THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - NEW YEAR

LESSON: GALATIANS 3:23-29
In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. Galatians 3:26

The reason why St. Paul always stresses the need of faith in Christ is because he knew that men would have the presumption actually to suggest that man can have dealings with God outside of Christ, just as if God and our human nature were quite good friends, and as though righteousness were quite fond of sin and gave ear to the promptings of sin. Therefore, let us be wise and recognize Christ aright, namely, that before all else we should hear the Gospel and believe.

Christ is set forth in the Gospel not just for His sake, as an exalted character, but because He is the man who took the place of our sinful nature, loaded Himself with the whole wrath of God, that wrath which we merited despite all our works, and rendered it satisfaction. All who believe that they have this in and from Him will certainly be saved through Him from the same wrath of God, and obtain His grace.

From this we should learn what great need we have of Christ, and of what great use He is to us. Moreover, the idea that a man can do all this for himself, and that God’s grace is given him by his natural powers, is a lie of the devil himself. For if nature can obtain grace there is no need of Christ as a substitute and a mediator.

SL.XII.265, 50
AE 76,3

PRAYER: Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus, for all that you took upon yourself as our substitute and mediator. We know only too well that without you we can do nothing. Amen.