From the last section of Thomas Oden's book The Justification Reader.
Faith is the only condition required for a reconciled relation to the Final Judge. Without faith no one can receive God's saving gifts.
Faith is the indispensable condition for receiving every subsequent stage of God's saving activity. It is the inward pivot of the Christian teaching of salvation. At no point is it possible to say that having discussed faith, we can now turn to teach other subjects so as to leave faith behind...
The power to believe is supplied by grace. It does not come by the fallen nature, or the alienated will acting autonomously. Were faith not enabled by preparing grace, then there could be no meaningful call to faith or guilt due to unbelief.
The Final Judge will be the Final Judge. No matter how you may look at that concept, there is one thing that we must hold within our hearts - the Final Judge...is on our side and judges in our favor. That is what we trust. We have faith in that action to come and therefore we are invited to live as though that judgment has an impact on our living today. Faith each and every day shapes all things. We do not believe once and then it is over. It is not like an agreement signed by us...it is a relationship of trust that becomes manifest in everything we do and all that we are. When we are living in "unfaith" we live differently than as we live having faith in the one who claims us for all time. And yet, in our "unfaith" God's grace continues to pull at us and pave the way for our faithful response to God's gracious reign.
Connection: Our lives of faith grow out of the trust we have in the one who promises us life. It is not a easy as it sounds...at least not for someone like me. Therefore, I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit moves others around me to be a faithful presence to encourage my faithfulness. In other words, we need the faithful people around us.
Saving Lord, by your power and through the work of your Holy Spirit, we continue to enter the days of our lives as though your promised are true and our lives will indeed be enriched by your gracious love for us. Praise be to you! Amen.
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