“In the sight of God man is a sinner when he relies upon himself and what he does, without acknowledging his dependence on God and God’s gifts. ‘Not to believe, trust, fear Him, not to give Him glory, not to let Him rule and be God’ is sin. So sin is at bottom a turning away from God. It is not believing. Sin is not so much a matter of wrong acts (although it is this too) as it is a matter of wrong orientation. With this understanding the medieval distinction between moral and venial sins of course collapsed. Man confesses, ‘I am sinner,’ rather than, ‘I have commited a sin.’

Man’s fellowship with God is broken by sin, but God takes the initiative to restore the fellowship. In Christ, God graciously takes upon Himself man’s sin, compassionately suffers in man’s behalf, lovingly gives of Himself to reconcile man, gratuitously offers pardon and forgiveness. For (Martin) Luther the word ‘forgiveness’ embraces all of this. It is something positive rather than merely negative. It is God’s acceptance of man in spite of his sin, and it is the eterenal life that is such acceptance.

Man, for this part, can receive only what is thus given. He is not worthy of the gift, nor can he make himself worthy of it. He simply takes hold of what is offered, placing his confidence at once in the promise, and the Giver in God’s Word and in God Himself, who addresses man in His Word. ‘God gives you nothing on account of your worthiness,’ Luther wrote. ‘Nor does He establish His Word and Sacrament on your worthiness. But out of pure grace He establishes you, unworthy as you are, on His Word and sign.’ The Word of God (more specifically, the gospel) is the means by which God comes to man with His offer of forgiveness and life. Because it is a promise, it can eb recieved only in faith-not intellectual assent to doctrine, but personal trust in and commitment to God in Christ-which is itself a gift of God rather than an achievement of man. Faith is the assurance that God loves in His wrath and is gracious in His judgment. To have faith is to have God.

The Christian life, then, is a life of faith, a life lived in and under God. A Christian does ‘good works,’ not to save himself, but to serve his neighbors in love. ‘To serve our neighbor is a service to God,’ is Gottesdienst. A Christian does this freely, spontaneously, joyfully-not in order to secure salvation but because he is saved.”

This morning proved to be another fun hang-out with Ellen (Matt’s older sister). We walked to Meijer together, engaging in random conversation. Back on campus we found ourselves munching and talking before Ellen’s next class. Conversation flowed and soon another classmate joined into our discussion, sharing her own life experience. And it’s strange, but our conversation invited another classmate whom proceeded to criticize my life choices and mock my inexperience. So here I find myself reflecting on this strange encounter and previous strange encounters that I have had with the particular classmate in the past.

It is odd but I have never forced this classmate to accept my views. I have never even asked her to bend her own thoughts to encumpass mine. But since I hold a Christ-centered view of life, I am labeled as “wrong” and “ignorant” in her eyes. I have never challenged, mocked or scorned her lifestyle. But for some reason, she finds the need to continually pick at mine.

I can’t explain to her why I think the way I think and why I have certain values because I don’t believe she hears my words anymore. I am well aware that my opinion is bias, but I think, nonetheless, that my classmate is so caught up in what she believes she’s hearing that she does not actually hear my words. [How often have I done the same? I wonder.]

I say this not to rip up on my classmate and somehow gain some victory from slamming this girl behind her back. No, I say this because it breaks my heart to think that all the while I am trying to convey to this girl that I don’t hate her, words (beyond my control) in her own mind are replacing my motions of friendship.

I guess I just need to learn a new way to show this girl that I am not judging her or her lifestyle when she approaches me next.

I just want her to know I care about her… and I am not here to judge.