About Being Solvent

May I ask a rather impertinent question? Are you solvent? A lot of businesses, families, and even governments today are not solvent, although I am sure that all want to be. The first meaning of the term is that one is able to pay all legal debts, and we all want that.

I began thinking about this word when I read a meditation on Psalm 38 and was struck by the author's statement: "sin is the great solvent of our relationships" (Reardon, Christ in the Psalms). My use if the term just now and his are quite different. My curiosity about the differences led me to the dictionary where I discovered two meanings which appear to be unrelated. One is the ability to pay debts. The other says that a solvent is a substance that dissolves another substance. I wondered, how can those two definitions be related? They appear to be very different.

This question brought me back to Psalm 38 where David is sadly confessing that his sin had separated him from his family and from his God. Sin, like a great solvent, dissolves and destroys relationships. One time Frances had one of the old mercury filled thermometers break in her hand. The mercury rolled out across her fingers, contacted her gold wedding ring, and dissolved much of it. That's what sin does to our relationships. It destroys that which is valuable and precious -- our relationship with spouse, children, friend, or God. And much more.

But there is a positive side to a solvent. In many cases, it cleanses in the act of dissolving. Whether it is paint in a brush or tar on your car, a good solvent will remove it. And so it is with our sin -- a good solvent will dissolve the sin and cleanse us. Thus, we read in 1 John 1:7, "If we walk in the light as he is in the light ... the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." And we hear Jesus at the last supper say, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for the remission of sins."

Now I know the connection between the two definitions of the word "solvent" -- at least in a spiritual sense. Our debts have been covered and our sins removed through the sacrifice of Christ. We are right with God again. In His eyes we are solvent, all because of the sin-cleansing blood of Christ.

Perfection Required and Made Possible

People with perfect pitch flinch when they hear something just a little off key.

A perfectionist about appearance will let every stray hair or a single wrinkle make him or her feel uncomfortable.

A skilled wood worker, creating an intricate inlaid pattern on a table top, will not tolerate even one mis-aligned piece.

The crew of a NASA flight to the moon would be very put out if there were the slightest mis-calculation in their trajectory. It would mean sending them into outer space with no hope of return.

If I were preparing a three egg omelet for dinner I might think that one rotten egg out of three is OK. After all, two out of three is not bad, is it? I'm afraid my wife would not find it acceptable.

And yet that's what we do with God. We bring him a life that is only a little bit out of tune, only slightly off course, only a little rotten, and we expect Him to accept it. We humans tend to tolerate imperfection in the lives of others because that's all we ever get. We don't expect people to be perfect. we would have no fellowship at all if we insisted that everyone qualify by a life of perfection.

But when it comes to being right with God perfection is required. Revelation 21 describes heaven and verse 7 says clearly, "nothing unclean will be there." Perfection is required. So what are we to do?

If anyone faced this problem the Christians in Corinth did. Of all the churches seen in the New Testament the Corinthian church seemed to have more than it's share of serious sinners. In chapter 6 Paul acknowledges this. He lists some serious, deadly sins that they were guilty of, saying that those who do these things would not inherit the kingdom of God. But then he adds in verse 11, "and such were some of you. But you were washed, you were made holy, you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

Here at this table, we stand as imperfect, unclean people made perfect and clean in Christ. Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

For this reason we remember Him who, in the upper room, said, "this is my body given for you," and "this is my blood" shed for you. In Him is our righteousness.

THE LORD'S SUPPER AND BAPTISM

I want to discuss the connection between the Lord's Supper and baptism but let me begin with a story. When I was a student at Northwest Christian College there was an informal, unofficial theological debating society that we called simply the "radiator club." Just inside the front door of the main building is a radiator and students would gather there, especially on cold days. Whoever showed up had a good time discussing and answering all of the big biblical and theological problems of the day. One of the questions sometimes debated was, "when is the cleansing blood of Christ applied to a sinner's life?"

First John 1:7 says: "If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus His Son, cleanses us from all sin." John seems to be saying that when we live in accordance with God's revelation, his light, we are brought into fellowship with each other and it is within this fellowship that we experience the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. But, is there a specific time or action in which this happens? What is it, precisely, that brings us into this fellowship and at the same time cleanses us from sin?

Before he became the Apostle Paul, Saul learned the answer to this question in a most dramatic fashion. On the road to Damascus to find and persecute Christians he was suddenly blinded by a powerful light and heard Jesus ask him, "why are you persecuting me?" They led him into the city and Ananias, one of the Christians he had come to persecute, was sent by the Lord to explain things to him. Ananias concluded by saying, "Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name." Ananias was saying to him, in baptism you can experience the cleansing power of Jesus' blood. In doing so he also entered the fellowship of those people called Christians.

