The Practical Impact of Justification by Faith in Christianity

Justification by faith empowers believers to experience true freedom and love amidst sin and suffering.

### The Practical Power of Justification by Faith in Christian Living
* 📖 The book of Galatians, considered one of Apostle Paul's earliest epistles, emphasizes that **salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone**.
* ⚖ Justification by faith alone is a central tenet of the Reformation, with figures like **Martin Luther and John Calvin** declaring it **essential for the church's survival**.
* ❓ Despite its theological clarity, many believers question the **practical implications of justification** in their daily lives, especially when they feel **secure in their salvation**.
* 💔 Luther's struggles with his conscience exemplify a **serious attitude towards sin** that many today may overlook, prompting a **deeper reflection on personal sinfulness and the need for justification**.
* ❤ Justification not only assures believers of their **right standing with God** but also empowers them to **love others and fulfill their Christian duties** with a sense of **freedom and purpose**.
* 💪 In times of suffering, the doctrine of justification provides clarity and strength, reminding Christians of their **reconciliation with God** and the **divine purpose behind their trials**.
* 🔒 The assurance of **God's love and acceptance**, even amid failure, is vital for overcoming the accusations from the enemy that can lead to **despair and self-doubt**.
* 🙏 Ultimately, to truly appreciate the doctrine of justification, believers must actively apply it in their lives, using it to **combat guilt, fear, and the pressures of spiritual adversities**.

[Music] Good afternoon, church. Now we are almost at the end of the book of Galatians. Now, I believe preacher and CJ has given us very clear and insightful exposition of the whole book. In fact, the book of Galatians has been considered by many to be the Apostle Paul's earliest Epistles, where Paul has related the salvation of Christ to his audience in very clear terms. It can be said in this book that Paul had given us one of the clearest explanations that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. But besides that doctrinal assertion, we want to be conscious about the practical aspect, and that is, um, what are my exhalation today with be directing us now. No doubt about it, one of the doctrine which we repeatedly here in this book, in fact, some of you might even feel a little bit tired hearing, would be the assertion justification by faith alone. Now, it is no trouble for me to remind us again that justification by faith was one of the central tenets of the Reformation, and this was what the

Reformers stake their life for now. I've said before in RTC and Martin Luther Court, the justification Doctrine by which the church stands or falls, and Calvin declared the justification Doctrine as the hinge of the Reformation. So important was the preservation of that doctrine that God has allowed the Protestant church to separate itself from the mainstream church then. But the question that probably often rings in the mind of believers today is that having gone through 500 years of reformation, how is that doctrine of use to me since we are already crystal clear about its assertion. Now coming to this day of age of the Protestant, sometimes we feel that this is only a theological fundamental that we are mindful of. And yes, we must be sure not to lose it, granted. But besides not losing it, we ask what can it do for me. What is the practical aspect of it with respect to Christian living. Now I'm sure this is the question in many people's minds, and sometimes we might think that Pastor, if someone is really having a problem doubting his salvation.

and thinking that his works are not enough to earn God's favor or that he is suffering from a very stricken conscience before God, then the doctrine of justification might do him good. It might bring him to correction. It might also give him the assurance that he is not abandoned by God. But if we are already clear of our status as children of God, if we are already clear that we stand before God by Christ's merits, not our own merit, then how does justification by faith benefit us practically? It's not as if we all have such troubled consciences like Luther, where his conscience simply accused him day and night. Now, you know Luther knew in his heart that he couldn't love God, and indeed he hated the righteous God who punishes sinners because he couldn't live up to the standard of the law. And it was a known fact that when Luther was in the monastery, he spent up to 6 hours a day confessing his sins to a priest. But shortly after, he said he would always remember the

sins that he has forgotten to confess. So, the more he tried to become worthy of Christ, sacrificing more, his own rebellion was revealed. So, to him, it was like more prayer, more self-condemnation, more good intentions, more failure. So, you see such a troubled conscience that Luther has, that we often thought that he is just one of his kind and he was just too extreme. Many of us thought, and we reckon that most people would not have such a troubled conscience that he has. Now, this is I would like to correct our understanding. If we feel this way, maybe I should put it this way. Now, Luther was serious about God, and Luther was also serious about sin. He was serious about God as much as he was serious about sin. And just as he takes God and His holiness seriously, he wasn't cavalier about his sins either. Now, if we say that justification by faith is a given, Oh, I've known it since day one I became a Christian, or I've heard it since I was born into a Christian family, then the next question to us is, Were you

