I Am Mine No More: Freely Justified
Notes
Transcript
Courtroom Scene
Courtroom Scene
Last week I asked each of you to imagine yourself back in one of the most ruthless environments we have ever witnessed: the high school cafeteria. This week I want you to take yourself to a much more welcoming place: the courtroom (*invoke laughter*). In all seriousness, a courtroom is just as uninviting a place as the high school cafeteria. Actually, depending on which side you are on will depend on how forgiving an environment it is.
This morning I want you to take yourself to this courtroom and place yourself in the worst imaginable position. You have committed notoriously grotesque wrongs, broken laws, been involved in the worst of criminal activities, and stand condemned having proudly proclaimed your guilt. The courtroom stands silent at the anticipation of the Judge’s sentence. The crowd knows you are guilt, your attorney knows you are guilty, the prosecutorial team knows you are guilty, the jury knows you are guilty, the judge knows you are guilty, and you know you are guilty. The question is simply, how long will your sentence be? How severe will your punishment be?
Brandt Jean
Brandt Jean
Last year, Brandon Kyles shared a Wednesday night devotional about the importance of forgiveness and grace. He did a wonderful job delivering this message. He shared with us the story that seemed to hit closer to home than usual. Most of you remember the tragic death of our brother in Christ, Botham Jean who was a Harding University student. Botham was killed in his own apartment when police officer, Amber Guyger, entered his apartment and shot him. She states that she was confused after a long shift and believed she was entering her own apartment where she thought Botham was an intruder. This was a classic courtroom situation of “guilty beyond reasonable doubt.” There was no doubt. The crowd knew she was guilty, Guyger’s attorney knew she was guilty, the prosecutorial team knew she was guilty, the jury knew she was guilty, the judge knew she was guilty, and she knew she was guilty. The question was simply, how long will her sentence be? How severe will her punishment be?
Ultimately, she was convicted for second-degree murder and sentenced to a measly 10 year sentence. This has infuriated many! However, it was the brace, courageous, forgiving, merciful, and gracious act of Botham’s brother, Brandt Jean, that circulated around the world. Actually, when this case is brought up in the annals of history if is the act of Brandt that comes to mind first.
In open court Brandt said that he forgave his brother’s killer. "If you truly are sorry — I know I can speak for myself — I, I forgive you. And I know if you go to God and ask Him, He will forgive you," he said. "I love you just like anyone else," he said. "I'm not going to say I hope you rot and die, just like my brother did. ... I personally want the best for you. Again, I love you as a person, and I don't wish anything bad on you.” Imagine being in Guyger’s position. The guilt of your heinous crime is undoubtable and you deserve every bit of your punishment plus more! However, in an unforgettable moment the brother of the man who you killed offers you grace and forgiveness free of charge without you ever asking. Incredible!
Now imagine what sort of outcry there would be if the Judge had shown the same level of grace and forgiveness to Guyger as Brandt Jean had. While there would be a certain outrage at this, it does help us to put into perspective the amazing grace that has been given to us by God through Christ Jesus.
Back to the Courtroom
Back to the Courtroom
Take yourself back to the courtroom once again. You are guilty and everyone knows it. But this time it isn’t only the family members of the ones you have wronged who have bestowed grace, mercy, and forgiveness upon you. No, this time it is also the Judge who has given you this chance of redemption. Just feel the weight of the pressure being lifted from your neck and shoulders as the Judge responds to your inevitable condemnation with a breath of fresh grace speaking into existence a restoration you could have only dreamt of.
You are guilty, however the Judge proclaims, “Not guilty!” Incredible! Unbelievable. And yet this is exactly what happens to each of us who are guilt ridden and self-condemned when we clothe ourselves in the grace-giving blood of Christ! And this is exactly the level of grace Paul reminds us of in Galatians 2:15-16. It is here where Paul tells us that justified through faith in Jesus Christ. Read with me:
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Justified
Justified
The word “justification” means to be acquitted or to be made free. It means to be counted as or declared righteous. Overall, it refers to the process of a sinner being made righteous. Here Paul looks at several aspects of this justification.
1. We are not justified by works of the law
1. We are not justified by works of the law
Paul jumps straight to his point in his charge against Peter and the influential Jewish leaders:
“We know that a person is not justified by works of the law”
Now, let’s recap what it was that the Jewish Christians were teaching. They were saying that to truly become a part of God’s family the Gentile believers would have to obey the laws of the Torah like circumcisions, kosher food laws, observing the Sabbath and more. Paul was teaching, rather, that this was wrong on so many levels and he lays out his first argument here.
He says, “People are not justified by the laws of the Torah, but rather by the faith of Jesus the Messiah, and we have faith in Jesus the Messiah.”
So, the works Paul is referencing here are the works of the Torah, the Old Testament. The works of the Jewish faith like circumcision, kosher food laws, observing the Sabbath and more. Some of which, if you remember from last week, Peter was wrongly implying the Gentiles must obey in order to associate freely with the Jews.
Some have used this verse to ironically justify a sort of Christian laziness which says a Christ follower does not have to work because nothing he does can justify him, so rest alone in the grace of God and don’t worry about your behavior. This mentality has led many to believe that Paul and James contradicted each other for James says,
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
However, Paul and James couldn’t agree more. Martin Luther sums it up pretty well:
"The question is asked: How can justification take place without the works of the law, even though James says: 'Faith without works is dead'? In answer, the apostle distinguishes between the law and faith, the letter and grace. The 'works of the law' are works done without faith and grace, by the law, which forces them to be done through fear or the enticing promise of temporal advantages. But 'works of faith' are those done in the spirit of liberty, purely out of love to God. And they can be done only by those who are justified by faith.
