How many religions are there in the world today? Handbooks that catalogue and describe various denominations, sects, and cults are soon out of date because of the number of new religious groups that continually pop up. For example, from 1987 to 1989, over 400 new religious groups came into existence in the United States. While there are indeed thousands of religious bodies, there are, in fact, only two religions. Franz Pieper, the arch-theologian of the Missouri Synod, writes that there are "but only two essentially different religions: the religion of the Law, that is, the endeavor to reconcile God through man's own works, and the religion of the Gospel, that is, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, belief wrought through the Gospel by the Holy Ghost that we have a gracious God through the reconciliation already effected by Christ, and not because of our own works" (Pieper I:10).

The religion of the Law says that man comes to God. The religion of the Gospel proclaims that God comes to man. In his classic book The Quest for Holiness, Lutheran theologian Adolf Koeberle says that man tries to come to God in one of three ways. Some try to come to God by their morality - by living lives which are based on doing good and refraining from doing evil. It is reasoned that God is just and that He will therefore accept anyone who at least attempts to live by His standards. Others think that they can reach God by way of human reason. They construct for themselves a religion that makes sense according to the standards of human logic. Still others feel that they can find God by their emotions. They believe that they can achieve union with God by a mystical or charismatic experience.

The attempts to come to God by our morality, our reason, or our emotions are all expressions of the religion of the Law. As such they are incapable of bringing us to the true God. Instead they leave us in delusion or despair. They deceive us into thinking that we have found God or they drive us into despair as we conclude that God cannot be found.

All religion of the law is fueled by the presupposition that man has to do something to bring himself to God. Yesterday's Star Tribune carried a front page article entitled "In 2000, Pope Will Expand Indulgences." The article states, "The pope announced Friday that throughout the millennium celebration, penitents who do a charitable deed or give up cigarettes or alcohol for a day can earn an indulgence that will eliminate time in purgatory." This most recent statement from the Vatican clearly indicates that there is no agreement with Rome in the Gospel. It is the inborn opinion of the old Adam, our old nature, that we can come to God. But God's Word reveals otherwise. The Scriptures describe unbelievers as being dead in trespasses and sin. There is absolutely nothing that we can do to bring ourselves closer to God.

We confessed this truth in the opening hymn his morning. Listen again to Gerhardt's words:

"I lay in fetters, groaning,
      Thou com'st to set me free;
I stood, my shame bemoaning,
      Thou com'st to honor me;
A glory Thou dost give me,
      A treasure safe on high,
That will not fail or leave me
      As earthly riches fly." (TLH 58:3)

God comes to us. That is the glad announcement of Advent. "Behold your king is coming to you," said the Prophet Zechariah. That is the way of our God. He comes to us when we could not come to Him. Already in the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had sinned and in their shame had tried to hide from God, the Lord came to them. Yes, He came to judge them. But He also came to give them the promise of redemption through the Seed of the woman. God clothed Adam and Eve with tunics made from animal skins, prefiguring the righteousness of Christ with which He now dresses us.

God kept coming to Israel even when she had rejected Him. He sent one prophet after another to call her back to Himself in repentance and faith. These prophets consistently pointed to the coming Messiah, Immanuel, the Root of Jesse, the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS who would come and free us from our sin and reconcile us to God. In the fullness of time our King did come. Born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the curse of the law. And so on Palm Sunday He rides into Jerusalem to offer Himself as the sacrifice that atones for the sin of the world.

Crucified on Good Friday, He came back from the dead on Easter. He came to His chosen apostles when they had locked themselves in the upper room fearful of the Jews and He said to them: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you."

He still comes to us now. A relatively new Advent hymn by Werner Franzmann puts it well:

"He comes in water to the child
      And cleanses it, from birth defiled.
This washing seals his pard'ning grace
      And shows the Father's kindly face.

He comes to us in bread and wine
      To give himself-and gifts divine.
Oh, praise him for this sacrament,
      Redeeming love's great testament."

Advent is the time to learn once again how to receive Him who comes to you. It is the time to let His gracious Word have its way with you, re-focusing your life on the One who comes in the name of the Lord. It is a season to be less busy and more attentive to the Savior who comes in the preaching of His Gospel and with His body and blood. Behold your King is coming to you. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hears and minds in Christ Jesus to life everlasting.