serious about your sin. Were you even struggling because of your sin? Now, when we say we are justified, the immediate question is, Justified of what? If we say, Justified of our fallen and sinful standing before God, then the next question is, How sinful were you? Do you know how sinful you were? How far were you away from God? How far are you away from His righteousness? How spiritually rebellious were you, not only in your actions but also in your heart? Not only in your heart but also in your inclination? Now, the thing about Luther is not that he's exceptionally sensitive in his conscience; rather, he was serious about God. What God says about sin, he was serious about sin as how Paul was serious about sin. And Paul said, Oh, what a wretched man I am. And Paul said that after almost 22 years into his conversion. And towards the last few years of his life, Paul wrote 1 Timothy, where he said, Christ came into the world to save sinners, for which I am the worst. He couldn't be more grateful.

about the grace of the Lord, which was poured out on him abundantly. So, justification by faith remains fresh in Paul's mind and heart. It wasn't something of the past where he first met the Lord on the road to Damascus. He needs it now just as he needs it then. Now, we could have been so familiar with this doctrine of justification because we've heard it so many times. We could have taken it lightly and loosely because we might not have understood the full measure of our sins. We didn't think deep into the tendency of our hearts. We treat sin, we treat lukewarmness, we treat not loving God lightly. We so easily felt justified not because of what Christ has done but probably because we thought there is nothing very wrong about us. Now, my brothers and sisters, never think that Luther's troubled conscience is something exclusive or weird about him. Now, he was no weirdo. He was not over-scrupulous. He was merely true to his heart about what sin is and what rebellion against God is. He understood

his spiritual deprivation. He understood his moral inability, his inclination to give in to the weakness of his heart. Now, if that is the case, my brothers and sisters, how pressing is the need for justification, and how pressing is the need for that sense of justification as to what I see. It is not just enough to approach justification as a doctrinal knowledge. It is not just enough to know about justification. We have to know and to sense its liberating power in our hearts, my brethren. And that is why I am bringing you to Galatians again. If you remember now, Paul in Galatians, if you remember, after his lengthy exaltation on the justification of faith, he spoke about freedom in the fifth chapter. Freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Now, that's verse one of chapter 5. Freedom that Christ has set us free. Freedom from sin, freedom from lustful desires, and also freedom to love, freedom to help our fellow brethren by carrying their burden, doing good to them. Freedom to not do and freedom to do. Now, my

brethren, have you sensed that freedom coming into your heart upon justification? Now, have you sensed that liberation by simply thinking about what Christ has so unthinkably done on the cross? And have you experienced genuine love for the church, love for your brethren, flowing out from your understanding of justification? Now, have you? The justification doesn't end by telling you that you are right with God only, but it spurs you on towards love and mercy towards your brethren. In fact, most often towards the weaker ones, because as the Lord says, He who is forgiven much loves much. Now, how often I've seen biblical teachers teaching justification so rigorously, so unerringly, but I don't see the sense of humility, the sense of gratitude, or this sense of empathy in those that learn this doctrine. Now, don't misunderstand my brethren, there is nothing wrong with this doctrine itself. We must learn it, and we must learn it accurately for all its worth, but we must not be contented until we have experienced the power behind this.

Doctrine you see being right with God, being given the merits of Christ, doesn't just make you feel right about yourself; it sets you free. It removes a kind of spiritual constraint, and that you are able to love, to sacrifice, to feel for our weaker brethren. It also puts in us the hatred for sin and the love for God's attributes, and after and by that we know we are truly enjoying the freedom of justification. Now, I've said enough about justification and freedom, freedom, and we don't want to end the book of Galatians just conceptually knowing justification in Christ and not truly enjoying the power of such freedom in Christ. Now, the next thing I want to talk about the benefits of justification is how it stirs us through difficult and confusing times in our life. Now, let me just first direct you to a text which Paul has written in the fifth chapter of Romans. Now, if you can turn to the fifth chapter of Romans, therefore, since we have been justified by faith. Now, there you see Paul talks

