Romans 3:19-28 – Free gift, freely given!

17 11 2025

Preached at the Stutterheim United Coingregation 26 October 2025

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile” (3:22). Beautiful words, words that have changed history! The mantra, the call of the Reformers, Zwingli, Luther, Calvin and many others was “through Scripture alone, through Christ alone, through faith alone, through grace alone and glory to God alone.”! In short ALL of us need Christ, ALL of us need the “righteousness” given to us freely, through grace.

Now I don’t have to tell you that there has been libraries of books written on the mechanism, on HOW it works. And despite all our “learnedness”, our cleverness, it remains a mystery. NT Wright puts it well: “There are many times, in reading Paul, when the right reaction is to kneel down and give God thanks. This is one of those times”.

So what do we know? I like the way NT Wright translates verses 22-24: “God’s covenant justice comes into operation through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah, for the benefit of all who have faith. For there is no distinction: all sinned, and fell short of God’s glory – and by God’s grace they are freely declared to be in the right, to be members of the covenant, through the redemption which is found in the Messiah, Jesus”.

Faith depends, first and foremost, on God’s initiative, for it is freely given (Romans 3:24–25). Not only “are we made right by [God’s] grace as a free gift” (3:24)—the redundancy is intentional—but outsiders can gain access to a covenant that had excluded them because of “redemption” (3:24). The term “redemption would immediately be recognised by Paul’s gentile audience as payment for deliverance from captivity or slavery. And what slavery is Paul referring to? In Romans 7:14 Paul makes the point that we are all slaves of sin and need freeing – redemption! For Paul the death of Jesus is indeed the new Exodus, the moment when the slaves are freed!

What Paul reminds these gentiles about is old news to the covenantal people with whom God forged a relationship, and that relationship is based on faith—that is, the faithfulness of God and the people’s faithfulness to the covenant. Now, God reveals to outsiders this faithfulness—except it is now expressed as Christ’s faithfulness. They are one and the same: The new is the old, since God is one. 

The same covenant is established for all, Jews and gentiles alike—“there is no distinction” (3:22)—in the same way that “all have sinned” (3:23). The Reformers were right: It’s all about faith! Not our personal trust in a higher power or a particular belief system, but God’s faithfulness in safeguarding the integrity of the covenant and in making it available for erstwhile rebels against God, those “without the Torah” (3:21).

Make no mistake: God takes the initiative in reconciling erstwhile rebels to God’s self. “While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10). With this decisive act, the true nature of the Torah/Law can emerge: It has never been about performance (“works”); it has always centred on faith.

What was needed, as we saw at the start of chapter 3, was for God’s faithfulness to be put into operation, not by scrapping the covenant plan to save the world through Israel and start again by some different route, but through, somehow, the arrival of a faithful Israelite who would offer God the faithful obedience which Israel should have offered but failed to do. Israel, called to be the messenger of God’s saving plan, had corrupted the vocation into mere privilege and had failed to pass the message on. Now we see the faithful Israelite Paul had in mind: Israel’s representative, the Messiah, Jesus. The faithful death of the Messiah unveils, before an unready and shocked world, the way in which the one true God has been true to the covenant and has thereby provided the answer to a world gone wrong, and to humans lost in sin and guilt.

By Jesus’s own blood, God consecrated Jesus as the place where forgiven humanity can meet God. And He does this through “Grace”. All God does on our behalf is done freely and without compulsion, out of pure love. Now all we need to do is accept this free gift of love and live from it!

Bibliography:

Keener, C.S. (1993) The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Keener, C.S. (2009) Romans. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books (New Covenant Commentary Series).

Moo, D.J. (2000) Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House (The NIV Application Commentary).

Wan, Sze-kar (2025). Commentary on Romans 3:19-28. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/reformation-day/commentary-on-romans-319-28-17

Wright, N. T. (2023). New Testament for Everyone Complete Eighteen-Volume Set: 20th Anniversary Edition with Study Guide (The New Testament for Everyone). 


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2 Petrus 1:16-21 – Geloof, feitelik en geestelik

27 02 2023

Gepreek te NGK Stutterheim, 19 Februarie 2023

Ek lees die afgelope week van iemand wat hulle kind wou doop, maar die Naam van God mag nie genoem word nie! Hulle sê: “Ons wil net hê ons dogtertjie moet weet ‘n groter gees vergesel haar deur die lewe, maar ons wil nie te spesifiek wees nie. Ons wil alle moontlikhede dek. Ons doen ‘n afgewaterde weergawe van die Christelike geloof vir ons dogtertjie, want sy glo in engele en feetjies, dwergies en Kersvader. Ons wil dit so hou.“

Ek dink nogal Petrus sou ‘n probleem hiermee gehad het… (:16): “Ons het ons immers nie op vindingryke fabels verlaat toe ons die kragtige teenwoordigheid van ons Here Jesus •Christus aan julle bekend gemaak het nie.” Petrus het nie eintlik gedink “Christianity Lite” is wat sal werk nie!

