The Joshua Victor Theory

Sermon Outline: ·          Reformation month—four sermons on the “mottoes” of the Reformation: 1) faith alone, 2) grace alone, 3) scripture alone, and 4) Christ alone. Meaning; origin in the Bible; application. ·          “The righteous shall live by his faith.” One of the most important statements about faith, in OT and whole Bible—obscure prophet Habakkuk. Quoted by Paul to show that we are saved by faith, not works. What setting did Hab. pen these words? What was his message? ·          Short book—three chapters. Discussion between Habakkuk and God in 1 & 2, where Hab. makes a complaint to God—God answers, Hab. complains again, and God answers a second time, and the book ends with Hab. prayer in 3. Unfortunately the way the verses were selected you only hear Hab’s first complaint, and God’s second response. ·        ...

1.       James teaches what the “way of the Christian” looks like. What the manner of life looks like due to the faith that the Holy Spirit has put in our hearts by God’s Word. Suspicion because of strong emphasis on good works. But actually James in no way diminishes the importance of faith, but rather sees it as a necessary first before we have good works. The words of the sermon hymn explain it well: “Faith alone can justify. Works serve our neighbor and supply the proof that faith is living.” Today James sets out to prove that faith is living. 2.       Since only God can see the faith in our heart, it is through faith expressing itself in good works that we can see and recognize faith as genuine. Good works indicate faith that is present, while the absence of good works indicate that faith is absent. “So faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”, James says. 3.       So what is the way of the...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Faith Alone or Sola Fide. One of the mottoes of the Reformation. A phrase that emphasizes how our salvation comes to us, by the pure reception of faith. On Reformation Day we celebrate a living remembrance of the Reformation, where the teaching of faith alone was placed back into prominence by Martin Luther and the Reformers. We live on in that same confession of faith that was handed down through the ages. Today we’ll look more closely at what saving faith is. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Salvation is by faith alone. Alone because all boasting and all works are excluded. Boasting has no place in salvation because the law of God silences every mouth. Every sinner is crushed under the verdict that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There isn’t any place for pride, arrogance, or claiming to be better than anyone else. Likewise...