Galatians 2:15-16

Galatians 2:15-16

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.

 

We cannot do enough good to earn God’s grace and mercy. We simply cannot compile enough good works or follow God’s commands well enough to justify receiving his mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. It’s impossible. God says here are my commands, follow them all perfectly. Yet we fail, for we are inherently sinful creatures and cannot keep all of God’s commands in full. The only person to ever keep God’s commands in full, never once sinning, and never once standing in opposition to God is Jesus Christ. Christ is the only one that deserves God’s mercy…Christ is the only one that legitimately deserves salvation and the promise of heaven. He is the only one that has justifiably earned it. Thankfully, he came to this earth and swallowed the punishment that we are all due. He took on the cross, stared death right in the face, and kicked it in the mouth, defeating it once and for all. It is through our genuine belief that Jesus achieved this victory for us that gives us justification before God. It is through true faith in Christ that we no longer stand in opposition to God…we no longer stand as enemies to the Lord…and we are no longer under the burden of trying to fully achieve the Law in order to earn God’s grace. We can’t pray enough prayers, go through enough church rituals, or complete enough specific religious tasks to stand redeemed before the Lord. It is only through faith in Christ, faith that Christ defeated death for us, and belief that he is the one true Savior, that we stand clean before God. May we stop trying to earn God’s grace by following his law, but instead follow his law in service to Him as a show of gratitude, worship, and praise for the gift of salvation that he freely provides! To God alone be the glory!