부흥회를 준비한다는 것이 쉽지는 않았습니다. 한달 정도 전부터 미리 구상을 하면서 책을 읽고 준비하기 시작했습니다. 특별히 교리를 다루고 역사를 다루는 부분에 있어서는 내용의 정확성을 요구하기 때문에 그 부분에 마음을 많이 썼습니다.
보통 가장 중요한 주일 설교를 위해서 12시간 정도를 사용합니다. 그런데 이번에는 더 쉽지 않았던 것이 주일 설교를 포함해서 세번의 설교가 메인으로 들어갔기 때문입니다. 한번의 짧은 새벽 설교도 오직 은혜를 다루었기 때문에 정말 쉽지 않았습니다.
특별히 가장 쉽지 않은 부분은, 네편의 모든 설교가 유기적으로 연결되어야 한다는 점이었습니다. 다섯가지의 솔라는 결코 따로 떨어진 것이 아니라, 신학적인 흐름을 가집니다. 그리고 더 어려운 점은, 만약에 마지막 설교까지 감정적인 그리고 신학적인 유기성을 가지기 위해서는, 이미 부흥회가 오기 전에 설교에 대한 원고가 거의 완성이 되고 흐름이 준비가 되어야 한다는 점이었습니다.
그런 면에서 이번 부흥회는 저의 능력을 아득히 넘어선다고 느꼈습니다. 매번 주일 설교도 참 쉽지 않지만, 가장 위대한 주제를 가지고 부흥회를 하겠다고 결심한 것부터 저의 한계를 넘어선 도전이라고 생각했습니다. 더 짬을 내어서 미리 책을 살피고 생각을 정리하고 원고를 준비해나가면서, 하나님의 은혜 가운데 마칠 수 있었습니다.
* 종교개혁, 왜 오직인가? / 안재경 외
종교개혁의 원리를 다룬 소 논문의 모음집입니다. 특별히 교리 부분에 포커스가 맞추어져 있고 각 논문 이후에는 저자의 설교까지 들어가 있어서 많은 도움이 되었습니다. 지나치게 어렵지 않으면서도 목회적인 배려가 많이 들어가 있어서 참 좋았습니다. 글을 읽으면서 노트에 따로 중요한 부분들을 정리하면서 전체의 내용을 소화했습니다. 아쉬웠던 것은, 하나님의 영광이라는 부분이 다소 철학적으로 치우쳤다는 점입니다.
* 마르틴 루터 95개 논제 / 루터
돌이켜보니, 신학교를 다닐 때에는 루터의 95개 논제를 직접 읽어본 적이 없습니다. 그저 막연하게 몇개의 조항들, 그리고 말씀에 바탕해서 루터가 종교 개혁을 일으켰다는 이야기 정도를 교회사 시간에 배웠습니다. 그래서 예전에 설교 준비를 위해서 구입해 둔 책입니다.
루터는 사제로써 이 모든 개혁을 감당했기 때문에, 지금의 개신교 성도의 입장에서는 약간 이해하기 어려운 표현들도 등장합니다. 그리고 그 당시의 신학적인 배경을 알아야 하는 부분도 있습니다. 그러나 루터의 가장 뜨거운 마음과 그의 신학적인 이해를 이해할 수 있는 가장 좋은 책입니다.
* 루터의 로마서 주석 / 루터
오직 의인은 믿음으로 말미암아 살리라에 대한 루터의 이해를 가장 확실하게 얻을 수 있는 책입니다. 루터 본인이 쓴 주석이기 때문에 당연한 일입니다. 저를 포함해서 최신 주석들을 가지고 공부하는 신학도들에게 있어서 어쩌면 너무 오래된 주석이라고 볼 수도 있습니다. 고도의 기술적인 혹은 분석적인 주석도 당연히 아닙니다. 그러나 이번에 느낀 것은, 어쩌면 고전적인 주석을 보는 것이 인생에서 가장 중요한 것이며, 목회자인 저에게도 신앙을 지키는 너무나 중요한 방법이라는 것입니다.
* 종교개혁의 5가지 원리 / 제이슨 앨런 외
종교개혁의 원리를 다룬 책입니다. 이것도 일종의 소논문 형식인데 더 쉽게 읽을 수 있습니다. 특별히 종교 개혁 당시의 역사적인 그리고 신학적인 배경과, 루터가 경험한 신앙적인 고뇌 등을 잘 기록해 놓았습니다.
* 기독교 교회사 / 김영재
신학교 때에 기본 교제로 배웠던 책입니다. 제가 기억하는 김영재 교수님은 차분하고 따뜻한 분입니다. 20대 철없던 시절은, 제가 어떤 신학의 깊이를 이해할 수 있는 처지가 아니었습니다. 그러나 이제 열어 읽어보니, 도대체 어떻게 이렇게 방대한 내용을 하나로 엮어서 쓰실 수 있는지 이해가 되지 않을만큼 탁월합니다. 딱딱하지만, 그러나 읽으면서 종교개혁에 대해서 좀 더 배울 수 있었습니다.
* 은혜의 복음이란 무엇인가 / 마이클 호튼
호튼의 글은 언제나 소중합니다. 한편으로는 호튼의 글은 딱딱합니다. 그러나 호튼을 통해서 저의 신학의 틀을 만들었고 그것은 언제나 견고하게 저를 붙잡아 주고 있습니다. 종교개혁의 원리에 대해서 책의 앞 부분에 등장하기 때문에 그 부분을 다시 한번 읽고 참고하였습니다.
* 또 다른 설교를 꿈꾸며
요즘에 깊이 깨닫는 것은, 제가 할 수 없는 일들이 대부분이라는 것입니다. 철저한 무능력, 그것을 많이 느낍니다. 그래서 또 한편으로는 하나님께서 도우시는 것이 전부라는 것을 깨닫습니다. 하나님께서 하시지 않으면 그 어떤 것도 할 수가 없습니다.
설교를 준비할 때 마다 느끼는 것은, 두려움입니다. 단순히 이번에 좋은 설교를 못할 것 같다는 두려움이 아니라, 설교 자체가 주는 중압감이 너무나 크다는 의미입니다. 그래서 언제나 주저하는 마음을 가지게 됩니다.
또 한편으로는 감사할 따름입니다. 이번에 솔라시리즈를 통해서 하나님께서 저를 많이 깨우쳐 주셨습니다. 교회사 속으로 완전히 들어갈 수 있다는 것이 축복이라고 느꼈습니다. 고전의 중요성에 대해서 다시 한번 깨닫게 되었고, 루터를 포함해서 또 다른 고전들을 평생 읽어나가야겠다고 결심했습니다.
그저 한걸음에 만족할 수 밖에 없는 인생이지만, 그래도 감사합니다. 하나님께서 이뤄주신다면 조금 더 전진했으면 합니다. 그렇다면 위대하신 하나님으로 인하여, 제 마음에 더 기쁨이 넘칠 것입니다.
나의 약함은 나의
자랑이요 나의 실패는 나의
간증이요 나의 아픔은 나의
영광이니 그 부르심 따라
내가 걸어갑니다
나 가난함은 나의
상급이요 나 미련함은 나의
자랑이요 나 쓰러짐이 나의
고백이니 그 부르심 따라
내가 걸어갑니다
2. 곡 소개
이 곡은, 2017년에 발매된 브라운 워십팀의 The Feast (잔치) 앨범에 수록된 곡이다. 이 곡은 성도는 본질적으로 연약하고 넘어지는
존재이지만, 그러나 예수님이 내 안에 있기 때문에 오히려 주님을 더 의지하고 살아가겠다는 성도의 아름다운
결단을 담고 있는 곡이다.
