1 John 3:16–18 (ESV)
Love
One Another
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little
children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
As
Lutherans, we make a bold claim that we are saved by grace through faith. This is most certainly true! But often, Lutherans want to hide behind this claim to avoid “works”. To be more specific, “some” Lutherans
are concerned that their works will be confused with their mantra “saved by grace”. So by not doing “works”, they bring no confusion to the table. This view has often made me sick. Their go-to verse is Ephesians 2:8-9. I say to look at the next verse 10. Ephesians 2:8-10 reads: “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” While we are not saved by our works, our works should be a natural byproduct of our faith. This is also illustrated by today’s reading: “18 Little
children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
I
pray: O Lord, help me to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk. Our justification is by faith. Amen.