This Sunday is a good one to invite a friend, because it's one in which we wrestle with the most important question anyone can ask; namely, how can I be saved? That's essentially the question in the mouth of Nicodemus in our Gospel passage, and it's the question with which St. Paul grapples in our New Testament lesson.

If by "salvation" we mean "justification," the answer is straightforward: we're justified by putting our faith in Jesus: his living, dying, and rising to life again (Rom 5:1). We're justified by nothing more, and nothing less, than faith alone in Christ alone.

But in biblical parlance, "salvation" is a broader concept than justification—it includes the whole process by which we're saved, and being saved, from sin, death, and the devil. In other words, salvation includes each and every aspect of our union with Christ: our sanctification and glorification, in addition to our justification.

While our good works add nothing to our justification, we are indeed called to work out the rest of our salvation with fear and trembling. Our good works add nothing to our status before God as those justified by the blood of Jesus, it's true: but our effort does contribute to our enjoying real salvation—here and now—from the effects of the fall.

In our New Testament lesson, the Apostle Paul is blunt with respect to the causal relationship between our cross-bearing and our salvation: "We suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him" (Rom 8:17).

What is the cost of discipleship? Everything. Salvation isn't just achieved by assenting to dogma, but by offering the totality of our lives to the Lord: our laughing and our crying, our pleasure and our pain. This Sunday, the lectionary invites us into the most important conversation anyone can have, I hope you're able to join us for it!