The Doctrine of Justification

Introduction

Today we continue our series through the book of Galatians.

‘A Church with a Problem’ (Gal. 1:1-12)

I. The Prayer of Paul (v1-5)

Defense; Disposition; God’s Deliverance Praised

II. The Perversion of the Gospel (v6-9)

The Gospel has been Perverted (def) transmuted, corrupted, distorted from it’s true use and end.

Write this down: “It’s either All by Grace, or it’s not at all by Grace” - Me. It’s either by Faith, or it’s by Works.

The Church had been Effected (v6-7a); the Offenders Cursed (v8-9)

III. The Preeminence of Christ (v10)

A Choice v10a); a Consequence (v10b)

IV. The Providence of Christ (v11-12)

Not Received by Man (v11-12a); Given by Christ (v12b)

‘Setting the Table’ (Gal. 1:13-24)

I. Times Past (v13-14)

A Religious Man; a Self-Righteous Man; a Man of Renown

II. Transformation & Tutelage (v15-19)

A Calling (v15); A Change (v16a); A Cause (v16b); a Communion (v17-19)

III. Testimony Observed (v20-24)

Truth Exposed; Change Evidenced; God was Exalted

‘Looking Back’ (Gal. 2:1-10) - (At the ‘Counsel of Jerusalem’ meeting - Act. 15)

I. Following the Call (v1-2)

Faithfulness in Service (v1a); Fellowship in Ministry (v1b); Following the Spirit (v2)

II. False Brethren Emerge (v3-5)

Tension (v3); Tares (v4); Resistance (v5a); Reason (v5b)

III. The Furtherance of the Gospel

No Partiality of Persons (v6); A Perception of Purpose (v7-9); A Plan for the Poor (v10)

‘Apostles at Odds’ (Gal. 2:11-14)

I. The Person (Peter)

Loved by Christ; Labored for Christ; In the Lineage of Christ

II. The Problem

A Confrontation Over Cowardice;

Which led to… a Denial of the Truth; Disunity & Disruption in the Body of Christ; Dissimulation of Doctrine & a Destruction of the Work

A Confrontation that was Correct

A Confrontation that was Not Concealed

Today we continue our studies in the book of Galatians.

Today was intended to be a ‘part 2’ of the Apostles at Odds, but I decided it better to rename it more appropriate to the message today. It’s now titled ‘The Doctrine of Justification - and because I could not include the remaining verses of the chapter, we’ll at least tentatively name this: ‘The Doctrine of Justification - pt1’. So we’re speaking about Doctrine today.

Before we begin the message, I want to define and explain the importance of doctrine.

Doctrine (def) Principles or positions one holds.

Our doctrine is where we stand. It’s where we plant our flag. It’s WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE TRUE! Our Doctrine defines us.

I am a Baptist today - not because my daddy was baptist, but because I believe that the traditional baptist distinctives to be Biblical. So the root is the Bible, the fruit is the label (btw, I wouldn’t trust any church that wouldn’t declare what they believe in their name). (Ill.) Castaway movie. Anybody remember Tom Hanks best friend in that movie? Wilson. Why did he name him Wilson? Because he was a soccer ball. The name indicated something distinctive about him - so does the name ‘Baptist’ or ‘Presbyterian’ or ‘Church of Christ’, etc.

Doctrines define us, they mold us - and most importantly - they HOLD US.

We’re admonished to be stable in doctrine:

Ephesians 4:14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

We’re warned of being carried away with false doctrine

1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

2 Timothy 4:3–4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

So today we’re going to be learning expressly about the Doctrine (Principle; position; where we stand; what we believe to be true) of Justification. This is a most important doctrine.

And I’m not going just to tell you what to believe about this doctrine, but explain as best I can what the Bible teaches concerning this doctrine.

Here we have what is in essence the beginning of some great doctrinal teachings that concerns - not only the church in Galatia, but this church in Belmont - the churches upstream & downstream - and every church concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

That being said, we’re going to look first at ‘The Prelude’

I. The Prelude

We must look at what led up to this important doctrinal teaching.

