January

Soli Deo Gloria (“to the glory of God alone”): We live for the glory of God alone. What an excellent way to start a New Year!  As we celebrated the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation we reviewed the four key terms to our Christian faith.     At the center of this Christian faith is the understanding that a sinner is justified by grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) for the sake of Christ alone (solus Christus), a truth revealed to us in Scripture alone (sola Scriptura).

This month we review a fifth and final key term – to the glory of God alone! Glory belongs to God. Alone! God’s glory is the central motivation for salvation, not improving the lives of people—though that is a wonderful by product. Jesus is not a means to an end—He is the means and our glorious end.

The goal of all of life is to give glory to God alone: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). A new year starts before us.  God only knows what we will meet in the next 365 days. But of this we can be certain the God who created this earth will continue to sustain it. What the Father did not create He could not save. And save us He has done. He sent forth Jesus our dear redeemer to pay our random and set us free. This story, this message, this proclamation is what has changed us. With the Lord begin your task in this New Year. And in all things – to God be the glory!