1 Corinthians 13: Faith, Hope & Love, Part 2 (Grace)

So in Part 1, we covered some of the reasons love is the greatest of all God’s gifts. We could go on, but we need to consider why faith and hope get added to the list. Why these two other gifts?

I see it in terms of atonement or, more technically, soteriology — the theology of how we’re saved.

Let’s discuss it in Church of Christ terms, and to do that, we need to dispense with certain false understandings. And because I’m writing on Championship Saturday (Dec 6, 2014) and therefore need to be finished in time to watch some football, I’ll repeat what I wrote in a recent comment (edited) —
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Steven J,

Let’s talk a bit about grace, and I’ll try to be brief (although I get excited about it and so tend to ramble).

You wrote,

As far as which sins grace washes away, the scriptures tell us plainly which sins. The ones of those who are in Christ, through faithful obedience to His gospel and who are walking in His light.

Well, yes, but you’re still arguing in circles. When am I in the light and when am I not in the light? Do I leave the light when I sin? Every sin? Just some sins? Or am I always in the light — until I fall away so as to be damned?

As long as we leave our definitions vague, then we’re free to fill them with traditions and habits and sloppy thinking. So, yes, you’re right — but you’ve not really answered the question.

You equate “walking in the light” to “faithful obedience to His gospel.” And does that mean sinless obedience? (You say no.) So does it mean sin is okay (God forbid!) So what is the answer?

To get to an answer, we need to put a very traditional theory on the table to reject. Traditionally, it’s been taught that grace covers sin when and only when the sinner repents, confesses, and asks for forgiveness of that sin. Repentance requires that the sinner give up that sin. Some add restitution as a requirement.

The problem with this theory is that you’re not forgiven until you’ve stopped committing that particular sin. And that means we all have unforgiven sins because we all still sin. Not a one of us has fully repented of every sin, and so — according to the theory — not a one of us has been forgiven of every sin. And therefore, according to the theory, we are all damned in the eyes of God.

It’s not a very good theory.

Many among even the most conservative Churches of Christ respond — correctly, I think — by pointing out 1 John 1:7 —

(1Jo 1:7 ESV) 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

The argument is that “cleanses” is in the present tense and so refers to a continuous cleansing. Amen.

And so we come full circle — except we’ve still not defined “walk in the light.” By one point of view, we have to be perfect, because the text says “as he is in the light” and God lives in sinless perfection — but it’s absurd to imagine that John is saying we are cleansed if we live perfectly (and so need no cleansing!).

Some argue that “walk in the light” means “repent and confess and make restitution and ask forgiveness” — returning us back to a truly impossible standard. That can’t be right.

So I believe we should find our answer in —

(1Jo 1:5 ESV) This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Isn’t “walk in the light” and being “in him” the same thing? Isn’t the point that there is no darkness at all and therefore, if we are in him, we are in the light? And if this is so, what sins are forgiven? All. What sins are charged to the account of someone “in him”? None.

But this good news to too good to believe! Could it really be true? Well, Paul says,

(Rom 8:1 ESV) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Hmm … if I’m “in Christ Jesus,” there is “no condemnation.” Sounds a lot like if I’m “in him” there is “no darkness at all” and I’m “walking in the light” and the blood of Christ is continually washing my sins away. If I’m in him. But only if I’m in him.

So that’s a theory that allows grace to be grace. All the alternatives ultimately destroy grace — swallowing it in exceptions and howevers and buts that are bigger than grace itself.

Now, I can demonstrate every single point of this argument from many scriptures. I’m trying to keep the argument simple and not lose the key point in extensive exegesis. But there’s not an argument here that can’t be backed with pages of citations and theology. But we need to first see the logic.

And here it is from one last angle. We want “walking in the light” to cover the sins that are common to all believers. We all sin, and yet Christians are forgiven, saved, and going to live with Jesus. This is grace.

On the other hand, we sometimes just desperately want certain sins to damn. We want the church that uses instrumental music to be damned for its error. But when we create a rule that damns for instrumental music, we inevitably create a rule that damns for our own sins. If we say any doctrinal error damns, then we are damned unless we are doctrinally perfect — and who can meet such a standard? If we say any sin in worship damns, well, who has worshiped perfectly?

And so, you will not find in conservative Church of Christ literature an answer to the question — which sins damn and which do not? Because they want to move the line to fit our shifting traditions. And it’s an impossible task. Hence, our preachers avoid the question with undefined terms or by accusing anyone who asks such a question of having a sinful attitude. (This is not my first such discussion. I’ve corresponded with most of the editors among the conservative Churches. All avoid the question. All. If you doubt me, read the dialogue at http://www.graceconversation.com.)

But it’s a fair question, because our preachers do damn those who use instrumental music and don’t damn everyone for every sin — just some sins. And it’s only right that they answer for how they decide which sins damn and which do not.

And I entirely agree that some sins damn and some do not. Some Christians fall away and some do not. But I believe the scriptures plainly answer the question in a way that makes grace real, powerful and a source of great confidence and assurance — without creating a once saved, always saved result.
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Got it? Grace saves. No sins are charged against those in grace. None. Not unless and until someone falls away. So long as we are in Christ — at all — we live in a perfectly forgiven state, continually cleansed, free from all condemnation — without fear. Assured and confident. But we can fall away.

(And, no, I’ve not forgotten that the topic is faith, hope, and love. It’s just that we have our soteriology so messed up that we can’t understand even love, much less faith and hope, until we purge ourselves of certain very false, very wrong teachings.)