Concerning Love and the Fulfilling of the Law, part 130
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Series: Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
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From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
Just as justification pertains to faith, so eternal life also pertains to faith. Peter says, “As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9). Our adversaries confess that the justified are children of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
Pulling It Together: Faith is the means of justification, righteousness, and salvation. Only faith keeps our souls at peace before God. Our good deeds will never give us rest. If peace of mind were left to our works and religious ceremony, we would always be scrambling to the next deed and ritual. The things we do never provide confident assurance of rightness with God. However, because of faith, we may sit at the feet of Jesus, assured that we have a justified God in this life.
Faith is also the means by which our salvation is maintained “forever and ever.” We do nothing to eternally preserve our lives. What could we possibly do to attain such a feat? Yet just as we have faith in God to justify in this earthly life, we have faith in him to preserve us to life eternal. This living hope in resurrection and of an inheritance of all that heaven offers also strengthens and sustains faith when we face trials that test our faith in this life.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving me the hope of everlasting life with you. Amen
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Author
Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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