3. 말씀으로 바라보기
고린도후서 4:7 우리가
이 보배를 질그릇에 가졌으니 이는 심히 큰 능력은 하나님께 있고 우리에게 있지 아니함을 알게 하려 함이라
고린도후서 12:9 나에게
이르시기를 내 은혜가 네게 족하도다 이는 내 능력이 약한 데서 온전하여짐이라 하신지라 그러므로 도리어 크게 기뻐함으로 나의 여러 약한 것들에 대하여
자랑하리니 이는 그리스도의 능력이 내게 머물게 하려 함이라
고린도후서 4:8 우리가
사방으로 우겨쌈을 당하여도 싸이지 아니하며 답답한 일을 당하여도 낙심하지 아니하며 4:9 박해를 받아도
버린 바 되지 아니하며 거꾸러뜨림을 당하여도 망하지 아니하고 4:10 우리가 항상 예수의 죽음을 몸에
짊어짐은 예수의 생명이 또한 우리 몸에 나타나게 하려 함이라
고린도후서 8:9 우리
주 예수 그리스도의 은혜를 너희가 알거니와 부요하신 이로서 너희를 위하여 가난하게 되심은 그의 가난함으로 말미암아 너희를 부요하게 하려 하심이라
고린도전서 1:27 그러나
하나님께서 세상의 미련한 것들을 택하사 지혜 있는 자들을 부끄럽게 하려 하시고 세상의 약한 것들을 택하사 강한 것들을 부끄럽게 하려 하시며 1:28 하나님께서 세상의 천한 것들과 멸시 받는 것들과 없는 것들을 택하사 있는 것들을 폐하려 하시나니
고린도의 대부분의 신자들은 당대의 교육받은 엘리트들이
보기에 다음과 같이 여겨지는 계층에 속했습니다. 미련한 (배우지
못하고 지적으로 무능한) 약한 (권력과 영향력이 없는) 천한 (고귀한 출신이 아니어서 중요하지 않은) 멸시 받는 (가치나 존중을 받을 자격이 없는 것처럼 취급되는) 없는 것들 (보잘것없는 존재들) 하나님께서는 바로 이러한 종류의 사람들을 택하여 예수 그리스도를 믿는 믿음으로 나오게 하시고 그분의 은혜의 풍성함을
받게 하셨습니다
Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed.
D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2055.
4. 찬양에 대한
묵상
이 찬양은, 그리스도인의 삶에서 겪는
연약함, 고난, 부족함을 인간적인 좌절의 이유가 아니라, 하나님의 크신 능력과 은혜를 경험하고 드러내는 통로이자 기회로 보는 역설적인 신앙 고백을 담고 있다. 우리는 깨지기 쉬운 질그릇 같고 세상의 기대를 받지 못하는 어린 나귀와 같지만, 그러나 성도에게는 예수 그리스도의 생명이 있으며, 주님의 능력 때문에
모든 연약함을 이겨낼 수 있다는 것이다.
그러므로 이 찬양은 우리의 약함 자체가 자랑이 된다고 고백한다. 하나님은 우리의 강함이 아니라 부족함과 미련함 속에서 그분의 능력을 가장 온전하게 나타내시며, 세상이 천하다고 멸시하는 우리의 모습도 그리스도의 능력과 은혜가 머무는 통로가 될 수 있기에, 우리는 기쁨으로 자랑할 수 있는 것이다.
결국 이 찬양은, 그리스도인으로서 겪는
모든 고난과 연약함을 좌절의 이유가 아닌, 하나님의 역설적인 은혜를 경험하는 기회로 보는 신앙 고백이다. 그러므로 이 찬양을 부르며 우리의 연약함에도 불구하고 주님을 의지하며 살아가기를 원한다. 우리의 가난함과 미련함, 그리고 심지어 넘어짐이라도 그리스도의 구원과
능력에 대한 간증이 되며, 오직 주님만을 높이는 인생 살아가시는 성도님들 되시기를 기대한다.
이번에 2025년 가을 부흥회는 참으로 의미있는 시간이었습니다. 볼티모어 교회 권사, 안수집사 임직을 앞두고 성도님들의 마음을 하나로 모으며 함께 은혜를 누리는 시간으로 준비했기 때문입니다. 그리고 특별히 담임목사로서 처음으로 부흥회를 직접 인도하면서, 목회적으로 교회의 나아갈 방향을 제시하고 함께 걸어가는 특별한 시간이었기 때문입니다.
부흥회의 주제를 놓고 오랫동안 기도했습니다. 그리고 '신앙의 본질로 돌아가자'라는 제목으로, 종교 개혁의 솔라 시리즈를 준비하였습니다. 이 주제를 놓고 부흥회를 인도한 이유는, 50여년의 역사를 가지고 있는 귀한 볼티모어교회가, 앞으로도 기독교 신앙의 본질에 근거해서 성장해 나가길 바랬기 때문입니다. 그리고 모든 성도님들이 성경적이고 바른 신앙을 가질 수 있기를 원했기 때문입니다.
신앙의 내용과 교회의 역사는 결코 떨어져서 생각할 수 없습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 기독교의 역사를 다루면서 동시에 우리가 무엇을 믿는가를 설명하는 일은 결코 쉽지가 않습니다. 자칫하면 지루해지기가 쉽고 그저 역사 강의처럼 들릴 수도 있기 때문입니다.
그런 면에서, 설교의 구조와 내용을 구성하는데 평소보다 더 많은 공을 들였습니다. 역사적인 맥락을 최대한 압축적으로 소개하면서도, 지금 우리가 서 있는 기독교 신앙을 설교의 형태로 잘 드러내기 위해 최선을 다해 노력했습니다.
특별히 제 개인적으로 정말 좋았던 것은, 루터의 저작들을 직접 살펴보면서 저 역시 많은 배움 속에서 은혜를 받았다는 것입니다. 언제나 그렇지만, 간접적으로 인용된 저작물 이전에 1차 저작들을 잘 읽고 공부하는 것이 신학 공부에 있어서 가장 중요하다는 것을 다시 한번 경험하였습니다.
어두운 시대 속에서, 오직 말씀을 붙들고 일어선 루터의 고뇌와 기쁨 그리고 도전을 간접적이나마 진지하게 경험하였습니다. 그리고 더 나아가서, 이 시대를 살아가는 개신교 목사로서, 무엇을 가지고 어떻게 교회를 섬길지에 대해 깊게 묵상하고 결단하는 참 좋은 시간을 보내었습니다.
이번에 성도님들께서 은혜를 많이 받으신 것 같아 감사한 마음입니다. 모든 것은 하나님의 은혜입니다. 신앙의 본질을 주제로 잡고 설교하게 하신 것도 하나님의 은혜이고, 모든 성도들이 감사한 마음 가운데 부흥회가 마친 것 역시 하나님의 은혜입니다. 부흥회 가운데 저와 성도님들의 신앙을 회복시키시고, 더욱 성경적으로 변화시키시며 성장하게 하신 아버지 하나님께 영광을 올려 드립니다.
아래 링크를 통해 부흥회 설교의 영문 원고를 보실 수 있습니다.
