The collect for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity prays for pardon and peace. All human beings are sinners who need pardon and peace, but the question is how to receive these gifts. Do pardon and peace depend on papers of indulgence purchased with a small contribution to the church? Does pardon or forgiveness depend on papal decrees or the merits of the saints? Does pardon come from personal obedience to ceremonial or moral laws? Of course not! Scripture teaches otherwise!
On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses for debate about these issues. Luther and other Reformers rediscovered the neglected Scriptural teaching that pardon and justification come to us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. One key verse where we find this teaching is in Romans 3::28, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (KJV). We also see this teaching reflected in today's Epistle from Ephesians 6:10-19 concerning the whole armor of God. We can only receive pardon, faith, and perseverance through the grace of God in Christ Jesus.
Fallen human beings cannot do good deeds to earn pardon or justification. Only God's grace and forgiving mercy can save us from sin. This divine grace and mercy have been expressed in many ways, primarily through the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He humbled Himself, came into this world, lived, taught, suffered, died, and arose from the dead in order to conquer sin and death and to redeem us.
God's gracious gifts of pardon and peace can only be accepted through faith. Such faith has two sides. 1) Christian Faith has a specific content. It professes core beliefs about the person and work of Jesus Christ. 2) Christian Faith is also an attitude of personal trust in God, especially as He is revealed in Jesus.
So on another anniversary of the Reformation, let us reaffirm that pardon and justification come through faith in Jesus Christ. Let us never lose sight of this central teaching of the Bible. We sinners must not depend upon ourselves or upon the greatest human accomplishments. We must depend upon God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in faith. And this faith should be a living reality in our daily life and devotion!
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