Today’s Scripture teaches the Reformed Doctrine Sola Fide (Faith Alone) “that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus”. Sola Fide (Faith Alone) is one of “The Five Solas” of the Reformation. (For further explanation of “The Five Solas“, see the tag on top of my web site.)
That precious point is continually under attack whether it be by the hypocrisy of Cephas (Peter) and the rest of the Jews in the beginning (as we read in today’s Scripture) or by those in the Roman Catholic Church that the Reformers refuted during the Protestant Reformation or by those current preachers and teachers today who directly teach the Federal Vision or indirectly teach that we are justified by faith and works without any label.
And, before we of the Reformed faith get too smug, we too often live self-righteously as if we are justified by faith and works. We take pride in our perceived standing in the church based on our works. We also don’t quite trust faith alone in Christ; we want some “salvation insurance” by our works.
We need to continually be on guard.
“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I (Paul) myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,” Philippians 3:2-9.
We are called to not only believe in Sola Fide (Faith Alone), but we are also called to live our lives accordingly, “straightforward about the truth of the gospel”.
“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:13-16.
And so, we live our lives “straightforward” by “faith alone” and “walk by the Spirit” trusting the Spirit to produce love, joy, peace, and other fruit of the Spirit. We do not alienate new Christians, standing aloof in our self-righteousness, but we patiently teach them Reformed Doctrine so that they too will trust God and patiently wait for the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith in Christ.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 