Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
SOLA GRATIA
In the centuries preceding the Reformation, Aristotle was considered the king of philosophers. Though dead for centuries, his influence among churchmen and Bible scholars was supreme. This pagan's philosophic ideas became principles that governed the understanding of Scripture. One of the worst results of this was that saving grace was seen as "an ability God created in people so that they could do good works for their own salvation." When Martin Luther studied out the truth about grace in the Bible, here's what the Holy Spirit enabled him to find:
"According to the usage of Scripture grace signifies that favor of God, which wishes us well and justifies us. That is, it freely grants us the faith which alone justifies us.
"Grace consists in this, that God is merciful to us, shows himself gracious for the sake of the Lord Christ, forgives all sins and will not impute them to us for eternal death. This is grace, the forgiveness of sins for the sake of the Lord Christ, the covering up of all sins.
"We who, through our works are unprofitable servants are made children of God through the grace which God shows us in Christ."
Thanks be to God that he has restored to us this treasure -- and that we are able to teach our children from their earliest instruction that grace is God's undeserved love -- love that in Christ acts on behalf of us undeserving sinners.
