2 November 2005

From Richard Jenson in "Currents in Theology and Mission"

Yesterday I quoted Jenson about a problem in preaching that could be created from a division between divine agency and human agency that could lead to false preaching. Today let me step back and look at those two terms within the the Finnish Interpretation of Luther. Jenson writes:
Simo Puera (writes) "According to the Formula of Concord the doctrine of justification includes only God's favor, that is imputed righteousness...This means that God is not really present in a Christian when declaring him or her righteous through faith for Christ's sake." This forensic (legal) understanding of justification gives justification a thoroughly objective ground. The problem that Puera sees, however is that justification become something external to the Christian. Divine agency is separated from human agency. The divine agent has asserted that one is justified. The human agent is then called upon for a response. This is quite different from a view of theosis wherein the divine agent divinizes, transforms, the human agent!

I find that as we see ourselves as steward of the Reign of God we do indeed need to act by the power of the gift that is given to us. We have been and will always be justified by God's grace through faith. Done deal! At this point it is so easy to jump into the boat that says, "So now what are you going to do to show that you are justified!?!" Do we pull up our boat strings and get to work? Do we begin to keep score to see how well we are doing? In this new way of looking at Luther's writings, there is more than what do we do as humans. It is what do we do as humans in whom God dwells and brings about transformation. The tough word for many folks might be the last line in the quote above: "the divine agent divinizes...the human agent." And yet, if we are willing to call ourselves the saints of God is it so difficult to also say that our God who is our hope will be the source of our new life, our purity, our Christ-like work in the world?

Connection: Knowing you are "saved by grace through faith" now what. Knowing that this action is also an indwelling of God with us always, what might that mean for how the day falls in place for you? What's the difference!?!

When you come to make us your beloved community, O Lord of Life, you do not leave us. Your breath become our breath and the hope that shapes all things becomes our hope. We give you thanks for making us a home within your gracious Reign and bidding us to walk within your gift of new life. Amen.