about justification here. What is the result of that? That is, we have peace with God, or we can say we are reconciled with God. We are no longer in enmity with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Now praise God for reconciliation with God, who has given us a glorious hope, a hope that is beyond this life. Not only so, verse three, now notice the word that Paul said, not only so, because he is going to show us something of Greater Paradox, something more real, something more practical than to just having hope of the afterlife, if you want to see it that way. So what else does justification by faith bring us other than glorying in a blessed hope? It says here, but we also glory in our sufferings, right? Not only a glorious hope of the afterlife, but we also glory in our sufferings in this life because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and

character hope. Now you notice that it goes back to Hope again. It goes back to Hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love. Let's read together. God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Now, what a beautiful connection that Paul has made about justification by faith. He literally connects that Doctrine to the reality of suffering, which we will face in this life. Now, trial and suffering are the realities of Christian life. Now, we all know that trials and suffering are never without a Divine Purpose for Christian. They produce maturity, and that is why we can see them as a blessing to us. But the real struggle comes when trial and suffering hits us because we, being weak and limited in our Humanity, most often than not, we might become confused. We might become thwarted when Trials hit us. We might even self-accuse or blame ourselves for not being strong in faith. Have you experienced that? And during suffering, there's often an inkling in us

thinking, and is God angry with me, or is God displeased with me, or I wasn't a good Christian to begin with, so is my suffering a warning to me? Is my suffering God's way of telling me to be a better Christian? And most often than not, when we are trapped in those kinds of insinuations instead of hope, we lose hope. Now you ask yourself, why are you entertaining that kind of insinuation? Why is your assurance of God's love? Where is your assurance of God's love in those times? You see, before I really knew the gospel in terms of the justification doctrine, I often struggled with that. And I've known Christians who have been in Christ for many years, but they are often reduced to that sort of misery and reproaches during suffering. Why? Because they have failed to face their suffering in light of their justification. They failed to see their suffering in light of their reconciliation with God. Because justification and reconciliation in Christ tells us that God is pleased with

us. Despite our shortfalls, he always deals with us in a way that we could see and experience his love in greater measure, instead of just being merely suppressed by helplessness and reproaches. So, in that sense, I would say we would have a different view, or I would say a blessed view of suffering. Now, I do agree that sometimes God does have an intention to correct us or refine us through suffering, but the scripture from what we've just read does tell us that there is always a higher, better, more strengthening, and glorious purpose in the suffering of a Christian. That is, God is working in our lives to produce in us a real Christian experience, which is not merely conceptual. And how does it happen? It happens through suffering. Through suffering, perseverance is produced. Through perseverance, the forming of our character happens. And then, when the Christian character is formed, he begins to live his life not with the simplistic view of being merely happy and smooth sailing in this life. He begins to put his hope in

the afterlife, so he began to see his suffering as temporary. And when that kind of mature Christian mentality is in us, we will experience the love of God being poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. And how real it is, how real and strengthening is that kind of Christian love that we could experience from the Holy Spirit, even in the midst of suffering. And that kind of love, as what Psalms 86 tells us, that it is the kind of love which is as strong as death, as strong as death, meaning just as death is unyielding to every man, suffering in this life is unyielding, but the love of God in Christ is just as unyielding. And that is what justification of Christ tells us. But the point is we must experience it. It is not just conception. It is not an academic exercise where you only learn to describe justification in technical terms. The joy brought forth by justification is real, and the only thing that hinders us from experiencing here in this

life is our flesh, is our sinful nature. It is the hope and desire of this love, of this world, that so fills our hearts and our minds at times that we begin to feel distance from God's love. It is a desire for more of this temporal life that we feel less of God's unrelenting love. So, suffering has its divine purpose for us Christians. When suffering comes, when failure comes, when inability comes, when helplessness comes, God knows it best. That is first to give us clarity about why you are suffering with his promise. Why you are suffering, he wants you to be clear. And justification of faith gives you that clearness. It gives you that shine in justification. You are sure of your status. You are sure of your standing. You are bold before God. You can reject all reproaches in your thoughts, and you learn to look to God alone as your deliverer. Because he is truly pleased with you, you, my brethren, and that is what the promise of justification tells us. So, did you enjoy the promise of justification to that?

