August 1
2 Kings 23:1-20; 2 Chronicles 34:29-33; 2 Kings 23:21-28; 2 Chronicles 35:1-19; Nahum 1:1-3:19
One of the beautiful works of the Reformation was the emphasis on the fact that salvation comes through personal faith in Christ alone (sola fide). This is not something that reformers like Luther, Calvin and others fabricated but is found throughout the pages of Scripture. Israel has modeled for us king after king rejecting faith in God as it speeds towards idolatry, while Josiah chooses a life of faith and repentance. He shows that regardless of what the world around us is choosing today, we can make a choice for Christ. We can choose to be an island of faith in a sea of idolatry. In contrast, Nahum spotlights Nineveh. A people, who 150 years before repented of their sin during the time of Jonah and seemingly embraced faith in God, are now told that judgment is near. Though a previous generation repented, this generation has not; thus placing themselves in opposition to God.
Even if previous generations chose faith in God, we need to make a choice for ourselves. For those of us who are parents, we need this reminder that our personal faith will not get our kids into heaven. Our faith cannot put anyone into a relationship with Christ except us. We need to live by faith and call others to faith as well, because salvation is only available by grace through faith in Christ alone.
Father God, thank you that I am saved by grace through faith. Help me to walk by faith and call others to place their faith in you as well. Amen.
Why is faith so difficult to pass from generation to generation?
One of the beautiful works of the Reformation was the emphasis on the fact that salvation comes through personal faith in Christ alone (sola fide). This is not something that reformers like Luther, Calvin and others fabricated but is found throughout the pages of Scripture. Israel has modeled for us king after king rejecting faith in God as it speeds towards idolatry, while Josiah chooses a life of faith and repentance. He shows that regardless of what the world around us is choosing today, we can make a choice for Christ. We can choose to be an island of faith in a sea of idolatry. In contrast, Nahum spotlights Nineveh. A people, who 150 years before repented of their sin during the time of Jonah and seemingly embraced faith in God, are now told that judgment is near. Though a previous generation repented, this generation has not; thus placing themselves in opposition to God.
Even if previous generations chose faith in God, we need to make a choice for ourselves. For those of us who are parents, we need this reminder that our personal faith will not get our kids into heaven. Our faith cannot put anyone into a relationship with Christ except us. We need to live by faith and call others to faith as well, because salvation is only available by grace through faith in Christ alone.
Father God, thank you that I am saved by grace through faith. Help me to walk by faith and call others to place their faith in you as well. Amen.
Why is faith so difficult to pass from generation to generation?
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