Justified by Faith in Christ

February 5, 2012


Background Scripture: Galatians 1, 2
Lesson Passage: Galatians 2:15 – 21

As we begin this series of studies in Galatians, it is important to consider that this letter reflects Paul’s practical look at Christianity. Paul stressed throughout this letter that being a Christian must transcend an individual’s tendency to treat their faith as just a religious ritual. Christians are called to walk in a newness of life that is only possible through the transforming power of the Holy Ghost who is our internal witness of Christ’s redemptive work in us. Our actions and speech should be governed by the new inner man that is being perfected by God through Jesus Christ. In our background passage, Paul insisted that Christianity does not stand along side any other profession of faith or religion. Christianity is the only gospel, or good news, for a dying world from the only true and living God. Paul’s position was not an argument of philosophy to be debated with other learned men who cared to share their own thoughts and theories. Paul declared that his calling was through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, what Paul said or wrote was not his opinion but rather a divine message from Christ. Paul did not take this position to fit into the membership of the infant New Testament church. Paul’s testimony in this letter was that it took years for him to be generally accepted into the company of Christian believers. The witness of those who had traveled with Jesus during his earthly ministry bore witness to God’s grace in Paul’s life. However, Paul took issue with what he perceived to be lukewarm Christianity in some of the apostles of Christ. Some, such as Peter, wanted to talk one way and walk another. Paul publically confronted him because of it. Paul would not be a part of religious posturing when his personal experience had revealed the depth of the realness of his salvation through Christ. Furthermore, he saw the hypocrisy of the apostles’ actions as a hindrance to the spiritual growth of the Gentile believers in Galatia. Gentiles were being saved outside of the rituals found within Judaism and therefore Paul insisted that their salvation should not be marginalized by having them also participate in a ritual that had not led to their salvation in the beginning. On this point, Paul took a doctrinal stand that is fundamental to the Christian faith. The Christian’s faith is both the vehicle through which they receive salvation and the only means by which they are made right with God. No religious rituals could ever make a person right with God in the absence of faith. Paul declared that the Jewish converts to Christianity knew this experientially. Knowing this, then it made no sense to force the Gentiles to go through those rituals after they were saved and made right with God without those rituals. The Gentiles’ justification came through faith in Jesus Christ and by no other means even as it had for the Jewish converts. Justification is an act of God’s grace and there is no action that a person can take before or after that could bring about this justification on the merit of a person’s work. It is only through faith in Christ that we have access to God’s justification.

Robert C. Hudson
January 28, 2012