by Sal Huckel
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Read Luke 3:15–17,21,22
A month ago, I had a rare Sunday away from my own congregation and attended the baptism of a friend’s baby and the baptism of a large group of teens and young adults at another church. Neither church was Lutheran, and I felt the disconnect during both services.
Originally an outsider to Lutheran teaching, it took me a long time to understand what Lutherans mean when we discuss remembering our baptism or living out our baptism daily.
As we ponder the difference between John’s baptism (merely the water) and Jesus’ baptism, we must remember what we believe as Lutherans. If it’s a while since you read the Large Catechism on baptism, or if you haven’t read it before, it’s a valuable thing to do to understand how we differ from other theology in the sacrament of baptism. Martin Luther reminds us that the water and word should:
… by no means be separated from each other and parted. For if the word is separated from it, the water is the same as the water that the servant cooks with. It may indeed be called a bath-keeper’s baptism. But when the word is added, as God ordained it, it is a sacrament, and it is called Christ’s baptism.
It is reassuring and encouraging to me as I ponder the fact that I cannot ‘remember’ my own infant baptism and that in the sacrament, I was indeed baptised into Christ’s death and resurrection – despite the lack of any believers to raise me in the faith. While I cannot point to a ‘believer’s baptism’ where I made a declaration of my faith like the young people I witnessed only weeks ago, I have the assurances of Scripture that God did the work in my baptism– and I did not need to. His grace is not dependent on my level of belief or efforts. Further, Luther reminds us to value our baptism as a daily dress (Galatians 3:27 – we are clothed with Christ) and walk in it constantly (Large Catechism). We start to realise what it is to walk in (and wear) our baptism daily.
Father God, you descended on your Son Jesus like a dove and declared your love for him for all to hear. Thank you that I am also baptised into Jesus’ baptism and have received the Holy Spirit. Increase my faith as I remember my baptism daily, and help me to nurture the faith of others in my care as you work in their lives, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sal is married to Pastor Matthew Huckel, and they live in Victoria with their six children, enjoying their ministry with Moorabbin–Dandenong Lutheran Church. Their two eldest children are excited to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels during term time in Sydney. Theology, music, philosophy, literature and history are passions the family shares and explores together. Sal loves writing, speaking and walking to the beach at every opportunity.
by Stuart Gray
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Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised (Romans 4:20,21).
Read Romans 4:13–25
How often do we waver in our faith? Most of us enjoy a ‘woe is me’ conversation – this shouldn’t be happening to me, I do the right thing. I don’t deserve to be sick, have relationship problems, or have money troubles. I’ve always done the right thing.
In myself, I can see that these conversations are, in part, a lack of faith and not putting my full trust in God.
Imagine what it was like for Abraham. He was told that he would be the father of many nations, yet here he is, nearly 100 years old, with a body that was ‘as good as dead’, with an elderly wife whose womb was ‘as good as dead’. Not a good basis on which to be the father of many nations.
But Abraham ‘did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God’.
What a great and inspirational faith. This is a powerful example for believers to trust God even when circumstances seem impossible. I pray for that faith, but I certainly don’t think I am in that league. I am more like the father in Mark 9:24 who says, ‘I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.’
Paul then quotes Genesis 15:6: ‘Abraham’s faith was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ The fundamental point that Paul drives home is that righteousness comes by faith, not works. Just as Abraham’s faith was credited as righteousness, so too will our faith in the God who raised Jesus from the dead be credited to us as righteousness.
This passage reminds us that salvation isn’t earned through rule-following, but through faith in God’s promises. We can have confidence that, like Abraham, we are justified by our faith in Christ – his death for our sins and his resurrection for our justification. It’s not about achieving perfection but about trusting in God’s power and grace.
What freedom this gives. We are not under pressure to try to earn God’s favour through good works. Whatever would be good enough? God has given us the means to be in relationship with him through faith in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, we thank you that we have examples like Abraham to show us what unwavering faith in you looks like. Help us to have that faith that moves mountains so that our faith moves the mountains of unbelief around us. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, the resurrected one. Amen.
Stuart is retired and, with his wife Pamela Dalgliesh, lives in Mansfield, Victoria. Stuart has a background in agricultural science, rural journalism and corporate affairs. He now loves living a peaceful life on a small farm in the beautiful High Country of Victoria. He mentors learner drivers and is a Red Cross Patient Transport driver. Stuart is also involved in the Mansfield Anglican church and the Mansfield community.
by Stuart Gray
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There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:22b–24).
