Exposition by Max A Forsythe
The
Reformer's Fire
Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Today we come to one of the great texts of the Reformation and a text that so much of the Christian community misunderstands and misapplies completely. It is not without some wholesome theological fear and trembling that I begin this sermon. Because, if we get this understanding of faith and saving faith wrong we are only a few steps away from heresy and even eternal damnation for recreating the faith in a manner that destroys an essential belief that is the foundation of Christ's Church. Even very popular modern authors who claim the reformed distinctives can miss the point of our text that Martin Luther cherished so much: "the just shall live by his faith."
According to the author of Hebrews, those who come to God must believe at least two propositions: That God is, and that he rewards those who diligently seek Him. To Luther, the climax of his seeking God was a final understanding of living by faith. So impressed with this text in Habakkuk was Luther that he wrote into the margin of his Vulgate translation the word "sola".
Now let us be careful in our definition of this word faith. One of the modern understandings of faith which I have often used is a word study on the Greek language. In this understanding, the word faith includes a head, heart and hands application. First there is intellectual assent in the mind to whom the Person of Christ is. Second there is the Holy Spirit inspired heartfelt attraction of our Christ. And last there is the working out in our lives of the implications of our intellectual and spiritual affections. This last assessment is well described by the Apostle James, even as it is downplayed by Luther on the basis of his lifelong struggle to arrive at the point of assurance for being saved.
On the surface this threefold emphasis is fine for encouraging people to make the "faith" part and parcel of their minds, hearts and work in the world. Unfortunately the human tendency has been and always will be to focus on the proofs of faith produced by the work of our hands. As if the growing sanctification of our lives were a repayment or production quota to prove the wisdom of God in choosing us for His very own as some would define the divine economy of salvation?
We have only to consider the whole of verse four to get the biblical perspective: "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith." This truth is correctly echoed later in the revelation record by Paul in Romans 3: 21-24 & 27-28 "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. ..Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by the faith apart from the deeds of the law." Further in Ephesians 2: 8-10 Paul observes: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
I say all of this not to downplay our responsibility to reflect the greater glory of our Father through the day by day acts which demonstrate our affection for Christ, but to caution against any pride in what you think you have accomplished in, by or through sanctification.
Consider the time of Habakkuk and prepare yourselves for where this American Republic is likely to be headed - what are we to think when things do not go well? A couple years ago I discussed the growing of Christ's Church with another evangelical pastor. He observed that since his congregation was growing ten times faster than ours. then obviously the blessing of God must be upon him and his ministry. By implication he meant that what we were doing here must have earned God's displeasure otherwise we too would be growing great in strength and numbers. I did not and still do not agree with his assessment. As I look around at the fast growing churches in our culture, I am not impressed with the messages that must be delivered to tickle the egos and fancies of the majority who enjoy being told exactly what they want to hear.
What would Habakkuk read like if he had written to please his audience? Would he have dared to tell them that dark days were ahead, that their economy, their freedom, their country would very soon all be taken away from them? Yes the prophet did indeed agonize over the words given to him by our Creator God. Remember Habakkuk began by asking two difficult questions of our Maker. First, Habakkuk asked why the Lord did not respond to the injustice and wickedness in the land of Israel. God answered that He was going to send the pagan Babylonians to punish the elect who failed to take Him and His word seriously. Second, Habakkuk asked how God could use people even more wicked and depraved to chastise the elect? God answered him by pointedly saying that this is the plan that He has chosen. In the midst of such events - the just must learn to live by faith knowing that the wicked will one day reap a worse reward!
The Babylonian attitude and appetite is condemned in the remainder of this second chapter. Verses six through twenty are written in what some commentators call a taunt song. Do you remember the pep rally from high school and the cheers that often defamed and denounced the adversary of the week? This is similar, but at a much more profound and eternal level of admonishment. Yes, God indeed has a plan and purpose in working out the details of history. And those wicked enemies of Him and His elect may run loose for a while, but within and at the end of history, they will be found accountable - and the Church of the elect, the bride of Christ will survive and be blessed with eternity in heaven.
