Tomorrow at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine, September 9th, 2012: “Show No Partiality” (James 2:1-10)

Dear Christian Friends,

 

Tomorrow I begin with this:

Introduction: A Lutheran Primer On Sanctification

 

As taught in the writings of C.F.W. Walther and consistent with the Word of God and as confessed in the Lutheran Confessions and by Dr. Martin Luther (excerpts taken from the essay written by Pr. Espinosa in the book C.F.W. Walther: Churchman and Theologian, CPH, 2011):

 

Summary Thesis 1: Faith brings forth fruit/good works commanded and therefore necessitated by God so that when true faith in Christ is present, a person is changed and he experiences a new life in thought, word, and deed.

 

Summary Thesis 2: Faith also brings forth a necessary cross that is felt in the spiritual battle between the sinful nature of the Christian and their new life in Christ through which the Holy Spirit leads the Christian to crucify the flesh, feel the anguish of the struggle in keeping humility, and conduct discipline against the possibility of dwelling in unrepentant, deliberate sin that would otherwise destroy faith.

 

Despite the fact that the Scriptures and our Confessions elaborate on the Christian life, our holiness for living that is in Jesus Christ, we have a tremendous challenge in actually teaching it and applying it. But the two summary thesis statements may be boiled down to these six (6) major elements about your sanctification as one who is God’s new creation by grace alone. Keep in mind that these are not the basis for your salvation (only Christ is!), but rather the evidence that you are saved (that is, that you are in Christ your sanctification!):

 1.      An accurate ORDER (a theological sequence and progression which intimates cause and effect) in stating that faith always comes first while good works follow. The order can never be inverted if one is faithful to biblical theology.

2.      Good works are necessary in the life of the Christian, which when understood in biblical context, is axiomatic.

3.      In true sanctification, the Holy Spirit creates new affections, spiritual movements, and changes the entire life of the believer.

4.      The Holy Spirit leads the Christian to crucify (subdue, put down, kill, mortify, drown, etc.) the flesh (the sinful nature marked by impulses to sin against God and our neighbor).

5.      The Christian is led by the Holy Spirit to feel anguish in this struggle as his sin is put before him, but God produces true humility in the Christian as a result.

6.      The Holy Spirit leads the Christian to conduct a holy discipline against the possibility of persisting in unrepentant, deliberate sin that would otherwise destroy faith.

 

Part I: Now wouldn’t know that the Epistle of James emphasizes sanctification! This is God’s letter in God’s Word for you, God’s people…and it’s all about sanctification!

 

At this point I jump into tomorrow’s epistle from James 2:1-10. With a proper understanding of sanctification, we may examine this very important command given to His people saved by grace through faith in Christ: “show no partiality.”

Please join us to receive Christ’s Word and Sacraments and to be further equipped in God’s powerful way of putting us and keeping us in Christ Jesus! Best of all, we will hear proclaimed how Christ showed no partiality to ensure that you and I were also included in His saving work!

 

In Christ,

 

Dr. Espinosa

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