What Do You Live For?
May the answer below truly be your answer.
1. Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?
A. That I am not my own,[1] but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death,[2] to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.[3] He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood[4], and has set me free from all the power of the devil.[5] He also preserves me in such a way[6] that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head;[7] indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.[8] Therefore, by His Holy Spirit He also assures me of eternal life[9] and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him.[10]
[1] I Cor. 6:19, 20 [2] Rom. 14:7-9. [3] I Cor. 3:23; Tit. 2:14. [4] I Pet. 1:18, 19; I John 1:7; 2:2. [5] John 8:34-36; Heb. 2:14, 15; I John 3:8. [6] John 6:39, 40; 10:27-30; II Thess. 3:3; I Pet. 1:5. [7] Matt. 10:29-31; Luke 21:16-18. [8] Rom. 8:28. [9] Rom. 8:15, 16; II Cor. 1:21, 22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13, 14. [10] Rom. 8:14.
Question #1 of the Heidelberg Catechism
Luther on Sola Fide
Martin Luther (1483-1546), Roman Catholic Monk turned protestant reformer, championed Sola Fide (the Theological Latin phrase meaning that we are saved by faith alone).
Luther once said,
Nothing is more sure than this: he that does not take hold on Christ by faith, and comfort himself… that Christ is made a curse for him, (he) remains under the curse. The more we labor by works to obtain grace, the less we know how to take hold on Christ; for where He is not known and comprehended by faith, there is not to be expected either advice, help, or comfort, though we torment ourselves to death. (emphasis added).
A Puritan Prayer of Submissive Faith
Thou bottomless fountain of all good…,
Help me to see how good Thy will is in all,
and even when it crosses mine
teach me to be pleased with it.
Grant me to feel Thee in fire, and food and
every providence…
I give myself to Thee out of love,
for all I have or own is Thine,
my goods, family, church, self,
to do with as Thou wilt,
to honour Thyself by me…
If it be consistent with Thy eternal counsels,
the purpose of Thy grace,
and the great ends of Thy glory,
then bestow upon me the blessings of
Thy comforts;
If not, let me resign myself to
Thy wiser determinations.
A Prayer of Submissive Faith
“Thou bottomless fountain of all good…,
Help me to see how good Thy will is in all,
and even when it crosses mine
teach me to be pleased with it.”
(Click here to read the rest of the prayer.)