Devotional thoughts for Tuesday

Tuesday 13. January 2015 

1. Sunday after Epiphany 

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not arrive through the law but through the righteousness of faith. (Romans 4,13 ESV) 

The Holy Scriptures make it clear: we are justified by faith and not by our works in obedience to the law. Many people think that the Old Testament teaches salvation by obedience to the law and the New Testament teaches salvation by faith in the gospel. This is simply not true. 

The Old Testament, page after page, teaches salvation through faith in the promise God made first to Adam, then to Abraham and finally codified at Mt. Sinai. God chose people. He saved them. They received that salvation and believed in the future messiah that He had promised them. To be sure, good works flowed forth from that faith, but salvation was grounded upon God, His promise and the faith His Spirit created in that promise. This New Testament teaches the same. 

St. Paul tells us that Abraham is the pristine example of this saving faith. Abraham was saved by faith, a faith that looked to God and His promise of a future messiah. We are also saved by faith, a faith that looks back to God who fulfilled the Abrahamic promise of the messiah in Jesus Christ. This faith takes all the burden of salvation off of ourselves and recognizes that the burden is, and always has been, on the Triune God who is our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. 

Prayer: O LORD, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith so that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (L17, Treasury of Daily Prayer)