A Holy Obligation

I know quite a few 20-21st century Lutherans, and we may prefer the title to look more like "grace driven living" or something like that, which is altogether accurate, yet what Paul is moving the Christians in Rome toward cannot be underscored enough. By Romans chapter 8, Paul has easily set the stage for not only his own inconsistencies, but everyone's:

ESV Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

ESV Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ESV Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
[Don't forget the important next thought Paul assumes:
ESV Romans 7:16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.]

Paul wants for his readers, just what Jesus wants for us today, to experience God's grace so richly that it can't but change your life completely and courageously, amidst a culture that at best laughs at the devoted follower, at worst persecutes The Way. The same thing John Newton experienced when he confronted the Risen Lord in Word and through His disciples in John's day. Many of you may know John Newton rightly as the author of Amazing Grace, but you may not know that he was a slave trader prior to preaching and writing hymns. For one who sold people, made in the image of God, to see Jesus and turn his life, he knew what Amazing Grace was all about. So did Paul, who labels himself "the worst of sinners" [1 Timothy 1.15-16], and knew how patient God really must have been. They hit rock-bottom, but in doing so, knew that God's love and ways were not only what He desires for us, but was the life of real freedom, life to the full, that Jesus Christ won for us on the cross!

Paul wants us to grasp that same understanding of grace, which is why he recounts numerous times in his letter to the Roman Christians that they are sinners, they are justified, they are in a battle, and they are on the winning side. That's right, they are the people of God who have had the Spirit of God give life to their mortal bodies [Romans 8.11].

Paul's next move can be quite uncomfortable, even controversial. The ESV puts it this way:

ESV Romans 8:12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

I personally like the flavor of the NIV as it says:

NIV Romans 8:12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.

Now, before you quickly bash me with "legalism" and other claims [that no matter how unfounded, still leave marks], let me dive into the Greek a little. Friberg [A Greek version of Webster for English] says that this 'debtor' is someone who owes something [the implication is that it must be paid back, although we know justification is not in contention at the moment]. He goes on to say that this person is obligated to, even must perform 'various obligations and duties.' He cites Paul's earlier usage in Romans 1.14, where the ESV here translates the same word:

ESV Romans 1:14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Paul then states that we are under obligation to fulfill the fruit of the Spirit? Does this have anything to do with [ESV] Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." Law of the Spirit of life? What is that? Where is Walther when you need him? I guess Paul knows that in a Romans 7 way [just as David and others said so many times in the Psalms: Ps. 18.22; 19.7-8; 119...basically all of it!] that the law is good when our sinful nature needs it.

Louw-Nida lexicon [dictionary, Greek to English, like Webster 8th edition] gives us 3 possibilities, much like the rest. One, debtor, one who must repay at a later date [again, not justification!]. Two, "one who must" or one who is obligated. These two seem to make sense in light of Paul's wording. I have trouble imagining the third, which is "sinner." It just doesn't fit for Paul to say that "I am a sinner to both Greeks and barbarians, to the wise and the foolish." What exactly would it mean to be a sinner to the foolish? And why would Paul ever plug that into the equation? No, Romans 8.12 must read, "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation" as Paul used in Rom. 1.14!

Paul says it another way in ESV Romans 6:22 "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life."

What does it mean to become "slaves of God" anyway? Do you think slaves live, eat, behave the way their master wishes? Think about it!

No, Paul is clearly meaning that we are in obligated to live by the "law of the Spirit" or the Spirit of God, because we are "sons of God." Wow, what a proclamation! Paul calls us 'sons of God.' Think about that for a minute.

Don't think too long, let it sit for a while, we will come back to it. Paul is clearly telling us that we have been endowed with rights, given to us through the Son Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. With those rights come responsibilities. Sounds like Jesus' words in Luke 12.48:

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Newt Gingrich says it this way: "If you fail in your responsibilities, you fail God." Wow, who of us haven't failed as husbands, wives, parents, businessmen, lawyers, teachers, pastors...ESV Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Thanks be to God is right! But, why are we still here? We have heard the Word of Truth, we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we have been baptized, what's God waiting for? For that answer, I turn to two people who 'get it' before continueing with Paul.

