We will not only celebrate what God did during reformation time but must be students of it as history repeats itself. Church history also repeats itself as even the devil continues to destroy the Bible..the inerrant record of God's Word. God once restored this Word to the church. We saw "Scripture alone" and now we look at the 2nd part of it "Justified by Faith ALONE." It is not given by man, but by God alone who imputes and accounts that knowledge though faith that is ALWAYS in the promise of God.

Righteousness: To be righteous means "to be RIGHT with God." Justification is the act of GOD whereby He makes us righteous. We read in Galatians "O foolish Galatians, did you receive the Holy Spirit by your works or by your faith?" Abraham also "believed and God accounted it to him." Read Romans! Through the hearing of faith. Through what he believed. God gave him the promise and he believed and it's exactly why he would trudge up Mt. Uriah. Luther did not appreciate the book of James as he misunderstood it, but James wanted to get at the fact that faith WITHOUT works is dead orthodoxy and is impossible.

Imputation: Where does that righteousness come from? Luther was bothered by his sin and could not get rid of the burden of it though he was an outstanding monk. No wonder he appreciated the book of Romans! The just can only live by faith! Salvation which alone is given of Christ! No one can earn it! No one can buy it! Alone, no one can attain it! That is why we have an appreciation for the catechism which is often criticized for talking about sin, exploring it in depth, and driving us afterwards to the cross for our ONLY salvation! In all the darkness of the old testament the people did not have what we have laid out and though he did not have a fraction of what we have, Abraham still believed and was willing to sacrifice his only son for it and in turn God accounted it for righteousness! What about us though? He takes you and I and our sinfulness and presses us against His own bosom! More than that even, He opens His home to us and says to us "you will live there with Me forevermore in the inheritance of GLORY! We could never attain it being spiritually bankrupt and needing deliverance not being able to make satisfaction ourselves. Can you imagine how this Gospel of grace made its way through those who were dejected in the reformation time? Any that speak of something different are speaking of "another gospel." All Christ and Him crucified and that is my salvation and yours! Where does your and my faith come from? It cannot be a works righteousness as we have already discovered that we are unworthy and we daily commit more and more sin. It is a GIFT of God! Take time to read the "golden chain of salvation" in the book of Romans!

Works: How does this faith which is a gift of God to us respond? We know we are wretched sinners. Our good works have NOTHING to do with out JUSTIFICATION and SALVATION which is ONLY of Christ.