Sermon January 17, 1999 God Gets Credit based on 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Some pastors love to introduce their sermons with stories from the world of sports. Not really being much of a sports fan, I don't have much to say in this way. I have to admit to very seriously following the Vikings this year, however. I do enjoy a winning team. I do have to give them credit for a job well done, and I expect two more victories. Therefore, it was a disappointment to read an article in Friday's Star Tribune which was titled, "Vikings' success is a simple twist of fate." This article suggests that it was not a matter of hard work, intelligence and skill that allowed the Vikings to do as well as they are doing. Instead, the article will not give credit to the Vikings, but rather to that strange thing they call "fate." It was just a coincidence that they have a 16-1 record. I, on the other hand, would give the team lots of credit.

In matters of faith we must be very concerned also about giving proper credit. Who gets the credit? Who are we looking to? Who are we focused upon? We can see these questions asked down through the history of the Christian Church. For example, the Reformation was that movement in the 1500s which rediscovered and restored a true understanding of the Gospel in the Christian church. It had to do with where our focus is directed. It had to do with whom we gave credit for our life of faith and our salvation. Prior to the Reformation, there was quite a corruption in the Roman Catholic church because many practices and teachings of that church led people to believe that they must perform certain things, take certain actions, be a certain way to be saved. If we had to summarize this problem in a short phrase, we might say is was a problem with people being focused on themselves. Rather than looking to God for their salvation, they would tend to look toward themselves. Rather than giving credit to God, they gave credit to themselves.

This focus on self is a basic problem of human sinful nature. Some would say that self-centered-ness is the root of all sin. In any case, it becomes very tempting for we sinful people to believe we contribute towards our salvation. It seems to be natural for us to believe that we must somehow cooperate with God. It is natural to believe that we work together with God when we are converted and come to believe. It is also natural to believe that we work together with God as we strive to live our lives according to His will.

The Reformation restored us to the truth that when we are brought to faith it is God alone at work. When we are kept in faith, it is God alone at work. When we live our lives out, doing things the way God would have us do them, it is God alone at work in us. In all this, the focus is on God at work in us and not on us. God gets the credit.

In fact, if we do focus on ourselves, we ought to see only one thing: a sinner. As we look at ourselves, we need to see ourselves as desperately in need of relief from our own sinful corruption. We see ourselves as unable to contribute to our salvation. We see ourselves as unable to do even one truly-pure good work in our lives. From this situation we are desperately in need to salvation. Since we cannot assist, we need a Savior from outside to come in to save us. Our situation is hopeless without outside assistance.

We cannot assist God in our coming to faith, remaining in faith, or living the Christian life. Though we cannot cooperate, we can, however, actively oppose God. We can reject Christ and blaspheme the Holy Spirit when we are called to faith. We can oppose God's work in our day-to-day lives. We can reject the good works which God calls us to. There is no doubt, we can work against God.

The idea that we cooperate is so tempting. After the Reformation, the idea crept back in through the teachings of Jacob Arminius. His teachings spread resulting in the formation of several church bodies, including the Methodists and Baptists. In reality, Arminian teachings have spread to most of American churches. Through the 1800s, Arminian ideas came through the revivalists. As they gained great popularity, their ideas spread.

Today, we have Billy Graham revivals, where people make their move toward the altar, symbolizing their cooperation and decision for Christ. We have people speaking of the day and hour they invited Christ into their heart. We have people talking about the need to decide and commit for Christ. Do you see that the common thread here is a focus on self? It is not a focus on Christ, but rather on what I must do. With this sort of focus, then, we are led to the erection of qualifications in order to be saved. Are you saved? Some will say we cannot be sure we are saved unless we have made a commitment, decided for Jesus, invited Him into our hearts, spoken in tongues, had some kind of awakening experience, seen an angel, and the list goes on and on.

Talking and teaching of this kind of cooperation influences the language many people use, also. For example, many will say that in order for our sins to be forgiven, we must ask Christ to forgive our sins. Certainly our Lord wants us to ask for forgiveness. Yet, this kind of language is dangerously close to the notion that we cooperate in order to have our sins forgiven. "Christ did His part, and if I only do my part, then my sins will be forgiven." I would much rather hear people say they know their sins are forgiven because of what Christ did. It is not that my sins are forgiven because I asked for it, but my sins are forgiven because Christ died for them. It would be much better to have our focus on Christ, rather than on what we do. Christ did it all.

