Saturday, July 10, 2010

"The Justified" - Just Believe

'Romans 2:13: "For not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be Justified." Here there is a contrast between the hearers and the doers; but what it really declares is a timeless truth: The mere hearers of the Law have never been and never will be considered by God as Just. If, however, they change from mere hearers to doers of the Law by believing in Him who became the fulfillment of the Law, only then will God pronounce them as Just. No one can become a doer of the Law without believing in Christ. This verse declares a standard, a norm, that not he who knows the Law, but he who is a doer of the Law in Christ can be declared Just before the Judge. Compare this verse with Romans 3:20: "Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be Justified in His sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin." There seems to be a contradiction between these two statements; however, Romans 2:13 affirms the norm that the doer will be declared Just; while 3:20 makes a matter-of-fact declaration that by the deeds of the Law no man can be Justified, inasmuch as the deeds of the Law are only possible in and through Christ. Even if a man is able to do the works of the Law, he still cannot be Justified since a person can be legally correct but morally wrong. He may conform to a certain Law in spite of the fact that he may hate it, but if he did not fear the consequences of transgression, he might never obey it. No Law can make a person morally right, although he can be proven legally conforming to the Law if he does the works that are detailed by it.' What I have written so far was pretty much quoted from a portion of those 5 pages of definitions on the word for Justified; and I wrote them this way to stress how it is not my thoughts only that are being expressed here, but also those that are far more knowledgeable in the Scriptures. The bottom line is that it is only by Faith in Jesus Christ that we can be Just before God; and not only that, but any of the Law which is kept, must be kept in Him; for otherwise it is our own righteousness which is being put forth, which of course is filthy rages unto God; but only that which is done in Christ will be considered as Just. Now then; with regards to this faith in which we possess: We will only experience the Faith that He will give when we come to the end of our own faith. When there is nothing left that we can contribute; no more power of our own; it is then that God will release upon us His Faith, which will then carry us to the other side. Our faith is so inadequate when it comes to doing anything required for Salvation; but our faith, as small as it may be, when it is placed in Him, then becomes mighty and can do all things. This is the position in which God wants us to be: Totally dependent upon Him! We must come to a point where we Just Believe!!! "But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: Being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: That He might be Just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)

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