JUSTIFICATION

Sunday Morning:  February 2, 2003

Text: Galatians 2:16-21  "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.

18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20. 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."

SALVATION

Galatians 2:16  "Knowing that a man is not justified [present passive indicative] by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed [aorist active indicative] in Jesus Christ, . . "

BELIEVE TO BE SAVED

Acts 16:31  "And they [Paul and Silas] said, Believe [aorist active imperative] on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved [future passive indicative], and thy house."

MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED

Galatians 2:16  ". . . we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified (we might not be justified if we depart from the faith) by the (unfailing) faith of Christ . ." (Christ did not depart from the faith)

UNCHARGEABLE

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

CHARGEABLE

Galatians 5:19-21  "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, . . ., 21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: . . , that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

CALLED ALSO JUSTIFIED

Romans 8:30  "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

SEEKING JUSTIFICATION

Galatians 2:17  "But if, while we (Paul and brethren 1:1) seek [present active] to be justified by Christ . ."

CHRIST JUSTIFIES

Romans 4:25  "(Christ) . . . was raised (to the Father’s right hand) again for our justification."

CHRIST, OUR HIGH PRIEST

Hebrews 8:1  ". . We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty. . ."

PERFECTING OUR FAITH

Hebrews 12:2  "Looking unto Jesus the author  and finisher (perfecter) of our faith; who . . . is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (to allow faith to work)

FAITH WOULD BE VAIN

1 Corinthians 15:14  "And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain."

JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE

Romans 3:24  "Being justified [present active] freely by his grace through the redemption (from the bondage of serving sin thus to be chargeable) that is in Christ Jesus:"

JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

Romans 3:26  "To declare, . . . that he might be just, and the justifier [present active participle] of him which [out from] believeth [faith (living by unfailing faith)] in [of] Jesus (Jesus had unfailing faith)."

Romans 3:28  "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without [beside] the deeds of the law (being just)."

JUSTIFIED BY HIS NAME

1 Corinthians 6:11  "And such were some of you: but ye are washed (unchargeable), but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in [by] the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

THE WORD OF GOD

Revelation 19:13  "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."

FAITH

Romans 10:17  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM

Luke 8:10-11  "And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."

DON’T FRUSTRATE GRACE

Galatians 2:21  "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness (of faith) come by the law, then Christ is dead (thanatos death in the garden) in vain."

BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Romans 5:1-2  "Therefore being justified by (continued) faith, we have (are at) peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2. By whom (Christ, our high priest) also we have access by (continued) faith into this grace wherein we stand (justified by His grace), and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

FALLING FROM GRACE

Galatians 5:4-5  "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

WORKS OF GRACE

Hebrews 12:28-29  "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us [may we] have grace, whereby we may serve (works) God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29. For our God is a consuming fire."

CHARGEABLE

Luke 17:7-10  "But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8. And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9. Doth [mh ecei, present active, not esteemeth] he thank [grace] that servant (he did not esteem grace) because he did the things that were commanded him (obedient to the commandments only, there was no faith)? I trow not. 10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants (chargeable): we have done that which was our duty to do (ye were just but did not live by faith)."

JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE

Titus 3:7  "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."