Justification -

How are you Justified?

A man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:16

Some people today are justifying their own actions. Even Christians can fall right back into working for their justification and leaving Christ behind. I pray that this does not happen to you, but when we read the Word of God, there are warnings about the subject of justification and how it is applied. The apostle Paul, in his writings to the Galatians, gave warnings about mixing the purity of doctrine with conduct and distorting the Gospel of Christ. The cleverness of some who exhort their authority to teach a different doctrine will, in part, go along with salvation is from Christ, but then insist that one should also work for their own salvation as well. It is like saying, “let’s cover all our bases just in case. ” Just in case of what? That our salvation is assured at any cost by what we do. No, this is not true. First of all, salvation is the gift of God to humanity.

Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 2:6

The apostle Paul tells the Galatians that the works of the law shall no flesh[man] be justified. We must consider how the law is established. The do and don’t rules have been designated by God, starting with the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. The Jewish people followed the “torah,” which is the law of God, providing instruction on behavior and conduct for everyday living. Tradition is the discipline in how we live and treat each other that is handed down from generation to generation. The customs that each nation has are derived from its indigenous population. For the Jewish population, it is the establishment and the correct practice and interpretation of the “Torah.” The Jewish rule may become common law, even though it may seem codified. In essence, it is a matter of interpretation and what is happening at that specific time. Historians are at times baffled and continue to argue to this day on the understanding of the meaning of the Torah. If we get down to the root of the problem in God’s eye, it will always be a matter of the human heart.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Proverbs 4:23-24

Have you ever wondered why you should guard and keep your heart? Because your heart will direct your course in life. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh,” [see Matthew 15:6]. This is the root of the problem, it is our heart. We speak what is in our heart, what is in our mind as we personally perceived it to be. In Proverbs 23:7, it is said “as he thinked in his heart, so is he.” What are you thinking about? Are you what you think? Today, it may be hard to determine what direction a person is moving towards, for their speech does not match the direction they are going. This is why Jesus said;

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:8

This is known as lip service, because they have already made up their mind to go a different way. We should give this some more thought, for many desire to follow their own way or another individual’s way. How we are being taught may put us back into legalistic ways. By adhering to a standard of rules, we believe God will accept us. This is done without acknowledging God’s son, Jesus, who died for all our sins.

The Hebrew root word for salvation is “Yeshua,” which means the Lord is Salvation, and its meaning is freedom from that which binds or restricts an individual. Now, if we look at the Hebrew word for justifies “sadaq, it means that of condemnation that brings judgment. We are not justified by the works of the law. The law reveals our sinfulness.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:23-24

Jesus is the only way that we can have freedom from that which binds or restricts us. Jesus is the answer for sin, where we will not be condemned [see Romans 8:1]. Our freedom from condemnation is only through Jesus Christ because He is the final sacrifice for all our sins. We cannot earn God’s favor by keeping certain traditions or by any laws that man has made. This is not God’s method for reconciliation, no matter how good it may sound. We receive God’s favor through the finished work of Jesus Christ. We receive salvation through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and not by any efforts of our own.

If justification were by our works, then why did Jesus die for our sins? Justification by our works nullifies what Jesus has done on the cross. It also nullifies the ministry of reconciliation towards God and each other. Did you know that nullify means to remove the force? Would we deny the force of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to save us from the oppression of the evil one? Be careful to what you subject yourself to [such as any social movement], it could bring you under bondage. Legalism within the church lacks joy, because they feel they deserve something from God by doing good works. Legalism in the church compares itself with others. Those within the church claim they are more righteous and justified than other people. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known,” said Jesus to his disciples in Luke 12:1-2. Pharisees followed strict observance of the traditional and the written law, claiming that they were more righteous than other people. The truth was that they could not even follow their own traditions and the written law themselves.

That is why Paul stated that the law is our schoolmaster to bring us back to Christ. Did you know that there is power in the blood of Christ? That power gave us His righteousness, His faith, and His love. He gives us the victory over the evil one and even death. He also gives us eternal life. Let us come to Jesus and place our faith in Him alone and not in ourselves. Let us ask Jesus to keep us free from that which binds or restricts us in any way from His power and from who Jesus is, the Son of God, who came in the flesh, and arose to sit on the right hand of God, ever making intercession for us. Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. Let us not nullify who He is or His power to save us all from the evil one, our sins, and our pride. Jesus truly is our justification, and it is by our faith in him alone, not by anything we can do ourselves, that we are justified. Let us praise God for providing us with the way to justification and reconciliation.

Shoes for the Gospel of Peace

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:15

Are you ready for the “Gospel of Peace?” Is peace in your heart and soul? It should be, for if you are a Christian, you have the “Gospel of Peace” residing within you. The “Gospel of Peace” is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. “He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us,” Ephesians 2:14. Through the blood of Jesus we become a new man whereby we can have peace. There is no longer a barrier between man and God. Jesus reconciled both himself and man unto God.

