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REFORMATION SUNDAY Our Bible Study for November 1, 2026 Pastor Tom Steers Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto “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.” Romans 3:21-22 “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” Martin Luther, Preface to the Book of Romans, 1522 ________________________________________ (All readings are from the English Standard Version) Our First Reading: Ephesians 2:4-9 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Commentary on the First Reading Ephesians 2:4-9 stands among the clearest and most beloved summaries of the Gospel in all of Holy Scripture. Having just described humanity as spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, Paul now turns to the great reversal accomplished by God: “But God, being rich in mercy” (v. 4). These words are a declaration that salvation begins not with man, but with God. Sinners contribute nothing to their rescue. God alone acts. Paul emphasizes the reason for salvation: God’s love and mercy. Fallen humanity deserves judgment, yet God acts according to His gracious character. While we were spiritually dead, God “made us alive together with Christ” (v. 5). A dead person cannot choose life or save themselves, nor can sinners raise themselves from spiritual death. Just as Christ was raised from the tomb by the power of God, so believers are raised to new life through the saving work of Christ. The Apostle repeats Christianity's central truth: “By grace you have been saved.” Grace is God's undeserved favour toward sinners. Salvation is not a reward for moral effort, religious achievement, or spiritual progress. It is God's gift. Verses 8-9 formed a cornerstone of the Lutheran Reformation. Paul leaves no room for boasting. Salvation is “not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works.” Even faith itself is received from God. Faith is not a human accomplishment but the hand that receives what Christ has already won through His life, death, and resurrection. This passage dismantles every attempt to contribute to our justification. The Gospel removes us from the marketplace of human merit and places us entirely in the hands of Jesus. For this reason, the believer's confidence rests not in the quality of our faith or the strength of our works, but in the completed work of Jesus Christ. Grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone remains the Church's confession and comfort. ________________________________________ Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Commentary on the Psalm Reading Psalm 46 has long been known as the Psalm of the Reformation. It stands behind, and was the inspiration for Luther's great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” The Psalm begins with a confession of remarkable confidence: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (v. 1). The believer's security does not rest upon earthly institutions, personal abilities, or favourable circumstances, but upon God Himself. The psalmist describes mountains falling into the sea and the earth giving way. These images portray the collapse of everything people ordinarily trust. Yet God’s people do not fear because the Lord remains steadfast. Throughout history, kingdoms have risen and fallen, governments have changed, and cultures have shifted, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Central to the Psalm is the repeated refrain: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (vv. 7, 11). This is the source of true confidence. God does not merely observe His people from a distance; He dwells among them and fights for them. The Reformation recovered this confidence in God's Word. Martin Luther faced powerful opposition from emperors, princes, and church authorities, yet found comfort in the truth proclaimed by Psalm 46. God's kingdom cannot be overthrown because it rests upon His promises. The Psalm ultimately points us to Christ. He is our refuge against sin, death, and the devil. Through His cross and resurrection, He has won a victory no earthly power can undo. Therefore, the Church continues to confess with confidence: “The Lord of hosts is with us.” ________________________________________ Second Reading: Romans 1:16-17 The Righteous Shall Live by Faith 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Commentary on the Second Reading Romans 1:16-17 serves as the theme statement for the entire Epistle to the Romans and was instrumental in Luther's rediscovery of the Gospel. Paul boldly declares, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” For many in the ancient world, a crucified Messiah appeared foolish and weak. Yet Paul proclaims that the Gospel is nothing less than “the power of God for salvation.” Notice that Paul does not say the Gospel merely contains power or points toward power. The Gospel itself is God's saving power. Through the proclamation of Christ crucified and risen, God creates faith and grants salvation. The Gospel is not advice about how sinners might save themselves. It is the announcement of what God has already done through His Son. The Apostle then reveals why the Gospel has such power: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed.” Before Luther understood these words rightly, they troubled him. He heard “the righteousness of God” as a description of God's perfect justice that condemns sinners. Through careful study of Romans, however, Luther came to see that Paul is speaking of righteousness that God gives to sinners through faith in Christ. This righteousness is not achieved; it is received. It is Christ's righteousness credited to believers. Paul declares that in the Gospel, “the righteousness of God” (Christ’s righteousness) “is revealed from faith, for faith.” The Apostle is saying that faith is God’s gift created by the Gospel, and that this faith receives the gifts of the Gospel: forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. It is entirely God’s work. God declares sinners righteous for Christ's sake, apart from their works, merits, or accomplishments. The passage concludes with Habakkuk's words: “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4) Faith does not save because it is a worthy work. Faith saves because it is founded in and clings to Christ. The object of faith is what matters. Even weak faith receives a strong Saviour. These two verses summarize the heart of the Reformation. Salvation comes not through human effort, but through God's gracious gift in Christ. The Gospel reveals a righteousness from God, given freely, creating faith, comforting consciences, and granting eternal life. ________________________________________ Third Reading: Romans 3:19-28 19 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. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. The Righteousness of God Through Faith 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Commentary on the Third Reading Romans 3:19-28 stands at the very center of Paul's teaching on justification and has rightly been called one of the most important passages in Scripture. Here the Apostle brings humanity into God's courtroom and delivers the verdict of the Law. Paul first explains that the Law silences every excuse. “Every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (v. 19). The Law reveals God's holiness and exposes human sinfulness. Rather than justifying us, the Law shows us our need for salvation. “Through the law comes knowledge of sin” (v. 20). At this point the Gospel breaks into the discussion with two glorious words: “But now” (v. 21). God has provided a righteousness apart from the Law. This righteousness does not arise from human obedience but from Jesus Christ. Paul declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (v. 23). No person stands above this verdict. Yet immediately comes the comfort of the Gospel: sinners are “justified by his grace as a gift” (v. 24). The language could not be clearer. Justification is free. It is grace. It is God's gift. Christ accomplished this salvation through His redemptive sacrifice. Upon the cross He bore the judgment our sins deserved. God's justice was satisfied, and God's mercy was revealed. The Father’s resurrection of the Son shows that this once-for-all sacrifice was acceptable. The sinner is declared righteous solely because of Christ's atoning blood. Paul's conclusion became the battle cry of the Reformation: “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (v. 28). The Church stands or falls on this doctrine. If salvation depends even partially upon human works, our assurance is gone. But if justification rests entirely upon Christ, the troubled conscience finds peace. Here is the heart of Christianity: guilty sinners are declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ alone. ________________________________________ Pastoral Application These readings proclaim the central truth of the Bible recovered by the Lutheran Reformation: salvation belongs entirely to God through Christ. • Ephesians teaches that salvation is God's gift from beginning to end. • Psalm 46 reminds believers that God's Word remains firm even when the world appears unstable. • Romans Chapter 1 reveals that the Gospel itself is God's power for salvation. • Romans Chapter 3 exposes our sin through the Law and then comforts us with Christ's perfect righteousness. • Faith is not a work we perform for God; it is the gift through which we receive Christ. • Our assurance rests not in the strength of our faith, but in the perfection of our Saviour. • The Gospel frees Christians from the burden of trying to earn God's favour. • Reformation Sunday reminds us that the Church must always be called back to Christ and His Word. Closing Prayer – Merciful Father, we thank You for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through which You freely grant forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. Strengthen our faith through Your Word and Sacraments, and keep us steadfast in the confession that we are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Preserve Your Church in the truth of the Gospel, and grant us confidence and peace in our Saviour. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.