Wednesday 25th March
Read Romans 3:21-24
“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (NIVUK)
At the heart of the Reformation was the belief that we are justified by faith alone – sola fide. Faith is not simply a different kind of merit, a different work to be undertaken. We are not saved by the quality of our faith. We are saved because of the worthiness of the one in whom we have faith.
This means that salvation, being justified on the last day when we stand before God in judgment, is entirely gracious. There is not a combination where we start with a little God-given faith and we make up the difference with our good works. The good we do flows from thankfulness for the grace we have already received.
The contrast with most other ‘religions’ cannot be starker. Every religion or philosophy relies on some contribution from the human spirit, in thought, word or deed, to advance and attain perfection (in whatever form it may take). Christianity is not even a religion when cast in those categories. We contribute nothing. God stoops down and saves us. It is humbling indeed.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) (NIVUK)
