Sola Fide: Justified By It

How important is faith? What does it look like? How should we view faith?

Intro

Sola Fide: Faith Alone

Justification by Faith Alone

What is justification?

Guilt for breaking God’s law

inability to “not sin”

Jews seem to believe that they are law keepers by birth (Gal 2:15)

myth: Kids are born with a clean slate - morally neutral

We are born sinners -

Christianity is an experience - We experience Jesus Christ.

Problem: We lack an experience with Jesus Christ and therefore believe it is about keeping the law

We experience the law over experiencing Jesus Christ

Principles of Faith

Justified - declaration of righteousness

righteousness - forensic sense - not deserving of wrath/penalty

Believers are justified - declared righteous before the throne of God

This declaration comes by way of an experience:

An experience of BELIEF (15-16)

NOT by way of:

Nationality or genetics (15)

Keeping the Law of God

(16) Mentioned 3 times

DOES come by way of faith:

Faith in Jesus Christ

(16) Mentioned 3 times

The instrument that God uses to declare us righteous is faith alone

An experience of SHARING(17-21)

Paul’s example of his work

Paul knew he was a sinner

He knew that he could not save himself

He needed a savior

Savior is Jesus Christ

not a servant of sin or of me

The law is not the savior (19)

Justification comes through a shared experience with Jesus Christ - crucifixion

far removed from this experience

But, we are told we share in this experience

; 6:14

This sharing brings life

No longer slaves to sin

Includes

Union with Christ

A life of Faith in Jesus

An experience of grace

Declaration that comes from outside of us

An experience of being saved, not saving ourself

Bridgeport Mountain Warfare Training Center

Experience the brutal cold and exhaustive movements of marching (skiing) the mountains of the sierra Nevadas.

Fell off of the trail and landed head first. As I struggled I became more frustrated and went deeper into the snow. It was only after I stopped struggling and accepting help by others, was I truly saved from the current situation.

An experience of HEARING (3:1-9)

Galatians had been led astray

They listened to someone else’s gospel

The gospel

message of salvation of Justification by Faith alone

message delivered by the HS

The work of the HS is to deliver a message

Spirit received by faith

by hearing (3:2)

Deliverance is also by Faith, not by works

Work of the HS

To deliver the gospel

preaching - as to Abraham

Scripture

To produce and strengthen our Faith

To save people of all nations

It is by this faith that we are blessed

blessed by the work of the HS

Hearing tests in the NAVY: Sitting in a booth and listening to tones of various levels and in different ears.

In this experience I often hear tones that are not there. I anticipate the sounds and even slow my breathing. Why? I want to do well on the test. This is my default.

Sometimes, we treat the sermon this way. We are listening for ways to live obedient lives, without listening for the gospel.

Our sinful nature places sounds that are not there. My heart tries to make the gospel something it is not. It is as if we are sitting in a sound booth trying to pass the test.

End result is an evaluation of the damage done t0o my ears. It is purely physical.

The declaration of Righteousness though, is not a checklist. It is a declaration. It is Jesus Christ saving us where we cannot. It takes the HS making the Scriptures plain to me. It takes the HS building my faith in what I cannot do - to listen to the gospel and what Jesus has done for me.

App: What if we started giving attention to the Scriptures as we should? Would we depend on Jesus more? Would we rest in God’s grace? Would we live in complete reliance on Jesus for our righteousness?

Conclusion

Christianity is not a way of salvation by doing works of the law. It is an experiencer of faith in Jesus Christ

It includes experiencing BELIEF in Jesus CHRIST, SHARING in Jesus Christ, and HEARING the words of Christ

Just because salvation is a passive activity does not mean we live passive lives.

Rather, we do still live a life, experiencing “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (2:20)

We live life experiencing Christ living in us. This is active. We live this life, based off of the declaration of righteousness we have received.

App: Being justified by Faith in Jesus Christ prepares us for the fullness of this when Christ returns:

Stand forgiven on judgment day

Live life today by faith in Jesus Christ

Rest in the fact that there is nothing beyond faith in Jesus required for justification - declared righteous