Galatians 3:23-29

As the Presidential political campaign heats up we will hear a great deal about “wedge” issues. Issues that divide according to political ideology, culture, race, socio-economic status, gender, and sexual orientation abound. Republicans and Democrats accuses each other of seeking to “divide” Americans. But the pundits tell us that both parties are simply trying to energize their base.

The idealistic notion of “the brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God” is not an experienced reality. Indeed, the only solidarity the human family seems to express is that of our mutual selfishness and self destructiveness. We may be one — but our unity is in the family line of Adam! The catechism proclaims, “In Adam’s fall, we sinned all.”

Paul likens the law to a “schoolmaster” — a teacher that show us the right way, our failure and inability to attain it and our need of Christ. William Barclay notes, “It was the function of the law to bring a man to Christ by showing him that by himself he was utterly unable to keep it. But once a man had come to Christ he no longer needed the law, for now he was dependent not on law but on grace.”

“Now that faith has come” (v. 25) we are free from the bondage of a law we cannot keep. But what is this faith that frees and, ultimately, makes us one in Christ? Sometimes we think strictly in logical terms, giving mental assent to certain propositions. But God has come to us in and as a Person — the Lord Jesus Christ. There are propositional truth claims that Scripture and history have judged to be accurate to be sure.

But just as knowing the physics of space travel won’t get you to the moon, simply believing the right things about Jesus won’t make one a follower of the Way.

Blase Pascal observed that “the heart has its reasons that the mind knows not of.” Kierkegaard spoke of the “leap of faith” as being “over 20,000 fathoms with nothing to hold on to.” The acrostic: Forsaking All I Take Him says it simply and clearly. More than mere belief, true faith is a whole hearted commitment. Faith is indeed, “sure of what we hope for, certain of that which we do not see.” (Heb. 11: NIV)

Faith and grace do more than restore individuals to right relationship with God. Baptism is both a personal and corporate sign. It is personal in that we are taken to the font or go into the pool individually. It is corporate in that it is an expression in and of the covenant community, the Church. Paul lists the various strata of Greco Roman culture — and proclaims that in Christ these divisions are no more!

In Christ there is “neither day laborer or professional, athlete or geek, American Idol or Average Joe” for all are one in the One who is for all. Our difference can be celebrated because of our overarching unity in Christ.

The story is told of the Catholic priest, who had become very deaf in his advancing years, had formed the habit of asking those erring members of his flock who came to his enclosed stall to write their penitences on a slip of paper, instead of speaking them to him. The practice worked fairly well until one day when the father heard a heavily-breathing man enter the visitor’s side of the confessional and fumble for a few moments as a small, crumpled piece of paper was passed through the curtain into the old cleric’s hand.

The confession read: Two cans of beans. Quarter pound ham. Cans of Coke. Four fish filets. Bread rolls. Toilet paper. Large coffee. Soap. Butter.

We have left our sins at the cross and are free indeed!

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Sermon brief provided by: L. Joseph Rosas, Pastor of Crievewood Baptist Church, Nashville, TN.