JUSTIFICATION NOT SALVATION

Sunday Morning:  October 20, 2002

Text:  Galatians 2:16-17  " 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. 17. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid."

LAW AND FAITH

Faith is a lifestyle – It can be stopped.

Law is a lifestyle – It can be stopped.

Moral Law – The 10 commandments plus Christ commandments.

Ceremonial law    The ordnances.

Salvation is an event – It happens or it doesn't.

Justification is by faith, a lifestyle – It is not an event, it is a process.

LAW BEFORE FAITH

Galatians 3:23  "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed."

UNDER LAW?

Galatians 4:21  "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?"

INHERITANCE

Galatians 4:30-31  "Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

JUSTIFICATION DEFINED

Romans 8:33  "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth [present active participle]."

CHARGEABLE?

1 John 1:9  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

Galatians 2:16-17  " Knowing that a man is not justified [present passive indicative, process] by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed [aorist active indicative, an event, salvation] in Jesus Christ, that we might (after salvation) be justified [aorist active subjunctive,  not chargeable] by the faith (pleasing lifestyle that does not fail) of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17. But if, while we seek [present active participle] to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid."

PLEASING GOD

Hebrews 11:6  "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

FAITH

Hebrews 11:1  "Now faith (that which pleases God, v.6) is the (gives) substance of things (good things to come, Heb 9:11) hoped for, the (faith produces) evidence (obedience) of things not seen (yet hoped for)."

JUSTIFICATION IS A PROCESS

Galatians 3:8  "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify [present active indicative, process, not an event] the heathen [Gentiles] through faith (a lifestyle, not an event), preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations [Jews and Gentiles] be blessed."

THOSE WHO BELIEVE

Acts 13:39  "And by him all that believe [present active participle (lifestyle of faith)] are justified [present passive indicative, not an event] from all things, from which ye could not be justified [aorist passive indicative] by the law of Moses."

CEREMONIAL LAW

Galatians 3:11-13  "But that no man is justified [present passive indicative, process] by the law (ceremonial) in the sight (God sees our lifestyle) of God, it is evident: for, The just (saved and obedient) shall live (lifestyle) by faith (pleasing God, Heb 11:6).

NOT OF FAITH

12. And the law (ceremonial) is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

REDEEMED FROM THE LAW

13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law (ceremonial), being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

THE ORDINANCES

Colossians 2:14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"

MORAL LAW

Romans 3:20  "Therefore by the deeds (alone) of the law (moral) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law (moral, see verses 11-18) is the knowledge [deeper knowledge] of sin."

MORAL LAW ESTABLISHED

Romans 3:31  "Do we then make void the law (moral) through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law (moral)."

MORAL LAW

1 Timothy 1:8-9  "But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous [just] man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,"

FINISHED FAITH

Galatians 3:24  "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by (finished) faith."

JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE APPLIED

Romans 3:24  "Being justified [present passive participle] freely by his grace through the redemption (from the ceremonial law) that is in Christ Jesus:"

HE IS THE JUSTIFIER

Romans 3:26  "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier [present active participle] of him which believeth [faith] in Jesus."

THE LAW OF FAITH

Romans 3:27  "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith."

OBEDIENCE AND FAITH

Romans 3:28  "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified [present passive infinitive] by faith without [in addition to, 2 Cor 11:28],  the deeds of the law (moral law)."

BACK TO THE LAW?

Hebrews 10:38-39  "Now the just (obedient to the moral law) shall live by faith (lifestyle of pleasing God): but if any man draw back (from faith and pleasing God), my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe [of faith] to the saving of the soul."

THE END OF OUR FAITH

1 Peter 1:8-9  "Whom having not seen, ye love [present active]; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing [present active], ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls [life in the kingdom age]."

LAW TODAY

Colossians 2:20-23  "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21. (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22. Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."