Ja, ons wil realisties wees. Ons wil ons lewe bou op feite, nie op lugkastele nie. Ons wil hê die fondament van ons lewe moet stewig wees, ‘n gepaste wegspringplek vir ‘n reis na ‘n bestemming wat vervulling en vrede bring. Daar is baie stemme wat baie feite, weergawes van die waarheid en toekomsmoontlikhede aan ons uitbasuin. Materialiste en ateïste sê hierdie wêreld is al wat ons het, en hierdie lewe die enigste vorm van bestaan. Niks anders maak saak nie.

Petrus het egter van ‘n ander kant geweet. Hy was saam met Jesus op die berg met Sy verheerliking. Ja, daarna het hy ook soms gefaal, aan die slaap geraak, Jesus verloën. Tog was hy seker van twee goed – die feitelike van Jesus se koms, lewe, sterwe en opstanding, en ook dat daar ‘n ander, geestelike, dimensie in ons lewens is. 

Dit verg geloofsmoed om in die genadige hande van God in Christus te val en jou lewe volgens God se bedoeling in te rig. As jy hierteen kies, en die afgewaterde Christianity Lite van feetjies, dwergies, engele en Kersvader kies, speel jou lewe en jou verwagtinge duidelik anders uit. Dit is waaroor 2 Petrus handel. Die brief het ten doel om gelowiges te help om die regte keuses te maak, op grond van die regte feite en data, met die belofte dat dit tot ‘n heerlike bestemming sal lei.

Dit is ‘n ongelooflike ryk gedeelte. Petrus praat só omvattend oor geloof. Geloof is iets wat God vir ons gee, waarvan die inhoud die hele evangelie van Jesus Christus is. Geloof is ook iets wat ons beoefen, deurdat ons vasgryp aan dié Een waarvan die evangelie ons vertel, Jesus Christus. Dit is objektief en subjektief.

Petrus koppel geloof verder onomwonde aan ons kennis van die Here en sy wil vir ons lewe. Díe kennis moet groei in inhoud en ervaring en veral in die manier waarop ons lewe – uitnemend, met insig, selfbeheersd, volhardend, toegewyd, en vol liefde beide vir ons eie mense as vir alle mense.

En Petrus laat ons op geen manier onseker oor die betroubaarheid van die inhoud van ons geloof, Jesus Christus nie. Ons kan dit eerstens self ervaar in die kragtige teenwoordigheid van die Here Jesus Christus onder ons. Ons kan Petrus se ooggetuie verslag as begronding daarvan aanvaar. En ons kan die Skrifte lees, onder leiding van die Heilige Gees, sodat die boodskap daarvan ons van binne af kan oortuig van die waarheid daarvan. Watter voorreg!

Waarom sal mens Christianity Lite doen, spiritueel en nie gelowig wees nie, want dit is so duidelik uit pas met die feitelike bronne van ons geloof?

Geloof is nooit ‘n pie in the sky, ‘n hersenskim nie. Geloof is gegrond op die werklike gebeure van die verlede. Geloof trek ons in by hierdie gebeure, en laat ons moed skep.


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1 Tessalonisense 1:2-8 – die tale wat ons praat

31 10 2022

Preached on 30 October 2022 at a bilingual service at the DRC Stutterheim / Gepreek op 30 Oktober 2022 by ‘n tweetalige diens van die NGK Stutterheim

Faith love and hope, geloof liefde en hoop. Paulus gebruik hierdie woorde ‘n paar keer om te vertel hoe ‘n gemeente moet lyk (bv 1 Cor. 13:13; Col. 1:4–5). Dit is asof dit ‘n gesegde, ‘n “meme”, ‘n formule is wat hy herhaal. Hoe lyk ‘n volgeling van Christus – daar is geloof, liefde en hoop. How does a group of Jesus followers look? There is faith, love and hope. This is the shared language that brings people together. En taal is BAIE belangrik! 

