By Faith Alone

The spark that ignited the protestant reformation was Martin Luther’s discovery that salvation is not by works, but by faith alone in Christ. Now it doesn’t make sense to the human mind. I mean, don’t we have to do something? But Scripture is clear. As Romans 4 states, "When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned." But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. Now Martin Luther tried to justify himself by works, but to no avail. As he wrote, "I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience." No one is declared righteous through the works of the law. This is a gift received by faith alone in Christ.