Chris' Christian Blog

August 17, 2021

"Prompt: Romans 1:17 - What does the Apostle Paul mean by writing “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith?"

It is not by coincidence that you chose this verse. I just started my new classes for the fall semester yesterday. One of the classes I am taking is Church History 2 Or HCHT 506. The text for the first week is about Martin Luther. Chadwick says that Luther was the father of the Protestant Reformation. He was deeply moved by this very verse. You see, he knew that man was sinful. Like me he was acutely aware of his own short comings. He knew the law could do nothing but condemn. It could not save. He also knew that penance was not the solution because man's righteousness was like filthy rags to God. Luther saw himself as a sinner condemned before a righteous God who was helpless to save himself. He was the deer in the headlights so to speak. Then he meditated on Romans 1:17 and realized that by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ man could be saved and only through such faith. Faith opens the door for God to bestow upon us the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We can never be righteous enough to please God, but Jesus embodies the righteousness of God because Jesus is God. God then becomes our righteousness through faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus. To Luther this was earth moving. It changed his whole perspective, and in a sense set off the Protestant Reformation. The reformation had more to do with "indulgences" but Luther believed indulgences were manmade works that had no power to save. That's another question though. Suffice it to say that Luther was deeply moved by Romans 1:17. Luther’s entire theology is based on faith. For Luther, no amount of penance or absolution by a priest can wash away the guilt of sin. This guilt, Luther believes, can only be washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. The only way to get into contact with that blood is by faith. Luther believes wholly in Romans 3:23 and believes that man is helpless to redeem himself from his fallen state. Only by faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ can one be saved.

Prompt: "Today while cruising through the WDC galaxy of cyberspace, I found a planet that left me laughing. In

Self Talk  (E) Nonsense verse about talking to myself #2254898 by Graywriter

the author writes about having extremely intelligent conversations...with himself. We all do it! What do you think of talking to yourself?"

I don't worry about talking to myself. It's arguing that gets me into trouble! I had a heck of an argument the other day between Me, Myself, and I. Now I am not speaking to Me and Myself! I thinks I won the argument, but can't convince Me and Myself of that so now we're not speaking at all!