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Patriotism is now a questionable practice. It was not so in my youth. Our nation’s flag, our military fighting men and women, and even our elected leaders were due a high level of regard for a very specific reason; that my generation would learn the value of the freedoms preserved for us and our posterity. My teachers, tutors and mentors wanted me to have some level of appreciation for a nation with a history, both tragic and heroic, of learning to grapple with freedom. For it only takes one ignorant, forgetful or careless generation to risk the whole experiment.
In In like manner, Paul goes a long way to emphasize a critical doctrine for every citizen of heaven; the doctrine of Justification by faith alone in Christ alone. Such language and title fail to draw crowds today but that didn’t hinder St Paul from passionately communicating what would have been front page news in his day. The headline; “Zealous Pharisee preaches lawlesness!”. Jesus Christ had changed everything for Paul. For him to write about the powerlessness of the law with such clarity, “by the works of the law no one will be justified (2:16)”, was a complete transformation of his beliefs. And where beliefs are transformed lives will soon follow.
My prayer is that we will recovery the glory of our salvation in the gracious gift of God to sinners: justification by faith alone.