The People had Been Troubled (Gal. 1:7a)

This church had been established by Paul - he had given them sound doctrine concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Just for clarifications sake, the Gospel of Jesus is the Gospel (Good News) that salvation comes by Faith in the finished work of Christ. In other words - what Jesus did for you and I by dying for our sins & raising again to new life was SUFFICIENT to save us.

That’s what Paul had taught them, but then others came in and ‘troubled’ them. Paul uses the word ‘bewitched’ in Gal. 3:1.

They’d taken something so simple and made a mess of it.

The Gospel had Been Perverted (Gal. 1:7-9)

Perverted (def) transmuted, corrupted, distorted from it’s true use and end.

WORDS MEAN THINGS. And this is what Paul said about what had happened to the Gospel. Perverted; Corrupted; Distorted

The perversion was (as we will later see) that the Gospel of Faith in Christ alone had been corrupted to a ‘Faith PLUS’ Gospel.

The way it was termed best is found in Acts 15:5 “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

‘those that believed’ - Jesus PLUS - circumcision & keep the law

Today - circumcision is not in high demand, but we have many variations to that:

Jesus + baptism

Jesus + keep the law

Jesus + good works

Jesus + endure to the end

Jesus + display the ‘gifts of the spirit’

Jesus + ‘Lordship salvation’

Jesus + confession

Church, if it’s Jesus + ANYTHING it’s a perversion / corruption / distortion

Again - what Jesus - HE HIMSELF ALONE did was SUFFICIENT for salvation.

If you add ANYTHING TO THAT, you are in no uncertain terms saying that what Jesus did was NOT SUFFICIENT.

The Gospel had been perverted

The Church had been Parted (Gal. 2:12-13)

This issue was cause for the parting of the church.

As I stressed last week, so I stress today - perverting the Gospel is what divides the church - not preachers (such as I) that point out the error.

(Ill.) I’ve gotten feedback (always 2nd hand) of people who have said ‘I don’t like when he talks about other churches’ - as if I’m the one who is causing the division… Understand the division is there, I am pointing out WHY - and TEACHING MY FLOCK so that they UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE. (That’s what a pastor is supposed to do, right? Keep the flock away from danger?

The Church had been parted

Paul Confronted Peter (Gal. 2:11-14)

BECAUSE OF THE ERROR

BECAUSE OF THE DIVISION

Paul confronted Peter, who was partly to blame for allowing this to happen, and going along with it, instead of rebuking it as he should have!

We now pickup in the midst of the rebuke - the doctrine to which Paul is now espousing. This doctrine of Justification.

The Prelude, now the Position

II. The Position (v15-16)

Justification is a Judgment of Innocence Rendered

Justified (def) To render (declare a Judgment) Just or Innocent

Warren Wiersbe (def) the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Jesus Christ

(Ill.) This word is likened unto and courtroom setting. Trial is in session - the evidence has been gathered & presented - before Christ, the one under the Judgment would be rendered guilty. However - when the accused realizes their state, they look unto Jesus and place their faith in His Sacrifice, something miraculous happens. The accused’s sin is imparted upon Jesus, and Jesus’ Righteousness is imparted upon the accused. At that point, looks upon them and bangs the gavel and declares ‘NOT GUILTY’!

There’s much to say concerning this:

It’s not a Pardon

The first that I’ll address here is that this is not simply a pardon. I know that we use that term a lot, but when we truly analyze it, calling what God has done a pardon is insufficient.

(Ill.) Whatever you think about the people I mention here, it makes no matter. Try to look beyond the people to get the principle: Just before leaving office, Joe Biden pardoned several people - one of which was his son Hunter. Hunter had been convicted of offences, but has not bore the punishment because he was pardoned. Hunter was found Guilty - but was pardoned to escape the punishment that was due unto him. You and I have not just been pardoned - we’ve been declared ‘NOT GUILTY’ - our crimes weren’t pardoned, they were paid for!

It’s not as if God has excused our sin and given us Heaven - nothing could be further from the truth! God hasn’t excused our sin - He gave His Son for our sin!

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

It’s not a Pardon - it’s more!