* 신앙의 본질로 돌아가자 부흥회 설교 (1) / 오직 성경 (Sola Scriptura) / 왕상 22장 3-13절
The 2025 Fall Revival Meeting was truly a meaningful time for our Baltimore Church. As we prepared for the ordination of deacons and elders, it became a precious opportunity to unite our congregation and share God’s grace together. It was also special to me personally, as it was the first revival I led as the senior pastor—setting the pastoral direction of our church and walking together in faith.
After much prayer, I chose the theme “Return to the Essence of Faith,” preaching through the Sola Series of the Reformation. I hoped that our church, with its 50-year history, would continue to grow upon the foundation of true biblical faith, and that every member would be strengthened in sound doctrine.
Preparing these messages was not easy, since combining church history and theology can easily feel like a lecture. So I devoted extra effort to make each sermon clear and inspiring—summarizing history concisely while proclaiming the gospel’s core truths.
Personally, I was deeply blessed while studying Luther’s original writings. It reminded me once again that reading primary sources is essential for true theological understanding. Through Luther’s struggle and faith, I could sense both his agony and joy as he stood firmly on the Word of God, and it helped me reflect on how I should serve the church today as a pastor.
I’m thankful that many members were blessed through this revival. Everything was by God’s grace—from the theme itself to the spiritual renewal experienced by our congregation. To God be the glory, who restored and strengthened our faith through His Word. You can read the English manuscript of the revival sermons through the link above.
Under the title “Soli Deo Gloria,” I would like to preach the Word of God. Some of you may know the Korean actor Hwang Jung-min, one of the greatest actors in Korea. He starred as the leading role in three separate films that each drew more than ten million viewers.
In 2005, he played the lead in the movie You Are My Sunshine, which became one of the most successful melodramas in Korean film history. Through this film, he gained immense popularity and received the Blue Dragon Best Actor Award.
Yet what left a deep impression on many was his acceptance speech. He said, “To be honest, I always tell people that I’m just a mere actor. Around sixty staff members and actors set such a splendid table; all I have to do is enjoy the meal. Yet all the spotlight comes to me, and I feel so sorry about that.”
This statement deeply moved people because, at the peak of his career, he did not glorify himself but gave the glory to others. In a moment when he could have lifted himself up, he instead humbled himself and honored those around him, leaving an unforgettable impression of true humility.
*The Five Solas of the Reformation
Through this fall revival, we have been reflecting deeply on the five Solas of the Reformation. These five declarations are: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Gratia (Grace alone), Sola Fide (Faith alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), and finally, Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone).
Our Presbyterian faith, if traced back to its roots, leads us to a time when the church had become corrupted and darkened. It was an era when the pope held political power, and many clergy neither preached the gospel nor cared for the souls of believers. Filled with greed for money, they began to sell indulgences, claiming that even the sins of the dead could be forgiven through payment. Reformers such as Martin Luther rose to oppose this system because it was utterly contrary to the teaching of Scripture.
The most amazing thing is that through this process, the gospel that had been hidden for centuries in the medieval church began to shine forth again. People’s hearts started to change. Instead of relying on papal decrees or church traditions, they began to think based solely on the Word of God.
In the Middle Ages, it was taught that God’s grace alone was not enough—that humans had to add their good works in order to be saved. But the reformers rediscovered the biblical truth that salvation comes only by the grace of God. This gospel truth began to stir and awaken souls. And they came to understand clearly, according to Scripture, how salvation truly happens: that Jesus Christ alone is the righteousness of sinners, and that salvation comes only by faith in Him alone.
Therefore, the natural direction of those who are saved by faith in Christ is summarized in this final declaration: “Soli Deo Gloria” — Glory to God alone.
*What Is Glory?
When you hear the word “glory,” what comes to your mind? The Korean word for “glory” (영광, 榮光) is made up of two Chinese characters: “young” (榮) meaning honor or dignity worthy of respect, and “gwang” (光) meaning light or brilliance. So, simply put, “glory” refers to a beautiful and shining honor or dignity.
However, in the Bible, the word “glory” usually translates the Hebrew word “kabod,” which literally means “weight” or “heaviness.” Therefore, when Scripture says, “The glory of God,” it signifies that God Himself is weighty, important, and of infinite worth. In Greek, the New Testament uses the word “doxa,” which originally comes from a verb meaning “to think.” Over time, it developed into the sense of a favorable opinion, then reputation, praise, and honor.
In conclusion, the glory of God in the New Testament refers to God’s reputation, His praise, and His exalted honor. It means that His name is lifted high, His character is made known, and His majesty is recognized among all creation.
*Only God Is Glorious
Let us think for a moment. Sometimes we describe a person as “glorious”—a truly great or admirable person. But what do we realize as we live longer? The glory and reputation of human beings always change. Someone we once considered honorable and admirable may later disappoint us, and the person we thought was great turns out not to be so.
However, the glory of God is completely different. His greatness, majesty, and exaltation never change. As the Lord declares in Isaiah 42:8 (ESV):
“I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
Here, notice that before speaking of His glory, God first declares His name: “I am the Lord.” The name “Yahweh” means “I AM WHO I AM,” the One who exists by Himself.
We must remember how important that name is. We all depend on something—our parents, the air we breathe, water, and food to survive. Without these, we cannot live. We are also bound by time and space; we exist within limits. But the Lord is not like us. He depends on nothing. He is perfect in Himself, the Creator of the universe and of humankind, and the Lord of all. Therefore, His weight, importance, and exaltation far exceed our comprehension. The glory of God never fades and never changes.
Thus the Lord proclaims, “I am glorious, and My glory belongs to Me alone. I will not share it with anyone else.”
*Not to Us, O Lord
With this background in mind, we can now understand today’s passage in a deeper way. Psalm 115:1 (ESV) says,
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!”
Here we notice that the psalmist repeats the same phrase twice: “Not to us, not to us.” In Scripture, repetition always emphasizes importance. The psalmist is pleading with God, “Do not let glory be given to us.” Why? Because human beings are unworthy of glory. He is praying that people would not exalt themselves or take the place that belongs to God alone.
The psalmist then explains the reason: “For the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.” This is a sharp contrast between human frailty and God’s perfection. Human love and truthfulness are weak and unstable, but the Lord is abounding in steadfast love and utterly faithful in all His ways. Thus, the psalmist confesses that only God deserves glory, because only He is truly gracious, true, and trustworthy.
*Look at the Reformation
How do you feel when you read this verse? As I prepared for this revival and for today’s message, the phrase “for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness” touched my heart deeply. Especially when viewed in connection with the Reformation, it becomes even more meaningful.
Think about it—though the early church once flourished and Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, humanity gradually became corrupted, and the church began to collapse. It seemed as if the church had lost the ability to correct itself. Yet the faithful and gracious God did not abandon His church. Out of His mercy, He revived and restored it again.
There is a book called Table Talk, which is not written by Luther himself but by his students and colleagues who recorded the conversations he had during his lifetime. This collection reveals Luther’s candid thoughts and helps us understand his inner world. In one passage, Luther said:
“High church officials, idolized saints, rich moneylenders, and greedy cattle traders—these are not the servants of God, nor is it desirable that they should be. Moreover, it brings no honor to God that such people are called His servants, for they ascribe glory and honor to themselves.”
When I read this, one sentence struck my heart the most: “They ascribe glory and honor to themselves.” Through this statement, we can understand how Luther saw his times—it was an age when human beings stole the glory of God.
In other words, it was a time when people exalted themselves, claiming greatness, even saying that salvation rested in their own hands. They elevated human authority above God’s Word. That was the spiritual darkness Luther faced in his generation.
