The Pagan and secular worlds say we have three options for emphasis in our lives:
1. Being
2. Doing
3. Thinking (or Believing)
Which is it? None of the above.
They overlook the fourth option:
4. Receiving
Yes, receiving.
The Doer is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God creates.
The Father creates us, and He creates the rest of the creation for us. Pagans and secularists say this is too self-centered, but since God is love, He doesn’t seem to think it is so self-centered for him to create creation for us, nor for us to be occupied with receiving it. Check out Luther’s explanation of the First Article. You’ll see it there. God is for you.
God redeems.
The Son becomes incarnate. The Son lays down his life. No one takes it from him. He works blood atonement on the Cross. For whom does He do this? He invites you to say, “for me.” In the words of Luther’s explanation of the Second Article, you can say, “Jesus is my Lord, who has redeemed me … purchased and won me … that I may be His own.” God is for you.
God sanctifies.
The Holy Spirit is the holifying, sanctifying, the making-holy Spirit. Holiness is not just an inert attribute or property of the Spirit. The word Holy in the name Holy Spirit says what the Spirit DOES. He makes holy. He calls, He gathers, He enlightens, He sanctifies you, and the whole Christian church on earth. God is for you.
God delivers.
He delivers justification, faith, and regeneration by the Word using water. He delivers his true body and blood by the Word using bread and wine. . With the blood received in your mouth, He delivers to you what the blood was shed for, the forgiveness of sins. In the Word and Sacraments, God is Immanuel, God with us, who visits with consolation for sin and joy in salvation. God is for you.
True Worship.
The true worship of God is to receive his gifts.
And the difference between this faith and the righteousness of the Law can be easily discerned. Faith is the latreiva [divine service], which receives the benefits offered by God; the righteousness of the Law is the latreiva [divine service] which offers to God our merits. By faith God wishes to be worshiped in this way, that we receive from Him those things which He promises and offers. (Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV.49)
Focus.
Immerse your life in his gifts, and don’t worry, you’ll have all the doing, being, and thinking anyone could use. We cannot do, be, or think rightly without his gifts. But mostly, you will have life, and that abundantly and eternally, as a reception by faith of gifts from our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, the God who is for us and gives us his greatest gift: Himself.
