For the past few weeks we have been investigating how our individual families and churches will
function as we learn to conform them to their biblical pattern. These are the weapons, along with the civil government (which we will soon examine), that God has given us to successfully carry out our eternal purpose of ruling over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28).
How these weapons are used constitutes one of the two edges of the Sword of the Word of God. As the author of Hebrews tells us: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). John’s description of Jesus in Revelation 1:16 reveals: “He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”
I believe one of Martin Luther’s greatest contributions to Christianity was his perspective on the importance of BOTH of these two edges of the Sword of the Word of God—Law and Grace (Kingdom and Gospel).
In a sermon he preached in 1525, Luther said that these are the only two sermons God ever preached in His Word—The Law (at Mt. Sinai), and Grace (at Pentecost)! Only when preached TOGETHER do they make up the TRUTH OF GOD! “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).This verse tells us that the LAW OF GOD IS NOT THE TRUTH OF GOD, even though it is always “true.” The Law of God becomes the Truth of God, only when it is PROCLAIMED BY THE GRACE OF GOD! Law (Kingdom) + Grace (Gospel) = Truth!
Also, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:6 that God has made us, as believers, “…sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter (the law of God) but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”.(2 Corinthians 3:6). In other words, trying to obey the holy, righteous law ourselves, and then teaching others to do likewise, is not only pointless, but spiritually deadly. It will “kill” us!
The old, beloved hymn that I have mentioned before tells us to “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” However, we saw in the above-quoted verse that Paul’s word to the Corinthians tells them that to try to “obey” will only bring spiritual death! If the song is biblically consistent it must instead tell us to “Trust and Trust More!” When we do, Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that we are then walking IN THE TRUTH, by faith alone, released to worship (John 4:23), set totally free in all we do (8:32), and have become the very embodiment of Jesus Himself (14:6)!
Can you see it? For years, I didn’t! Upon graduating from college, I joined the staff of an international, college, evangelistic, parachurch organization, through which I had found Jesus myself as a junior at the University of Oklahoma. We “witnessed” to everyone that moved and had life, always inviting them to “make a decision for Christ.” If they assented, we would then pray with them as they “invited Jesus into their hearts.” Many of them were sincere and actually meant their prayers.
Our sales formula in the organization was to then “follow them up” with another appointment within a few days. On that appointment, they were encouraged to follow a 5-point, follow-up plan, like the five fingers on the hand: 1.) Have fellowship with other Christians, 2). Read the Bible every day, 3.) Obey all its instructions, 4.) Witness to others, and 5.) Find a church to attend. We would then try to get them started on a 10-booklet Bible Study Series, Ten Basic Steps to Christian Maturity and meet with us on a regular basis. My know-it-all, pharisaical arrogance thrived in this legalistic atmosphere!
Then on a fall day in 1965, my life was changed forever! I had progressed in this organization to become one of five leaders of the U.S. Campus Ministry, that was growing to campuses all over the nation and now even some overseas. We five leaders were gathering together at one of our infrequent meetings.
The field-coordinator of the group arrived at the meeting with these words: “You won’t believe the Bible verse I just noticed: ‘…Our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death’ (Romans 7:5). Can you see what we are doing? We are literally, spiritually killing new converts by immediately piling the law on them!”
I saw it in a flash. I saw, IN MY HEART, the gospel of the grace of God for the first time! The implications of that new insight eventually, after some three years, led me out of this organization to which I belonged, and through which I had come to Jesus myself. After those three years, this “message of grace,”, as we called it, had spread, naturally, spontaneously and unconsciously (NSU), throughout many other staff members, and I heard later that some 90 staff members left the organization because of it.
This story is in no way to impugn the founder of the organization, nor the enormous success it had in evangelizing the world’s college students. Also, could there be a better place to find a wife than on the staff of this organization? I know, because that’s where I found Jill, my life’s treasure, now married to me for 58 years! There is no better place to find a wife!
I also began a life-long pilgrimage on my journey to the City with Foundations! I am very grateful and indebted to the organization for this. This blog is a record of some of what I am learning on my trip, and this particular posting is a very fond remembrance of my discovery of the Gospel Edge of God’s Two-Edged Sword. Next week we will continue that investigation with a look at what, I believe, is the most damaging, Satanic deception we face on our journey, yet the most unrecognized one!
