What Does “Faith Alone” Mean?
A common critique is that this doctrine makes for lazy Christians. The objection goes something like this: If I am justified merely by faith and not works, then there is no need for me to do good works. But the Reformers scoffed at that notion, because it misinterprets what God is doing for us through faith in Christ! Since our salvation is secured by a gracious gift of saving belief in Christ’s works, then that will stir us up to love and good works.
To understand the importance of the statement “faith alone,” we need to remember why the Reformers sought to recover the doctrine of God’s grace. They wanted to emphasize the fact that we are made right with God not through any merit of our own but rather through God’s own free grace. In Christ, we receive unmerited favor from God.
The Roman Catholics in the sixteenth century would have agreed with this to some extent. They indeed believed we needed God’s grace to get to heaven. But how do we get the grace? Here’s what they said at the Council of Trent in 1547 (which is still Roman Catholic doctrine today):
If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be accursed. (Sixth Session, Canon IX)
Faith is the gift of God.
This is very strong language. What Rome is saying is that if you believe that it is purely by faith that you receive God’s grace, you will be accursed—that is, damned to hell. What’s the problem with this? It’s the very teaching of Scripture that they are condemning! Paul could not be clearer:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
Rome wanted to say that we are saved by God’s grace in cooperation with faith and works. In fact, it even saw faith itself as one of the works that earns us God’s grace. But you can’t earn grace—otherwise, it’s not grace, not a gift. Rome taught a theological contradiction, one that Paul warned against in Ephesians 2.
In response to Rome’s perversion of biblical doctrine, the Reformers returned to the Scriptural truth that nothing we do can earn favor with God.
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The Worst Hall of Fame Ever
The biblical Hall of Fame looks like a mistake. But it’s no mistake. God’s chosen Hall of Faith-ers reminds us that, unlike worldly fame, heavenly fame is all about the Creator, not the creature. And he receives great glory through even our faltering and finicky faith.
My sister is part of the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame. That’s pretty cool, isn’t it? Sarah is a phenomenal athlete who was a stand-out high school athlete in swimming and softball. She went on to play softball for Stanford University, where she batted .350 with 28 home runs over her career and was a three-time All-American, eventually playing on the US Women’s National Team.
Other Tucson greats like Steve Kerr, Lute Olsen, Sean Elliott, Fat Lever, Mike Candrea, Ian Kinsler, JJ Hardy, Dick Tomey, and Jerry Kindall grace the hall of fame. If you’re from Tucson and don’t know some of those names, you should look at their impressive careers.
I haven’t yet received an invitation [drumming fingers]. Maybe they don’t hand those out for pick-up ball. Go figure.
Hardcore fans of sports and music argue about whether or not individuals deserve to be in the Hall of Fame or not. Baseball fans will throw down over whether or not Pete Rose and Barry Bonds ought to be in the Hall of Fame. Some Rock and Roll fans are outraged that Stevie Nicks and Percy Sledge are in the Hall of Fame while Tina Turner and Lionel Ritchie are not. Football fans clash over whether Ray Lewis and OJ Simpson ought to be in the Hall of Fame and whether it’s fair Reggie Wayne and Roger Craig aren’t.
You might know that the Bible has a Hall of Fame as well. Tucked away at the end of Hebrews, it contains a list far more controversial than any list in Canton, Cleveland, or Cooperstown.
Here is the list of heroes of faith that the Bible offers:
Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel.
What an interesting list. There are three types in the hall of faith. First are the clear-cut inductees. A surprisingly few members of this Hall of Faith are no-brainers when you stop to consider it. Outside of his childhood pride, Joseph seems like a natural choice. Samuel also lives a reasonably blameless life. Others, such as Abel and Barak, feel like odd choices because their acts of faith seem fairly insubstantial, and we don’t know much about them outside those small acts.
Second are those with a checkered history. Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Moses, Rahab, and David have quite a rap sheet. While that group has collectively lots of moments of faith, we also find two murders, an attempted murder, abandonment, grave sexual violations, and thievery among the serious sins this group collectively committed.
