Jesus' Faithfulness: Our Justification And Salvation

The phrase justified by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ refers to the Christian belief that people are made righteous in the eyes of God not by their own efforts or good deeds, but through their faith in Jesus Christ. This concept is central to the Christian faith, as it emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned through human works.

The idea of justification by faith is found throughout the Bible, including in the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. The apostle Paul, in particular, emphasizes this doctrine in his letters, such as Romans and Galatians. According to Paul, people are justified by faith apart from works of the law (Romans 3:28). This means that salvation is not achieved through obeying religious laws or performing good deeds, but by placing faith in Jesus Christ.

The phrase justified by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ highlights two important aspects: our faith in Christ and Christ's faithfulness. Our faith in Christ is an act of trust and belief in the gospel message, and it is this faith that unites us to Christ and his saving work. At the same time, it is Christ's faithfulness in going to the cross and fulfilling God's plan of salvation that ultimately justifies us.

Justification by faith has significant implications for our understanding of grace, salvation, and our relationship with God. It underscores the fact that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Christ, rather than something we can earn through our own efforts. It also emphasizes the centrality of Christ and his work on the cross as the basis of our salvation.

In conclusion, the phrase justified by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ encapsulates the heart of the Christian gospel, reminding believers that their righteousness before God is not based on their own works but on their faith in Christ and his faithfulness.

The faithfulness of Jesus Christ is the ultimate cause of our justification

The phrase "faith in Christ" can be interpreted in two ways: as either "faith in Christ" or "the faithfulness of Christ." This ambiguity exists because the original Greek phrase can be translated in multiple ways. However, the context in which the phrase is used suggests that "faith in Christ" is the correct interpretation.

Paul, the author of many of the New Testament letters, contrasts justification by faith with justification by works of the law. He argues that we are not justified by our own works or obedience to the law, but by our faith in Christ. This does not mean that our faith is the ultimate cause of our justification. Instead, it is Christ's faithfulness that we trust in as we wait for Him to deliver us from the wrath to come.

Our faith in Christ is important and necessary for our salvation. It is the means by which we are saved. But the reason our faith matters is not because of any quality it possesses in itself, but because it rests upon Christ, who is the foundation of our salvation. It is through Christ's faithfulness that we are justified, and it is through our faith in Him that we receive this justification.

Justification by faith brings glory to God. It emphasizes that salvation is by God's grace in Christ rather than anything we do. It gives us peace with God and hope in the glory of God. It is a doctrine taught throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, and it is a central tenet of Protestant theology.

Justification by faith is a whole-Bible doctrine

Genesis tells us that Abraham, in response to God’s promise, “believed the LORD, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Job sought to justify himself before God and in the end renounced his own righteousness (e.g., Job 32:2; 42:1–6). David was a man after God’s own heart, and yet he speaks of the blessing of justification apart from works: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Ps. 32:1); “Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you” (Ps. 143:2). Isaiah prophesies that the servant of the Lord will “make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11). And Habakkuk teaches us that “the righteous shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4), a truth which he also exemplified in his own life (Hab. 3:16–19). Finally, Jesus himself teaches this doctrine in his parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, a parable he told “to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9).

The doctrine of justification by faith is most clearly taught in Paul’s letters, especially in his letters to the Romans and Galatians. Paul sums up the point of his letter to the Romans in Romans 1:17: “For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed by faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteousness shall live by faith.’” Justification by faith is at the center of Paul’s argument in this letter. Similarly, it is at the center of Paul’s argument in Galatians, which is summarized in Galatians 2:16: “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 by faith is articulated most clearly by the apostle Paul

The doctrine of justification by faith is most clearly taught in the letters of the apostle Paul, especially in his letters to the Romans and Galatians. Paul sums up the point of his letter to the Romans in Romans 1:17: "For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed by faith to faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'". Similarly, it is at the center of Paul's argument in Galatians, which is summarized in Galatians 2:16: "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."

Paul contrasts justification by faith with justification by works of the law. He draws an enlightening contrast between the worker and the believer: "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness" (Rom. 4:4–5).

Paul teaches that justification by faith results in the inclusion of all believers as God’s people. One necessary conclusion from Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith is the idea that God will therefore justify both Jewish believers and Gentile believers. If “all have sinned” and “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23–24), then it follows that God is the God not only of Jewish believers but of Gentile believers. Paul makes this point in Romans 3:29–30: “Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not God of the Gentiles also? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.”

Paul also teaches that justification by faith affirms that good works necessarily follow from faith. The doctrine of justification by faith excludes our works of obedience to the law as a means or cause of our justification before God. But it also affirms that acts of love and good works necessarily follow from our faith as the fruit of our faith. For example, Paul teaches that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6).

Justification by faith is another way of saying we are not justified by our works

Paul contrasts justification by faith with justification by works of the law, which is a human effort to be justified by God by obeying a moral law. Paul says that this is impossible for any Gentile or Jew to do. He writes, "We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."

The ultimate reason that we are justified is this: Christ "was delivered up [by God] for our trespasses and raised [by God] for our justification." Our faith is the thing that rests upon and unites us to the Christ who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification.

Justification by faith does not mean that our faith is the ultimate cause of our justification. Our faith is an act of the whole inner person (the heart) which is directed toward the word of God, God himself, and especially toward the crucified and risen Christ.

Justification by faith affirms that good works necessarily follow from faith. Paul teaches that "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love." James teaches that our faith is "completed by" our works, concluding that "a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."

Justification by faith does not mean that our faith is the ultimate cause of our justification

The phrase "justification by faith" is a whole-Bible doctrine, taught by the Old Testament and articulated most clearly by the apostle Paul. It is the opposite of justification by our works of obedience to the law. However, this does not mean that our faith is the ultimate cause of our justification.

The ultimate reason we are justified is that Christ "was delivered up [by God] for our trespasses and raised [by God] for our justification" (Romans 4:25). Our faith is the thing that rests upon and unites us to the Christ who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification. Faith is belief in the truth of the gospel and trust in the God of the gospel. It is an act of the whole inner person (the heart, Romans 10:9), which is directed toward the word of God, God himself, and especially toward the crucified and risen Christ.

The doctrine of justification by faith excludes our works of obedience to the law as a means or cause of our justification before God. But it also affirms that acts of love and good works necessarily follow from our faith as the fruit of our faith. For example, Paul teaches that "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love" (Galatians 5:6).

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