Grace in Theology

Nobody who takes the Christian faith seriously would argue that faith is a simple matter that requires little mental effort. No, understanding the full truth of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death requires that we spend much time in thought, prayer, study, and reflection. There are many other aspects of the Christian faith that also require a good deal of mental energy and all of this is a good thing. If the God that I follow can be easily understood and defined by my limited human mind then my God is not big enough. But, He is big enough. He is more than enough, and so I find that I study and ponder a great many faith issues.

What do I do, however, when I find that I have a disagreement, a true differing of opinion on a substantial theological matter with a brother or sister in Christ? My humanity, that is, the depravity within me, says I must destroy their argument, convince them of my theological superiority and win the day. The Apostle Paul, however, says something different.

In Romans 14:1-3 Paul says.

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.  Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. (ESV)

One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

For Paul, the issue was one of Grace and acceptance, both for me and from God. I am to be accepting of those who might be weak in the faith (but in the faith nonetheless) as a brother or sister, but not to “argue” over opinions. (Some translations say “disputable matters” or “over doubtful things). The point, is that we are not to make fellowship a matter of theological unanimity but rather, a common acceptance and practice of Grace that is found only through Jesus Christ. When Paul says “for God has welcomed him” he is telling us that we are not to focus on the performance of man, but the performance of Jesus on our behalf that secured us a place with our God.

Now, I can already hear some of you worrying that I am saying that theology does not matter. On the contrary, Paul thinks it is of the utmost importance to each individual. Look at what he says in Romans 14:5

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

Basically, Paul has said that while there will be varying opinions on lesser matters than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, each person should be fully convinced as to what they believe and why they believe it. Paul lists examples of considering certain days sacred, eating meat, and drinking wine as issues that have the potential to divide people of the faith. Rather than drawing battle lines, Paul tells us to take the way of Grace and be fully convinced in our own minds, pursue what will lead to mutual edification (a focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ) and then Paul plays his two biggest trump cards in the discussion in verses 22 and 23. In Verse 22 he wrote

           

            The faith you have, keep between yourself and God.

Paul has just told us that we must not go on a crusade to convince the world of our theological position on a disputable matter. We should be fully convinced in our own minds regarding how we live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but that it is not necessary for everyone to agree on everything. We can show Grace in theology because it is not about our works, but about the works of Him who died for us. This is where Paul closes the discussion and brings it home. In verse 23 he said

            For whatever is not born of faith, is sin.

Because these types of discussion often focus more on us and our actions than on Christ and His work Paul reminds us that it is not about our performance, but about faith, and faith is about Jesus Christ and His work. When we start focusing on our works we start living by our own strength and we sin. Thus, when we are more focused on a “disputable matter” than we are on Christ, we sin.

 So as you study the scriptures and listen for God’s voice, remember, Grace is about all of life. It is not just the transaction that “gets you into heaven.” It is to become the engine that drives everything, including our theological study and our communities. It is through Grace that we can welcome the one who is weak in the faith without passing judgment. It is by Grace that we refuse theological arrogance. It is by Grace that we are saved, not through convincing everyone of our particular theological nuance. 

The Incarnation

Lets imagine for a moment that we have never heard of Christmas.  We've never seen Linus explain the Christmas story to Charlie Brown. We've never opened a gift or talked to Santa. For the moment, pretend that December 25 is just another day on the calendar.

Now that you have, for the moment, let go of everything you think about Christmas consider these passages of scripture.

Isaiah 7:14 - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

God Himself will show mankind a sign that he is present. A Virgin will give birth to a son and he will be called "God with Us."

In case you have become jaded and lost your grip on the fantastic, this claim is absolutely amazing. The Prophet Isaiah is saying that God himself is going to break the laws of nature, step out of Heaven and come to us as a child by birth. Do not lose sight of how amazing and far-fetched this claim is. It has never, NEVER happened in the history of mankind before this and will NEVER happen again. This is why God points us to it in such a direct way. What better proof could there be that God, the creator of the natural and supernatural was involved than for the impossible to happen one time.

Now consider these verses in Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (ESV)

Here, a 1st century writer noticed that something amazing was taking place in his day and connected the dots to a prophesy made centuries earlier. (Again, pretend you haven't heard all of this.) He writes about one man's peculiar birth and makes the claim that he was indeed born from a virgin mother and even feels the need to explain that the man who was to be her husband found the story of a miraculous "spiritual" pregnancy was just too fantastic to believe until God himself spoke to him in a dream. 

Now, you read these two accounts and decide to do some research and you find that yes, there was a man named Jesus who lived in the first century and that yes, his birth did in fact match not only the Isaiah prophesy, but many, many more. You start to realize that something amazing, mind-blowing, and wonderful had occurred. God had come to visit earth exactly the way he said he would. 

 Matthew and Luke give you the historical versions in their respective Gospel accounts. But John gives us the supernatural account. Read what he says in John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Verses 1-5)



The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Verses 9-14)

As you read these verses you realize that God visited His creation for a purpose. He brought something with Him: The Right to become Children of God. His visit wasn't just to show he could do it, but that he came for those who are trapped in darkness. Some received Him. Some rejected Him. 

For those who received Him, this would be the greatest story ever told. It would be the centerpoint of all of History. It would define entire groups of people and separate Humanity into two groups: those who receive Him and those who reject Him. 

For those who reject Him, the story may be too fantastic. How could a virgin give birth to a child? Why would God come to earth? How could people not recognize him? 

Christmas, the birth of Jesus, becomes the starting point for what will be an eternal separation of people. Some will believe and become Children of God. Some will reject Him and miss the greatest gift ever given. 

This, my friends, would be all the information you needed to celebrate the greatest and most wonderful gift that has ever been given to mankind: God Himself.

And it is still all that you need to celebrate Christmas. Let us join together in singing one of the great Christmas hymns:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

God came to Earth, born of a virgin to give the gift of life to all who believe in Him. Merry Christmas indeed! For this is Above Reality.