Daily Luther (Bonus!): Faith, Salvation, God and You
Every good Lutheran pastor and student of the Bible knows we are saved: By grace, through faith, on account of Christ alone. Faith is not the one thing “we do” to start the heavenly tumblers of salvation moving, not the coin we put in the slot machine before we pull the grace lever. Salvation is ALWAYS by grace alone, through faith alone. When we use the little word “by” with Faith, all we mean is that it is a receiving hand, the instrumentality that God gives, and through which, we personally receive the fruits of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.
Well, let’s just let good old Dr. Luther have the last word on this, ok?
“Even he who does not believe that he is free and his sins forgiven shall also learn, in due time, how assuredly his sins were forgiven, even though he did not believe it… He who does not accept what the keys give receives, of course, nothing. But that is not the key’s fault. Many do not believe the gospel, but this does not mean that the gospel is not true or effective. A king gives you a castle. If you do not accept it, then it is not the king’s fault, nor is he guilty of a lie. But you have deceived yourself and the fault is yours. The king certainly gave it.” (LW 40, 366ff)
There’s something about a gift which distinguishes it from an award, a prize, or a reward. The latter 3 are all about the recipient. The recipient earns, wins, or deserves them. Gifts, on the other hand, are all about the donor and his generosity. No one is entitled to a gift. The recipient receives it notwithstanding the complete absence of entitlement to it. And, for many, therein lies the “rub”.
For, although it’s more blessed to give than to receive, it can often be more difficult to receive that to give because feelings of pride, self-sufficiency, and lack of humilty stand in the way. Many will say, therefore: “If I haven’t earned it, I don’t want it!”
I once learned that in the law there are 3 components of a gift: 1) donor’s intention; 2) donor’s delivery; and 3) donee’s acceptance. If acceptance is absent, the gift “falls flat”; it fails; and remains incomplete until accepted.
For many, if faith in Christ is a gift flowing from God’s grace, they don’t want it because they, themselves, didn’t create it, and it didn’t begin with them.