First up is Abraham Lincoln. When honest Abe gave the Gettysburg Address, he began as most would have thought, to thank and dedicating a field to those who gave thier lives for the cause, but what he ended up doing was turning the table on those who were there listening. Take a look [from the Gettysburg Address]:

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Lincoln put the consecrating upon the living, to be consecrated for action so that the dead would not have died in vain. That's interesting. Do you know that as of 2001 it was estimated that over 70 million Christians have died for their faith in Jesus Christ! I'm not talking about 70 million people who have died, I'm talking about martyrdom. Take a look for yourself: http://www.gcts.edu/ockenga/globalchristianity/gd/gd16.pdf So, what are we still here for? Passing on the light that was passed onto to us! Every day gives us another opportunity to make an eternal difference in the life of others! That's what all but one of the original faithful apostles died for, that's what Paul died for, the Truth. The same Truth that Jesus himself died for. The same Truth we are now sanctified and obligated to pursue, know and deliver! Why such the fuss? Jesus' prayer in John 17.23:
"...that they [future disciples] may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."

Our unity in the Word, our unity in our actions not only let others know that Jesus is 'for real,' but they argue that Jesus is the Messiah, loved by the Father, Who also loves us! What an opportunity to make an eternal difference in the lives of others!

This isn't just for preachers or theologians. This difference is made in all facets of life. A great analogy can be made with our second example.

Second up is a new country song [I know, sorry about that, but it's worth it] that can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq5dKHeIqfI and is sure to get you thinking. Pay attention to the lyrics.

Did you hear the lyrics? Isn't that the heart of a man captured in love for those who cannot care or protect themselves? Dad's heart broke...he wrote so that the girl would know...Do you think God's heart broke for us, His creation, made in His image, Who seeing us in our bondage and despair, even went as far as to send His only Son to live and die a horrible life and death? Then He wrote us this letter of love [Holy Scripture] to tell us all about Himself. Why? Because he "doesn't like war, but He loves us more!!!" This is what He was willing to go through to bring us back to Him. He wants us to breathe the air of freedom, it's what 'His heart demands!' He loves us and wants our children's children to have a better place. Isn't this what Abe was talking about, isn't this the heart of God, isn't this what Paul is speaking over us today?!

Paul wants us to know that we are God's children, protected by His grace. Paul also wants us to know that as "co-heirs" with Christ, as 'sons of God,' He wants us to mature and grow into our sonship. Just as a 2 year old puts his tiny feet into dad's 11 size shoe, Dad knows that he not only must protect the son, but train him up to be like him, so that he can actually fill those shoes rightly one day. So it is with us, God wishes to have us fill the shoes, be like Jesus, so that others may know the truth and so be saved [remember John 17?].

What will that get us? Well, Paul ends in verse 17 by telling us that we will indeed share in Christ's glory if we share in His sufferings. Whoah. It gets us suffering? Not what most want to hear, but isn't that what Jesus, the 11 faithful disciples, and the 70 million other martyrs would say to us today? What is the cost of discipleship, anyway? Could it be persecution? Could it be death? Could it be awkward moments with family, friends and aquaintances? Could it be following in our leader's [Jesus] footsteps, who came in grace and truth [John 1.14], and finding that the world, Satan, and our own sinful flesh doesn't like that too much?

But don't forget what God speaks over you. May you hear Paul reminding you that you are sons and daughters of God, that you are co-heirs with Jesus Christ, and that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree [you have been grafted into]. Be the moral compass for yourself and our children's children's society. Pray for new King Josiah's to be raised up, coming to a knowledge of the Truth, and changing culture to be in line with the Word.

Lord, form our character. Raise up leaders in our nation, new King Josiahs, that will hear your Word and faithfully lead. Protect our soldiers that fight tyranny and protect women and children across your globe. Help us to be Your presence on this earth, full of grace and truth, love and justice, so that the world may know that You sent Jesus for them too! Praise be to You! Amen.


For the longer version [or the auditory], go to the sermon page of http://www.stpaullakeland.org/ at https://stpaullakeland.ctsmemberconnect.net/sermon-ctrl.do?view=0&grpId=2722 and click on the sermon for 7/13/08 labeled "Grace Driven Living." You will also need to supplement with the 5 minute video [you will notice when I introduce the video] at youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq5dKHeIqfI