February 16, 2022

Two things happened this week that are oddly connected.

Kamila Valieva, the figure skating phenom from Russia, was allowed to continue to compete in the Olympics in spite of testing positive for a banned substance. Why ban substances and why test for them if it doesn’t change anything? Sports and competition are all based upon laws that are to be equally enforced. Without that, it all falls apart.

Andres Arango, a priest in Phoenix, AZ resigned when it was discovered that for 20 years, he used the wrong word when performing infant baptisms. The Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix, Thomas Olmsted, said that because Andres used the wrong word, that all of the infant baptisms that Andres performed until June 17, 2021 were invalid. What did he say that was so wrong? Well, instead of saying, “I  baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Andres said, “We baptize you….” You can imagine the consternation for those who believe that getting sprinkled with water as an infant washes away original sin and makes one fit for heaven, to discover that it did not count. Well, the truth is, it didn’t count, but not because the priest said “we” instead of “I”. But I have to hand it to the bishop. Even though his theology and practice are flawed, at least he was willing to say that if you have a law, you actually have to follow it.

Both situations have caused confusion, but for different reasons. In the first example, people are rightfully outraged over the failure of the Olympics to enforce their own laws. As disappointing as it would have been for Kamila to be disqualified, the integrity of the skating competition and to some degree the Olympics themselves would have been preserved. The problem in the second example is not with the enforcement, but with the law itself. To teach people that their eternal perdition or salvation hinges on whether or not a priest says “We” or “I” is terrible!

Salvation is not based on what we do (getting baptized included), or based on what a priest or minister may or may not say. Think about that for a second. This implication of this is that the eternal destiny of people is based on the performance of a priest. Since every priest is a sinner and is prone to sin, what kind of comfort and assurance is that? IT ISN’T!!! Thank God that our salvation is not based on what others do, or on what we do, but is based on what Christ has done!

Just so we don’t miss the point, the apostle Paul, in Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us how we are saved and how we are NOT saved. “For by GRACE you have been saved through faith. And this is NOT your own doing; it is the gift of God, NOT a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Aren’t you glad that we can sing, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness”? That’s much better than singing how our hope is based on a clergy guy saying “I” instead of “we.”

Grace and peace,

Bob

Sunday’s text: 1 Samuel 11:5-15