Let me summarize the five woes against Babylon outlined here in this chapter. The first woe, in verses six to eight, is upon those who plunder others - they themselves will be plundered in time. During the twenties - many economic sharks sought to devour small and medium sized companies to make their profits personal. At the end of that decade there was a great leveling and many of the wolves who had chased the bull market ended in a bear hug that destroyed their fantasy of wealth.
The second woe, in verses nine to eleven, condemns those who have sought security and economic gain at the expense of others. How many programs have been instituted in our fair land to guarantee economic security. And all we have accomplished is a grand scheme to transfer wealth from one group of people to another. Or as honest economists have observed - to transfer individual wealth to government coiffeurs - as we realize how social security monies have been truly invested!
The third woe, in verses twelve to fourteen, condemns the ruthless, but futile efforts to perpetuate the legacy of those who have conquered and taken to themselves the glory that belongs to God alone. All the empires, kingdoms and democracies will count for little in the grand scheme of things. Their glories, are fleeting and passing. At the end of the age we are promised that "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord."
The fourth woe, in verses fifteen to seventeen, condemns the sadistic and humiliating treatment of weaker peoples who are presumed to exist for the entertainment and abasement of those in power. Seduction as power is the principle denounced here. Even without looking for it, we are far too aware that this is a great industry in our time ripe and growing riper for the Lord's disciplining hand of judgment.
The fifth and last woe, in verses eighteen to twenty, denounces every type of idolatry and affirms at the end of the chapter that "the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him."
Well, we all know the subsequent history of the Middle East. Babylon fulfilled the prophecies noted by all the prophets. Judea was captured, taken into captivity, removed from Judea only to be returned when these dire predictions against the Babylonians were accomplished. At the very least, when the remnant finally returned, the at long last put away the worship of other gods, goddesses and pagan images. But what a hard lesson to learn. But they did learn to acknowledge the only God of heaven. However, when the Son of God came to earth, precious few saw Him through the eyes of faith. A self-righteousness had increased in the land and the majority of people lived as if their obedience to the law would save them along with their proper ethnic descent from Abraham.
Where are we as a group and individually in the understanding of this prophetic chapter? Since we began - I hope that you all noticed that there was not nor never has been a grand plan or scheme for the success of this ministry. We have lived and loved the Lord year by year trusting Him for the future as well as the past and present. Yes, we did lay our sheep skins before Him from time to time to find His leading. When we discovered this little piece of property we had to wait a full year before the Lord allowed us to find rest from our rented pilgrimage. We have done a lot of praying in the last few months for the Lord to graciously add to our numbers - visitors have come and we earnestly hope that in the Lord's timing - some of them will stay and become part of our little company of believers. Through it all we have earnestly tried to remain faithful to the work of witnessing to the gospel of glory - that we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. And that the work of salvation in us and through us is wholly the work of our Triune God.
This is what it means to live by faith. I know that we all struggle to know what this life by faith means individually. "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able ..." - so goes a glorious little hymn phrase that may instruct us in this regard. Knowing Christ as the One who was crucified, dead, buried and resurrected is the first lesson in the faith once given to the saints. Counting His righteousness as a covering for our sins is a vital second lesson. Loving Him as the object of our faith is a third. Expecting Him to work in us through His Holy Spirit is a fourth. Waiting for Him to come again is a fifth lesson. And finally, trusting Him throughout His providential working through history is the special lesson we should treasure from the Prophet Habakkuk. Even as Habakkuk learned the same lessons that Job wrestled with at the dawn of our revelation record, so too must we all stand in awe before the Lord who"is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him."
Resources Used:
Baker, David W. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.
Boice, James M. The Minor Prophets: An Expositional Commentary.
Bromiley, Geoffrey. "Pisteuo, Pistis", Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.
Clark, Gordon H. Faith & Saving Faith.
Dunelm, Handley. "Faith", International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia.
Places Preached:
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Box 13926 -- Columbus, OH 43213
Hab02b 27 June 99
|
Return to |
Return to |
Return to |