Choosing Sinners
Comments on Galatians with an ear to Luther’s commentary
Scripture Text: Galatians 3:10 and Romans 5:6–8
Series: Comments on Galatians
What did Abraham do? What did Moses do? What did David do? What did Peter or Paul do? They had faith in God’s promise, not in their own works, law keeping, or religion. Abraham lied and passed the trait to his children. Moses was a frustrated and reactionary who murdered and lost his own life just shy of the promised land. David was an adulterer. Peter wanted to form a weird sort of religion that honored the law the prophets and the gospel (Matthew 17:4) — while Jesus was right there. Paul tried to destroy the church, rounding up Christians and imprisoning them (Acts 8:3).
In the midst of all this wrongdoing, God chooses them. He declares himself to be their God instead of their lies, frustration, adultery, religious inventions, or fanaticism. God did not choose them for their good deeds or their religious law keeping. He decided for them because he loved them — as unlovable as they were.
Even so, God decides for us while we are yet sinners. Every day, God decides for us, while we are still sinners. He does not pick us because we go to church, help the poor, support missionaries, or are just downright nice folks. Nonetheless, because he has decided for us, we should indeed, go to church, help the poor, support missionaries, and be nice to others. We simply should not imagine that these are the reasons God loves and saves us.
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Author
Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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