Read Romans 3:21–31
Just as in yesterday’s passage, where Paul leaves us in no doubt about humanity’s sinfulness, and we cannot achieve righteousness through the law, in today’s passage, Paul leaves us in no doubt that it is through faith in Christ Jesus that we are justified.
The word ‘faith’ is used eight times in just 10 texts. Righteousness is used four times in the same passage.
Sin is universal – ‘there is no difference between Jew and Gentile’ – so it needs a universal solution for us to be in relationship with God; ‘… all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.’
Paul packs a lot into this text. ‘All are justified’, that is, declared righteous. ‘Freely by his grace’; it is freely given, not earned, but a true gift of grace. ‘Through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.’ ‘Redeemed’ means bought back, so something must be paid. Christ paid the price.
Paul goes on:
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (verses 25 and 26).
This shows God’s justice. Because of God’s patience and forbearance, he left previous sins committed unpunished. He could have continued that way and ignored sin, but God deals with sin so that we can be in relationship with him through faith.
Having a relationship with God is something we can boast about, but Paul says that is excluded because we have not earned salvation; however, justification is by faith, not by works of the law, by our own efforts.
And finally, in this passage, Paul asks if we nullify the law by this faith. He answers: ‘Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.’ Faith doesn’t abolish the law, but the law is fulfilled in Christ’s death on the cross.
This is an amazing passage. A reference I used describes the first eight chapters of Paul’s letter to the Romans as the ‘heart of Christianity’. It is rewarding to take the time to study these chapters.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for the sacrifice Christ has made so that through faith, we are justified in your sight. Uphold in us this faith, which we receive by your grace, and help us to be beacons for others to receive the faith that justifies. Amen.
Stuart is retired and, with his wife Pamela Dalgliesh, lives in Mansfield, Victoria. Stuart has a background in agricultural science, rural journalism and corporate affairs. He now loves living a peaceful life on a small farm in the beautiful High Country of Victoria. He mentors learner drivers and is a Red Cross Patient Transport driver. Stuart is also involved in the Mansfield Anglican church and the Mansfield community.
by Stuart Gray
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Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin (Romans 3:20).
Read Romans 3:9–20
I like to think I am a reasonably good person. I try to do the ‘right’ thing. I contribute time and effort freely to my family, friends, community and church. I know my weaknesses and vulnerabilities, but overall …!
Not so, says Paul. While writing to the Romans, he is also speaking to me. My assessment of myself is by human standards; Paul judges by God’s standard.
This is a devastating passage. Paul makes no bones about it; we are all sinful and cannot be in relationship with God by our own efforts. Not only are we sinful, but we ‘are under sin’ (verse 9), under the power and guilt of sin.
Paul then goes on to quote Old Testament passages, mainly from the Psalms and Isaiah, which poetically but graphically describe the condition of humankind (verses 13 to 18):
‘Their throats are open graves.
their tongues practise deceit.’
‘The poison of vipers is on their lips.’
‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’
‘Their feet are swift to shed blood.
ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know.’
‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’
This passage by itself would leave us with no hope. But what Paul is doing is making us face the reality that by our own efforts, we well and truly miss the standards God has set for us; therefore, we cannot be in relationship with God. If we don’t face this reality, we will have trouble accepting what Paul covers in tomorrow’s devotion. Paul is setting the stage to reveal the good news of God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.
The law does not make us righteous; it exposes sin and stops self-justification. No-one can earn a right standing before God through obedience to the law alone.
Thankfully, we know this is not the end of the story, and over the next few days, we will explore how Paul powerfully introduces how we can be in relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, give us the humility to recognise that we cannot come to you through the law or by our own efforts. Grant us the faith to know that by your grace, we can be in a right relationship with you through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Stuart is retired and, with his wife Pamela Dalgliesh, lives in Mansfield, Victoria. Stuart has a background in agricultural science, rural journalism and corporate affairs. He now loves living a peaceful life on a small farm in the beautiful High Country of Victoria. He mentors learner drivers and is a Red Cross Patient Transport driver. Stuart is also involved in the Mansfield Anglican church and the Mansfield community.