When we speak of ethical, moral and the spiritual aspect of our lives nothing says, "freedom" like what it means to be "justified". Ancient Job asked, "How can a man be justified before God?" ... Can a mortal man be in the right before God? "Can a man be pure before his maker?" (Sounds pretty contemporary for an "old guy".) He certainly raised the most important theological question that the human soul will ever face. But like the Apologist and Theologian, John Frame has said, "In the end, all theology is practical and all practice is theological." Everyone is engaged in some sort of act of justification so that they can finally be free of the condemnation they feel for the sin that surrounds them. The materialist just needs a little more stuff; the politician needs more power, to make his "mark" on society; the "good people" need another "pro bono" opportunity to prove they really are good enough; the religious need more church, more ritual, more acts of devotion; the spiritualist needs another experience with something greater than himself so he can achieve the "oneness" that will surely justify his rejection of the living God.
Here is the really good news from Paul in Galatians; "so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not be works of the law, because by works of the law no human being will be justified." (Gal. 2:16) The believer in Jesus IS JUSTIFIED! Against all that we do to justify ourselves, against all the schemes of men throughout the ages, against all our "best hopes"; Jesus and his death on the cross is a justification provided by God for all those who will trust in it alone. No holding back! No "just in case it doesn't work, I'll do this". Those who believe will alone be justified. Here is the best part...and they really are justified. And that guess what that makes us.... FREE!
For the cross,
Pastor D.
(sermon audio available @ Crosspoint )
