Crucified! -- The message of the cross. Foolishness to the world around us--- but to those of us being saved --- the power of God!
We can not save ourselves. No amount of clean living, good deeds, pious works or man made religions can help. We can not keep our lives free from sin. We will slip but we have the cure for this sin disease everywhere we turn. Jesus promised to be with us always. (Matthew 28:20)
Winston Churchill in one of his speeches said “ “Never, never, never, never give up.”
He was referring to a different struggle but the principle is the same.
No matter what the sin, no matter how many times, no matter how long this has been going on, embrace Christ on the cross. Never give in and embrace the sin -- never deny Christ As Paul says in Romans 6:12 “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” Paul said he was the greatest of sinners -- maybe so but there are others.
Let me tell you a few things about Bernard Nathanson taken from an internet article. His story shows the power of God to reach us.
Nathanson, a medical Doctor, has taken responsibility for 75,000 abortions in his career. He also stated that he performed an abortion on a woman that he had impregnated. ---- He killed his own child by his own hand ---- He came to realize the enormity of his sins and became a pro-life activist. In his autobiography “Hand of God” he said “I am one of those who helped usher in this barbaric age.” He is quoted as saying abortion is “the most atrocious holocaust in the history of the United States.”
This is not a slip. This sin was embraced. It became a way of life. He actively promoted it to others.
Nathanson became a Christian in 1996 and received God’s forgiveness the same as you and me.
He died in February 2011
The murderous sin of abortion has touched many families. Although declared legal by the courts, It is certainly not right in God‘s eyes, but it is forgivable. Jesus clearly said “come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Why would anyone refuse this offer? All who labor and are heavy laden ---- Whatever our baggage ---- whatever our past --- we are welcome in the arms of Christ. In spite of our current struggles --- no matter how many time we say ---- I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate ---no matter how long or how defiantly we have sinned --- we are welcome.
Even more remarkable is the account written by Pastor H. F. Gerecke describing the repentance and God’s forgiveness received by some of the Nazi war criminals tried and imprisoned at Nuremburg. These men were prime examples of those allowing sin to reign in their bodies and minds and having their sins contaminate an entire nation -- adversely affecting the entire world. He tells about many of these former monsters coming to trust in Christ, reading the bible, praying, taking communion, and asking questions about difficult bible passages in the weeks before they were executed or sentenced to prison. Sadly some did not repent.
We really only have two options: Follow Christ even though we stumble at times or follow Satan and be condemned. What sane person would make the wrong choice here?
Our High Priest Jesus has offered for all time one sacrifice for sins.(Heb 10:12) -- This is the real Independence day. Christ has freed us from all sins, from death, and the power of the devil. If we reject this sacrifice there is no other cure for our disease of sin.