*Sinners Who Steal God’s Glory
What we must clearly understand is that the attempt to steal God’s glory and to exalt oneself is not merely a problem of the Middle Ages. It is the fundamental evil that lies at the very heart of fallen humanity. In Genesis 3:4–5 (ESV), the serpent tempts Eve, saying,
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
This temptation is not simply about disobeying God’s command—it is far deeper. The serpent deceives humanity with a lie that strikes at the core of worship: “You can be like God.” In other words, instead of exalting God and giving Him glory, the serpent whispers, “Take His place. Seize His glory. You can become the center.”
And what was the result? Genesis 3:6 (ESV) says,
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
Thus, the fall of humanity was the tragic attempt to rise to the place of the most glorious God. Not only did that effort fail, but it resulted in complete spiritual separation from God, bringing about the most miserable consequence in human history.
*The Living God and the Powerless Idols
Then how does God respond to this human rebellion and fall? His work is truly marvelous. God did not abandon fallen humanity. Out of His mercy and steadfast love, He made a promise to save them. In Genesis 3:15 (ESV), God proclaims His redemptive plan:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
In other words, God did not give up on those who turned away from Him. Instead, He promised to send One who would crush the serpent’s head, redeem sinners, and lead them back to Himself. Therefore, the Lord our God is alive, working on behalf of sinners, full of compassion and grace, and never giving up on His people.
In this sense, today’s Psalm 115 has an incredibly powerful structure. The psalmist compares the living and glorious God with lifeless idols. He draws a vivid contrast between the majestic Lord and powerless images of silver and gold. The description is so detailed that it almost sounds ironic:
“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.” (Psalm 115:4–7, ESV)
Why did people in ancient times—and even today—make idols out of gold and silver? Because they wanted them to look glorious. They wanted to display something impressive and majestic. Yet, in reality, those idols are utterly powerless. Scripture declares that they can do nothing. But the Lord, the living God, is completely different—He alone is the One who works, shows mercy, and reveals His glory. He alone is the glorious, living God.
*The Work of the Holy Spirit
Then how can humanity—who from the very beginning sought to exalt themselves and steal God’s glory—be changed? God has a clear plan for this. He sends the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. In Ezekiel 36:26–27 (ESV), the Lord declares,
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
This means that when God saves a sinner, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them, giving them a new heart—a tender, living heart instead of a hardened one. In other words, salvation is not simply a change in behavior, but the miraculous work of God’s Spirit who renews our hearts so that we come to believe and confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
Before, people lived exalting themselves, thinking they were great and self-sufficient. But now, through the Spirit’s renewal, they live to honor God, to recognize His glory, and to magnify Him in every moment. Titus 3:5 (ESV) says,
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
Notice the phrase “renewal of the Holy Spirit.” The Greek word for “renewal” also appears in Romans 12:2 (ESV):
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Thus, the renewal of the Spirit is directly connected to the renewal of the mind. Believing in Jesus and being transformed by the Spirit means a complete change of heart and attitude. We begin to long for God’s will, to honor His greatness, and to live for His pleasure. This is the true meaning of salvation.
*Open Your Eyes to the Glory of God
In this context, I have often realized in my ministry that many believers think of salvation in a very self-centered way. They tend to believe that salvation is merely about entering heaven. Of course, that is true—God has saved us to make us His children and to lead us into His eternal kingdom.
However, salvation means far more than simply going to heaven. The Bible shows that salvation is actually a transfer of glory. Humanity, who once tried to steal God’s glory, is now restored to give all glory back to God alone. In this way, salvation can be perfectly understood as the return of glory to its rightful place.
Therefore, the ultimate purpose of our salvation is not just personal blessing or comfort, but to recognize God’s greatness in everything He does and to live as people who exalt His name. True believers are those whose eyes have been opened to see the majesty of God and who respond with worship, praise, and thanksgiving.
*Worthy of Glory
In this light, when we look at Ephesians chapter 1, we find a repeated theme that runs throughout the passage—the glory of God. This chapter magnificently reveals God’s power and love in choosing and saving us. Ephesians 1:6 (ESV) says,
“To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
This means that our salvation by grace is not the end of our story. Rather, the right response to such grace is to praise the greatness and glory of God who saved us. We cannot help but lift up His name in worship.
In Ephesians 1:12 (ESV), Paul continues,
“So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”
And in Ephesians 1:14 (ESV), he writes,
“Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
Here, the “guarantee” refers to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s indwelling presence assures us that God has paid the price for our sins and will surely bring us to final redemption.
Therefore, as the psalm declares, because our triune God is full of steadfast love and faithfulness, because He has completely saved us, we cannot help but praise the glory of His grace. A true believer is someone who, by spiritual sight, recognizes the greatness and majesty of God—and lives to exalt Him alone.
*Give Glory to the Lord
So then, how can we practically give glory to God in our daily lives? 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV) says,
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
What stands out here are the words “whatever you do.” This phrase means exactly what it says—everything we do in life. And the words “whether you eat or drink” include even the smallest, most ordinary things in our daily routine.
This teaching was revolutionary for people in the Middle Ages. Back then, many believed that the best way to please God was to enter a monastery or live a religious life within the church. They thought that only those who devoted themselves to prayer or worship were truly pleasing to God, while the tasks of everyday life—working, farming, raising families—were merely secular necessities.
But Scripture teaches something very different. From the beginning, the Bible shows that every part of life is connected to God. Worship inside the church is important, but so is how we live outside the church. Every action, big or small, can reveal God’s glory when done in faith.
*How Are We Living?
When we look around today, we can see that the same misunderstanding that existed in the Middle Ages still remains in people’s hearts. Many believers unconsciously divide life into two categories—the sacred and the secular. They think that the work of the church is holy, but ordinary work in the world is not.
This dualistic mindset leads to a serious problem. Even among those who pray fervently and worship faithfully, there are sometimes people who are not respected at work, not trusted in their families, or even criticized in society. They fail to see that their everyday life is meant to reflect God’s greatness. They think, “I just work to make a living,” without realizing that their labor can glorify God.
Martin Luther strongly opposed this kind of thinking. Speaking to those who despised the everyday vocations of believers, he said:
“He fiercely criticizes those who think that a believing farmer or worker faithfully doing his job is less precious before God than monks, friars, or nuns.”
And again, addressing those who envy others instead of being faithful in their own calling, he said:
“It is truly sad that so few people are satisfied with the vocation and calling God has given them. Most of us think that other people’s situations are better than our own. Yet to serve God rightly is to stand firmly in the place where He has called us, no matter how humble or simple it may be.”
The Bible and the Reformation both teach us this truth: the most important thing for believers today is to glorify God wherever they are. People focus on how good their job is or how much they earn, but God focuses on whether His glory is revealed through their lives. Even if one’s job seems lowly in human eyes, if that person works diligently and faithfully to reveal God’s greatness, that life is truly Reformed and genuinely biblical.
*The Resolution of the Trainees
As we come to the close of today’s message, let me share one final story. Earlier, I mentioned the actor Hwang Jung-min’s acceptance speech—but there’s another part that many people don’t know. When he stepped onto the stage after being announced as Best Actor, he said, with a shy but sincere voice,
“First of all, I want to thank God. I’ve always been thankful in my heart but haven’t expressed it publicly—so today, I give thanks to God first.”
That confession deeply moved me. At the very pinnacle of his career, he wanted God to be glorified first. It revealed a man of pure faith standing in the spotlight yet humbly giving credit to the Lord.
