DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." (Galatians 2:21)

In verse 16, Paul declared that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ.

Justification is a judicial act that declares a person righteous. It is different than forgiveness or pardon. Forgiveness or pardon do not erase the crime. A president or a governor has the power to give executive pardon to a person convicted of a crime. That act does not exonerate the person or remove the fact of the crime. It only means that the person no longer is under the penalty of the law.

When we receive Christ as Savior, we are not only forgiven and pardoned, but we are declared righteous before our holy God. This is justification. This righteousness is imputed to us because of our faith in the meritorious death of Christ on the Cross. It is not earned. It is freely given by God.

When the reformers spoke of justification by faith, it was by faith alone in Christ alone. It was not based on any merit we could obtain by being good enough to deserve it. This is why our focus verse is so important. If there was any chance that we could be righteous enough to stand before a holy God based on our own works, then the death of Christ would not be necessary and Christ's sacrifice would be in vain – useless.

We dare not set aside the grace of God – trying to bypass it in order to be saved. He did not pay for a part of my justification and I have to pay the rest. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Grace says that Salvation is received by unmerited favor. That is the good news of the Gospel.

Love, Dad