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from the augsburg pastor ...

Rev. Dick Smith

DOES GOD LOVE THE UNGODLY ANYMORE?

At the Augsburg Convention, July 25-28, 2004, in Brookings, SD, yours truly was elected the Augsburg Pastor. I perceive my role as a Servant of the Word. This is my first and foremost responsibility. I am to write and speak the Biblical message. In addition I see myself as a servant among the pastors and you all. Philippians 2 describes all of us when St. Paul writes, "Have this mind among yourselves which you (already) have (through your incorporation) in (to) Christ Jesus…" Christ in us means to be Christ to each other even as we see Christ in the other. This means that Luther’s expression that we are simultaneously justified and sinner is at the heart of the matter.

I like the way I heard Dr. Steve Paulson, professor at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, once describe it. He said, "We are always 200 percent which mathematically makes no sense. We are 100 percent sinners to the day we die. At the same time we are 100 percent holy, righteous, and perfect; saints, in the eyes of God." For a lot of people in our society being 100 percent sinner is just too much to take.

Middle Class respectability has often overtaken the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ comment to the Pharisees that a doctor does not come for those who well but for those who are sick and therefore, he has not come to save the righteous but the sinner, doesn’t sit well even in our communities of faith. Oh yes, people will intellectually ascribe to the notion that "after all nobody’s perfect," but when you get down to the nitty gritty they really don’t subscribe to the idea that they themselves are in fact really sinners. Certainly they would never accept the idea that they in fact are "ungodly."

The very heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He died NOT FOR GOOD PEOPLE BUT FOR THE OUTCASTS AND SINNERS. In our modern up to date, with it culture this is offensive. After all, don’t we have free will? We can do the good if we are a responsible person, can’t we? The short answer is NO. As Martin Luther said, "Free Will since the FALL (referring to Adam and Eve eating the fruit of the tree and falling into sin) exists in name only. And as long as it does what it is able to do, IT COMMITS A MORTAL SIN."

What does that do to American Positive Thinking! It exposes it for the farce that it is! Society says "you can do anything you put your mind to. If you fail it is only because you didn’t try hard enough. OK then, take on the Ten Commandments. The Scriptures tell how you will do. You’ll flunk! We all do!

That means we’re ALL helpless. And what did St. Paul say to that: "While we were yet helpless, at the right time CHRIST died for the UNGODLY. Why, one will hardly died for a righteous man – though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his live for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since therefore, we are not justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while were ENEMIES we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

Americans don’t like being helpless. This explains to a great degree why so much of what is tagged as Christianity in our culture is not Christian AT ALL. Americans want to be in control. They want to be in charge. Nobody is going to control them! That is the ultimate DENIAL.

In the face of this St. Paul declares that "ALL MEN…are under THE POWER OF SIN" (Romans 3:9). So WHO IS IN CHARGE? SIN IS! Free Will to not sin and do the right simply is a lie. St. Paul eliminates all fantasy about goodness for EVERYONE and puts the so called "best" with the so called "worst" and sticks them all in the prison house of sin. He writes, "None is righteous, NO, NOT ONE; no one understands, NO ONE SEEKS FOR GOD. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; NO ONE DOES GOOD, (ouch) NOT EVEN ONE (Mother Theresa?)’"(Romans 3:9b-12).

After that broadside, only a self deceiver would argue that one has free will to do well. Paul doesn’t say SOME men don’t seek God, SOME men have turned aside, SOME men don’t do the good. HE SAYS NONE, NOBODY, NOT EVEN ONE!

Thank God Christ Jesus came for the ungodly, like me. Thank God Christ Jesus came for the ungodly like you. Christ lives in the ungodly and "tears us away and places us in contrast to all other reality" (Regin Prenter, "Spiritus Creator," page 50). All your sins and ungodliness for all time are forgiven on the cross. One died for all therefore we’re all dead (II Cor. 5:14). The life that is in you and me is CHRIST HIMSELF now and forever!

Rev. Dick Smith, serves Heart River Lutheran Church, bringing Christ to youth at the Youth Correctional Center in Mandan, North Dakota. You may write directly to Rev. Smith at dicksmith9@bis.midco.netmailto:dicksmith9@bis.midco.net

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