Justification

Order of Service

• Sunday School Lesson — Justification — Galatians 2
• Prayer of Dismissal to Worship Service

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Sermon Title: Justification by Faith Alone

Scripture: Galatians 2

I. Background: The Situation in Galatians 2

A. Paul's visit to Jerusalem — Galatians 2:1–10

1. Paul submits his gospel to the Jerusalem pillars: James, Cephas, and John
2. Titus, a Greek, is not compelled to be circumcised
3. Paul is entrusted with the gospel to the Gentiles as Peter is to the circumcised

B. Peter's hypocrisy at Antioch — Galatians 2:11–14

1. Peter had been eating with Gentiles freely
2. When men from James arrived, Peter withdrew for fear of the circumcision party
3. Even Barnabas was swept away; Paul rebukes Peter publicly

C. Paul's rebuke launches his defense of justification — Galatians 2:15–21

1. Peter's behavior implicitly denied justification by faith
2. It suggested Jews had an advantage over Gentiles in salvation

II. The Definition of Justification

A. Working definition: Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Jesus Christ

B. This is not a new question — Job 9:2

1. "How can a man be right before God?" — likely the oldest question in Scripture

C. The Old Testament answer — Habakkuk 2:4

1. "The righteous will live by his faith"
2. This verse delivered Luther from spiritual bondage

D. Three major New Testament passages on the just living by faith

1. Romans 1:17 — the meaning of "the just"
2. Galatians 3:11 — "shall live"
3. Hebrews 10:38 — "by faith"

III. Breaking Down the Definition — Justification as an Act

A. It is an act, not a process

1. No Christian is more justified than another
2. Romans 5:1 — "having been once and for all justified by faith, we have peace with God"
3. It is an instant and immediate transaction between a believing sinner and God
4. If it were of works, it would be a process; it is not

B. It is the act of God, not of man

1. Only God can justify; it is not a result of man's character or works
2. Romans 8:33 — "God is the one who justifies"
3. Once God justifies, it cannot be undone
4. The law was given as a tutor to reveal sin, not to redeem from sin

C. Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer

1. 2 Corinthians 5:21 — He who knew no sin was made sin so we might become the righteousness of God
2. Substitutionary atonement: God places our sin on Christ and Christ's righteousness on us
3. When God looks at a justified sinner, He sees Christ's righteousness, not our own

IV. Breaking Down the Definition — God Declares Us Righteous

A. God declares righteous, He does not immediately make righteous

1. Justification is positional righteousness, not yet fully practical righteousness
2. Real justification eventually leads to a changed life, but it is not an instantaneous moral transformation
3. Complete righteousness awaits the believer's glorification

B. Justification is more than forgiveness

1. Forgiveness can be followed by repeated guilt; justified sinners can never be declared guilty again before God

C. Justification is more than a pardon

1. A pardon removes the penalty but leaves the criminal record intact
2. Justification removes the record entirely — Psalm 32:1–2
3. Romans 4:1–8 — Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness; sins are not counted against the justified

V. Breaking Down the Definition — Who Does God Justify?

A. God justifies sinners, not the self-righteous

1. Matthew 9:9–13 — Jesus came to call sinners, not the healthy
2. Luke 18:9–14 — the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified
3. The Pharisee trusted in his own works; the tax collector cried out for mercy

B. Pride is the chief sin that keeps people from justification

1. Pride is rooted in Satan's own fall
2. It causes people to think they are "good enough" and have no need of grace
3. The sinner must come to the end of self — bringing nothing — to receive justification

VI. Conclusion — The Glory and Comfort of Justification

A. Romans 3:22–23 — there is no distinction; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

1. Justification is available to all who believe

B. The thief on the cross is the supreme illustration of justification

1. No time for works, no ability to earn anything
2. In one instant, Christ declared him righteous — that was sufficient

C. Practical encouragement

1. Why is it hard to rest in justification? Everything in daily life is performance-based
2. The gospel is radically different: God took it all on Himself
3. When the justified sinner prays, God sees Christ — this should produce boldness and gratitude in prayer, not shame
4. Understanding justification more deeply makes believers more effective witnesses of God's love