Daily Devotion 16th August

The trouble is, as anyone who speaks more than one language will know, that even more difficult than translating and explaining conceptual words such as ‘grace’, ‘save’ or ‘faith’ is translating the small words – ‘by’ and ‘through’ – each language uses them differently. As it stands in the NRSV, our salvation is achieved by grace – it’s God’s doing – and conveyed to us through faith. The English sounds very different if you say swap them round and say “through grace you have been saved by faith”. This would mean that the salvation is achieved by faith – it’s my doing – and conveyed to me through grace.

Paul is aware of the danger of misunderstanding here as he dictates (he spoke at least two languages, remember, and probably more), so he adds – “this is not your own doing – it is the gift of God”. How odd then that so many Reformation celebrations said that Luther had discovered – via Paul – that we were saved “by faith alone,” and some wrote hymns to that effect.

I am neither Biblical scholar nor theological historian. For what it’s worth, I don’t think that Luther believed we are saved BY faith. It would have made ecumenical discussions so much easier if others had not imputed this belief to him. It would also have avoided much guilt amongst Protestants who came to attribute all kinds of ills to their own lack of faith – the lack of salvation, or assurance of it, was their fault. All because of one little word.