Israel Galindo (The Hidden Lives of Congregations – Understanding Church Dynamics) sê daar is net twee goed wat belangrik is in ‘n gemeente. Dit bepaal al die ander dinge:

• Om ‘n gedeelde taal te hê – om te kan saampraat, om te kan verstaan, om ‘n bydrae te kan maak wat ander sal verstaan – Shared Language

• To be together, to belong, to fit in with each other – Om saam te wees.

When we talk about a shared language the questions is not Greek or Hebrew, Afrikaans or English, Xhosa or Zulu. Language here is language that builds up, language that shows who we are, language that binds us together. Die Bybel is ‘n gedeelde taal. Die Nagmaal is ‘n gedeelde taal. Die Doop is ‘n gedeelde taal. Die liefde is ‘n gedeelde taal. Ons geloofsbelydenisse is ‘n gedeelde taal. Die hele Hervorming en die nalatenskap van Luther en Calvyn is ‘n gedeelde taal. Ons liedere is ‘n gedeelde taal.

En die oomblik as ons daaroor verskil, is daar die moontlikheid van konflik, beïnvloed dit die dinamika van ons gemeenskap met mekaar. Die verskil kan gesond wees wat ons uiteindelik by ‘n beter manier van praat kan uitbring, of ongesond as die taal verskeurdheid bring of selfs net doodgewoon verkeerd is. Hoe ook al, dit beïnvloed ons gemeentelike lewe.

Want, die ander belangrike ding in ‘n gemeente, is om saam te wees / Being Together.

That is why we get up on a Sunday morning, get ready and dress, sort out children, and come together. We want to be together with each other in our shared language of the Bible, our songs, our prayers.

En ons doen dit hier en in ons kleingroepe, in ons Bybelstudies, waar ons saam pannekoek bak by die basaar – ons vier ons saamwees, ons bou aan ons saamwees, ons groei in ons saamwees. Dit raak ‘n voorbeeld vir ander, ‘n voorbeeld wat ander trek! (:7: “As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece”)

The moment we begin to miss our shared language, our sharing in the communion, in the Bible, in our prayers, we loose out on community – our belonging together, our shared life, becomes threatened. When we don’t share with each other we stop hearing each other, we don’t get the chance to build each other up. 

Die taal wat ons praat, en die saamwees met mekaar, bepaal alles in ons gemeente: Alles.

Dit is wat ons laat voel ons behoort in en aan hierdie gemeente, dit is ons plek dié, dit is ons mense, EN, soos Peter Block sê (Community – the structure of belonging), dit laat ons voel dat die gemeente aan ons behoort, dit is ons s’n, ons is verantwoordelik, ons is rentmeesters, ons moet dit laat werk deur die krag wat die Heilige Gees gee.

And it is more necessary than ever! Isolation is on the rise – politics, social media, the structure of our societies all of this contribute to an isolated life. But again the gospel teaches the opposite of what the world shows. Through our shared language of the Bible, communion, baptism and caring for each we are called to be examples (:7 again) of what God wants – to be His own people (:5) with a shared language and shared lives. 


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John 20:19-31 – Risking it!

24 04 2022

Preached at the Stutterheim Presbyterian church on 24 April 2022

The purpose of John’s gospel is that hearers will either come to “believe” or continue to “believe” that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. This “believing” is important because this chapter ends with these words: “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” (20:31). And, the immediately preceding verses (20:24-29) are all about Thomas “believing”—or are they?

The Greek word that is usually translated as “believe” has a wider meaning than just “believe”. It also means to TRUST. The distinction is important because “believe” has a predominantly HEAD emphasis—our “brain” either agrees or not. Trust, on the other hand, is more relational and exists on a spectrum—often including the feelings that influence our thoughts and actions. Therefore we often associate believing with our “heads” and trusting with our “hearts”.

Re-reading John 20:27-31 using the TRUST translation we find the following: Jesus’ words to Thomas: “Do not be distrusting but trusting” and “Are you trusting because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to trust.” And then the purpose of the gospel becomes that it is “ … written so that you may come to trust that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through trusting you may have life in his name.”

I think that the trust part of believe helps to illuminate the gospel. Think of how many places in modern living we actually have to trust people – when booking accommodation online trust is needed. When ordering a taxi or Uber trust is needed. Just to board a plane trust is needed.

It’s all about opening doors: car doors, house doors, the locked doors protecting the disciples (20:19, 26). In the case of the disciples, it is a matter of getting them out the door, despite the risks, to fulfill their commission from Jesus (20:21-23).

Aren’t we also, as churches, in the business of opening doors, whether encouraging “new” folks to enter our churches, or “sending out” into ministry those that have entered? How might trusting more influence our church?

