The 16th century marks a turning point for Christian believers all over the world: the Church became divided between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

At the center of the doctrinal issues that led to this division we find our respective understandings of how we are put right with God, that is, how we attain “justification” or “righteousness” (dikaiosúne) (see below “It does not have to be this way”). In other words, separation occurred around the church’s doctrine concerning the undoing of whatever happened between God and us that let death in (see below “It was not meant to be this way”).

Paradoxically, this split is in direct opposition to the way that God chose to put us right with himself. “May they be brought to complete unity—asks Christ in his prayer for all believers—to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them as you have loved me” (John 17:23). Thus, because of our division, some may not get to know God’s love and will miss the opportunity to be reconciled with him.

But on October 31, 1999, nearly 10 years ago, the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church signed the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification”. Although few know about this agreement, I will use its core confession to fast-forward my reflection from Abraham to Christ and to our present day.

“Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.” (Joint Declaration, § 15). Nearly five centuries of dissention are being undone with this statement, which does not mean that we are about to reach the unity that Christ prayed for, but it certainly suggests a potential for the future that an unexpected catalyst may trigger, such as persecution and hardship.

If you read my posting of March 29, 2009, you will follow the path to the conclusion that the faith that saves is total trust in God’s word. For Abraham it was trust in the promise that he would become the father of a great nation although he did not have any children. The remaining question was: what is faith for us? The Lutheran and Catholic churches suggest that we are accepted by God and receive his Spirit by a gratuitous act of God (“by grace alone”) that leads us to faith in God’s Word, that is a Person, Jesus the Christ, who nailed our sins to the cross (“in faith in Christ’s saving work”).

In the fullness of time, God sent his own Son, born of a woman (Galatians 4:4). He is the Word that was from the beginning with God (John 1:1) and he came to his own, but they did not receive him, but to those who received him he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12)

Once we are in the realm of God—literally his Kingdom—as his children and heirs of his promises, then we are capable, under the guidance and the power of his Spirit, to live in a way that is pleasant to him, producing good fruits (“equipping and calling us to good works”). These “fruits of the Spirit”, as St. Paul calls them in his letter to the Galatians (5:22), are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Let’s leave it at that for now. At another time we can explore further what the early Church wrote for us (New Testament) about our reconciliation with God. In the meantime, let’s pray that the Joint Declaration may lead to a better understanding and a greater unity among all believers as a living testimony of God’s love for humankind.