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.”
Ephesians 2:15

Our justification does not come through the law of commandments, it comes through faith in Jesus Christ. If your justification comes through the law, you will be under the curse of the law, for the law cannot save you and bring you peace. In Galatians 3, verse 10 states, “for it is written, cursed is everyone that continued not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” The very next verse states that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, for the just shall live by faith. The law is not of faith. [See Galatians 3:10-12]. The law is not under the grace of God. If you are working to obtain righteousness you are under the curse. If you are working to be a good person, you nullify the gospel of Christ death on the cross. Many are placing themselves under the law instead of under God’s grace. If you want to be free of the demons in your own life, you must believe in Jesus as the son of God who died for our sins and has set us free from the curse of the law of sin and death. It is by the Holy Spirit that man is changed into a new creation in Christ Jesus.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17

Old things are passed away, all things become new. When Spring comes to the land the seed that was in the ground has died or become dormant through the winter. Now through the warmth of the sun and rain the seed will spring forth a new stem where a bud will blossom. The sun and rain are the word of God and the Holy Spirit working through man to bring forth a new creation in Christ. I am so relieved that I do not have to work in my flesh to become perfect, or to even work out those things in my character that are flawed. I asked God through prayer to work it out of me. I must die to self in order to allow the spirit of Christ to flow through me and change me. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, then we must believe also. The promise was made to Abraham through the seed [Jesus Christ] that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, and not the law.

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hanged on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
Galatians 3:13-14

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. No one is able to keep the law. We will fail the commandment of the law to sin, no matter how hard we try. The burden of the law is laid down at the cross where Jesus took it upon himself. The law concluded all under sin [see Galatians 3:22. The only way of escape was through faith in Christ Jesus. There is no ritual that can take away the sin of man.

Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.”
Hebrews 10:8

God takes no pleasure in them since he only looks upon his son as the only sacrifice for the offering of sin. No flesh by the works of the law is justified. The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Christ is our peace between God and man. Christ became our righteousness and justification. We are under the new covenant of grace where the Spirit pours into our hearts and minds to make a new creation in Christ Jesus. Are you a new creation in Christ Jesus? Are you living in a new way? Have you let go your old nature for the new nature in Christ? Has Christ made you free from the yoke of bondage? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in you the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control? It is time to put on Christ and let go the yoke of bondage of being under the law. We must put on our shoes for the Gospel of Peace. Shoes [Christ] are the protection and comfort of your walk in this life.

Christ who has redeemed you will give you the desire to testify of himself. Opportunities will come for you to speak about your own conversion or how you were saved. Are you ready to testify or even preach the Gospel of Christ? God will send out preachers, for how shall anyone believe in him without a preacher.

“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Romans 10:15

We need to hear about the peace that Christ brings and also the glad tidings of good things. It could be that He is preparing you to go and preach the gospel of peace. If God can send me, a woman to a men’s homeless mission to preach the gospel, he can send you too. No one is exempt from giving their testimony of what God has done. God will send people to you to give an answer for the reason of your hope and faith in Christ.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asked you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
1 Peter 3:15

Not everyone will believe what you preach, that is why we carry with us the word of God, the Holy Bible, for faith comes by hearing the word of God. It is God’s will that all would be saved from the curse of the law. Jesus said, “the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest, [Luke 10:2]. Pray that the laborers are sent forth but be ready to speak to anyone who asks you about your hope and faith in Christ. It is time to put on your shoes with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Shalom equals peace, wholeness and completeness. This is what Christ has done for us. Walk in peace and share the gospel of peace.

Do not give place to the devil

Neither give place to the devil.”
Ephesians 4:27

Are you giving place to the devil? Maybe we do not understand how this can happen, but the apostle Paul talks about how a believer as a new man in Christ is not to walk in the vanity of their own minds. Paul conveys that a believer is to walk in the grace of God with righteousness and true holiness. The question arises if we as believers are walking as God’s dear children. We were all bought with a great price to become God’s children. The fact that the apostle Paul addresses the Ephesians in the 1st verse of chapter five as dear children is an endearment of love. Chapter four and five should be read carefully because we are witnessing how the days are evil. There is such bitterness, wrath, anger, uproar, and evil speaking which has brought about civil unrest. Violent crimes are happening across the US and in certain locations around the world. Since Covid-19 Burglary and Theft has hit number one worldwide.

