How marvelous, how wonderful...

A couple of weeks ago, Amanda and I paid a visit to Azure Hills SDA Church in Grand Terrace, CA. It was the first time in a while we'd been able to visit a church; I'd been working for the past year as the part-time youth pastor at our home church (Mission Road SDA Church of Loma Linda, nee Loma Linda Japanese Church). We had heard that it was a good idea to get there early for the service, as the sanctuary is a bit undersized for the congregation and it could get hard to find seats if one came late. So we got there around 10:40 am, not realizing that the main service didn't start at 11--they start at 11:20. So we were really early for church, but a bit late for Sabbath School. We slipped into the adult class in the main sanctuary, and right into the middle of a rather lively discussion about the theme of "Salvation by Faith."

For anyone unfamiliar with Adventists, our thinking about this topic is very much in flux. While mainstream Adventist thinking and publication have professed a belief in justification by faith alone since the late 1950s, there was (and, truthfully, still is) an unfortunate undercurrent of works-based salvation. This undertow leads to a tendency toward legalistic perfectionism, all culminating in (NOTE: The following clause is entirely my opinion) the ugly, unfortunate heresy called "Last Generation Theology."

The thinking goes like this: We are indeed justified ("made acceptable/righteous") by faith in Jesus, and by continuing in faith we are able to gain victory over sin. Literally. Really, truly, not sinning. In essence, living a sinless life--perfectly keeping all the laws of God--is not only possible for the faithful, but such a life is the proof of one's faith and a requirement of salvation.

The problems with such a view are numerous, but a quick shout-out to a few: A truncated, simplistic view of "sin;" a huge temptation toward arrogance and elitism; the divorcing of Adventists from the historical fellowship of the universal church; and finally, the sidelining of God from salvation (if one can fully banish sin from one's life, the need for God is...?)

So back to Azure Hills church and the adult Sabbath School class: Being that this was a large and very diverse class, there were a few people advocating for the preceding point of view. My objections to this view have already been addressed. But, being a large and diverse class, there were likely to be a number of voices reacting to this view. And sure enough, there were people saying that no, the New Testament clearly teaches that we are saved by faith. Alone. Period. We can do nothing to earn salvation; it is faith in Jesus's life and death that leads to us being declared righteous.

And to be honest, although I think it is a healthy movement away from the legalistic perfectionism crowd, I don't think the "salvation by faith alone" folks have it exactly right either. Under this model, doesn't faith itself become a sort of "work?" I make an intellectual assent to the saving power of Jesus, I confess with my mouth that he is Lord, and so the wrath of God is averted. The focus isn't on obedience to the law, but it is still something that I do. And there's the hitch for me--the focus is still on what I do, whether it is "obey the law" or "confess faith in Jesus."

My suggestion is: We are not saved by works, and we aren't saved by faith either. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). It is God's grace that saves us, God's desire to call us "his own," that saves us. We could believe till the cows came home or the sun burned up all its hydrogen, but without God desiring us, it would do but two things--"Jack" and "squat." And Jack left town. [Apologies to the great Bruce Campbell, the change in quote is mine, and intentional.] Again, faith and works do not save us. Faith makes us aware of God's grace, and the awareness of faith frees us from lives enslaved by sin and death. The works of righteousness are the result of God's grace played out in our lives, the fruits of God's Spirit, the joy and pleasure of those living as heirs of grace. But salvation truly is the work of God, from beginning to end, from first to last.

The really cool thing? I first came to this realization in college, probably my first or second quarter at Walla Walla...and I haven't worried one iota over the question "Are you saved?" since then. My answer from then on has been, "Bother if I know, but I've got reason to hope that God really wants me around for a good long time--and that's enough."

A very nice illustration of this came just a few minutes later, in the singing time of the main church service. I mentioned this in a Facebook status post--the group leading the song service chose a very old hymn entitled "I Stand Amazed." I have no idea where I heard this song, it's been years since I last heard it, but as soon as they started I knew every word. I couldn't get the song out of my head, and I think it's because it perfectly captures this experience of "Saved by grace." I found a video on YouTube which I will upload--if anyone is reading this and clicks on the video link, listen to the words. The entire hymn is focused on what God has done--the singer simply "stands amazed." For those who do in fact believe what they are singing, the words of the chorus just erupt like a fountain of joy:

How marvelous, how wonderful!

And my song shall ever be;

How marvelous, how wonderful

Is my Savior's love for me!