Recently, while serving in the two-month training for newly elected deacon and deaconess candidates, I had many meaningful conversations with them. What impressed me most was their humility and deep faith. During our second session, we reflected on Romans 14:8 (ESV):
“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
After meditating on this verse, the trainees shared their hearts with me. They said things like:
“I love the confession that I belong to the Lord.”
“I accept it as a fact that I am His.”
“I want to please God and love my neighbors.”
“I repent for not always living as a child of God.”
“I want to resemble the service and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”
“I will always remember why I live—to honor Him.”
“I will trust the Lord in every situation.”
“I will lay myself down, give thanks for His grace, and grow to resemble the Father.”
“I will strive to treat every church member with love.”
Through these confessions, I became convinced that these are truly precious servants of God—people who desire to dedicate their whole lives to Him. And through them, I believe our church will be built up with even greater strength and grace.
*Conclusion
As we conclude, let us ask ourselves an important question: Whose glory are we living for? Whom do we truly exalt through our lives?
My earnest prayer is that in every moment of our lives we would lift up and glorify our Father God, who has saved us and guides us by His grace. In our homes, our workplaces, our businesses, our schools, and in every relationship, may we reveal the love, mercy, wisdom, faithfulness, and excellence of God.
May all of us live to exalt His glory alone, giving Him the highest praise with our hearts and lives. I bless you, beloved brothers and sisters, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ— that you may live every day Soli Deo Gloria, to the glory of God alone.
* By Faith Alone & In Christ Alone — Romans 1:16–17
* Introduction
Under the title “Sola Fide and Solus Christus,” I will deliver the third message of our fall revival. In this fall revival, we are learning the core declarations of the Reformation under the theme “Return to the essence of faith.” The key is this: when we trace our faith back to its source, we find a biblically firm and historically grounded root. In other words, our church was not suddenly established in this age; we are proud heirs of the Reformation.
Our root begins with “Scripture Alone.” When the church drifted away from God’s truth, the Reformers restored it by the Word of God alone. As they studied Scripture, they discovered that human salvation is entirely accomplished by God’s grace, and therefore believers can only praise Him with humble hearts before His presence. Tonight, we will reflect on what is perhaps the very heart of the Reformation—Faith Alone and Christ Alone—so that our faith may be strengthened and made firm.
* Luther’s Personal Experience
Perhaps you remember that on the first night of this revival, I briefly introduced Martin Luther. Luther originally majored in law but later decided to become a priest. Now, think about it—what caused such a drastic change in his life? It happened while he was returning home after finishing his law studies. As he was approaching his village, a violent storm broke out, and lightning struck near him.
Imagine how terrifying it must have been—rain pouring down, thunder crashing, and lightning flashing right beside him. Shocked, Luther fell to the ground, trembling in fear, and barely managed to stand again. Then, in desperation, he cried out to Saint Anne, who was revered as a patron saint at that time, saying, “Saint Anne, help me! I will become a monk!” That very moment became the decisive turning point that led Luther to enter the monastery.
* Overcoming the Fear of Death
From this event, we can see that there was already a deep fear of death in Luther’s heart. Yet this fear was not unique to him; it was shared by nearly everyone living in that era. You may have heard of the Black Death, one of the most devastating plagues in human history. About a hundred years before Luther was born, the plague had swept across Europe, killing almost forty percent of the population. Even after that, it reappeared intermittently, constantly reminding people of the terror of death.
In addition, Europe in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries—the period when Luther lived—was filled with political and economic upheaval, which made people anxious about death and judgment. Against this background, the dramatic lightning incident helped Luther realize something vital about himself: though he claimed to have faith, he was not at all ready to face death. Thus he resolved to enter a monastery, believing that through a life of devotion he might finally earn God’s approval.
* The Middle Ages and Luther’s Limitation
Why, then, did Luther choose to enter the monastery? It was because people in the Middle Ages believed that withdrawing from the world and living an isolated, religious life in a monastery was the best way to draw near to God. Monks were regarded as those who would receive the highest reward in heaven.
In that context, imagine Luther entering the monastery. He was a man with an exceptionally sensitive conscience, deeply honest before God about his sin. Therefore, he devoted himself to monastic life with such intensity that it began to harm his health. He believed that if he lived with enough discipline and religious zeal, God would eventually show him favor.
* How Much Is Enough?
However, a serious problem began to arise in Luther’s heart. He started to question: How much repentance, how much discipline, and how much effort are enough for God to accept me? At first, Luther believed that if he confessed his sins diligently and practiced self-denial, he would receive complete forgiveness. But soon he realized that his sins were countless—far too many to confess one by one.
In time, he came to understand that no matter how earnestly he examined himself, he was far more sinful than he had ever imagined. The more he sought to repent, the more aware he became of his own depravity. As a result, his heart grew weary and bitter. Without realizing it, Luther began to resent God, thinking of Him as a cruel judge who demanded perfection from a helpless sinner.
Moreover, the official teaching of the church in those days made things even worse. The church taught that salvation required not only grace but also one’s own good works added to that grace. For Luther, this left no hope—only despair. He concluded that no matter how hard he tried, he could never accumulate enough merit to be saved, and he sank deeper into discouragement.
* The Righteousness of God
Then how did Luther find a breakthrough in this dark and hopeless situation? After becoming a monk, he was later ordained as a priest, earned a doctorate, and began to serve as a professor of biblical studies. As he systematically studied and taught Scripture, he finally began to uncover the answer to the problem that had tormented him for so long.
In particular, while lecturing on the Book of Romans, Luther found the key in today’s text: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17, ESV). The crucial question was this—what does “the righteousness of God” mean?
In his day, most people understood that phrase to refer to God’s righteous character in judgment—that God, as the just Judge, reveals His righteousness by punishing sinners. In other words, they saw it as the terrifying standard of divine justice that condemned humanity.
* God Gives Us Righteousness as a Gift
But as Luther meditated on this verse, he came to a completely different understanding. He realized that the righteousness of God is not the righteousness by which God judges, but the righteousness by which God makes us righteous when we believe in Him—it is a passive righteousness given to us by grace. In other words, God is so merciful that He grants His own righteousness as a gift to those who believe.
Furthermore, Luther recognized that the phrase “The righteous shall live by faith” originates from the prophet Habakkuk in the Old Testament. Through this discovery, he saw that the Old and New Testaments are connected by one central truth: salvation comes through faith—trusting in God alone.
In his commentary on Romans, Luther wrote, “The righteousness of God is the cause of our salvation. It is not the righteousness by which God Himself is righteous, but the righteousness by which He declares us righteous through faith in the gospel. It is called the righteousness of God in contrast to the righteousness of man, which comes from works.”
* We Go Through the Same Process
From this, we clearly see that Luther’s personal journey—his struggle, his discovery, and his transformation—is the very path that every believer must also walk. How do most people today live? Many no longer see sin as sin. When they think of God, they often imagine Him as a kind, gentle grandfather next door. People have set their own low standard for God, and because their moral standards are also low, they hardly ever think about His holiness.
Yet the Bible clearly tells us that God is not as we imagine. Even when we do not sense our sin, He searches the deepest parts of our hearts. As Leviticus 11:45 says, “For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (ESV).
God has declared that He is holy, righteous, and perfect—without even the slightest flaw—and He demands that same holiness from us. Therefore, when we stand honestly before Him, we must confess that we are sinners and cannot call ourselves righteous. Then comes the question: how can a sinner stand righteous before a holy God? Scripture tells us there are only two possible answers.