It seems now that the phrase “new man in Christ” may have lost its meaning, or it has become vague in its meaning. Throughout the New Testament there is a clear change in the character of a person who has become a believer. Paul goes out of his way in explaining and distinguishing the difference between the old man and the new man. Have we as Christians missed this change. The body of Christ should be edifying itself in love and not in hate. Unless the method of salvation has changed, and I pray that is not the case we should be walking in the love of Christ. Did not Christ make us alive when we were dead in our sins? Paul mentioned that in times past those who are unbelievers “walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience,” [Ephesians 2:2]. Those unbelievers were fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, [see Ephesians 2:3]. Salvation through faith begins on an individual basis and then it becomes the body in the church where Christ is the head.

The church is to be perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, [see Ephesians4:12]. The church is to speak the truth in love until the unity of faith with the knowledge of the Son of God reaches the point of a perfect man in the measure and stature of the fullness of Christ, [see Ephesians 4:13]. Were we not blinded and ignorant before hearing about Christ as our savior? We were all past feeling of consciousness having given ourselves over to uncleanness and greediness.

Put off concerning the former manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.”
Ephesians 4:22

Are you still carrying the old man that is corrupt with you? We need to take stock of our actions. We are not to follow or get carried away by every wind of doctrine by the craftiness of those who would deceive us from the truth of Christ. It is through faith in Christ that has reconciled us to God. We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, [see Ephesians 2:20]. When Christ ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, [see Ephesians 4:8]. As a believer we died to the old nature of man and became a new creation in Christ Jesus. This is done through prayer and faith in the work of Christ who became the power of God in reconciling us unto God. We have been made near to God through the blood of Christ. Christ work on the cross has taken the penalty for our sins and Christ has given us access to the Father by giving us the Holy Spirit. If we are walking in the flesh, then we are not walking in the indwelt Spirit of Christ in which we were sealed by an inheritance.

That inheritance is why Paul exclaimed to “not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed unto the day of redemption,” [Ephesians 4:30]. We are to be renewed in the spirit of our mind to that of Christ. Christ position is our position. Christ identity becomes our identity. Paul told the Corinthians that though “our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed day by day,” [see 2 Corinthians 4:16]. We put to death all things that is unclean or the unfruitful works of darkness and ask God for forgiveness and to cleanse us from all works of darkness. Our identity is in Christ and not in this present world. We do not belong to the devil; we belong to Christ.

Submit yourselves, therefore, to God Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.”
James 4:7-8

We resist the devil and his evil works to the one who has given us the power to overcome him and that is Christ. We try every spirit to see if Jesus has come in the flesh, and we know what the spirit of truth is, and the spirit of error. Whatever is not of faith in Christ Jesus is sin. We do not grieve the Holy Spirit who is our comforter. We put away all lying, stealing, evil speaking, anger, malice, and covetousness and ask God to cleanse our heart and mind to that of Christ. We pray that the Holy Spirit would come and convict those who are not walking in the Spirit of Christ. We ask for the fruit of the Spirit to fill us with the love of Christ and change us from glory to glory into the person of Jesus Christ. We pray for the understanding what the will of the Lord is. We must speak truth and not lie. There are many forms of truth, but only one truth has given us the victory and that is through Jesus Christ.

Our doctrine is of Christ and not of any other. Beware of what doctrine you follow. I remember Smith Wigglesworth said to beware of any word that has “ist,” or “ism” at the end of a word. I though it funny at the time of hearing it, but there is some truth to what he said. There are those who follow a different teaching that is not of God. It may sound good, but their objective is not of the doctrine in Christ. The latest new word “Christian Nationalism,” is creating a divide all across America. This movement began in the late 50’s and has come to the forefront in recent years. Christian nationalists are defined as those seeking to preserve the status of a Christian state. Its focus is on national identity. As an American citizen the Bill of Rights gives people the right to the establishment of religion and free exercise thereof. It does not state that Congress should make a law of one Religion over another. History has proven that making a law upon religion has brought about expulsions such as what happen in Spain’s history. Any type of law for a religion has brought civil unrest upon a country or nation. Freedom of religion gives each individual a choice.

God has given each individual a choice to believe or not believe. If you take away that choice and make it legal, it becomes a manmade law based upon legalism which promotes ritualism. Let us remember that ritualism did not save the Jewish nation. If man can not conform to God’s laws, how can they conform to their own laws? The law concluded that all are under sin.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we may be justified by faith.”
Galatians 3:24-25

Paul warns about legalism and how the two systems cannot co-exist, that of law and grace. We cannot work the good works through the law to receive salvation. If we are justified by the law, then Christ has become ineffective [see Galatians 5:4]. Paul goes on to say that those who are justified by the law have fallen from grace. “We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith,” [Galatians 5:5]. Therefore, we should walk carefully and not as fools but as the wise redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Make sure you are standing in the faith through Christ and no other doctrine. Do not allow or give place to the devil in not walking in the Spirit of Christ. Remember that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son to reconcile the world from sin.