Later, he reflected on the meaning of baptism in Romans 6:2-3 when he wrote: "How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death?"

But baptism is only the beginning. In First John, John is writing to people who have been Christians for a long time. He recognizes that sin is powerful. It can smear and pollute the best of us and all need cleansing, more than once. If we claim that we do not sin, he says, we are liars. How is it then that being within the fellowship of those who walk in the light provides the opportunity to experience the cleansing power of Jesus' blood?

Again, Paul can help us. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 he says, "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?"

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are connected by the blood of Jesus. The initial cleansing of sin and entering into the fellowship takes place in baptism, an act of faith. The continued fellowship and cleansing occurs at the communion table. To be sure, there may well be other times and actions in which we experience the cleansing of Christ, but at the very least we can experience it both in baptism and in the Lord's Supper.

ADVENT: A TIME TO PREPARE

A promise was made by ancient prophets: the Lord's anointed, the one who would save his people, would be born as a child. And so Israel waited and hoped and lived "in the meantime." Finally, the time came but they were not as prepared to recognize him. As John said, "he came to his own, but his own did not receive him."

On this first Sunday of Advent we too are living "in the meantime." The word "advent" is from the Latin and means 'coming to.' Advent is that time when we focus on the promise of Christ coming to the world. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say it is that time when we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is not a passive waiting. It is time to prepare.

A lot of preparation is needed when a baby is expected. Equipment and supplies must be purchased, perhaps a room redecorated, and other physical preparations made. More importantly, Mom and Dad need to prepare mentally and emotionally. Then, when the time is right, the baby comes.

It seems that even God had to prepare for the birth of His son. Galatians 4:4-5 says: "When the right time came, God sent His son, born of a woman ... to buy freedom for us ... so that he could adopt us as his very own children." Notice the first words: "when the right time came." It implies a time of preparation.

God worked in history so that it was the right time in many ways for Christ to come. Politically, the Mediterranean world was united and at peace, thanks to the Roman Empire. One language, Greek, was spoken everywhere making it possible to preach the Gospel to many people groups. The Romans built roads for their armies which made it easy for missionaries to travel. Also, the old gods had lost their power and attraction leaving people hungry for a savior. It was the right time -- the world was ready.

I wonder if God, the Father, also had to prepare himself? He knew what would happen. He knew how badly this sin-sick, Satan-enslaved world needed his son. And he knew what it would cost to buy our freedom. Perhaps God was always ready, but I can't help feeling that the Father not only prepared the world but also prepared Himself so that "when the time was right, God sent his Son, born of a woman ... to buy freedom for us ... so that he could adopt us as his very own children."

In this Advent season we can prepare for the coming of the Christ child by remembering why he came -- to buy our freedom -- and how much it cost. It is why we come to this table and remember how the Lord Himself took the bread, broke it and said, 'this is my body, given for you.' And the cup also, saying, 'this cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins.'

The Blood of Jesus: Baptism and the Lord's Supper

In our church building I am glad that our communion table and the baptistery are located close to each other since there is an essential connection between them. Two statements by Paul, one about baptism and the other about the Lord's Supper indicate this relationship. In both cases he is discussing the danger of sin and how it can be dealt with.

In Romans 6:3 he says this about baptism: "How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death?" In baptism the death of Jesus, his shed blood, becomes effective in our lives.

In 1 Corinthians 10:6, in the context of discussing the sin of idolatry, he says this about the Lord's Supper: "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?" In the Lord's Supper the blood of Jesus becomes effective in our lives, just as in baptism.

Does it offend you to talk about the blood of Jesus? It does some people. I know ministers who have tried to explain the sacrificial death of Jesus in ways that play down any reference to the blood of Jesus. This is not new. We had a highly respected choir director in college many years ago who was not only a classy lady but a dedicated Christian. She also had very high musical standards. She made it clear that the gospel hymn "Power in the Blood" was neither good music or, in her opinion, good theology. I can understand the revulsion for talking about the blood of Jesus. Some insensitive, fundamentalist preachers have gone to great lengths to portray the gross and hideous details of crucifixion, linked this to the many sins of their listeners and succeeded in laying a great burden of guilt upon them.

