Monday, October 10, 2016
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
SOLA GRATIA (GRACE ALONE) - 1
By Grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why waver at this word of promise?
Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?
So then this word must true remain:
By grace you, too, shall heav'n obtain.
In him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment-- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ (Ephesians 1:7-10).
Indeed, you say, "I should gladly believe if I were as St. Peter, St. Paul, and others who are pious and holy; but I am entirely too great a sinner. Moreover, who knows whether I am elected to salvation?"
Answer: Look at the words, I beseech you, to determine how and of whom He is speaking. "God so loved the world," and "that whosoever believeth in Him." Now, the "world" does not mean Saints Peter and Paul alone but the entire human race, all together. And no one is here excluded. God's Son was given for all. All should believe, and all who do believe should not perish, . . . Take hold of your own nose, I beseech you, to determine whether you are not a human being (that is, part of the world) and, like any other man, belong to the number of those comprised by the word "all." If you and I did not have to apply these words to ourselves, they must have been spoken falsely and in vain.
-- Martin Luther
