Reformation: Justification
These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31 (ESV)
What is the most important teaching in all of Scripture? Let us answer like children: “Jesus!” And let us remember the Formula of Concord, SD Article 3: “This article concerning justification by faith is the chief article in the entire Christian doctrine.” And add to that the words of Martin Luther, “Of this article nothing can be yielded or surrendered . . . even though heaven and earth, and whatever will not abide should sink to ruin” (The Smalcald Articles, Article 1) It is “the article of a standing or falling church,” yea, “and of a standing or falling soul” (1930 ELS convention essay).
Those answers are all the same, but they grow progressively more specific. It is as if we asked a series of narrowing questions: “What is the Bible about?” Jesus. “What about Jesus?” How He saves. “How does he do that?” By justification through faith alone.
This is the very heavenly doctrine which God came down to give and reveal to us. It is not simply one teaching of Scripture among others but rather the teaching of Scripture. Every single word God has given to man is ultimately about this, and together, every doctrine, like brushstrokes on canvas, makes up the whole of it.
Christ testifies to this in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” Paul also writes in Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”
Whoever holds this doctrine in true faith can never fall, and whoever lets it go can never stand.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness,
No merit of my own I claim but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.
Lutheran Service Book 575:1