Scandalous Grace 09/29/2010
 
Romans 4:1-4 “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.”

In other words, if you were to get to heaven as a result of your works, then God would owe you heaven – heaven would be payment for services rendered!  But Paul goes on in verse 5 “But to him who does not work but believes (trusts) on Him who justifies the ungodly…”

When Paul wrote those words, it was such a scandal! In fact, it is a scandal today. God justifies the ungodly, and their faith is counted for righteousness. How amazing that where sin abounds, grace much more abounds!  (Romans 5;20)  Everyone who believes (trusts, relies upon) God, receives the very righteousness of God.  What an amazing, blessed and scandalous grace! 
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Last week I taught at the Vietnamese Baptist Bible Institute in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon).  The class of approximately 35 students met for six hours a day at Grace Baptist Church in the middle of the city, where we studied the major doctrines of the Bible.  Pastor Huy Le leads the congregation at Grace Baptist Church, and he is a remarkable mixture of ability and humility—remarkable because those traits usually don’t go together.  The students were wonderful, the traffic alarming, and the food interesting.

The traffic there inspires awe.  Ho Chi Minh is a city of 8-10 million people, and evidently every one of them drives a motorbike.  To get an idea of what I’m talking about, take a look at a video I posted of the morning commute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG84h53wQXw. 

This trip reminded me once again just how global Christianity really is.  The Vietnamese church is vibrant and courageous in circumstances that sometimes are less than ideal.  I urge you to remember them in your prayers.  In addition, one of my former students came by to see me on the first day of class, a Korean fellow by the name of Whang.  He had been in Cambodia for the past two years and had just recently became one of the pastors to a Korean congregation  in Ho Chi Minh City.  It appears that many Korean firms, such as Samsung, are putting manufacturing plants in Vietnam.  As a result there are over 70,000 Koreans living in Ho Chi Minh City.  Whang, his pastor, Pastor Hu, my translator (a fellow named Chien), and I enjoyed fellowship over lunch, and I marveled at the number of languages that were spoken at our table.  Heaven is not going to be a monochrome place. 

Thank you to those who prayed for me during my trip.  God truly blessed and I am thankful to have had the opportunity.  The Lord is doing a wonderful thing among the Vietnamese people.    
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A buddy and I decide to go sky-diving. For the record, if I am jumping out of a plane with a parachute, you can know one of two things.  One, I have lost a bet; or two, the plane is on fire. But let us imagine that my friend has talked me into sky-diving and he begins to explain to me how the parachute works. He is an expert on aerodynamics so he explains that the parachute is made of so many square yards of silk and it will hold so many cubic feet of air. He tells me that the air will provide resistance slowing my fall, so that I will not be splattered on the concrete but will land safely. My friend may ask me, “Do you believe what I’ve told you about the parachute?” I would say, yes, I believe that. Do I believe this parachute can do hold me up and lower me slowly and safely to the ground? Yes I believe it! Do I completely understand how it works? No. But, do I believe it works? Yes, I believe parachutes work. Alright then, my friend says, “Let's jump!”  The moment I jump out of the plane, I no longer believe about the parachute, I am trusting in the parachute. That is the difference between belief and trust.
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Dear friends,

Tomorrow morning I depart for a week in Southeast Asia.  I will teach about 50 of our brothers there, hopefully encouraging and strengthening them in the great work they are accomplishing in their city. I would be so grateful if you would talk to the Father on my behalf – that I will be used to further His work in that place, that I would have wisdom in all I say and do, as well as for protection and good health as I travel. Thank you for supporting me in this way! I look forward to bringing you a good report on my return.

“…the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” James 5:16b
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Gen 15:6 “And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

Here is the condition for salvation. Abraham believed in the Lord. Literally it means Abraham trusted God.  You may ask, “Isn't believe and trust the same thing?” No, not really.  Literally the text says that Abraham “faithed” God. That does not translate very well into English since we do not have a verb for the word “faith”.  Therefore, “faithed” is often translated “believe”. Personally, I think this word “faithed” should instead be translated “trust.” To believe is intellectual; trust, however, is volitional – it involves the will. You do not trust God with your head, you trust God with your heart.
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