* Losing Speech Before God
How did the medieval church answer that question? It taught that people must perform good works, confess their sins to a priest, or purchase indulgences to gain forgiveness. Yet even those who followed all these rules still could not be sure that their sins were forgiven, and so they lived in constant fear and anxiety before death.
When we read Scripture carefully, we realize that such fear was inevitable. The Bible clearly teaches that the more a person tries to approach God through his own good works, the more he will realize his own misery. Romans 3:19 says, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (ESV).
The law here represents all the commands of God revealed in Scripture—indeed, all moral standards given to humanity. What does this mean? When a person stands before the law of God with honesty, he becomes speechless. The more we try to obey God’s commandments, the more we see how completely corrupted we are.
To be totally depraved means that our very souls are so damaged by sin that it is impossible for us to perfectly keep God’s Word. James 2:10–11 also declares, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.”
In other words, even if we manage to keep one commandment throughout our whole lives, if we fail to keep all of them, we cannot be called righteous. We stand before the judgment seat of God with nothing to say, completely silenced by the weight of our guilt.
* Jesus Is Perfectly Righteous
So then, how does God work for people like us who are utterly incapable of keeping His law? What the medieval church failed to teach was that there is another way—a way that God Himself has provided apart from the law and human merit. Romans 3:21–22 declares, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction” (ESV).
The crucial point here is this: Jesus Christ Himself is the righteousness of God. What does this mean? God the Father sent His Son into the world, taking on full humanity so that He might live in perfect obedience in our place. During His earthly life, Jesus never once broke any of God’s commands. He fulfilled every demand of the law with complete perfection.
And ultimately, He obeyed His Father’s will even to the point of death—suffering on the cross and being crucified in pain and shame. Therefore, Jesus became the only person in all of human history who was entirely without sin—the one and only perfectly righteous man.
* Jesus Becomes Our Righteousness
Now think about this: what does such perfect righteousness have to do with us? Scripture tells us that this same Jesus Christ, the only righteous One, has become our righteousness. In other words, He stands in our place as sinners so that we may be counted righteous in Him.
Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (ESV). This verse means that the sinless Christ was treated as if He were sin itself, bearing our guilt and punishment, so that through Him we might be regarded as righteous before God.
In the end, the Bible makes it unmistakably clear: only Jesus is perfect and righteous, yet He willingly became our righteousness. He took what was ours—sin—and gave us what was His—righteousness. That is the heart of the gospel.
* How Do We Receive That Righteousness?
Then we must ask, how can this righteousness of Jesus Christ truly become ours? The answer is simple yet profound: by faith alone. Romans 3:22 says, “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction” (ESV). Through faith—and faith alone—we receive the righteousness of Christ.
This truth is the foundation of the gospel. Through the long history of the church, we see two entirely different ways of understanding salvation. One depends on human effort—trying to earn God’s favor by good works, just as Luther once did in the monastery, and as countless people around the world still do today. The other way, taught by Scripture, is to confess that we can never be accepted by God on our own and to be justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
* What Is Faith?
At this point, we need to pause and consider what faith really means. Many people misunderstand faith, thinking of it as something they do—as if believing were another kind of work. They say, “I believed, and that’s why I was saved,” as though faith were a human achievement.
But the faith described in Scripture is the exact opposite. Faith is not an action we perform to earn something; it is the open hand that simply receives what God has already accomplished for us. In contrast to works—which strive to obtain something—faith accepts with trust what God has freely given.
In other words, faith means acknowledging and trusting in what God has already done for us through Jesus Christ. That is why Scripture repeatedly says, “by faith.” This phrase does not mean that faith itself has power, but rather that faith is the means—the channel—through which we receive God’s grace.
What truly matters, then, is not the strength of our faith but the object of our faith—Jesus Christ, who has become our righteousness.
* The Great Exchange
Another crucial truth is that when we believe in Jesus Christ, something extraordinary happens within us—a spiritual exchange takes place. Second Corinthians 5:21 declares, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (ESV).
What does this mean? God placed all our sins upon Jesus, making Him bear the punishment that we deserved. At the same time, God transferred Jesus’ perfect righteousness to us, crediting it to our account as though it were our own. In this divine exchange, Christ took our sin, and we received His righteousness.
Because of this, when God looks at us, He no longer sees guilty sinners but those clothed in the perfect righteousness of His Son. And this happens not because of anything we do—it is entirely God’s work. Even though we remain sinners in our nature, God now regards us as if we had never sinned and as if we had obeyed His law perfectly.
This is what the Reformers called justification—being declared righteous before God by faith alone, through Christ alone.
* Why Is Christ Alone So Important?
Then think about this: why is Christ alone so important to us who live in this age?A long time ago, one church member came to visit the church. She was not a member of the church I served, but she came to seek spiritual counseling. She said to me,“Pastor, I came because I have one thing that really troubles me. In my church, there are several pastors. One pastor teaches that we are saved by grace alone. But another pastor teaches that we must receive the gift of tongues to be saved. I really don’t know which one is right.”
She asked me this question with great seriousness. I still cannot forget the look on her face, because there was sadness in it. She truly wanted to understand the matter of salvation and had a sincere desire to enter heaven. But the more she listened to the sermons, the more confused she became. Some said we are saved by grace alone, but others made it seem like there were additional conditions.
* We Must Have a Biblical Faith
What we must remember is that this was exactly what made Luther angry. It is certainly true according to the Bible that we are saved by faith, but the church at that time did not teach it. Because of that, the believers were controlled by the priests. They believed that their destiny depended on the priests and the pope. They thought they had to go and confess their sins to the priests and that they had to buy indulgences sold by the church.
At that time, the church officially excommunicated Luther. The Catholic priests burned every piece of Luther’s writing they could find. Then we must ask, is the Catholic Church any different today? The answer is no—it still holds the same position. They also say that we must believe in Jesus Christ, but they do not teach it in the biblical way. The same goes for their doctrine of salvation. They claim that we must complete our salvation throughout our whole lifetime. In other words, they insist that we must continually build up our merit through good works to be saved in the end.
So, on the outside, Protestantism and Catholicism may seem similar, but what they believe inside is completely different. And this is not just a matter of being Catholic or Protestant—it is a matter of whether we truly have biblical faith in our salvation, or whether we merely believe according to our own thoughts and desires.
* People Without Assurance of Salvation
A long time ago, I attended the funeral service of a church member’s relative. The deceased was a Catholic. It was my first time attending a Catholic funeral. From the viewpoint of a Protestant pastor, that service left a deep impression on me. The priest led the ceremony very politely, and incense—which we normally do not use in Protestant services—was burned throughout. The funeral lasted much longer than I expected.
But what struck me most as a Protestant pastor was this: during the entire service, the priest never once said with confidence that the deceased had gone to heaven. He only kept repeating prayers like, “Saint so-and-so, please allow this person to enter heaven.” At first, I thought he would mention it just once or twice, but he kept repeating it again and again until the end of the funeral.
As I listened, my heart felt heavy and sorrowful. Though the ceremony was solemn and beautifully conducted, there was no assurance—only repeated petitions to the saints. It made me realize once again how vast the difference is between believing in Jesus Christ biblically and believing in Him in a non-biblical way.
* Focus on the Book of Hebrews
In that same context, the Book of Hebrews gives us the clearest answer to the question of why Christ alone. Perhaps you, too, are someone who reads the Bible on your own. I went to church from a young age, but because I did not read the Bible personally, my faith remained very immature. When I look back, I can say that the turning point of my life came when, as a young adult, I began to read the Bible for myself.
