Salvation: By Grace through Faith

For this week's class, please read:

Romans 3:21-31, Ephesians 2:1-10. 

A reminder that grace demands a response is shown in this clip from the movie Amazing Grace

Oswald Chambers writes of the sole sufficiency of grace in My Utmost for His Highest

Calvin argues for a faith informed by knowledge and that faith and ignorance have nothing in common.  Faith finally rests of the nature of God, though, not on human reason.  Through faith or trust in what God has done in through Christ, we come to a saving knowledge of God.  The question at the heart of the Christian life is now what would Jesus do, but what did Jesus do?

Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church? Faith consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge—knowledge not of God merely, but of the divine will. We do not obtain salvation either because we are prepared to embrace every dictate of the Church as true, or leave to the Church the province of inquiring and determining; but when we recognize God as a propitious Father through the reconciliation made by Christ, and Christ as given to us for righteousness, sanctification, and life. By this knowledge, I say, not by the submission of our understanding, we obtain an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Institutes 3.ii.2

Scripture everywhere proclaims that God finds nothing in man to arouse him to do good to him but that he comes first to man in his free generosity.  For what can a dead man do to attain life?  Yet when he illumines us with knowledge of himself, he is said to revive us from death (John 5:25), to make us a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)…What else does the Lord mean when he says that he "came not to call the righteous but sinners (Matthew 9:13)? If only sinners are admitted, why do we seek entry (into eternal life) through feigned righteousness? Institutes 3.xiv.5

  • It has been said that justice is "getting what we deserve," mercy is "not getting what we deserve" and grace is "getting what we don't deserve."  Why is grace so hard for us to accept?
  • Paul warns us against the temptation to boast of our own good works. Where are your "bragging rights"?
  • Calvin asks, "What can a dead man do to attain life?"  What does that mean to you?
  • Calvin reminds us that faith "consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge."  How have we Christians betrayed that truth?

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