On the other hand we are also taught in modern live NOT to trust people – there are conspiracy theories, outright lies told by people, including those in leadership. How do we handle this, how do we live in trusting Jesus? – By risking it!!

When we begin to trust, risk is immediately part of the equation. Our passage depicts a community immobilized by fear after Jesus’ crucifixion, and Jesus’ task is to re-mobilize them. They have to take risks and get out of the door! Risk and trust go hand-in-hand; the amount of risk one is willing to take is dependent upon the amount of trust one has. Trust is an essential precondition for cooperation with Jesus, without trust in Him we can’t live for Him!

Jesus makes his body available to Thomas, and this leads Thomas to trust. The same way Jesus makes Himself available to us every day, in every circumstance. Trust is not a one-time, absolute assent, but a relational virtue that must be nurtured and grown, we learn trust through continuous interaction with Jesus, by being in a relationship with Hm.

The founder of AirBNB said that the system was “designed for trust”. Jesus teaches us that we are also “designed for trust” – trust in Him and in being trustworthy. One consequence is that we can now hear Jesus’ words to Thomas as nurturing rather than admonishing – Jesus is not fighting with Thomas, He teaches him what trust means. And in today’s world of mistrust, maybe it is a lesson we need to learn as well! I saw a saying in someone’s house yesterday: “My Father, I do not understand you, but I trust you”. May that be our attitude as well!


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John 3:1-17 – Nicodemus, the saint of the curious!

30 05 2021

(Hierdie preek is op 30 Mei 2021 in die Presbiteriaanse gemeente, Stutterheim, gelewer, daarom is die teks hierdie keer in Engels).

Someone once wrote that Nicodemus should be the patron saint of the curious! In addition to containing the world’s most famous Bible verse, this story of Nicodemus offers a picture of a man who is curious about Jesus, who maybe even wants to believe, but struggles. At least, he struggles once he actually gets to talk with Jesus. Notice that he comes with a clear affirmation of Jesus’ connection to God: (:2) “we all know that God has sent you”. In response, Jesus immediately jumps to a huge assertion about being born again/anew/from above. And that’s when Nicodemus curiosity turns to struggle. The confusion or misunderstanding of Jesus’ words gives Jesus a chance to elaborate. Hence, after Nicodemus’ initial confusion stemming from taking Jesus’ words literally, the only other thing Nicodemus says is, “how can this be?” Which gives Jesus a good excuse to explain some more.

Nicodemus is one of the characters that appears at several points in John’s Gospel. Here, in his main appearance. Again near the end of chapter 7, when Nicodemus, if not exactly standing up for Jesus let alone proclaiming his faith in him, nevertheless reminds his colleagues that, according to the law, they should not judge Jesus before giving him a trial. And for offering that reminder he is rebuked (7:45-52). Then he makes a third appearance, this time after Jesus’ crucifixion, when Nicodemus accompanies Joseph of Arimathea to collect, anoint, and bury the body of Jesus, the one just executed by the Romans (19:38-42). Again, perhaps not quite the same as standing up in the assembly and declaring his faith, yet nevertheless another significant step forward, as by his actions Nicodemus declares this allegiance to one who had just been executed for a capitol offense.

Faith, at least in Nicodemus’ case, takes time. Indeed, his journey with Jesus continues across most of the Gospel of John and, we might assume, beyond.

For some of us, perhaps coming to faith was easy and fast and strong and we’ve rarely doubted. And all we can do is give thanks for that experience. But for others – maybe most others – faith comes more in fits and starts, two steps forward and another back. Or perhaps at times things seems clear and at other times just plain confusing. Or maybe faith feels a lot more like an endless series of questions rather than easy and forthright affirmations. For those like that – and I count myself among that tribe – hearing Nicodemus’ story once again might be particularly meaningful.

If Nicodemus is really the patron saint of curiosity I also want to claim him as the patron saint of all those of us with an uneasy or restless faith. Those who aren’t satisfied with easy answers, those who keep questioning, those who want to believe and also understand, but at least to believe even when we don’t understand!

Even more though, I think this story says a lot not simply about Nicodemus about also about God. God is patient. God doesn’t give up. If God keeps working in and on and through Nicodemus across three years and sixteen chapters in John’s Gospel, God will keep working in and on and through us. No matter how long it takes. 

And that is why John finishes this story about Nicodemus by proclaiming God’s enduring love: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

Faith doesn’t always come easy, that that’s okay, because God won’t give up on us. 

With acknowledgement to David Lose’s blog: “In the Meantime“


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