[amc] A note from the pastor
- From: "garland robertson" <pastor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Austin Mennonite Church" <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 16:27:28 -0500
Members and Friends of Austin Mennonite Church
The phrase, "The just shall live by faith," provoked an intense reaction to
traditional religious obligations promoted by the institutional church.
After reading the phrase in Romans, the priest Martin Luther felt compelled
to abandon completely the religion of the Roman papacy solely on the basis
of this declaration of the apostle Paul. Paul's statement, however, is not
an original discloser of the centrality of faith in the quest for true
spirituality. The prophet Habakkuk had already recorded this provision.
Since the Reformation, many scholars/theologians have discussed the meaning
of this central axiom of Christianity. Does Paul intend to say that by
having faith that Jesus is God's son and our savior-believing Jesus died as
God's sacrificial provision for forgiving sin-in this way a person will
inherit eternal life in heaven after death? Or, are we to appeal to the
record of Habakkuk to clarify the role of faith, and thereby determine the
most likely meaning of the assertion, "The just will live by faith"? Or,
does the apostle disagree with the prophet about the significance of faith.
What do you think? Take a moment and compare the context of Paul's writing
in Romans 1:17 with that of the prophet in Habakkuk 2:4. These thoughts
will compose the sermon for this Sunday, "The Journey of Faith."
We will share in Communion this next Sunday, World Communion Sunday,
participating in this meal with the universal church. All persons who
follow Jesus are invited eat together not only remembering the historical
observance of this meal of Jesus with his disciples but also anticipating
when we will sit together at the table after God's reign has been
established. Please join with us if you are able. Afterward we will share
lunch together as is our practice on the first Sunday of each month.
May it go well with you. Sincerely,
Garland Robertson
...always hold firmly to the thought that each one of us can do something to
bring some portion of misery to an end
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