"An ape can cleverly imitate the actions of humans. But he is not therefore, a human. If he became a human, it would undoubtedly be not by virtue of the works by which he imitated man but by virtue of something else; namely, by an act of God. Then, having been made a human, he would perform the works of humans in proper fashion.
"Paul does not say that faith is without its characteristic works, but that it justifies without the works of the law. Therefore justification does not require the works of the law; but it does require a living faith, which performs its works."
The faithfulness or obedience that Christ displays is seen by His willingness to go to the cross. It is this work of Christ that demonstrates His faithfulness. The faithfulness or obedience Abraham displays is seen in his willingness to offer his son Isaac upon the altar. It is this work of Abraham that demonstrates his faithfulness. The faithfulness or obedience Paul displays is his willingness to be shackled in chains for the sake fo following Christ. It is a work of Paul that demonstrates his faithfulness. The faithfulness or obedience a Christ follower displays is seen in his willingness to do good works for which he was prepared for from beforehand (Eph 2:10). It is these works that demonstrate the faithfulness of a Christ follower. We are not justified by our works just as the Jew was not justified by the works of the law. But with our freedom received through the justification we receive we should do good works to demonstrate our love for God and our love for people.
2. We are justified through the faith of Jesus Christ
2. We are justified through the faith of Jesus Christ
Read Galatians 2:16 again:
yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Justification does four things:
Allows us to be in a right relationship with God
Gives us a place in God’s family
Provides us with forgiveness
Results in transformation by grace
This verse has caused quite the controversy over the course of time. Some say that this statement refers to Jesus’ own faithfulness in His willingness to live and die on our behalf. Others says that it refers to our individual trust and devotion to Jesus. This is why some English translations like the ESV translates it as, “through faith in Jesus Christ,” and other translations like the KJV translates it as, “by the faith of Jesus Christ.”
I believe the best translation from Greek to English, based on the Greek, is “faith of Jesus” versus “faith in Jesus.” Regardless, the main point and message is clear and convincing!
We are justified only through trusting in what God has done for us through Jesus, not by what we do for ourselves.
This is the heart of this book and really the whole gospel message itself. When we fully commit and trust in Jesus then what’s true of Jesus will become true of us. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection become ours! This is exactly what Paul says in the following versus which we will explore next week.
This message is the soul winning message of the grace of God. This is the grace of God! God’s grace is the source of man’s justification. Look at Romans 3:21-26
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
This justification, that is desperately needed because of our sinfulness, is provided by God through Christ.
Jesus accomplished this by his obedience
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
Jesus brought this about by the shedding of his blood
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Jesus is the sole source of justification
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Jesus was raised from the grave for our justification
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
This justification is freely offered to us by grace through faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
This justification by grace has appeared to all bringing salvation to all people
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
So the question we are left with is how are we supposed to respond to this? This is the third thing Paul says about this justification:
3. So we also have believed in Christ Jesus
3. So we also have believed in Christ Jesus
Although our works do not justify us, in order to receive this free gift of grace we must have a response. I’ve used the silly illustration before:
Here in my hand is a 2 dollar bill. These are very special right (*invoke laughter*). I want to freely give Shelton this 2 dollar bill. Shelton come get it. (*Shelton’s comes to get the bill*). Now did Shelton’s actions earn him the 2 dollar bill? No, they did not. But in order to receive this free gift he did have to take action and respond. Shelton I want that 2 dollar bill back later.
Now, grace works the same way. As a matter of fact Paul demonstrates this by using the illustration of the faith of Abraham in chapter 3. He jogs the memories of the Jewish Christians reminding them of Abraham’s faith.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
In verse 2 he implies that the Spirit is received by hearing with faith just as Abraham was counted righteous by God because of his faith in God. Verse 7, the sons of Abraham, or those who will inherit the blessing of God are those who are of faith. And, verse 8, God justifies all by faith. Verse 9, all who are of faith are blessed just like Abraham, the man of faith.
In verse 11 we see the ever familiar proclamation that the righteous, those who have been justified by God, live by faith! So, how do we live by faith?
We believe just as Abraham believed (Galatians 3:8)
We are obedient in word and deed - It is fascinating that some say Paul and James contradicted each other yet they used the same illustration to show how faith, grace, and works relate to each other. (James 2:20-26)
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
We accept the justification by grace through faith - The path of acceptance is given to us by Christ: Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, Be Baptized, live Faithfully.
Back in the Courtroom
Back in the Courtroom
We return back to the courtroom. The Judge proclaims, “Not guilty!” And immediately you feel the yoke of bondage lifted from your slate. It is an incredible, grace giving, and merciful act that is not deserved. Not even in the slightest. So, how do you respond?
Besides tears of joy and a smile that stretches beyond your face, what do you do? First you heard this redeeming proclamation. You had to pinch yourself and walk up to the officers and have them remove your shackles to believe it. Your work didn’t get those shackles off, but you still had to take the walk. This time your walk was away from the jail cell and toward freedom. Then you have to go to the dressing room in order to put on your new clothes. And now, as you walk into the world once again, you have a choice of how you will live. Will you use this freedom to do good or will you turn back to your guilty ways? The choice is yours.
This morning you have a choice how you will respond to the Gospel call! You have been freely justified and your response will have eternal consequences! Will you return to your unjust ways, or will you obey being counted among the righteous who live by faith?! The choice is yours. Please come while we stand and sing.