Evangelical Movement of Wales (EMW) Statement of Faith
- The Infallible Word Of God (1)
- The Holy Trinity (2)
- God And Father Of Our Lord Jesus Christ (3)
- The Lord Jesus Christ (4)
- The Holy Spirit (5)
- Rescued From Sin (6)
- Jesus Did It All (7)
That through faith (and only faith) in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose death was a perfect oblation and satisfaction for our sins, the sinner is freely justified by God who, instead of reckoning to us our sins, reckons Christ’s righteousness to our account. Salvation is therefore by grace and not by human merit.
Believe in me
‘I know Jesus did a lot, but I think I contribute something to my salvation.’
I have heard variations on this statement from people outside and inside of church. Raising ourselves upwards and earning the reward of heaven is a common idea among religious people everywhere. This may be by good deeds, good habits, common decency or keeping commandments and ‘spiritual’ disciplines of every kind. Pride says, ‘Take some of the credit.’ Suspicion says, ‘Complete forgiveness is too good to be true.’ Anxiety says, ‘Hedge your bets, just in case.’ Guilt says, ‘You don’t deserve forgiveness (which we don’t), so I must do something.’
Jesus says, ‘Believe in me.’ He invites the guilty to come and find redemption in him alone and simply by faith. This is life, peace and hope. Drifting away from him, we find ourselves in a storm of doubt and discouragement, which is not his gift to us. The Lord is patient, but this wrong understanding is very serious, at worst, indicating that we are not truly in Christ.
Faith in Jesus is enough
As we begin to explore this subject, let me take you back a few steps. The statement we are looking at in this edition flows from the previous statements.
Saving faith is in the one who is both the incarnate Son of God and the eternal Son of the Father in the glorious Trinity. When we begin to understand who God is and who Jesus is, then any proposal that we need to give our Saviour a bit of a hand sounds embarrassingly foolish. Faith in Jesus alone is enough.
The hideous and insidious nature of sin contaminates every aspect of all of our lives. If we think we contribute 5% or even 1% of our salvation, we need to understand that even the 1% is so infected by sin that we would remain utterly lost and condemned. Faith in Jesus is 100% enough.
Any pride or suspicion must be cleared away. This statement gently but firmly rebukes us and gives true comfort to those for whom anxiety and guilt are the underlying motivations for trying to save ourselves. The Lord Jesus is enough. Be at peace. The Bible assures us that this is true.
Justification
Justification by faith alone and the humbling wonder of atonement are everywhere in Scripture. I have chosen just a few places for us to consider. Please read Romans chapters 1-5. We are saved, justified and forgiven because of Jesus. We are guilty, condemned and powerless in ourselves, but in his life and death, we are given life, hope and peace with God. This could not and does not come from us. It is by his grace and his gift and accomplished by his sacrificial death.
Now look back at Romans 4:8-9 and follow the reference to Psalm 32. King David rejoices in God’s forgiveness because he knows how guilty and helpless he is. Pride, adultery, murder and a countless number of other offences against God were on the charge sheet against David. Psalm 32 is sung by a sinner standing alongside other sinners in the Tabernacle. In that place of priests and sacrifices, they are reminded with every sight and sound that before God’s holiness, revealed in his law, they are condemned and can only be forgiven and declared righteous by him. They sing Psalm 32 with amazed humility and delighted assurance. Transgression is forgiven, sin is covered, and the Lord counts no iniquity against them.
King David wrote and sang this song, trusting in the promises of God. To put his trust in anything or anyone else, especially himself, would be a disastrous deceit. Those promises and everything found in the Tabernacle are now fulfilled perfectly by God’s perfect king. As we see the glory and grace of Jesus, our own imperfection is plainly revealed, and our guilt is without question. As we see him raised on the cross, we know that Jesus is the unique priest and the one and only sacrifice to which every other priest and sacrifice has pointed. He is ‘the only oblation and satisfaction for sin.’
David’s song points to the heart of justification. A sinner stands before a holy God and is declared to be righteous. The Lord has pronounced this verdict. It is the authoritative and sure language of the courtroom, but never think that this is a cold transaction. Justification is the work of the Father who loved us before we loved him, the work of the Son who gave himself for us, and the work of the Spirit who draws us to God and gives us faith. Yes, even the faith with which we respond comes from God.
At this point, you probably have some questions. Psalm 32 helps us with a couple of these.
Doesn’t the Bible say our works are important?
Yes, they are! The Lord has blessed us, and now we are free to hear his instruction and do the works he wants us to do (Ps. 32:8). These works are part of the blessing of salvation, not the source of salvation.
Can we just carry on sinning?
Definitely not! Why would we want to share again in the sorrows of the wicked when love, gladness and joy are God’s gifts to us in Christ? (Ps. 32:10-11).
There are many more Scriptures which could be explored, and many stories in the Bible show us the riches of justification. There are also wonderful testimonies of Christians through the ages who came to understand this wonderful truth. Martin Luther and John Wesley spring to mind in particular.
Today, as you read this, I am interested in your testimony. Is your salvation by faith alone in Jesus alone? If so, then join with God’s people and sing,
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
