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DEVOTION// The gospel's treasures

DEVOTION// The gospel's treasures

Devotions, Blog

There remains, therefore, the doctrine of the gospel, which instructs us concerning the twofold benefit of Christ, namely, reconciliation and sanctification or renewal.

Gospel treasures

The gospel contains the promise of the remission of sins, free reconciliation, adoption, and acceptance unto eternal life, for the sake of Christ the Mediator. It also contains the promise of the Spirit of renewal, who works in us both to will and to do, so that after we are justified we can also begin the new obedience.

Therefore, because justifying faith seeks reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, adoption, and acceptance unto eternal life, it is manifest what the proper and principal object of faith is, namely, the promise of grace for the sake of the Mediator.

These treasures are ours by faith

In respect to this and by laying hold on it we are justified.

These things are confirmed by sure and clear passages of Scripture which establish that the object of justifying faith is not the Word of God in general, but the promise of the benefits of Christ the Mediator.…

Count the treasures

Then how many blessings come to us along with this object of our faith:

  • free reconciliation,
  • remission of sins,
  • imputation of the righteousness of Christ,
  • free acceptance before God, adoption,
  • freedom from the law of sin and the law,
  • liberation from the curse of the law,
  • propitiation for our sins,
  • salvation, eternal life,
  • communion with God,
  • the inheritance of life and salvation,
  • peace, joy, and hope of the glory of God!

These are the words of Scripture. When in this way the object of justifying faith is unfolded before us, the entire matter becomes clearer. 

Source: Martin Chemnitz. Chemnitz (1522–1586) was an eminent second-generation German Lutheran theologian, reformer, churchman, and confessor. Among Lutherans he is known as Alter Martinus, the "Second Martin" because his scholarship, leadership, and theology forcefully brought Luther's Reformation to the generation that followed Luther.