We are saved by grace through faith. It cannot be earned or repaid by our works.
“This one and firm rock, which we call the doctrine of justification, is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness.” ~ Martin Luther
“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11 kjv
By Grace alone (Sola Gratia) Through Faith alone (Sola Fide) In Christ alone (Solus Christus) According to Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) For God’s Glory alone (Soli Deo Gloria)
Rom 3:10–23 esv - as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being[a] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom. 4:18–25 esv - 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.Genesis 15:1–6 esv - After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue[a] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son[b] shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
- Being clothed in white garments
- Having their name not erased from the book of life
- Jesus will be confessing their name before the angels and the Father
- Being a pillar in the temple of God
- To his disciples Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel". Matt. 19:28
— To receive manna from heaven
— To receive a white stone with a new name written on it
— To rule with Christ in His coming kingdom
— To be clothed in white garments
— To have his name permanently in the Book of Life, never to be removed
— To have Jesus confess the overcomer’s name before the angels and the Father
— To be a pillar in the temple of God
— To sit with Christ on His throne
The elders’ feelings and response of tossing their crowns at Christ's feet is most likely the way you and I will feel. It's most likely how we too will respond when many of us receive our rewards from Jesus.
You and I will be so blessed and overcome with gratitude inside because of what He has done for us by His free grace that this type of pure worship will be spontaneous! Regardless of what we suffered and endured here on earth, a priceless crown will seem like a small paltry offering for this King, but it will be the best gift that we can give to Him so perhaps all of us will cast them His way. Although the Scriptures do not state this specifically, it is very likely that we will all follow the good example of the twenty-four elders in casting our crowns at Jesus’ feet. He alone is worthy!
“To Him who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb
To Him who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb
Be blessing and honor and glory and power forever
Be blessing and honor and glory and power forever!” ~ D. Graafsma
Key Concepts:
Salvation:
- Salvation means being rescued, redeemed, or delivered. In Christianity, it specifically refers to being saved from sin, which leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God.
- According to the Bible, all humanity inherited sin from Adam's disobedience, which introduced death and separation from God into the world (Romans 5:12). This creates a need for salvation, as no one can escape sin’s consequences on their own.
Grace:
- Grace is God’s unearned, undeserved kindness and favor. It is not something people can earn through good deeds, moral living, or self-effort.
- God’s grace is the basis of salvation. It justifies people, meaning it declares them innocent before God and removes the penalty of sin. This gift flows from God’s love, not human effort (Ephesians 2:8–9, Romans 3:24).
- If salvation depended on works, it would no longer be a gift but something owed. However, because salvation is entirely God's doing, it is a demonstration of His goodness, not human merit.
Faith:
- Faith is trusting in what God has done through Jesus Christ—specifically, His death and resurrection—to provide salvation.
- Faith itself is also a gift from God, not something humans generate on their own. It is the means by which grace is received (Ephesians 2:8).
- True faith involves trusting Jesus completely for salvation and acknowledging that human effort is insufficient to overcome sin or earn favor with God.
How Salvation Happens:
- God, in His love, offers salvation as a gift of grace. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life, die on the cross, and rise from the dead, accomplishing what humans cannot: paying the penalty for sin and reconciling sinners to God.
- Salvation is accessed through faith in Jesus. By believing in Him, individuals accept the grace that saves them.
- This process excludes human pride or boasting because it is entirely God’s work, from granting faith to accomplishing salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9, Hebrews 12:2).
Salvation by grace through faith means that God rescues humanity from sin and its consequences purely out of His generosity, not because of anything people do to deserve it. Faith is the means by which people receive this gift, but even faith is something God provides. Jesus Christ, as God’s Son, is central to this salvation, having accomplished everything necessary for humanity’s redemption. This belief emphasizes dependence on God’s love and power rather than human effort.
The Lord gives. He owes us nothing but justice and wrath. (Moreover, this is taught throughout the Bible: Gen. 6:5–7; Deut. 7:6–11; Ps. 51:4; Rom. 1:18–3:20; James 2:10–11). But in case we missed it, Paul in Ephesians 2:8–10 tells us one more time that we bring nothing with us to our redemption, and that any good works we perform are not the ground of our status before God but result from us having been chosen and gifted with salvation: “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
Grace, by definition, excludes the slightest hint that human merit contributes to our righteous standing before the most holy and perfect Creator, and faith, which admits our inability to help ourselves and rests wholly on another for salvation, confirms that our works have no power to atone for our wickedness. John Calvin writes, “If, on the part of God, it is grace alone, and if we bring nothing but faith, which strips us of all commendations, it follows that salvation does not come from us.”
Of course, faith is something that we exercise, and so some Christians think we bring this to the table when we are saved. They think we work faith up in ourselves and that all people are born with the ability to do so. Ephesians 2:8 makes this view impossible. The grammatical gender of the demonstrative this in “this is not your own doing” must refer back to the entire complex of things Paul mentions in the verse — salvation, grace, and faith. It is true that we are the ones who put our faith in Christ, but God gives us this faith and guarantees that we will exercise it unto salvation. If the Holy Spirit changes our hearts, we will not refuse the call to trust in Christ.
Jesus with His Salvation -- that's the Gif of all gifts from God. Yep, wrapped in grace and lovingly delivered by faith. It is not earned through our deeds nor repaid by our own righteousness, for even our human best efforts fall short of His perfect holiness.
As it is written, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). We stand as sinners before a holy God, but His mercy triumphs over judgment.
This grace shines most brightly in Christ, who bore our sins, died in our place, and rose for our justification. Through faith, as Abraham believed and it was counted to him as righteousness, we too are credited with the righteousness of God—not by the works of the law, but by trusting in Him who justifies the ungodly.
Ephesians declares about God's miracle plainly: "By grace, you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God—not by works, so no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace breaks the chains of sin, raises us from spiritual death, and seats us in heavenly places with Christ. From the grave to the throne, He transforms us, not just forgiving us but recreating us for good works prepared beforehand.
This doctrine of justification is the cornerstone of faith, the wellspring of eternal hope. As Luther observed, it is the chief article of all Christian teaching, the lifeline of godliness, and the anthem of the redeemed: “The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11).
To those wandering in spiritual death, God’s voice calls: “But God..”—rich in mercy and abounding in love—has acted to save us. What is required of us is not a payment, but a surrender, an acknowledgment that we cannot earn our way. Faith becomes the hand that receives the unearned, undeserved, and immeasurable kindness of God.
Thus, we pray before Scripture reading, marveling at this divine mystery: that though we were dead in sin, God has made us alive in Christ. His grace does not merely rescue; it resurrects, renews, and reigns. To Him be all glory forever!