The same was true for Luther. It was only when he began to read and study Scripture seriously that he finally came to understand the gospel correctly. In my own life, I was deeply moved when I read the Book of Hebrews. That is because I realized so clearly that the entire message of Hebrews reveals one central truth—only Jesus Christ.
As I speak with our church members, I feel more and more that nearly every spiritual question they have can be answered through the Book of Hebrews. It was the same for Luther. Through the Psalms, Romans, Galatians, and especially Hebrews, he came to understand the gospel more deeply. And as that understanding grew and was strengthened, he gained the unshakable truth that enabled him to reform a corrupt church.
* Jesus Who Came as a Man
Then how does the Book of Hebrews reveal Jesus Christ so excellently? Let us first look at Hebrews 1:1–2, which says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (ESV).
What does this mean? In the past, God revealed His will through the prophets and by various means, but in these last days, He has spoken to us through His Son. In other words, in the time we now live, we come to know God’s will only through Christ.
Then what did Christ do? Hebrews 2:14–15 tells us, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (ESV).
This passage shows us that Jesus became fully human, just like us. But why did He do so? The verse makes it clear—He became man to destroy the devil, the one who holds the power of death. From the beginning, the devil deceived mankind, and through him death entered the world. Yet Jesus came to conquer death and to defeat Satan through His resurrection.
Furthermore, Jesus came to set free all who live in fear of death. In Him, we find true freedom and deliverance.
* Jesus Who Makes Atonement in the Heavenly Sanctuary
Furthermore, Hebrews 9:11–12 says, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (ESV).
This is truly an astonishing passage. What does it mean? Jesus Christ came as the High Priest—not one who enters an earthly tabernacle, but one who entered the heavenly sanctuary itself. And unlike the priests of the Old Testament, who offered the blood of animals again and again, Christ offered His own blood once for all to accomplish eternal redemption.
In other words, only Jesus is the true High Priest who atones for our sins, and only Jesus is the sacrifice who was offered for our forgiveness.
So we must ask: why do so many people today still live without assurance of forgiveness? Why do so many continue to live in fear of death? It is because they do not yet believe firmly in “Christ alone.” But Scripture continually testifies that we are saved only through Jesus Christ.
Because He is the glorious Son of God, the blood He shed for us carries infinite worth and power. Therefore, whoever believes that Jesus died for them will be fully forgiven by God.
* Jesus Who Helps Us
Furthermore, how does God now command us to live? Hebrews 10:19 and 22 say, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus... let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (ESV).
Which part of this passage touches your heart the most? As I meditated on this text, the phrase “let us draw near to God” deeply moved me. It means that we can approach God—not because of any priest, pastor, or saint standing between us, nor because of someone who prays on our behalf—but only through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.
By believing and relying on Jesus, we can come boldly before God at any time.
Moreover, Hebrews 7:25 tells us, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (ESV).
What does this mean? It means that Jesus Christ is not someone who helped us only once when we first believed. He is the One who lives forever, seated at the right hand of God, continually interceding for us, helping us, and ensuring our complete salvation.
* Draw Near Boldly
Therefore, as we reflect on the core of the Christian faith—Faith Alone and Christ Alone—the conclusion is this: “Draw near to God with boldness.” When the church lost the gospel and people were deceived into thinking that the pope, priests, and saints possessed divine authority, no one could approach God with confidence.
But through Luther and the Reformers, the truths of Faith Alone and Christ Alone were restored according to Scripture. As a result, every believer was granted unshakable boldness before God.
So I encourage you: rely on Jesus Christ alone and draw near to God with confidence in every moment of your life. Call upon our Father with all your heart. Ask boldly for every spiritual and material need you have, and live each day in the overflowing joy, courage, and peace that come from Him.
May all of you, beloved brothers and sisters, live in that boldness and blessing, in the name of our Lord.
Today, under the title “By Grace Alone,” I will deliver the second message of our Fall Revival Series. Through this revival, we are learning about the essence of faith under the theme “Return to the Essence of Faith.” Learning the spirit of the Reformation is a deeply meaningful process because it reminds us where our roots lie. Moreover, it helps us rediscover what true biblical faith is.
Last night, we looked together at Sola Scriptura — By Scripture Alone. At a glance, the medieval era seemed to be the golden age of the church. However, behind its appearance of glory were many unbiblical practices — the papal system, indulgences, and various distortions of truth. Yet even during that dark time, God was at work. Through His Word, He raised up reformers, and through the power of that Word, the church was reformed. That is the true meaning of the Reformation. Now today, we will take one step further and meditate together on the truth of “By Grace Alone.”
* Who Deserves to Be Celebrated on a Birthday?
Not long ago, it was my second son’s birthday. Of course, he received many congratulations from our family. He also had a joyful time with his friends and received several gifts. As the evening came and the birthday was almost over, while the whole family was gathered together, I asked my son a question: “Jion, who is your mom’s mom?” Since his grandmother is currently living with us, he immediately answered, “Grandma.” Then I asked him again, “Then, Jion, who made your mom be born into this world?” He thought for a moment and replied, “Because of Grandma, Mom was born.”
So I changed the question once more and asked, “Then, Jion, who made you be born into this world?” After thinking a bit longer, he said, “Because of Mom, I was born.” Finally, I asked the most important question: “Then, Jion, on your birthday, who should be celebrated the most, and to whom should you be most thankful?” He paused for a while, thought about it seriously, and then half-reluctantly answered, “I should thank Mom.” At that moment, I looked carefully at his face. The expression that had seemed all day like he was the center of the universe suddenly became more humble, because he realized that he did not come into this world by himself, but through his mother.
* How Did We Come to Be Here?
Now, let us apply this same principle to our spiritual lives. How did you come to believe in Jesus Christ? When I look back on my own life, I can hardly point to the exact moment I began to believe, because faith came to me so naturally. I was born into a Christian family and grew up attending church from childhood.
But when I talk with others, I often find many stories that are quite different from mine. Some say they had never been to church before, or that their parents or grandparents were Buddhists. Yet one day, they decided to go to church—sometimes following a friend, sometimes by their own choice. When I hear such testimonies, I cannot help but think, What a remarkable decision that must have been! Just imagine: going to church for the first time, even without any believer in the family—that is a tremendous step of courage.
However, here lies the most important question: did that person come to church and believe in Jesus simply because of a great personal decision, or was there a deeper spiritual reason behind it? That is what we must examine biblically.
* We Were Dead in Our Trespasses and Sins
In today’s passage, Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” This verse powerfully reveals the true condition of our spiritual beginning. Scripture declares that we were spiritually dead.
This means that although we had physical life and appeared perfectly fine outwardly, our souls were completely disconnected from God, the source of life. To be spiritually dead means that the relationship between God and us—our Creator—was entirely broken. We did not acknowledge Him; instead, we opposed Him, disliked Him, and tried to avoid Him. That was the natural state of our souls.
So here comes the crucial question: How can a dead soul seek God on its own? Death means the absence of life. Of course, we can advise people, “You should live rightly, go to church, and believe in Jesus; otherwise your life will have no hope.” Such advice is sincere and well-intentioned—but the problem is that our words cannot bring life. If the person’s soul is dead, they cannot decide on their own to come to God.
Therefore, for a sinner to return to God, what is absolutely necessary is “total grace” — that is, “grace alone.”
