Friday, October 19, 2018
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
SALVATION UNTO US HAS COME--EVERYDAY!
While preparing for our upcoming Reformation service this year, I admit that I have been tempted a few times to think that this year will be a bit of a let down. How can the 501st anniversary possibly be as good or exciting as the 500th that we celebrated last year?
But nevermind making each October 31st as joyous as the other, let us celebrate EVERYDAY that salvation has come to us. After all, God's mercies are new every morning. And we daily repent of our sins and daily remember our baptism when God's salvation came to each of us personally. Everyday we celebrate our reformation from sinner to saint. In doing so, we celebrate along with the great heroes of faith.
Consider Abraham. October 31st had no special significance to him. He didn't even have Christmas Day to celebrate. Yet He celebrated the day salvation came to him. That was the day when God promised him a Savior and he believed it. That belief was credited to him as righteousness. God required nothing from Abraham. This declaration came before he obeyed God’s command to be circumcised and before he passed the Lord’s test where he would have gone through with sacrificing Isaac. These things he did only because he knew he was an already-saved child of God.
Consider Luther. He celebrated every day the day that he learned his baptism had washed away ALL of his sins. He did not have to do penance and pay for his daily sins because His salvation had already come when Christ died and rose.
Finally, consider yourself. All the work for your salvation is done, but you may still rejoice daily as salvation comes to you in the gospel of Christ crucified. Your good works avail you none, but Christ's work gives you all; salvation and life both now and in eternity. By faith alone you have access to this reformation of body and soul everyday.
