THE PROMISE: JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

It is good for us to know that the salvation we have received began with a promise. This knowledge will also help us to understand the nature of our God. I think Paul did an excellent job of explaining this giving of the ‘Promise’ in his letter to the Galatians. In it we are able to see the work of predestination, and the purpose of faith as well.

Galatians 3:6-9

6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

The scripture is straight forward regarding faith. Abraham believed God and that defined faith. So now, those who are of faith are the children of Abraham.

Let us not forget that this conversation with Abraham took place four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the Jewish law. Therefore, the promise of justification by faith was given long before the Law.

Galatians 3:10-14

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. The term 'justified' means to be made righteous in the sight of God. Therefore, those who are of faith are made the righteousness of God; and are justified to live and not die.

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. These verses show a strict contrast; highlighting the weakness of the Law and the power of faith. Those who keep the Law and all of its doings are still under the curse of the law, for they have no power over death, hell, or the grave.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Now we come to the bottom line. Those who believe God as Abraham did, will receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. In the next chapter Paul reiterates this fact. Galatians 4:28-29; Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Note that another significant fact is brought into view. The believer is actually born of the Spirit. This is the promise that was made to Abraham. The ‘just’ shall live by the Spirit by which they are born. This, therefore, highlights the Father’s redemption plan even further.

Hebrews 11:13

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Though Abraham believed in the promise, he eventually died having to wait in the grave for the promise to be fulfilled. Let us not forget that to be justified is to be given the right to live. It was not until years later at Jesus’ resurrection that Abraham’s justification was finally manifest. However, now, in the dispensation of faith, those who believe are justified immediately, by being born of the Spirit.

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

It was God’s intent all along, that those who would believe in Christ would be justified by being transformed into His children. It is through this wonderful operation of adoption that we have been changed from the doomed humanic state into the children of God.

Let me iterate here that there was none worthy of life. We inherited the sin and death of our father Adam. We were by nature sinful, and walked in the darkness of this world. However, we were those that God created for Himself. Mankind was God’s creation and God was not forced to bend a knee to what satan did. In fact, before the world was, the plan concerning the rescue of man was already established. 1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

The scripture maintains that in Adam all died, even those who did not sin after the similitude of Adam. Nevertheless, death passed to all mankind. But this death was first spiritual (separation from God), then natural, when the body actually expired. Now the redemption, or justification for Adam’s children to live again, required that they believe in the promise of the Father, to send a righteous seed; otherwise, their soul and body would go into corruption forever.

It was God who designed the rescue plan. There was nothing of our own good that we could render that would be sufficient to restore us from sin and death. The plan of salvation is entirely the work of God. He even placed the conscience in us that we would know that the gospel, when preached, is truth. Our belief in the gospel does not earn us any glory, for what glory is it to believe that which the conscience confirms as truth. All the glory goes to God, for the plan and execution of salvation. However, those who reject it will receive His wrath.

This is what makes our justification so precious. All we had to do was believe in His marvelous plan. To do so is to meet His requirement for salvation. Those who died before Christ, died not having received the promise, (the Holy Spirit), but their faith justified them in the grave allowing them to be raised up from the dead - a cloud of witnesses to the faithfulness of God.

Beloved, believe the report. Accept the righteousness Jesus provided for you. Don’t go into the grave without the faith of Christ. To do so, would be to forfeit the redemption of your body; not allowing it to be changed into one likened unto the glorious body of Christ.