Sermon: "Faith and Works"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

Today I want to challenge you to understand one of the most important paradoxes of the Christian faith. In this paradox - like all paradoxes - one statement seems to contradict the other, and yet, we say that we believe them both. This is not easy, but it is terribly important. In our second lesson, we read, "a person is justified by faith apart from works…" (Rom 3:28). That is, a person is made just - or righteous - by faith and not by what the person actually does. This is the doctrine of "Justification by Faith" - or, more correctly, "Justification by Grace through Faith."

Let's consider this doctrine which is so central to our faith. And in our consideration, we need to understand first of all that each of us - all people, in fact - possess the tendency to sin. That is, never a day passes that each one of us does not put ourselves first, ahead of our neighbors and everybody else. We perceive the universe as "me-centered." And this is the basis of our tendency to sin. Indeed, this is the basis for what "original sin" actually means.

I have an example to offer that you will not like. In fact, I always get in trouble when I use it. And, I may get into trouble with your Interim Rector. But, here's the example anyway. Think of a baby. For that baby, the world exists to satisfy its needs. He thinks of himself as central to the universe. If she is hungry or wet, nothing else in all the world takes precedence over that condition. Thus, with some uneasiness, I suggest that a baby is a perfect example of the human tendency to sin.

Then, as we grow older, we maintain that same perception in more-or-less sophisticated forms. Whether we view our surroundings as an individual, as a family, as a particular church, or as a nation, our view is unusually one of "me first" or "us first." This is only human, we might say … but it is also sinful. We need to realize that. In the words of our reading, "there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"(3:22-23).

God's response to this very human tendency is quite surprising. That is, regardless of and in spite of this human situation, God declares that we are justified. He calls us righteous. That is what Jesus Christ means to us, in ultimate terms. We need to be justified, but because of our tendency to sin, we cannot justify ourselves. Nothing we do or can do is sufficient. We need to have someone other than ourselves to justify us. Therefore, Christ came. And the effect of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is that we are justified.

Now, what I have said thus far represents the first part of the paradox. It is an explanation of what Christ did and what Christ means to us. This is a necessary understanding for Christians. Our justification comes not because we earn it or deserve it, but because God chooses to give it to us in Christ.

However, our Gospel lesson seems to contradict what we have said. It is the second part of today's paradox. There we read Jesus' words near the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father"(7:21). We must admit that this sounds like Jesus is saying that we must act a certain way and do certain things to be saved - or, to be justified and called righteous. And this seems to be the opposite message from our earlier reading.

Perhaps we may understand the paradox by means of an analogy. When two people care deeply for each other, one may say, "I love you." In so doing, that person expresses his part in a relationship. However, there is really no relationship unless the second person expresses his or her part also - perhaps by saying, "I love you, too." Thus, a relationship is not one-way. By definition, any relationship requires two parts. A relationship of love does not exist when only one person loves.

This example is something like our relationship with God. God tells us that we are justified by his grace, perceived through our faith. For us not to respond to that is, in a sense, to deny our justification, to deny that relationship with God. We must respond to this wonderful, life-saving action of God. Thus, Jesus says in our Gospel, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell - and great was its fall!"(Matt 7:24-27).

My friends, God has justified us. God calls us righteous, even though by our own actions, we are not. God reckons us as righteous, not because of what we have done - or not done - but because of what Christ has done. Thus, God summons or calls us, as his part of our relationship. God calls us into this relationship. Thanks be to God for that!

Now, it is up to us to act as though we were justified; to act out of the righteousness that has been designated as ours. It is therefore up to us to respond. Our call is to be true to our baptismal vows - vows that we will renew in a few minutes. Our call is to envision other people, families, churches, and nations with the same view that God has of them - that is, as equal parts of God's creation, along with us. Our call is to avoid being "me-centered." In summary, God's call to us is to love in response to the love given us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Copyright © 2002 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee