If I'm a Saint, What's Wrong with Me?
Sinners and Saints • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsThere is a lot of confusion about what it means to be a sinner and a saint. Sinners and Saints will give you insight into how you are both, and ultimately, how you can come to a deeper understanding of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord
Notes
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Getting Started
Getting Started
Read this quote from Luther as it appears in the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, which is one of the confessional writings of the Lutheran Church:
“O, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good works incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done them, and is constantly doing them” (Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, 2nd edition, p. 548).
Discuss this quote:
1. How does it describe what the Christian life ought to be?
2. In what ways does it describe your life?
3. In what ways does it make you feel inadequate? Talk about why.
Getting into the Word
Getting into the Word
The New Testament writers frequently use the word saints to describe Christian people. For example, as he addressed his letters to Christian congregations, Paul called the believers saints in Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; and Colossians 1:2. Read some of these to examine how Paul addressed these "saintly” people.
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
4. Would you feel comfortable if some Christian you highly respected addressed your congregation as saints? addressed your family as saints? addressed you as “St. ________________________ (your name)?
5. a. Discuss your feelings about this. Any feelings of satisfaction?
b. Any feelings of embarrassment or even awkwardness?
Read Ephesians 2:1-7.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Our saintliness is not based on mere words. It is founded on a very definite fact (v. 5). Yet without Christ, there is a definite lack of saintliness.
6. What words does the text use to describe this Christless condition?
7. When did God determine to make us “holy and blame less,” that is, saints (Ephesians 1:4-5)?
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
8. Just how did God accomplish making us saints, according to Romans 5:6-10?
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
9. Discuss how Paul compares "what was" with "what is," in Romans 5:12–21.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Many blessings result from the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are no longer slaves, but free people—no longer alienated enemies of God, but reconciled friends—no longer dead, but alive!
10. Read Romans 6:5-11 and Colossians 1:21-22, and discuss what Paul means by "enslaved," "set free," "alienated," “reconciled,” “dead," and "alive.”
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
11. How saintly should you be as a saint of God? Read 1 Peter 1:14-16.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Quite a case can be made for actual, this-side-of-heaven holiness and perfection. After all, Jesus demanded it (Matthew 5:48), the Ten Commandments require it, and Christians are addressed as though they are capable of it. We can jump into almost any place in the New Testament and find this "saintly assumption."
Read Romans 12:1-2 to see this "saintly assumption" for yourself.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
12. a. Does this "saintly agenda” seem too aloof to you?
b. Why or why not?
Now read Romans 5:1-5.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
There is a purpose after all for the saintly agenda we have been given! When suffering and trouble strike us, we can still have peace with God. We know He can use it to build us up in hope.
13. Have you ever seen God using this building-up process in your life? Share it with your group.
Dealing with the Dilemma
Dealing with the Dilemma
The title of this study, “If I'm a Saint, What's Wrong with Me?” expresses the dilemma: Why don't I look like a saint? Why don't I act like one?
14. When we ignore what Scripture says and come up with our own answers, we do some strange and unsaintly things. Some of these unscriptural replies are listed below. Consider these questions for each statement: What is the real intent behind it? Why is this statement a product of human thinking, but not God's? Then jot down some notes in the spaces given, and share your findings with your group.
a. "What I did is no big deal. After all, I'm only human."
b. “But Mr. X was a well-respected member of St. Anonymous Lutheran Church! I never believed he could fall into such a terrible sin—and frankly, I'm horrified. Why, I always thought he was a Christian!”
15. You jotted down your findings; did yours agree with those of other members of your group?
16. What insights did you have to share with them?
17. What insights did they have to share with you?
18. Even more to the point, we often make "Christians will/will not” statements. Here are a few to discuss with your group. Jot down what you think of them.
a. “Christians will always tithe!"
b. "Christians will not commit adultery!"
c. “Christians will not steal!"
d. Add some other popular “Christians will/will not” statements that you have heard.
19. Now that you have added some of your own to the above list, discuss together what is basically wrong with all "Christians will/will not” statements.
Summarizing and Looking Ahead
Summarizing and Looking Ahead
Return to Luther's quote from the Formula of Concord at the beginning of this session. Read it together once more and then reevaluate the questions that follow it.
Have you changed your mind about any of your answers?
If so, how are your answers different?
Discuss the title of this chapter and share your answers to the question it asks.
This week make a list of times and occasions when you feel "saintly." List also those times when you feel “unsaintly." Be ready to share this list. Also try to work on the question “If I'm a saint, what's wrong with me?" You may also want to begin thinking about the question implied in part of the next lesson, “If I'm a sinner, what's wrong with God?”
In Closing
In Closing
Close by singing or reading in unison “Not What These Hands Have Done” (LSB 567; ELH 433; TLH 389).
Not what these hands have done
Can save this guilty soul; Not what this toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God; Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.
Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin; Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee, Can rid me of this dark unrest
And set my spirit free.
Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak; Thy pow'r alone, O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
I bless the Christ of God,
I rest on love divine, And with unfalt'ring lip and heart
I call this Savior mine.