Galatians Chapter 2 Part 3 Fully Justified By Faith In Christ!
Paul wrote this letter to all of the churches in the province of Galatia.
He quickly rebuked them for falling under the influence of Judaizers who said they must be circumcised and keep the law or they could not be saved.
Justification by faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Galatians 2:15-16 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16) 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 even had to confront Peter for separating from Gentile Christians when he visited Antioch.
Initially, Peter ate with the Gentiles, but when Jews from Jerusalem arrived, he moved to a separate table because he feared what they would think.
Paul rebuked him for giving into the fear of man and Jewish prejudice against Gentiles.
Paul reminded Peter that God gave His Spirit to the Gentiles who believed the gospel.
God is not a respecter of persons and age, race, gender or ethnicity count for nothing with Him.
The Jerusalem council settled the question of circumcision and law keeping by ruling that Gentiles were saved by grace alone (See Acts 15).
The law of God cannot save us because it is designed to convict and condemn us for our sin. By the law is the knowledge of sin.
We can try our hardest but we cannot perfectly obey God's law.
We will always be condemned by its holy standard because we are naturally unclean and unholy.
Thus, we see from the scriptures that those who are justified, live by faith, trusting the saving provision of God in Christ.
No man can ever do all the works that the law requires and this is why we need a Savior, and this is why God sent His Son to satisfy the law and die in our place.
The Spirit of God guided Paul to tell us about "justification."
In theology, justification is the full remission of sin and complete acquittal from all guilt of sin for those who repent and trust Christ.
All punishment for our sins was poured out on Christ, who took our place on the cross.
There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ.
Justification is an act of grace where God pardons each repentant sinner who calls on Jesus for salvation.
God then justifies and accepts each repentant sinner as righteous on account of the atonement of Christ.
Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and other believing Jews knew that the law itself requires perfect and sinless obedience.
It accuses the sinner of his sin, holds them guilty before God, and consigns them to condemnation and death for each breach of its holy standard.
The prophets declare that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in the sight of God.
This is Paul's main point to destroy the Judaizers false teaching.
Justified by faith and by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Romans 5:1-11 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Justification by faith is one of the most important truths God gave us in His Word.
Justification is a forensic legal term. It means that when we repent of our sins and turn to Christ for salvation, the Father declares us as righteous as His Son, Jesus Christ.
Our Father imputes or credits to us the perfect righteousness of Christ so that our life is hidden in His Son.
The judgment of eternal condemnation due to our sin is removed.
Our sin debt and our guilt in committing sins is removed by the blood of Christ.
Now, we have peace with God, access by faith into His grace, and our heart is filled with joy and awe from the glory of God.
God's grace, and the peace we receive from being justified by faith changes our outlook on life.
We can endure trials and afflictions because we know our Father has good purposes for allowing them to occur.
When we are justified by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross, the love of God is poured into our heart.
The words "shed abroad" literally refer to a river overflowing its banks during heavy spring rains.
Jesus died for us when we were without strength, dead in our trespasses and sins (See Ephesians 2:1-10).
It is the blood of Christ that justifies us by faith. Jesus was born of a virgin meaning that the seed planted in Mary's womb was created by and placed there by God.
Thus, Jesus was not born via normal human procreation. God is His Father and He is the Son of God.
Jesus voluntarily died as our substitute as God's perfect Lamb. His blood was shed to atone for our sins and it is the eternal blood of God (See Acts 20:28).
We are fully justified by faith and freely justified by the blood of Christ.
Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
This is why Paul could tell us that the condemnation of God's judgment for our sins no longer hangs over us.
Before Christ, we were headed to eternal condemnation in the flames of Hell.
After trusting Christ to save us, we are headed to eternal life in heaven with God.
The law of God, though morally perfect, could not save us. It could not bring us to God because our flesh cannot perfectly obey God's law.
We fall short because we are born sinners who will sin. The wages of sin is death. The wrath of God will be poured out on all Christ rejecting sinners.
Praise God that Jesus Christ did perfectly fulfill all the righteous demands of God's holy law.
He did this for us, so that when we trust Christ, His righteousness is given to us.
This is the essential truth Paul hammered home to the churches in Galatia. We cannot be saved by law keeping or circumcision.
We can be save by repenting of sin, trusting Christ and receiving justification from the Father. We must believe what God says and take Him at His Word.
Paul asks if the Jews thought it necessary to seek justification by the faith of Christ, why then would they hamper themselves with the law?
If the Jews were trying to keep the law which condemns all for their sins, why do they believe in Christ?
If the Jews like Peter and Paul sought to be justified by the faith of Christ, why would they still try to gain God's favor by law keeping?
Thus, Paul shows that it is folly to go back to the law, and to expect to be justified either by the merit of moral works or the influence of any ceremonial sacrifices or purifications.
It is proven wrong for Jews by nature to return to the law seeking justification by it.
Why would the Jews then require this of the Gentiles, who were never subject to God's law, since by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified?”
May Paul's words to the church at Rome encourage us as we read them.
May we rejoice that salvation through faith in Christ is all of God from beginning to end.
May we praise God that He justifies us and robes us with Christ's righteousness when we put our full faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Bob
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:24-26 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Below are the words to a wonderful hymn titles "Saved By The Blood Of The Crucified One."
There is also a link to a Baptist Youth Choir in Kentucky, singing this hymn with great exuberance.
Verse 1:
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Now ransomed from sin and a new work begun,
Sing praise to the Father and praise to the Son,
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Refrain:
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
My sins are all pardoned, my guilt is all gone!
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
I’m saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Verse 2:
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
The angels rejoicing because it is done;
A child of the Father, joint-heir with the Son,
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Refrain:
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
My sins are all pardoned, my guilt is all gone!
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
I’m saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Verse 3:
The Father He spake, and His will it was done;
Great price of my pardon, His own precious Son;
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
All hail to the Father, all hail to the Son,
All hail to the Spirit, the great Three in One!
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
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