Today's readings are Deuteronomy 4.21-40 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Deut.+4.21-40 ) and Matthew 8.1-17 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+8.1-17 ).
Holiness to the Lord. Deeds, not creeds. Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. After all, if you're a real Christian...
Make no mistake about it, God does demand righteousness. Perfect righteousness. Absolute, complete, 24/7/365 purity in every area of our lives.
What do we do then about the fact that we continue to enter into sin? Moses points this out to the Israelites quite clearly and lovingly. When you grow old, when you sin against God, and we're talking grievous sins here - making visible physical idols and entering into visible physical worship to them - when you sin against God, what is he going to do? The legalist in me wishes to say that God will smack you down hard. But what does God's word say? Know that your time and nation will not last long. You are wearing out God's patience. You need to repent and believe again.
What does this attitude do to the idea of the security of the believer? In fact this biblical teaching which says genuine believers may depart from the evidence of their genuine belief and may be called back from sin into faith grants us more comfort than we would find in a doctrine which says if we are in Christ, truly in Christ, we will never waver. Where is that security? I can see myself wavering every day. Many times every day! Does that mean that I am not faithful enough? In fact, it does mean I'm not faithful enough. But my life, my salvation, my sure and certain hope in the resurrection of Christ is not based on my faithfulness. It is based on God's faithfulness. What has he said here? The true believer is subject to periods of doubt and disobedience. And the true believer may at least apparently depart from his belief. God calls his people back to himself, He calls us to repentance and to receiving his forgiveness.
How has the Lord done this? Chiefly in the proclamation of the Word and the right administering of the Sacraments. Here Christ our Savior convicts of sin, brings repentance, proclaims his forgiveness, and nourishes our faith. And it isn't about us. It's about our Lord. It isn't rooted in what we do, in how good our belief is, in whether we are liable to sin. It's rooted in Christ's faithfulness, his perfect obedience to God the Father, and his death in my behalf.
Lord, let us rejoice in receiving your good gifts, the Scripture, the work of the Holy Scripture, and the Sacraments. Call us to repentance, for we have all sinned. Grant us your forgiveness and hope.
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