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Synod Worship Reminds Delegates About Saving Faith

June 10, 2017
Jei Wilson, director of Roseland Christian Ministries in Chicago, Ill.

Jei Wilson, director of Roseland Christian Ministries in Chicago, Ill.

Karen Huttenga

Synod 2017 began its second day of meeting with a time of worship centered on a belief that is hundreds of years old. 

This year marks 500 years since the protestant Reformation. In commemoration of this anniversary, worship times at synod, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church, are focusing on at least one of the five “solas” that defined that movement. 

The “solas” are five Latin phrases that emerged during the time of Reformation to summarize the essentials of protestant Christianity: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Fide (faith alone), Sola Gratia (Grace alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), and Sola Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone).

Synod 2017 focused their June 10 worship service on Sola Fide. 

“I like to think of faith like the brakes of my car,” said Jei Wilson, director of Roseland Christian Ministries in Chicago, Ill. during the morning message. He went on to explain that knowing that brakes exist and understanding how they work is not the same as trusting them to prevent a deadly crash. 

In the same way, he said, “saving faith is not just knowledge of or belief in Jesus as the only option for salvation. Saving faith is total and complete trust in Jesus as the only option.”

It is like driving in a car downhill, with a deep gully on either side of the road, and no other options to slow down except to apply the brakes. 

He went on to explain that while faith is enough for salvation and does not require good deeds from us, a true saving faith will result in good works.

“Does your faith produce a love for Jesus that results in genuine love for your neighbors,” Wilson challenged the delegates. It ought to have you walking your whole life differently resulting in a life of gratitude that overflows into expressions of love for all those created in God’s image.

“May your faith and mine produce a love for God that results in genuine love for our fellow man.”

For continuous coverage of Synod 2017 including the live webcast, news, video recordings, photos, liveblog, social media links, and more visit www.crcna.org/synod.