degree my Breen. Did you understand God's unmerited favor upon you to that extent, or are you still thinking that by doing well as a Christian, we earn you more favor? Now, moving on. Now, I want to move on. There's a few things to cover, and there is something that really resonates with me. That is this peculiar experience that Paul relates to us about how he found himself truly liberated through justification despite his sinful condition. Now, we turn. I want to direct you to Romans 7, Romans 7:19. I'm read to you here. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do. This I keep on doing. Now, if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work. Now, he's very perplexed. Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being, he's born again being, I delight in God's law, he said.

but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord. And chapter 8, verse one together: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now, it seems that this is a typical Christian experience which almost all of us could identify with Paul. But I've said earlier that this is a peculiar experience that Paul was relating to his audience because it is seldom being internalized this way. Because first, we don't expect the Apostle could be so explicit in describing the struggle he faced in his sinful condition. At least, we don't see many preachers doing that. Most preachers sound very subtle when they describe their struggles, especially the struggles they face with sin. But the Apostle Paul was somehow very upfront. He was honest and direct to his

audience about the inner struggle he faced as a Christian. I couldn't do the good I want to do, he said, but for the evil that I do not want to do, this I keep doing. You see, as much as he was spiritual, as much as he was forthcoming about the realities of his Christian struggles with sin, the power of evilness was right there in his body of sin, and he couldn't get rid of it no matter how much he wanted to. Have you experienced that? Have you sometimes, as much as you do not want to be envious of others, but that sense of enviousness, that sense of jealousy, keeps coming back? As much as you do not want to be drawn to covetousness, you are somehow drawn to a Covetous Spirit. You always feel like having what other people have. Now, it's like it's part of you. It's part of you, and sometimes when you know you should be pursuing Christ and his loveliness, but you know you couldn't.

know you should be Godly. You make a resolution to read the Bible, to pray, but you couldn't do it. Now Paul spends a great deal of time talking about his struggle over here in Romans 7, only to come to the conclusion that is what a Wretched Man I am. That's his conclusion, what a Wretched Man. Who could rescue me from this sinful condition that I am feeling and experiencing every day? And then what was also peculiar of his inner Christian experience is when he reaches the climax of his despair, all of a sudden, all of a sudden he was brought to realize the immense joy and gratitude he found in justification. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ my Lord. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You get me now? You notice how all his misery, all his helplessness, all his self-unworthiness because of sin ultimately simply points him to Christ. Now you notice that how he didn't say anything about himself or how he has changed, now he has felt better, he has

become better now. He got his act together. He don't feel as tempted as before. No, no. He didn't say all this thing. He didn't talk about himself having all this change. He was still living in that body of sin. He still possessed that same old nature that he knows very well. But when he was brought to utter despair and helplessness, there is only one thing that came clearly and powerfully to him: that he was justified in Christ. You got that now? For those of you who ask now, how is justification by faith useful to me now? It's such a simple concept, right? Now you just put your faith in Christ alone, and then you are justified before God. You are counted righteous, declared righteous before God. Now that's what the doctrine says. But you see, for you to thoroughly appreciate this doctrine, it has got to do with whether being righteous before God matters to you. Now I see where Satan is coming from. You see, with the Reformation, Satan couldn't attack the doctrine of justification as much as

before but he created another lie that is. Does it matter whether you are righteous before God? What is so important about being righteous before God? You see, in this day of age, people don't care whether they are righteous before God; rather, they care about whether they succeed in life. They care about whether they are protected by God or blessed by God. Now listen, if you are worried about this life, if you are worried about not receiving blessing in this life. Now let me just put this plainly across to you. If you are not seen as righteous before the holy God, you do not deserve any blessings from God because the one who blesses you is also the righteous one, my brethren. But now, but now you have been made righteous in Christ, and it also means that God has promised you every goodness in Christ. As Romans 8:32 says, He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Now listen to this carefully, my brethren. If he did not

