At our recently held diocesan convention, members of the Evangelism Commission put on a little skit. In the opening scene, Dick Jennings, our co-chairman, declared, "I just want you to know that I've been redeemed, you know, saved, sanctified!" You could tell these opening lines surprised the assembled delegates. Many were wearing their shocked Anglican sensibilities right on their faces and obviously wondered where we were going with this non-Anglican-sounding script.

One of the most important agreements ever may have just taken place between two churches, but it passed with only scanty notice in the secular press. Here is the background: Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg 482 years ago, signaling the beginning of the Protestant Reformation and a continuing dispute between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Wars have been fought over it. For hundreds of years, Protestants and Catholics even murdered each other out of a misguided sense of righteousness.

Now, after 30 years of work on doctrinal reconciliation, a joint Lutheran-Catholic declaration was issued on the theological issue of "justification". In the declaration, Rome essentially throws in the towel admitting that Martin Luther was right all along. Wow!

Martin Luther's point was that we are all sinners unable to do anything to earning our own salvation. Salvation is gained only through faith in the Jesus Christ, a gift from God in the incarnation of God made man through the Virgin Mary. This simple message is often referred to as the doctrine of "faith alone" as opposed to the doctrine of "good works".

Jesus said, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:27-29

Lutherans and Catholics now agree formally that one cannot earn salvation by being good enough and doing enough good things. However, the joint declaration recognizes that "good works" is the natural response of faithful Christians. In other words, the Holy Spirit equips us and calls us to do God's work in the world.

Have you ever been asked, "Have you been saved?", or "Are you born again?", or the follow up question if you say yes, "How do you know?"

Surprise your evangelical, Pentecostal, and fundamentalist friends. It's easy. Hallelujah, the answer is YES! I am saved through my faith in Jesus Christ; in Him I put my trust. Thank you Jesus! The Bible tells me so.