Law -

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.

Women Made Under the Law

But the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them under the law.”

Galatians 4:4-5

A women made under the law brought us the birth of God’s son Jesus. It is Jesus who was to redeem those under the letter of the law. The law could not save humanity, but Jesus can. The law in the Old Testament stated not to commit adultery or covet a neighbor’s wife, yet this is still happening today. There was not much discourse for a woman when men’s evil lusts were at play. However, some women were held in respect such as Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Esther. Jesus treated women as a person, a human being who had possibilities for a full life. Jesus did not belittle women but talked to them, healed them, received their emotional and financial support.

As a Christian who has put on the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to each other in love was the key to mutual respect. Women was made under the law and ruled by man. Through the ages it seems that most women lived in some kind of slavery since she was considered as a possession rather than a human being. Too much focus on physical appearance gave to dehumanizing women. Women did not have the right or freedom to choose whom they would marry.

Today in America women are fighting to gain self-determination to make decisions that are free from the law and judgment. This is another example of women being made under the law. The question is who will rule women’s reproductive system. Reproductive rights are at the forefront of the ongoing debate. To think that conception has fallen to such a position of abuse to endangering the mother and the child. What if the child is a stillbirth, where the fetus is dead after 28 weeks of Pregnancy. Something is wrong when women are being displayed on the market regarding conception. There is no right to privacy.

It takes two people for conception to take place. It should be noted that financial obligation for the mother and child has illicit legal claims for responsibility. Many times, this is overlooked. Women have been second class citizens in America until the suffrage movement gave them the right to vote. In August of 1920 with the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution the right to vote gave women a legal status almost equal to men. However, pay scales for doing the same work as men are still not equal after all these years.

Men are born through a woman but may not learn to grant women respect as a person, or a human being. The dominant group in society are men and we still have the patriarchy as a social system. The privilege that men have has been taken for granted. God has designed this patriarchal order for a reason. That reason is protection of women by man, since all men are under Christ as the head of the church. A group called the “Generation to Generation,” has filed a civil lawsuit against the state of Florida. This group has claimed that “in Jewish law, abortion is required if necessary to protect the health, mental or physical well-being of the woman, or for many other reasons not permitted under the Act.” One of the main issues in regard to women’s reproductive system is sexual abuse.

In recent years we have witnessed sexual abuse across all areas within society. Sexual harassment on the job is still ongoing as well as in social clubs and bars. Remember the woman who was taken in adultery in the Bible? What did Jesus say about this situation. Jesus said, “he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her,” [see John 8:7]. How wonderful that Jesus did not ostracize or persecuted the women. Jesus looked upon her with love and not condemnation. All the accusers had left the scene. Jesus then said to her, “neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more,” [see John 8:11]. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. No one is exempt. There should be no double standard in our Christian walk. Are we not all one, in Christ?

Paul told the Galatians that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus,” [Galatians 3:28]. We are all one in Christ and there is no position above another in Christ. The hierarchy God established was for submission unto God, and it was done through love and not in a militant attitude. It is the voluntary self- sacrificing action of protection that men would take care of those women in their own family. Let us remember that Christ is the head of every man. The apostle Paul stated, “I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God,” [ see 1 Corinthians 11:3].

Man should consider how they are treating women, for it may influence others around them as well as in the body of Christ. All relationship reflects on the body of Christ, and no offense should be given within the body of Christ. Whatever we do, must be done for the glory of God [see 1 Corinthians 10:31]. Women may be made under the law, but in Christ we are one body in the Lord. God sent us his son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem us all under the law.

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.