Thursday, March 11, 2004 AD
Salvation Won and Salvation Distributed
Pastor Rolf Preus (Luther Quest's "chaplain") recently posted a devotion on the Luther Quest site entitled, "Jesus' Prayer for our Forgiveness". The whole thing is worth reading, but particularly the following passage:
It summarises perfectly the distinction between Christ's work on the cross, winning forgiveness, life and salvation for all; and his work through the means of grace, of distributing that forgiveness, life and salvation, creating in us the faith by which we receive the benefits of this - demonstrating how all this is God's work. It's not Christ's work on the cross, plus our "decision" now; it's Christ's work on the cross winning salvation for us, and Christ's work through the Word and Sacraments distributing salvation to us, and creating and sustaining faith in us.
In a subsequent discussion on LQ, the question was raised, "[If forgiveness is distributed to us through the means of grace, then] where do I find forgiveness of my sins committed today? At the foot of the Cross? At my confession? In the pastors absolution? At my partaking of the Lords Supper? At my baptism?"
One particularly helpful reply said (emphasis added):
Forgiveness was won in Christ’s crucifixion. The Father answered the prayer His Son prayed. He forgave all those responsible for Christ’s death. That is, He forgave all sinners, for it was all sinners of all times and places who nailed Jesus to the cross. The sins for which He suffered are the sins God forgave. Since He suffered the punishment of all sins of all sinners, it was all sins of all sinners that God forgave. Forgiveness of all sins was won, earned, obtained, gotten, there on Calvary as Jesus was crucified for us.This distinction - between salvation won and salvation distributed - has proved enormously helpful for me, especially as someone moving away from the Calvinism represented by John Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied, and in need of a similarly clear, pithy description of God's work in saving us.
Forgiveness was not distributed on the cross. The forgiveness that Jesus won on Calvary is distributed wherever Christ’s gospel is proclaimed because the proclamation of the gospel is nothing else than the declaration of the forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake. The forgiveness that Jesus won on Calvary is distributed wherever sinners are baptized in Jesus’ name and by His authority in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Mere water cannot wash away sins, but the water that is joined to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus can and does wash away sins. The forgiveness that Jesus won on Calvary is distributed whenever the minister speaks Christ’s words of absolution to the penitents. The minister’s words of forgiveness are not from the minister, but from Christ who took away our sin. The forgiveness of sins that Jesus won on Calvary is distributed wherever Christians come to the altar to eat and to drink the body and the blood of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. The bread and the wine of this holy Sacrament are not merely signs of Christ’s body and blood. They are Christ’s body and blood. Where the paschal blood is poured, death’s dread angel sheathes his sword. We eat and we drink and we know with the certainty of faith that we are receiving with our mouths the body and the blood of Jesus even as we are receiving by faith the forgiveness of sins and eternal life
It summarises perfectly the distinction between Christ's work on the cross, winning forgiveness, life and salvation for all; and his work through the means of grace, of distributing that forgiveness, life and salvation, creating in us the faith by which we receive the benefits of this - demonstrating how all this is God's work. It's not Christ's work on the cross, plus our "decision" now; it's Christ's work on the cross winning salvation for us, and Christ's work through the Word and Sacraments distributing salvation to us, and creating and sustaining faith in us.
In a subsequent discussion on LQ, the question was raised, "[If forgiveness is distributed to us through the means of grace, then] where do I find forgiveness of my sins committed today? At the foot of the Cross? At my confession? In the pastors absolution? At my partaking of the Lords Supper? At my baptism?"
One particularly helpful reply said (emphasis added):
I'm just trying to encourage you not to put your sins and forgiveness on such a linear path. God already knows all the sins you'll commit in your life, and he forgave them all in your baptism. And he forgives you as often as you confess and receive absolution. And He will forgive you each time you receive his body and blood. His gifts he gives to us oh so abundantly and over and over meeting all of our needs.Wow, indeed.
How much do we need forgiveness? How much gospel do we need? How much grace can we have? How much building of our faith is enough? God just pours out his grace to us again and again and just because he does a thing more than once, does not in any way mean that the previous was less than enough. Your baptism was enough, but he gives you more. His absolution is enough, but he gives you still more. His supper is enough and even though you don't deserve it, He gives you yet more.
He does this because he loves you so and you are his child and he knows just exactly what you need - and he gave it to you in your baptism, he gives it to you again in absolution and he'll continue giving it to you in his supper. In this way, you are forgiven. You can know you are forgiven. And when you sin and are terrified, you can be forgiven again - each time with the words of the gospel administered to you for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of your faith unto life everlasting.
Wow! What a God we serve!