And yet, in the New Testament, the writers chose to use the word "blood" three times as often as the "cross of Christ," and five times as frequently as "death". What do we mean when we speak about the "blood of Jesus?" Language is symbolic. It points to something. To speak about the blood of Jesus being effective in baptism and the Lord's Supper means several things. Like any good metaphor it has several meanings but one is enough for us to see the connection between baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Among other things, it means cleansing. 1 John 1:7 tells us that "the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin." Dr Brand and Philip Yancy in their book, In His Image, explain how blood in our bodies carries away harmful chemical by-products that could threaten life. "Just as blood cleanses the body of harmful metabolites, forgiveness through Christ's blood cleanses away the waste products, sins, that impede true health" (77). One of the functions of blood is to cleanse.

It used to be that Saturday night was bath night -- you took a bath once a week whether you needed it or not. When finished you were clean all over. Of course, it would not be long before you would have to wash your hands again. Its like that with baptism and the Lord's Supper. In baptism we are totally cleansed of sin -- but that doesn't mean we never sin again. God in his grace has provided access to cleansing each week as we come to the table.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper -- Part 2

Baptism and the Lord's Supper go together. There is an essential relationship between them. They make the perfect pair, given to believers by God for their benefit. In a previous meditation I used this analogy to express one aspect of how they fit together: baptism as new birth is related to the Lord's Supper as natural birth is related to eating. We need weekly sustenance in order to maintain the spiritual life received in our new birth.

A second analogy is related to the New Testament image of the church as the bride of Christ. Baptism is related to the Lord's Supper as a marriage ceremony is related to marriage anniversaries and other acts of remembrance and renewal. At the ceremony, vows are said. Throughout the years that follow the vows are remembered and renewed repeatedly in simple rituals.

In a man's proposal and a woman's positive response both are saying "yes" to each other. But they haven't really said yes finally and completely until they say it in the vows of the marriage ceremony. Baptism corresponds to this. 1 Peter 3:21 says, "baptism now saves you," and then calls it, "the pledge (or vow) of a good conscience toward God." Baptism is our pledge, our vow, our "yes" to God. It brings us in that covenant relationship called the church, the bride of Christ.

We realize, of course, that saying "yes" in a marriage ceremony, and in baptism, is only the beginning. It is intended to happen only once, and then to be lived out and renewed in acts of loving faithfulness throughout the marriage. Furthermore, marriages that strengthen and deepen over the years develop simple and repeated rituals that remember and renew the initial yes.

Anniversary celebrations do this. Sometimes couples go to elaborate ends and great expense in anniversary celebrations. But they can also be very simple. I remember once on our anniversary that our kids thought it funny when our big night out was spent going to the public library.

Even more than yearly remembrances a variety of repeated, simple rituals help us to remember and renew our vows. One, for example, is the weekly date that many couples have. They may not say it out loud but when the set aside this time for each other they are in effect saying, "I remember and I renew my vow to you." They are saying "yes" to each other again.

And this is what we do in the simple weekly ritual at the Lord's Table each week. We remember and renew the vow to God that we first made in our baptism. It may be simple and the routine may be all too familiar but it reminds us of who we are as the bride of Christ. Once again we say "yes" to him as we confess our faith, eat the bread and drink from the cup.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper -- Part I

Some things are meant to go together. As someone said, "Like meat and potatoes, salt and tomatoes, we make a perfect pair."

Likewise, baptism and the Lord's Supper make a perfect pair, they were meant to go together. They have a vital, even essential connection. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are recognized universally as the two ordinances, or sacraments of the church, given by God for the benefit of His people. While we often consider the meaning of each one independently, it is also important to see the essential connection they have.

Let me state it first this way: baptism is related to the Lord's Supper as birth is related to eating.

Baptism is part of the process of being born again. In John 3 Jesus told Nicodemus, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God." The obedient act of faith in baptism and the work of the Spirit results in new birth, or being born again.

Titus 3:5 also speaks of new birth when it says, "He saved us ... by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." The phrase, "washing of regeneration" could be literally translated as the "bath of new birth." One commentator explains it this way: "the process of washing in baptism produced a rebirth of which the Spirit was the origin" (Quinn, Anchor Bible, 219).

The connection between the sacraments can be put this way: baptism as new birth is related to the Lord's Supper as natural birth is related to eating. How many times are we born? Only once. How many meals do we eat? Many. Why? What happens if, after birth, we eat for a time and then say, "this is too much trouble," or "this is getting old," and so we stop eating? We die, of course.

John 6 is often seen as a spiritual interpretation of the Lord's Supper. In John 6:53 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." At the last supper Jesus held the bread before his disciples and said, "This is my body given for you." Not in a literal sense, of course, but in a mysterious and real way, by faith, we partake of the body and blood of Christ, the bread of life, at this table. If the life given to us in our spiritual rebirth is to continue we need to eat regularly.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper go together. They are the perfect pair, essentially connected. New life comes through new birth and is sustained at the table.