Let us not mince words nor attempt to redefine those terms. Paul has not spoken of qualities that we deem to be good and right and true; he has spoken of concrete realities that are goodness, righteousness, and truthiness. Goodness is not something that we have the right to determine or define according to our whim, it is an inherent characteristic of God Himself, and therefore the fruit of the light is fruit that He has given, it is fruit in which you now mirror Him, fruit that gives you to understand what is—and what is not—genuine goodness, true righteousness, full truth.

This podcast can never be a substitute for in-person attendance at a local church. Click here to find a local church you can connect with! Find a Lutheran church near you!

Let us stop for a moment and consider just how ludicrous this sounds: if I could keep God's law to such an extent that I could make myself righteousness, then God would owe me. Say that again: God would owe me. Is that something that we truly believe could ever be true? That somehow, the Creator of the Universe, the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hillsides, the God who judges the hearts of all men . . . that somehow we could have that God over a barrel? That we could put Him in a position where we could rightly demand our just wages from Him?

Instead of something as inconceivable as that, is it not more truthful, more in line with reality, to acknowledge that we have nothing to offer God except the filth of our sin . . . and that those who do so are truly blessed, because God covers up that sin?

This podcast can never be a substitute for in-person attendance at a local church. Click here to find a local church you can connect with! Find a Lutheran church near you!

When Jesus takes on flesh in His incarnation, He does so that He can stand in place of all humanity. When Jesus undertakes His earthly ministry, He does so that He can undo all the damage that sin has inflicted upon us. When Jesus enters into our flesh, He does so that He can succeed in all the places where we have failed.

This podcast can never be a substitute for in-person attendance at a local church. Click here to find a local church you can connect with! Find a Lutheran church near you!