“I in them and You in Me – so that they may be brought to complete unity.”
John 17:23
There is so much within the Christian world that is healthy and growing; so many gifts. Yet among the individual churches, we find hurt, distrust and misunderstanding. This is crippling the family of God and it is not what Jesus prayed for…
We confess together that persons are justified by faith in the gospel, “apart from works prescribed by the law.” (Rom 3:28). Christ has fulfilled the law and by his death and resurrection has overcome it as a way to salvation. JDDJ(11 31)
On October 31st, 1999 representatives of the Catholic and Lutheran churches gathered in Augsburg, Germany and signed a Joint Declaration on the subject of Justification. And so 500 years of arguments, misunderstandings and yes, sometimes wars began to give way to reconciliation and recognition of the gifts the Holy Spirit has placed within the Body of Christ.
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. JDDJ (111 15) ([ph. 2:8 & Titus 3:5)