What's the Verdict?

Galatians 2
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.  Galatians 2:16


LET IT GLOW

Once I sat on a jury whose verdict found the young man  guilty of breaking the law. He was sentenced to several years in prison. I thought of this whenever I read today's verse. I was like that man.  As a sinner, I was condemned and found guilty of sin before a righteous judge, which is Christ. What's the verdict? Guilty. My sentence would have been death and Hell. (2 Cor. 5:10 says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ....") But because Jesus Christ died on the cross, was a perfect sacrifice, took my place as payment for my sins, I don't have to pay for my sins. It was all due to the grace of God. My  faith in believing Jesus did this for me, trusting Him as my Savior, asking His forgiveness of my sins, resulted in my being set free from the penalty of my sin.
Now I am justified by faith in Jesus. Being justified means "just as if I never sinned."  It was not by works, or anything I could have done to earn this pardon. Jesus did it all for me as a free gift. That is why I praise Him.

David Guzik quoted a man named Morris as saying, "Justified is a legal concept; the person who is "justified" is the one who gets the verdict in a court of law. Used in a religious sense, it means the getting of a favorable verdict before God on judgement day."

Now that is a reason to shout for joy!

Paul says we are not justified by the law-good works, the Ten Commandments, baptism, church membership, religious ritual. It is only by faith in Jesus Christ.
 "The Jewish laws were inadequate and insufficient to bring them into a right relationship with God," said Jerry Falwell.
So the Jews, like us Gentiles, must believe in Christ in order to be justified. Thank You Lord for grace and faith to believe.


LET IT GROW

Verse 20 reads, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Do I surrender to the supremacy of Jesus Christ? Do I die to my selfish wants, rights, ideas, pride, ownership of my possession, everything? Do I live so people see Christ living in me-through my words, attitudes, actions? Friends, this is hard. Do I hear an amen?

Jesus Christ gave Himself for me. Such love! It is overwhelming. Glory to His Name!

Blackaby said in his devotional book, Experiencing God Day -By-Day:

 "The Christian life is an exchanged life: Jesus' life for your life. Rather than constantly worrying about what you will face, your great challenge is to continually release every area of your life to God's control.The temptation will be to try to do by yourself what only God can do. Allow God to live out His divine life through you. He is the only one who can."

Wow, my toes are sore from being stepped on so much today.


LET IT GO

Can we just skip this part today? I guess not.

Thank You Lord for justifying me. You paid the penalty of my sins for me.

I surrender to Christ living in me.