* The Theological Debate on Free Will
In church history, this topic has long been a matter of serious debate. Nearly every question we wrestle with today has already been discussed and argued in depth throughout the history of the church. One of the most famous examples is the debate between Pelagius and Augustine in the fifth century, long before the Reformation. Both were respected theologians of their time, yet they held completely opposite views on salvation.
Pelagius argued that human beings have free will and that even though people are sinners, they still possess the ability to choose what is good. According to him, if a person chooses to seek God, then God adds His grace to assist that decision, and thus salvation is achieved through a combination of human will and divine help.
Augustine, however, firmly rejected that view. He insisted that since humanity is spiritually dead, there is no free will capable of choosing God. Therefore, salvation must begin entirely with God’s grace alone. In other words, God’s grace works first—He comes to us before we could ever come to Him. Only when God initiates His work in us can we be saved.
* By Nature Children of Wrath
In verse 3, Paul continues, “Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” As I meditated on this passage, the phrase “carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” struck me deeply.
The great theologians such as Augustine and Luther never meant that humans have no will at all. What they meant is that every human being freely lives according to his or her own desires—but those desires are corrupted. People freely choose evil rather than good. They willingly live against God. In that sense, humans act with freedom, but it is a freedom bound to sin.
Therefore, Paul clearly declares that our natural state was that of “children of wrath.” This was not merely an unfortunate condition but a spiritually tragic one. Augustine described it this way, and Luther also agreed, saying in The Bondage of the Will, “Before God works in us, we can do nothing that profits unto salvation. The sinner does not sin by compulsion but by willing choice; he willingly and gladly does evil.”
* Therefore, God’s Total Grace Is Revealed
With this miserable human condition as the backdrop, verses 4 and 5 of today’s passage declare: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”
What part of this verse touches your heart most deeply? For me, it is the word “mercy.” Mercy means compassion — to look upon the helpless with deep pity. Think about it: although humanity lives as it pleases, it still cannot return to God. People are free in one sense, but they are freely running toward destruction. What a sorrowful and hopeless reality that is!
Yet God, seeing such sinners, was moved with compassion. Because He is rich in mercy and abounding in love, He chose to show pure and undeserved grace. He came to us, sought us out, and made us alive with Christ when we were dead in sin. Therefore, Scripture declares clearly and powerfully: “By grace you have been saved.”
* The God Who Predestined Us
Scripture goes even further to explain this mystery. In Ephesians 1:3–5, it says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.”
This is indeed a mysterious truth, one that goes far beyond human reason or understanding. Human nature constantly desires to boast: “I did something great; I achieved this result by my own effort.” We tend to interpret the good outcomes in life as the product of our own merit. But the Bible teaches the opposite. It declares that God, out of His mercy, saved us by choosing us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
“Predestination” means that before we ever acted, before we ever existed, God had already determined to save us. Martin Luther understood this truth as the overwhelming victory of God’s sovereignty over human free will. He wrote that through predestination, “God’s will utterly overcomes man’s will.” We cannot fully grasp its depth with human reasoning, yet this very doctrine demonstrates God’s complete and undeserved grace.
Before the world began, God chose us in Christ. Then, at the appointed time, the Holy Spirit caused us to be born again and, ultimately, led us to believe in Jesus Christ. That is why Luther boldly declared in The Bondage of the Will: “The Holy Spirit alone works all these things in us, without us; He creates and preserves us anew.”
* Total Grace vs. Partial Grace
Now let us think about what we truly gain from this biblical truth—“By Grace Alone.” From both the message of Ephesians and Luther’s theological understanding, we arrive at this conclusion: “The salvation of the saints is guaranteed by God alone.”
Even if we talk with other Christians—or even with Catholics—there is hardly anyone who denies grace. Everyone says, “We are saved by grace,” because that phrase is written clearly in the Bible. Yet the crucial difference between the true heirs of the Reformation and others lies in this question: Do we believe in grace alone, or do we merely believe in grace?
If we say “By Grace Alone,” we confess that God chose us, predestined us, and saved us entirely by His grace. But if we say only “by grace,” it implies that I first chose God, and that God simply helped me a little with His grace—that salvation is achieved by cooperation between God and me. That may sound similar, but in truth, it is an enormous difference.
The gospel of grace alone proclaims that salvation depends not on human will or decision but solely on God’s sovereign grace. This is why true believers can find assurance and peace. Salvation that begins with God’s grace will never fail, because it depends entirely on Him, not on us.
* Those Who Feel Anxious About Their Salvation
What happens if we forget or neglect this truth of “By Grace Alone”? The result is that our salvation becomes uncertain and unstable. In other words, if God helps but I fail, then everything is lost.
Let us ask ourselves honestly: how could someone like me—so weak, so imperfect—ever trust in myself? Deep down, we all know that we are not perfect. We know we are sinners full of flaws and failures. Therefore, those who think of grace only as “God helping me when I try” will inevitably live with anxiety about their salvation.
Outwardly, they may seem faithful and diligent in their spiritual life, but deep inside, they constantly worry: “Can someone like me truly be saved?” Such doubt and uneasiness fill their hearts. And when we deny God’s total grace, the opposite problem also arises—spiritual pride.
If we compare ourselves to others and think, “I am more faithful than that person; I made better choices,” then pride creeps in. We begin to think, “My effort, my decision, my faithfulness have brought me here.” Without realizing it, we believe that we play an important part in our own salvation. That pride quietly replaces gratitude, and grace no longer amazes the heart.
* Our Salvation Is Guaranteed
However, the biblical truth of “By Grace Alone” brings both peace and humility to the believer’s heart. In Romans 8:38–39, Paul proclaims: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Here, Paul is not simply speaking of love, but of absolute love—a love that nothing in this world can break. Though there are countless forces that try to shake our faith and pull us down, Paul assures us that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus.
When we connect this to Ephesians, we understand something profound: the grace that God granted us before the foundation of the world is far greater than any hardship or sin we may experience in life. Because our salvation rests on God’s eternal grace, it cannot be shaken. That is why believers can live with confidence—not in themselves, but in the unchanging grace of God.
* The Triune God Works in Our Salvation
Finally, let us pay attention to how Ephesians 1 describes the work of the Triune God in our salvation. This chapter beautifully proclaims that our salvation is the perfect work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God the Father chose us before time began. God the Son redeemed us by His blood and forgave our sins. God the Holy Spirit gave us faith and became the seal and guarantee of our salvation. Verse 7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”
Then verses 13–14 continue, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
Through these verses, we see clearly that salvation does not begin with our weak and temporary decision, nor does it end with our effort. Rather, salvation is a divine drama written and completed entirely by God’s grace. The Father’s choosing, the Son’s redemption, and the Spirit’s sealing together display how our salvation is accomplished by grace alone, from beginning to end.
* Humbly Praise the Lord
In conclusion, before this great biblical truth of “By Grace Alone,” what can we offer to God except our humility? Our humility must be complete, because we have done nothing to earn salvation, and even now, our salvation continues only by God’s grace. Therefore, throughout our lives, both before God and before people, we have no choice but to remain humble.
At the same time, this humility naturally leads us to praise. Ephesians 1 begins with the words, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and ends with, “to the praise of his glorious grace.” The entire story of salvation starts and ends with praise to God’s grace.
So, dearly beloved, my earnest prayer is this: may you grow deeper in your understanding of God’s total and undeserved grace. May your hearts overflow with joy and thanksgiving in that grace. And may you spend your whole life praising the God who had mercy on you, trusting in Him, loving Him, and living by faith.