spare his own son if he did not spare. What more can be said about this, my brethren? If he did not spare him for us, no. Why did he do so? There can only be one reason for that. That is, he is driven by his great love for us. When he justifies us, when he reconciles us to him through his son, he promises all things together with him, with him all things. Now by this promise, let me say to you, for those who are always worried about this, you worry so much, who you, you who always worry that God will not give you the best because you are not spiritual enough, you are not holy enough, you are not God-loving enough. Now let me tell you, this is a spiritual disease to think like that because all this thinking stems from a self-merited thinking. You see, you are brought into Christ by his exceeding love, by him who did not spare his own son for you. How could you now think that God is trying to ask for your merit as a condition to bless you to

bless you with good grades, to bless you with a good job, to bless you with a good spouse, an obedient child, with good health. Now, how misunderstood can you be if you think like that? That is a self-merited thinking, and I would have to say, I wouldn't hesitate to say that. Now, this kind of thinking is one of the greatest life injections into the Christian mind nowadays, in fact, all throughout ages, and it comes from our superficial understanding of the justification by faith doctrine. Now, he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us, how will he not along with him graciously give us all things? Is there any clearer statement than this? He graciously gives us all things in Christ, my brothers and sisters. Now, some might say, Pastor, God justifies us by faith in Christ, so isn't it true that God needs some measure of faith from us, right? Because we are talking about justification by faith, so does God need some measure of faith from us? Isn't it true that faith helps us?

get better things in life, and after all, many miracles in the Bible are done through faith. And some say it seems that Jesus often said, Your faith has healed you. And he often rebuked his disciples, Oh, you of little faith. Now let me explain this to you once and for all. And if you struggle with this, if you are confused, now if you think that faith is some sort of a merited act, which means that God saves you because you have faith. Now let me point you to Ephesians 2:8, For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourself; it is the gift of God. You see, saving faith is given by God as a gift. It is not supposed to be a merited act; it is the gracious act of God to bring us into a saving relationship through faith. Now faith is not transactional in this sense. You get it now? But then you ask, Does faith then give us or bring us a better blessing? Right? That's the question many

people ask, Does faith help me get better grades? Does faith help me get a good spouse? No. Now, we are often told that faith is demanded from God, and now we often hear the Lord Jesus say, Your faith has saved you. Your faith has healed you. Now, the first thing we need to learn about faith and the power of God is that God is not dependent on our faith to do His work. God will not be hostage to our lack of faith. You get the idea, right? Oh, God would say, My hands are tied because you have no faith. I can't bless you. No, God will not be hostage to our lack of faith. And then, the second thing we need to learn, however, is that God has also often ordained that in some situations, it requires our faith in the carrying out of His purpose. I'm sure you remember that Jesus spoke to the father who was distressed because his son was demon-possessed, and the father pleaded with Jesus, But if you can do anything, Jesus, have compassion on

us help us and to which Jesus responded, What do you mean, 'If you can'? All things are possible for him who believes. Now, all things are possible for him who believes. Now, why did God demand faith for his power to be shown in such instances? Now, the first thing you have to know is God is not transactional. But then, you also have to know true faith directs us to rely on God and no one else, right? Say it again: true faith directs us to rely on God and no one else. And this is what God wants: that you come to me, look upon me, rely solely on me, all right? And second, faith helps us see God at work such that it will give glory to God in the end. Now, I always say this to my brethren: you see, God can deliver you even if you do not believe, but would there be any spiritual benefit to you? Would it help you to love God more or trust him more? No, it doesn't. You will just be released from one problem to go to another, and

this is why God demanded faith in Deliverance many a times because he is ultimately concerned of our relationship with him more than the act of Deliverance itself. Get that, but never think that faith is something transactional. Never. God is never transactional to his children. When he justifies us through his son, he promises that he will, along with him, give us all things. Never doubt that promise. Never doubt his love for us in Christ. Amen. All right, and another thing, and almost I'm coming to the end that I want to warn you, is that we have to be very aware of our adversary, Satan, whom by his name itself is an accuser, and he is known to be the one who accuses us day and night. Now, the reason why he is called an accuser is because there is no other way he can steal our spiritual blessings, passing us away without going through the way of accusation. He knows accusation is the way to drive the Christian away from God. Well, he can't drive God away from us.

