Wednesday April 6, 2022

Today is Wednesday, April 6 and this week we explore what the Bible says about justification.

Today I seek to draw near to the presence of God. I take a moment to relax, slow my breathing and silence my scattered thoughts as I focus on the God who loves me.

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, I seek you in the quiet stillness of the day. I treasure these precious, intimate moments with you and long to hear the message you have for me. Speak to me through the power of your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

I turn to the Lord with a hopeful heart and praise him with the words of Psalm 130.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. Psalm 130:7-8

Pause and Pray

Faith has two main aspects. Faith is sincere knowledge about God which includes an unshakable conviction that what God has revealed is true. Such faith is necessary, but not sufficient for salvation for even the evil one believes truths about God. Additionally, faith involves trusting God and being assured deep down that by his grace I am made right with God because of Jesus. What Christ accomplished applies to me personally. Faith is centered in Jesus Christ and in what he has done for me. In this passage of Galatians, Paul teaches about being saved through faith apart from works or following the Law.

We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:15-21

I am not justified (made righteous by God) because of my good works or merit, but by faith in Christ. Because of Jesus I am justified by faith and not by the works of the law. No one will be set right by good works and merit. Good deeds do not get us to heaven, God’s Son does. Alongside Paul, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in this mortal body, I live by faith in God’s Son Jesus, who loves me and gave himself for me. This is wondrous news made possible only by the grace of God. As Paul proclaims to the Galatians he proclaims to me – if righteousness could be gained through me following the law and doing good things then I could save myself and make myself righteous, then Christ would have died for nothing.

Ask: Do I think I will get to heaven by my benevolence, my meritorious life, and my good actions? Do I have faith that only through Jesus can I be made righteous and holy?

Pause and Pray

God, you are a God of loving kindness, steadfast love and abundant mercy. Thank you for loving me so much you made a way for me to attain justification through faith in your Son my Savior. Christ died for the souls of the world including mine. I have faith in the One who loves me and gave himself for me. I give thanks that Jesus dwells in me and reigns in my spirit. I read the words from Galatians again and listen for the message you have for me.

We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:15-21

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

I listen to the word of God with the ear of my heart. I repeat the phrase that stands out to me and record it in my journal, keeping in mind that God may speak to me later throughout my day. How does this passage inform my current circumstances? How might it answer a particular prayer on my prayer list? Perhaps God is inspiring me to greater belief in Christ. Maybe God is stirring me to grow stronger faith. Perhaps God is drawing me ever nearer to him.

Pause and Pray

Come, Holy Spirit, inspire my heart and mind to greater maturity in the Christian walk. Reveal the places in my life where I insist on following the law in an attempt to attain my own righteousness. Disclose times I fail to place faith in my savior and trust him completely for my justification and sanctification. Grow me in holiness of heart and life in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14

As I leave this time of prayer, I go as a justified believer in Jesus Christ to love others, show mercy, and demonstrate kindness to a lost and hurting world.

Amen