Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: Godthe second title in The Good Portion series.

The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works. 

                     

Sunday
Jul302023

Sunday Hymn: Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

 

 

 

 

Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others thou art smiling,
Do not pass me by.

Refrain

Saviour, Saviour, hear my humble cry;
While on others thou art smiling,
Do not pass me by.


Let me at a throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

Trusting only in thy merit,
Would I seek thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by thy grace.

Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside thee?
Whom in heav’n but thee?

—Fanny Crosby

Sunday
Jul232023

Sunday Hymn: Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord

 

 

 

 

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Refrain

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all my sin.


Sin and despair like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! there is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today.

—Ju­lia H. John­ston

Thursday
Jul202023

Theological Term of the Week: Sola Fide

sola fide
One of five Latin statements that summarize the core teachings of the Protestant Reformation. The phrase means “faith alone,” and affirms that trust in Christ and his saving work—“is the alone instrument [or means] of justification.”Justification is received by faith alone and not achieved by good works.
  • From scripture:
    [Y]et we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (Galatians 2:16 ESV).
  • From The Heidelberg Catechism

    Question 60. How are thou righteous before God?

    Answer: Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me, that I have grossly transgressed all the commandments of God, and kept none of them, and am still inclined to all evil;  notwithstanding, God, without any merit of mine, but only of mere grace, grants and imputes to me, the perfect satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ; even so, as if I never had had, nor committed any sin: yea, as if I had fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished for me; inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart.

    Question 61. Why sayest thou, that thou art righteous by faith only?

    Answer: Not that I am acceptable to God, on account of the worthiness of my faith; but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, is my righteousness before God; and that I cannot receive and apply the same to myself any other way than by faith only.

  • Augustus Toplady describes the kind of faith that is the means of our justification in the hymn Rock of Ages:

    Nothing in my hand I bring,
    Simply to Thy cross I cling;
    Naked, come to Thee for dress;
    Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
    Foul, I to the fountain fly;
    Wash me, Savior, or I die.

 

Learn more:

  1. Got Questions: Why is sola fide important?
  2. Daniel R. Hyde: What Does Sola Fide Mean?
  3. R. C. Sproul: Sola Fide
  4. Tom Schreiner: Justification = Faith + Nothing
  5. Tom Schreiner: The Five Solas: Faith Alone
  6. J. I. Packer: Sola Fide: The Reformed Doctrine of Justification
  7. Joel Beeke: Justification by Faith Alone: The Relationship of Faith to Justification

 

Related terms:

1Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 11, Section 2. 

Filed under Salvation


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Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.