but he can drive you away from God through what? Through accusation. Accusation is the very way to paralyze a Believer and to render him helpless. And I would say it is one of the most powerful weapons our enemy has. Because of our imperfection, our sinfulness. Now, you see, in trial and suffering, what our enemy will usually do is he will tell us that God has abandoned you. He is not listening to your prayer, your cries. He's not listening. But then, when we are caught in sin, when we fall short of God's moral instruction, the devil will come and tell you, God is not pleased with you. He will punish you. He will discipline you. He will deprive you of His goodness and blessing till you get your act together. Now, that's usually the devil's voice. Now, I would want to say that this is one of the most difficult voices to overcome. Why do I say that? Because it carries certain truth. It carries certain truths. Now, the

devil is very good with half-truths. He knows how to capitalize on God's righteousness to drive a wedge between God and the believer who is helpless in sin. When he accuses you, he accuses you of certain things that you have really done wrong or what you are feeling now, what you are jealous of now, what you are selfish of now. He knows and he spoke about those things to God, and so much so that the helpless believer will be so stricken with guilt and fear and lose his confidence to come before God. And this is where the doctrine of justification gives us full assurance of God's full acceptance, even when we fall short, and sometimes we fall short big time. It assures us of God's forgiveness, even when we have fallen short repeatedly. And that is why when we are at the climax of Romans, we know it's Romans 8, and Romans 8:33-35 are... I read to you, the apostles say, Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who

justifies right. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who should separate us from the love of Christ? Now, this few texts here deals particularly with the Christian weakness towards the actual sin that is so prevailing in his life. The way to deal with these sins is never to be accused and be driven away from God. Now, there are surely moments in our life when we fall short. There are surely moments in our life when the world seems more desirable to us than God himself, and there are surely moments in our life that we are given over to our sin and weaknesses. Surely, none of that escapes the eyes of God. But what is God saying here? God is saying, Who will bring any charge? Who is he that condemns? Who is that person that the Bible is referring to? Who? That is the adversary, Satan, right? Who accuses us day and night. Satan is bringing these

charges against you and I day and night, and sometimes he does it through your conscience, and sometimes he does it through the people around you. There is always something he can bring to God about our imperfections, about our transgressions. He is called the accuser, all right, but praise God, there is one who died for our sins. There is one who was raised to life for our justification (Romans 4:25). And not only that, Romans 8 says he is currently at the right hand of God, interceding for us. So, at no time will we be given over to abandonment because of our sins. We have a perfect and continual mediator, intercessor, praying for us so that our faith can be intact. And that intercession by Christ, I would say again, is not conceptual. Also, it is the basis by which we could approach God's throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our times of need. And all these spiritual blessings got to do with the fundamental doctrine of justification by faith and by faith.

alone in Christ. All right, now let me end with this note, okay? Let me end with this now. Hearing from Paul in Romans chapter 5, 6, 7, 8. Now, I wonder if you realize that Paul was actually talking about how he finds strength and liberation through the truth of justification. And some of it has so much to do with what I would call the inner private wall of a Christian. You see, Paul wasn't just an evangelist going around preaching the gospel. Paul has a war in him. He was not only waging war outside with those who oppose him, but he has a private war within him. He was struggling so much with the reality of suffering. He was struggling so much with the reality of his sinful condition. He was struggling so much with his sense of abandonment sometimes, which he felt in his helpless situation. It was a private war within him because he cares so much about being right with God. And this is what makes him truly appreciative of the justification doctrine. So someone asked me, Pastor, how

do I truly appreciate the justification Doctrine? How can I not treat it as a concept? How can I experience it for all its worth? Now, my answer is simple. My answer is simply, you have to use it. You have to use it. Now, I ask you, do you use and depend on the doctrine of justification when you are filled with guilt and fear? Do you use the doctrine when you are suffering, undergoing trials? Do you use it to counter your enemy voice of accusations? You see, only when you start using something, then you will know of its true worth and value, isn't it? Now, someone asked me, Pastor, what is the best piece of furniture in your house? I would say, It's the computer chair. No, it's a computer chair because, I mean, honestly, it's not a very nice piece of furniture as compared to the rest, but I use it for 9 to 10 hours every day to pray and prepare all my sermons. I consciously use it so I know how robust it is, how economically friendly it is.

