September 23, 2020 - Justified through Faith
We know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. So we also believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. (Galatians 2:16)
One of the things that makes Christianity different from every other religion is the belief that Jesus has already saved us. Every other religion teaches that in order to be with “god” (or be a god), you have to be good. You have to prove that you are worthy of being in god’s presence.
Paul reminds us today that we are not justified by the law. We don’t come into God’s presence by obeying the law. We come into God’s presence through faith in Jesus Christ. He has justified us. He has taken away our sins. In fact, those who try to justify themselves by the works of the law will not be justified at all. No one can keep the law perfectly and therefore no one will be justified by the works of the law.
Thanks be to God that he has justified us through the blood of Jesus. Let us live in that faith, following the law out of thanks to God. Amen.
Our song for today is “Not What My Hands Have Done” by Nathan George.