Clothesline 257 "Faith alone"

Today we’re going to look at part of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. While most of Paul’s letters express joy and love to his readers, this letter was written by an angry Paul! The people in Galatia that Paul had baptized were good, solid Christians. But since Paul’s visit, false teachings had infiltrated Galatia: You must become a Jew before you can become a Christian. And what exactly did that mean? You must obey all Jewish law and that will earn your right to salvation! How totally wrong that is!

Our entrance into heaven was solidified by Jesus on the cross. It’s called Justification by grace through faith and it is one of the most important truths of our faith. It means we are saved and we are justified by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ alone and we can do nothing to earn it!

I remember when I first understood that statement for the very first time. I was mulling over a conversation I’d had with a friend on this very subject, and all of a sudden it hit me: God loves me, Jesus died for me, he saved me from my sins, and I can do nothing—nothing to earn it. It was like a bolt of lightning out of the blue! I was so shocked by that revelation that tears fell from my eyes. I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. You are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ…and you can do nothing to earn it.

Paul reminds the Galatians, in no uncertain terms, that they are loved, saved, and justified solely by the merits of Jesus’ on the cross. He reminds them that they can do nothing to earn heaven; the price has been paid. Good works will not earn salvation. Obeying all 1,521 Jewish laws telling you what you could not do on the Sabbath, would not earn your salvation.

So how can we be saved? Paul says, “You have been freed from the slavery of sin and death. You have been transformed, saved, justified by faith alone. You have not become free to sin, but you have become free… not to sin.”

A Christian lives in the power of the Spirit. A Christian lives a holy, helpful life, not because it’s required for salvation, but because it is a way to love one’s neighbor and make you an imitator of Christ. The price for sin has been paid, and with all our heart and mine, we pray, “Lord, you are my Savior. Thank you for your free gift of grace and salvation. I can do nothing to earn it or deserve it. You are my King and my God!”