how comfortable it is and how much I need it, how much I need it. Similarly, the doctrine of justification by faith is not supposed to be just an academic subject where you learn about it, conceptualize it, that's it. We have to use it every day, every day to give no chance to our spiritual enemies to resist the paralysis of fear and guilt, to remind ourselves to be humble, to believe God's best even when things are not looking up, and also to find bold confidence in approaching God amidst all the adversities we face in our Christian life. And let us be reminded that when we are made righteous before God, we do not fall short of any blessing that he has graciously given us along with his son. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for how you have justified us through your son. We give you all the praise, all the glory, for it is by your good work, perfectly good work, that we stand before you. And I pray for all these people here that sit before

you listening to the words that you have revealed through the Holy Spirit. And we know so many times, even after being a Christian for many years, we are still operating under the merited mindset. And that is why we get so easily accused by our conscience, by the words of men, and even by our adversary, Satan. God, we want to truly know you and experience you and experience what you have done through justification. Help us, every one of us, if any one of us, even after being a Christian for so long, we're still paralyzed by these voices of reproaches or accusations. Father, we pray that you set us free and that with this message, you make clear to us that you have given us the best in the universe, and that is the blood of your son, and you will not deprive us of any good thing in you. So, Lord, we look to you, and we want to enjoy the freedom that comes from justification, and not only to stand right before you, but also to use its power to love the church, to love our

Breen to help them to be a great coworker workers to our fellow Brethren to Spur one another on in love and good works help us Lord let none of what we hear be conceptual let it be translated into what is experiential into what is powerful in our Christian Life and we thank you so much in the name of Jesus we pray amen.

How is Justification By Faith Useful to Me?

The Life Church and Missions

The book of Galatians, written by the Apostle Paul, emphasizes that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone.

Justification by faith was a central tenet of the Reformation, with reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin highlighting its significance.

The practical aspect of this doctrine is relevant for all believers, as it calls for a serious understanding of sin and a genuine struggle for righteousness before God.

Justification by faith is a continuous need in Paul's life, not just a past event.

The doctrine of justification should be deeply understood and experienced for its liberating power, leading to genuine love and empathy for others.

Justification by faith also brings reconciliation with God, a glorious hope, and the ability to glory in sufferings, as they produce perseverance and character.

The Divine Purpose of Suffering for Christians

Suffering and trials are a reality of the Christian life, but they serve a divine purpose by producing maturity and character.

The assurance of God's love is crucial during times of suffering, as justification and reconciliation with God remind us that He is pleased with us despite our shortcomings.

Ultimately, suffering leads to perseverance, character formation, and a hopeful perspective on life, allowing us to experience God's unyielding love through the Holy Spirit.

Paul's Struggle with Sin and the Joy of Justification

Paul describes his inner struggle with sin, expressing the conflict between his desire to do good and the evil he keeps committing.

Despite his spiritual efforts, he feels trapped in his sinful nature, leading him to despair and self-reflection.

Ultimately, he finds liberation and joy in justification through Christ, realizing that there is no condemnation for those in Him.

The Importance of Righteousness Before God

Being righteous before God is crucial for receiving His blessings, as He is the one who bestows them.

Through Christ, believers are made righteous and promised every goodness from God.

Faith is a gift from God, not a merited act, and it is through this grace that individuals are brought into a saving relationship with Him.

God is not dependent on our faith to do His work, and He will not be held hostage by our lack of faith.

However, in some situations, God ordains that our faith is required for the fulfillment of His purpose.

True faith directs us to rely solely on God and helps us see His work, ultimately giving glory to Him.

The Devil's Half-Truths and God's Justification

The devil uses half-truths to accuse believers and drive a wedge between them and God, causing guilt and fear.

The doctrine of justification offers assurance of God's acceptance and forgiveness, even in moments of weakness and sin.

Christ's intercession at God's right hand provides a continuous source of strength and confidence for believers to approach God's throne of grace.

Experiencing the Doctrine of Justification

The doctrine of justification by faith is meant to be used daily, not just conceptualized.

It provides strength in times of guilt, fear, and trials, helping to counter accusations and offering bold confidence in approaching God.

By actively using this doctrine, believers can experience its true worth and power in their Christian life, leading to freedom from reproaches and the ability to love and support one another.