The Law Doesn’t Do It

The law doesn’t do what, justify. We do not find our justification through the upholding of the law. And by law I am speaking primarily of the law of man, but also the law of God. I have written that even those who do not know God and the gospel still have His law written on their hearts. Where that is true, I have also written that they still have not arrived and are still accountable to their sins.

This morning I am again for the umpteenth time in Galatians at the passage titled in my ESV Bible, “Justified by Faith”, and that could not be more true to me where I am in my study of the word “law”. You see, we are aware of the law and we know that we are to keep it. But, we are incapable of keeping the law perfectly. As such, we cannot be justified by the law. The law is there to guide us by providing a living standard.

“¹⁵We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; ¹⁶yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” – Galatians 2:15-16 (ESV)

We need Jesus Christ to be justified. Our faith in His coming and taking on the consequences of our sin, even as He had no sin. We turn to Him to be our salvation and not the works of the law, as keeping the law does nothing for us.

“¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” – Galatians 2:19 (ESV)

Keeping the law is a reaction to our new found justification. We keep the law as we are guided to do so by the Holy Spirit who resides in us thanks to our justification. We know that the LORD sent Jesus to die for our sin and that I deserved to die for those sins. With our justification comes a desire to be more like Jesus and it is the law that provides the guardrails as to our actions. But again, this is a result of our justification and it does not get us there, that comes from our faith. The law doesn’t do it.

What is your approach to justification? Are you of the view that following the law will somehow give you the high ground? What if it is a result of justification that you follow the law and you were to find justification through faith in Jesus Christ?

Be All About the LORD

This morning I am in Psalm 37 and am seeing the glory of the LORD manifest for those who are connected to Him. The thing that stood out to me this morning is that I have to be all about the LORD and give myself fully to Him and work to bring glory to Him always.

“³Trust in the Lord…

⁴Delight yourself in the Lord…

⁵Commit your way to the Lord…

⁷Be still before the Lord…

³⁴Wait for the Lord…”

— Psalm 37:3, 4, 5, 7, & 34 (ESV)

These are all there in God’s Word for me to meditate on. I am not just to accept salvation from the LORD, I am to be all about and all in with Him. Justification is gained once one has accepted salvation and the fact that Jesus came and paid the price for my sin in this world that I may not die of my sin. He came for that I would not have to experience the wrath of the Father as He took on the consequence of my separation from the LORD.

Being all about the LORD and all in with Him is a move to Sanctification as I work to remove the power of sin in my life. I will be judged as righteous when I trust, delight, commit, am still, and wait for the LORD. When I surround myself with the LORD and dwell in Him I will keep myself working for, in, and with Him and my focus will not wander into the temptation of sin. I am devoted to the LORD and His work and do not have the time or thought of anything else.

Every day I am tempted by the evil one to wander off from the LORD. Even as a child of God, I am drawn to sin and sinful ways. I am secure in my salvation thanks to the justification I have gained through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. My sanctification is the ongoing struggle as I work to overcome the power of sin. It is in my all in and all about the LORD where I will find relief from the power of sin as I find peace in Him.

What is your view of your relationship with the LORD? Are you content in your justification? What if you were to be all about the LORD and fully trust, delight, commit, are still, and wait for Him to avoid the power of sin that continues?

Faith Not Works

I started my study of the word “works” as a natural progression from my study of “mercy”. I keep running into the idea that works do not get me there, they are the result of my salvation and justification. I do not “earn” anything through my works, only demonstrate my salvation and justification. This morning is no different as I again am led to Galatians and the passage titled “Justification by Faith”.

What I have learned in the passage is really nothing new. What I have come to realize this morning is that God is speaking to me. I have been struggling with the lack of acknowledgment in the works that I am doing. I feel as though I am being ignored and not gaining anything in return for those works. I have realized that it is the “man” in me that is seeking this acknowledgment and not the Christian in me. I am looking for the reward here in this world and not focus on my Kingdom purpose to spread the gospel and allowing God to do His work through me.

I will say that it is hard, knowing that I am doing the work and others seem to be doing less and getting more out of it. Whether it is safety, security, promotion, recognition, celebration, or whatever, I have to remember that all of that is of no consequence in the end and my relationship with Christ and the work I am doing for Him is what really matters. I have to know that God is taking care of me to provide for my needs and allow me to be content in it all. I am His to do with what He pleases and not for my own pleasure.

Yes, I would “feel” better in this world if my works were more recognized and appreciated. It would be easier to make it to the next knowing that my works were known to be in the best interest of all. But, it is not my works that are gaining the notoriety, it is my faith in Christ that gains me salvation and justification with Him and that is what really matters.

Lord, give me the strength to know that I have already found favor with You and You have provided for my salvation and justified me through faith in You. I am Yours and You are mine. Give me the wisdom to know that my faith is enough and I must continue my work for You to demonstrate my justification thanks to my faith in You.

What are you relying on to gain salvation and justification? Are you out there working to somehow earn it? What if you placed your faith in God, knowing that it is enough and your works are just your demonstration of the salvation and justification the LORD has provided thanks to that faith?