There are times when we are
reading through a book of the Bible when one or two verses become
pivotal scriptures upon which new and wonderful thoughts are
revealed. Chapter two and verse sixteen of Galatians is one of those
verses. In Paul's discourse to the church members in Galatia, he has
been explaining that his reasons for confronting Peter and his
entourage was because they were expecting Gentiles to keep laws that
they themselves could not keep. Salvation that is offered by the
grace of Jesus Christ is a gospel that doesn't align with that kind
of thinking. Paul gives us greater insight to Jesus' gospel in verse
sixteen where we read:
Knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Paul
begins, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law...” The word “justified” means, “to render righteous
or such as he ought to be; to show, exhibit, evince or be righteous;
to declare, pronounce or to be just, righteous or such as he ought to
be.” Simply put, it is
“Just
as if I'd never sinned.” In other words, there is no one who
can keep the works of the law, so no one is righteous. This knowledge
must be understood first, or we are fooling ourselves in
self-righteousness.
Next
Paul adds, “but by the faith of Jesus Christ.” Jesus
Christ is the only person who ever lived and kept the laws of God
perfectly. Jesus' faith is what justifies, and there is no
substitute. All other ways are flawed, and no matter who the person
was or is whom people follow, other than Jesus there are no righteous
examples.
Paul
continues, “even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the
law:” The only way we will ever be “Just as if I'd never
sinned” is by the faith of Jesus Christ and not by trying to keep
the law. Oh, we might keep it for a few moments or maybe even a
little longer, but the moment we break the law in any form, we are
unrighteous again. However, when we believe in Jesus Christ, His
perfection of keeping the law becomes our justification. Jesus kept
the law, and Jesus died because of our not keeping the law, and
therefore when we believe in Him, His life is substituted for ours,
and justification that we could not and cannot earn on our own
becomes ours as well.
Paul
concludes this verse with, “for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified.” Once again Paul emphasizes that works of
the law will justify no one. It isn't that the law is bad. It is that
those who attempt to keep the law cannot do so. This is why the
behavior of Peter and the rest who shunned the Gentiles was so out of
line. They were portraying the idea that they as Jews were somehow
able to keep the law, and the Gentiles were not. Therefore, they
needed to separate themselves from them. Paul concludes that no one,
Jew nor Gentile, is able to keep the law, and therefore no one should
be excluded. Everyone has an opportunity to allow the substitutionary
appropriation of the faith of Jesus Christ to become their basis for
justification, and no one is exempt.
At this
point, those who are reading these words should be shouting,
“Hallelujah!” because we have such an offer from God. We can be
justified or “Just as if we had never sinned” because of the
faith of Jesus Christ, and if someone is reading this who is not a
believer today, please take the time to consider this wonderful offer
from the Heavenly Father. It is by far one of the greatest gifts we
shall ever know.
Next
time will what Paul says about we being sinners, so read ahead, and
let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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