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Worship as Thanksgiving
The Christian life is an experience and expression of gratitude, but Christian worship is an engagement in the corporate expression of thanksgiving. A person can be grateful without giving thanks. He may feel gratitude in his heart, but if it is not expressed, it does not glorify God. We may safely assume all ten lepers whom Jesus healed were happy to be delivered, but only one gave thanks to God. Worship is not about what you feel but what we say to God in response to his glory, goodness, and grace.
The Christian life is an experience and expression of gratitude. That is the basic theme of the Heidelberg Catechism’s discussion of the believer’s duty, and if it is not the only thing that ought to be said about our lives, it is certainly a significant part. Everything that we have, we have by grace. Even what we worked hard to accomplish and obtain was only possible by the grace of God. We are recipients of pervasive, abundant, and undeserved grace, and therefore we ought to be grateful.
Creation is gracious; the Lord did not need to create or anyone to love; he is self-existent, dwelling in perfect love and communion as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Covenant is gracious; God condescends to enter into relationship with Man, sealing his promise by oath and blood. Our election unto salvation is gracious; Yahweh did not choose us because we were better in any way than our neighbors; he chose us because he is good, not because we are. Our redemption is gracious; we are bought with the lifeblood of God’s Son, cleansed of our guilt, clothed with the righteousness of God so that our shame is covered, and accounted as law-keepers through the obedience of our Representative. Our adoption is gracious; we were by nature the sons of Adam and children of wrath, destined for judgment and condemnation, but in Christ by the Spirit of adoption we have been made heirs in the family of God.
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Surprised by “New” Disney? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Be
Written by Rachel K. Alexander |
Monday, October 31, 2022
Given Disney’s overt willingness to undermine parental authority, it’s no wonder parents are looking for alternatives. But rather than simply look for a “conservative” version of Disney’s overstimulating escapism, it might be time for families to reconsider the Disney model altogether.As Disney World continues to celebrate its COVID-19-delayed 50th anniversary, criticism of the media and entertainment giant abounds.
In addition to lamenting its new price-gouging strategy, Disney detractors cry that it’s gone woke, removing all “gendered greetings” from parks and vowing to dramatically increase LGBTQ characters.
After the Florida Legislature earlier this year passed what the Left mischaracterized as a “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which protects a parent’s right to determine when his or her children learn about sexual orientation and gender identity, Disney responded with a swift rebuke.
Determined to save younger generations from “backwards” thinking, Disney promises to combat similar parental rights legislation in other states.
Strange to hear, coming from what’s supposed to be a family company, is it not?
That’s what Disney’s critics argue, denouncing its hypocrisy and, in some cases, going so far as to lay out plans for the creation of an “alternative” Disney, one that will maintain its original innocent and wholesome vision.
But just how much has Disney actually departed from its original vision? Before turning to alternatives or replacements, it would behoove parents, critics, and media executives alike to recall, on this 51st anniversary of Disney World, what it is, what it’s for, and how it shapes the children—and adults—who visit.
The idea behind Disneyland and especially Disney World was not simply to build a theme park for kids, but to create an immersive world where visitors could escape reality and make all their dreams come true.
“I don’t want the public to see the world they live in while they’re in the park,” Walt Disney once remarked. “I want them to feel they’re in another world.”
Central to the vision of the “happiest place on earth” is the enjoyment of sensorial pleasure. Upon arriving, one’s senses are stimulated in constantly changing and exciting ways, through thrilling rides, musical parades, and wafting aromas of Dole Whip and Mickey Mouse pretzels. Cutting-edge technology keeps the pleasures novel, allowing for increasingly more realistic levels of simulation and intensity every time you return.
Disney wanted the parks to provide this experience equally to both children and adults, whom he called “kids grown up.” Disneyland would “give meaning to the pleasure of children,” as he put it, “and pleasure to the experience of adults.” The takeaway from a trip to the parks is Peter Pan clear: Never grow up.
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