So, if someone asks you, "How do I know my sins are forgiven?" then answer with this question, "Did Christ die on the cross for your sins?" If they answer yes, then you can tell them they can be certain their sins are forgiven.

This is not to say that we ought not ask for forgiveness. By asking for forgiveness, we are affirming the belief that Christ is the source of forgiveness. We go to Him to ask Him to forgive us, because He is the one who does forgive. Yet, we can know with confidence that Christ already forgave our sins when He died on the cross. It is a done deal.

This language of cooperation and the teaching that follows it are very popular in our country today among Christians. In fact, some suggest that we need another reformation, to purge Christianity of this corruption. The Bible Study being held Thursday evening will study the declaration of one such group.

Perhaps the ideas I have presented are challenging you. Maybe you struggle with your own thinking in this matter. It would not surprise me, because this teaching on cooperation is so popular. So many books and radio shows and preachers are caught in the trap of believing that we must do something to be saved. To counter all this false teaching, we need to step back into God's Word. We need to concentrate on what God tells us, through the inspired writing of Paul to the Corinthian Christians.

Our text today does not directly address the issue. Rather, the issue is behind-the-scenes. It is an assumption behind what is written. So, we study the text rather closely to see the evidence.

As it begins, Paul is opening the letter by identifying himself. "Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus." Right here Paul focuses on Christ, not on any kind of decision of his. "Called to be," is what it says, not, "decided." Paul was called to be an apostle, it says, "by the will of God." It was not his will which cooperated with that call. It was God's will that called Paul. He gives the credit to God.

The next verse identifies the receiver of Paul's letter, the church of God in Corinth. These people are marked with the label, "those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy." Again the credit goes to God. The Corinthians are sanctified, that is purified and made holy, but this is done by someone other than themselves. It does not say, "those who sanctified themselves." Rather, they are "sanctified in Christ Jesus." The focus is on Jesus and what He does. In addition, they are "called to be holy," rather than cooperating to make themselves holy. God called them and God made them holy. Now the text goes on to make it clear that it is not just the people in Corinth who are "sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy." Not only are they in this position, but also "all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." All people who call on Jesus' name have been called by God to do this. Faith that leads us to call upon our Lord, to look to Him for forgiveness and deliverance, is a faith that comes from God. That faith is what we are called to and that faith makes us holy, that is, sanctifies us.

Towards the middle of the text, our attention is again directed to God who is the source of spiritual gifts. "For in Him you have been enriched in every way." Paul is telling them that they were made rich in the gifts of faith, not that they have made themselves rich. The focus is on God. These Christians in Corinth were made rich in gifts of speaking and knowing. They know of and speak of the good news, their savior Jesus Christ.

The next verse speaks of the testimony about Christ which was confirmed in these people of Corinth. Paul shared the good news with them, testifying about Jesus. They heard the Good News and through that Word, the Holy Spirit worked to call them to faith. Then, living the life of faith, demonstrating their faith by what they speak and know, these people confirmed they had received the gift of faith. The testimony was confirmed.

Our focus in on God, then. He brings us to faith, and He keeps us believing in Christ as our savior. It is tempting to think we keep ourselves as believers. Isn't that why we try to keep you coming to church and Bible studies, and reading Scriptures? Isn't it so that you can keep yourself strong in the faith? No, again our focus belongs on God, who keeps us strong.

This is demonstrated by this verse from our text, "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." Focus on Christ because He will keep you strong. He will keep you blameless. The credit doesn't belong with us.

Once again, we cannot cooperate with the Lord's efforts to keep us strong, but we can oppose His efforts. We oppose His efforts when we don't make use of the resources that are placed before us, Divine Services and study of the Word. When we participate in those, it is God who makes us strong. When we stay away, we are making ourselves weak.

The last verse of our text is a wonderful conclusion. It says, "God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." The main point of the sentence is, "God is faithful." However, wrapped inside this is the description of who God is. God is the one "who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Again affirmed here is the fact that God calls us to faith. It is not our decision or cooperation. Instead, God gets the credit. Our faith is involved in a relationship, a fellowship, with Jesus Christ. The relationship is that: Jesus is our Savior. He is the one who saves us. This comes back to the main point of the sentence, "God is faithful." God keeps promises and follows through on what He offers us. In Christ, God offers us forgiveness, life, and salvation. This offer is certain because: God is faithful.

There we have the testimony of our text. Grace has been given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. He gives us grace, that is: pure gift. It takes no cooperation on our part, no decision, no action of us to validate this gift. Instead we have a pure gift. Through this grace, and through this gift, our focus is directed solely to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.