Meditating on Justification
Posted by JasonS on May 29, 2009
As Paul wrote to the Galatians, who had obviously greatly misunderstood the gospel, he said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Gal 2:20-22)
I think it is worth our while to consider that as a result of being justified by faith, that Paul lived by faith. In fact, that was actually the essence of Hab 2:4. Not only does one possess life because of faith, but the life of the righteous is a life of faith.
So many people live in dread and fear because they aren’t sure if they measure up to God’s standards. They struggle to be righteous in their daily lives. They formulate various rules and regulations by which they seek to be acceptable to God. They fear that theirprayers aren’t heard. They fear that God will depart from them, or that their churches will have the Spirit removed from them.
Why is this?
It is because they do not understand justification by faith.
They do not understand the fact that we are to live today trusting the merits of Christ to maintain our relationship with the Father.
They do not understand that the faith which justifies is the faith which sanctifies, and that faith can never be divorced from the free grace of God.
Neither do they understand that we do indeed have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, because we are justified by faith (Rom 5:1,2), and instead live fearfully, dreading His wrath.
We are not accepted as pleasing to God because of the length of our hair, or the clothes that we wear. We are accepted in Christ (Eph 1:6), and we please God because we have faith in Him (Heb 11:6).
When God looks at those whom He has justified, He sees us as He sees Jesus!
Just musing…
Participatory Bible Study Blog » Christian Carnival CCLXIX - Summer Vacation Edition said
[...] presents Meditating on Justification posted at Pastoral Musings, a meditation on justification by faith that emphasizes our freedom in [...]
David Murdoch said
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
<- we do need to have great concern about our own salvation. Faith alone is insufficent, but works are necessary:
James 2:17-26 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some one will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe- and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you foolish fellow, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received teh messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.
<- It is not enough to simply believe in the gospel, but we need to practice it to. We need to become like Jesus, and be not simply hearers of His word, but also doers of His commandments in order to be justified:
Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
If we love God, then we will obey His commandments:
John 14:23-24 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
God Bless,
pastoralmusings said
David,
Thanks for stopping in.
I would recommend that you go back, read Romans and Galatians, then consider where works belong.
I will give you a hint: faith works by love. In other words, one is justified by faith without the works of the law (Rom 3:19-30;Gal 2:19-21) and that faith will evidence itself by works (Gal 5:6;James 2:14-26).
I think you will find things work out a little better in that manner.