| Our verse to DATE the Word on February 16 (2/16) is Galatians 2:16 |
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| Galatians 2:16 says, “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” |
| FAITH ALONE IN JESUS BRINGS JUSTIFICATION Job asked in Job 9:2 “how can a man be righteous before God?” As we search the Scriptures the ANSWERS are clear for the Bible teaches how a person is made right with God and how a man is NOT made right with God. Over and over Scripture conveys the truth that a person IS NOT – listen- IS NOT made right with God, is not saved by works!! A man is made right only by FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ. These two answers are clearly conveyed in Galatians 2:16. From Galatians 2:16 we read first “that a man is not justified by the works of the law.” WORKS DO NOT WORK! Your works, no matter how good they are, no matter how many they are, will not save you. You can never do enough for the scales to balance much less favor you as your weight of sin is too heavy. While it might seem a worthy effort to KEEP THE LAW James tells us in James 2:10 that “whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.” If you tell the smallest of a lie, you are guilty of all. If you have that one lustful thought, you are guilty of all. If you have that one hateful thought, you are guilty of all. In other words, at some point, you will miss the mark set by God. The question of how can a man be righteous before God remains. Galatians 2:16 has the answer. A person is saved, made right with God, “by FAITH in JESUS CHRIST!” A person is made right with God by FAITH ALONE in Jesus Christ as He justifies you and declares you righteous. In what is the greatest exchange Jesus takes your sins and gives to you who have by faith trusted in His atoning work that He did at the cross His righteousness. (2 Cor. 5:21) You, by faith in Jesus are righteous before God! Making this practical: If I were sitting at a table having a cup of coffee with you and I asked you if you were going to go to heaven when you die – if asked if you are saved – and you answered that you hope so I would ask you why are you hoping? Is it because you are concerned you have not done enough good works, good deeds, to outweigh your bad works, bad deeds? Is it that you are concerned you are not good enough? If I heard you say that you “hoped to go to heaven” I would politely tell you that I do not have a “hope so” salvation. I have a “know so” salvation because on the late evening of February 15, 1983, I stopped trusting my works and trusted in the work that Jesus Christ did!! Galatians 2:16 became real for me as I quit trusting in my works and my effort to do as many good deeds as possible to offset my bad deeds. I realized once and for all that my only hope of ever being right with God was to trust Jesus and trust Him alone by faith for my salvation. And based on His Word, His promise, I now know that when I die, I will be in Heaven with Him. He is presently preparing me a place! The sad truth is there are going to be good people in hell because they believed a false message that good works work. They don’t. Please put your trust in Jesus! Your works don’t work! Only His work does work!! What a Savior and what a salvation HE HAS PROVIDED! Verse to DATE the Word on February 16 (2/16) is Galatians 2:16. It says, “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Continue Strong knowing by faith you are saved, And remember to DATE THE WORD PS – You might share this e-mail with a person who is believing the false narrative that good works work. Have a cup of coffee with them and share with them how to have a KNOW SO salvation. |