It is God who Justifies (Rom. 8:33; 4:21-24)

Justified (def) To render (declare a Judgment) Just or Innocent

If Justified is to declare one Just of Innocent, then there must be someone who is declaring it. Romans 8:33 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”

God is the one sitting in the seat of Judgment. The Just Judge to whom all the universe will give account!

He is the one who has the power and authority to declare one innocent or guilty, therefore it is GOD and GOD ALONE who declares one Justified!

There is a wonderful word used in Scripture - imputed. Impute (def) To charge to ones account. I want to read a passage of Scripture - which goes along with a point I’ll make in a moment, but speaks to the fact that it’s God who declares the Judgement.

(Speaking of Abraham - which he does often) Romans 4:21–24 “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;”

God charges to our account whether we are innocent or guilty - we don’t do it ourselves. God is the only one who has the Authority to do so, you and I do not.

It is God who Justifies

It is an Act, not a Process

Justified (def) To render (declare a Judgment) Just or Innocent

Another thing that we must note is that, this declaration of Innocence is once and for all.

It’s a Declaration Made, not a Deferment till Later.

God is not in a ‘Wait and See’ mode.

It is Permanent, not Probationary

This speaks to the heart of Eternal Security. Those who lack Eternal Security do not understand this doctrine.

(Ill.) Those who lack Eternal Security, continue to stand before the Judge. They don’t understand that God has already passed the Judgment! They see that the Righteous Judge is somehow withholding Judgment until you leave this earth to see what YOU’VE done before passing sentence! They think that once they placed faith in Christ, God has put them on Probation till final Judgment - if that’s the case, they aren’t Justified - BUT PAUL SAYS WE ARE JUSTIFIED! ‘JUST AS IF I’D NEVER SINNED - RENDERED INNOCENT IN THE EYES OF GOD!

This speaks against what we know as ‘Double Jeopardy’ as well.

Once God has rendered us Innocent of our sins for Salvation, He cannot go back and change that Judgment. He has already decreed us innocent, and therefore it cannot change (according to laws of the Medes & Persians - Est. 1:19)

God Renders us Just, Innocent, NOT GUILTY - the only question now is ‘WHY’?

It’s an Act, not a Process

It is Obtained by Faith

In order for us to be declared ‘Not Guilty’, there’s two words that I want us to pay close attention to: ‘Faith; believed’

Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

So, when one puts their faith in Jesus Christ - the work that HE did, that HE Finished - that’s when God declares us ‘NOT GUILTY’. That’s when Innocence - and thereby, RIGHTEOUSNESS is imputed upon us by God!

James 2:23 “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

Justification is obtained by God through Faith in what Jesus did for us!

It is Obtained by Faith, which also means that it’s NOT BY WORKS

Not by Works

Now, the antithesis of that, once again: Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

We see in this one verse two truths:

Justification IS NOT and CANNOT be obtained by Works.

The reason is simple - Faith and Works are Opposites.

Faith & Works are:

Oil & Water

Black and White

East & West

Light and Darkness

Truth and a Lie

Death and Life

One simply is not the other!

To say that you need ‘Faith +’ is just like saying ‘You need Death and Life’ - it must be one or the other - and the Bible is clear that it’s by Faith, and not Works: Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

We are Justified (def) rendered Just / Innocent by the Grace of God, through Faith in Jesus, not by Works which we do - but by the Work that He’s done. We’re declared ‘Not Guilty’ Once for all BY GOD - the Just Judge of the Universe!

Conclusion

Church - I don’t know about you, but I am Justified today. It’s a status that I enjoy.

There was a time in my life where I was guilty in the eyes of God. I wore my sin like a coat of shame. But then I met Jesus - the author and finisher of my faith.

I learned that He loved me and gave His life for me. He died so that I may live. He bore my sin & my shame - and He extended unto me a gift. It’s the gift of Salvation. And I by simple faith, trusted that (Joh. 3:16) was true: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

At that very moment, the God of Heaven looked down upon me and declared ‘NOT GUILTY’! I thank God for that.

Have you experienced the same? If not, you can.