Justification by faith and the physical world

More from Living by Faith by Oswald Bayer. (For earlier posts on the subject, see this  and this.)

When we no longer have to justify ourselves, observes Bayer, but know the “passive righteousness” of faith that comes from being justified by Christ, we are reconciled to ourselves (no longer having to justify ourselves); we are reconciled to God (no longer having to justify Him); we are reconciled to others (no longer having to justify them); and we are reconciled to the world (no longer having to justify existence).  This latter point is because, he says with great Lutheranness, God uses the physical world of His creation to bring to us our justification:  water, bread, wine, language, pastors.