We Are Not Justified by Works: Gospel Today Devotional - 24th September, 2022

In the old testament, many instructions were given to God's chosen nation, Israel. They were told to do certain things and were also restricted from doing certain things. These laws they had to keep as proof of their obedience to God. Those who kept the laws received the blessings of it and those who didn't, received the consequences too.

The thing however was that these laws didn't save them. They weren't saved by the laws they kept. This mainly is because the law while it was good and made them know what was wrong from right, it didn't give them salvation as it now is in the new testament. The law itself was just a schoolmaster whose aim was to bring them into the knowledge of God and give them a picture of what was to come through Christ. Praise God. Let's see the passage of Scripture below,

"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)

Does that mean however that the laws as seen in scripture are not what we should keep as much as it applies to us? Not at all. However, we must realize that keeping the law does not save any man. It didn't then, and it won't now. We are not justified by the law.

This is to say that we can not say that by keeping the instructions alone, we are saved or justified. While we should do so, we must sit to ask ourselves if we have placed faith in Jesus.

Why is this necessary? Cause no man whatsoever is justified by the law or the keeping of it. That you adhere strongly to all moral principles does not mean you are saved for example. It is only by the faith of Christ that we are justified. Therefore, beyond every zeal to obey the law as contained in the scripture, we must seek to ask ourselves if truly we have placed faith in Christ and if all we do in keeping the law is a result of the fact that Christ now lives in us and works through us. Anything other than this may be termed self-righteousness. The Lord bless the reading of his word in our hearts. Amen.

Daily Nugget: No one is justified by keeping the law alone. Except if one places faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord, he is by no means justified.

Prayer: Lord, your word has come today, it is my prayer that you help me communicate the truth of your word to all and sundry that they may know that man is not justified by the law only but by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Today is a comforting, exhorting, edifying and inspiring devotional published by the Delightsome Land Christian Ministry. For questions, inquiries/testimonies, please call or WhatsApp: 09168301042 or Email: [email protected].