Tuesday, 14 January, 2003

This week devotions will be based on pieces from The Justification Reader by Thomas C. Oden.



Justification is central to the Christian teaching of salvation. All who affirm classic Christian teaching, whether charismatic or Catholic or Orthodox or Baptist, embrace this teaching. So pivotal is it to Christian preaching that if unbalanced in any way, reverberations are felt in the whole edifice of faith.

Oden goes on to write about the "joint declaration" between Lutheran and Roman Catholics in regard to justification by saying: Both have solemnly agreed that justification is "the touchstone for testing at all times whether a particular interpretation of our relation to God can claim the name Christian. "

When I am doing work in preparation for sermons or for bible study, I am always asking where the word of God's justifying power for new life is heard in the text. It is not always easy to hear. And yet, we must never tire of bringing to the text the lens that enables us to see the God's gracious reign and the unbending and unconditional invitation to step within its delightful truth. This "heart of the gospel" informs our reading. There is no Good News if it does not speak of the God whose faithfulness will endure forever and ever. Sometimes it is important for each of us to simply ask the question, "What's the Good News here?" as we read through a text from scripture. Can you hear that word that eternally for us even when it is not the focus of the biblical text? If not, go back and look again. If not again, then go back to the text and imagine how there could be a word of justification waiting to be uncovered.



Connection: The most difficult text from which we may not be able to hear the Good News of God's justification may be the text that is called "other people." Can you see and hear God's saving word for those in your life who you know do not deserve anything at all. For there...there is that surprise that makes us all fools for Christ.



Precious Lord, you shake us up and continue to bring into our lives a word for new life even as we are willing to settle for the same old - same old that is always trying to keep us within the bonds of death. Praise to you for liberating us from the power of death and calling us into a new relationship with you and those around us for we are then able to see a glimpse of the grandeur of your Reign. Amen.