THE WEEK OF TRINITY XII - TUESDAY

LESSON: GALATIANS 3:23‒29

In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. Galatians 3:26

You know now that man is accounted righteous before God and becomes acceptable to God on no other ground but on the basis of faith alone. Hence it is nothing but a false fabrication to teach what has hitherto been taught on this matter in the church, namely, that we must have dealings with God on the basis of our works.

Over and above all this, it was even more foolish for the church to direct men to other sources of help besides faith and works. It was asserted that nuns, priests, and monks could help others with their nocturnal howling in their cloisters and distribute their treasures among others.

We should note that no one should ever make up his mind to be saved through another’s faith and work. Your salvation is beyond the work and faith of Mary or any other saint. It cannot even result from the work and faith of Christ Himself.

To be saved you must believe for yourself. You can be saved only by your own faith. God will not give His consent to permit Mary, or any other saint, not even Christ, to take your place in this respect. You can be accounted righteous in His sight and justified before Him only by your own faith. If Christ’s own faith and work are of no account here, you will achieve even much less with the work and faith of all monks and priests.

SL 11:1518 (7)

PRAYER: We praise and thank you, heavenly Father, for the gift of faith which you have bestowed upon us in your free and unmerited grace. Let this faith now become a real fountain of good works in us which we perform in the interests of our neighbor, for Christ our Savior’s sake. Amen.

Editor’s note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today’s sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 4:370-380.