The final consideration in this brief overview discussion on faith is the fact that faith justifies us. ‘Justify’ is one of those words that is rarely given sufficient importance. Webster says: to show to be just, right – to be free from blame or guilt. It was this revelation by Luther than gave rise to the Reformation. Justification was a gift given by God based on our faith in Jesus – no other act, nothing that we could ‘earn’. With that understanding there was an enormous sense of relief and release that people received.
However, being justified doesn’t give the person license to do anything they want, whenever they feel like it. This is the aspect of faith that requires responsibility on the part of those accepting this gift. Realizing that we have been redeemed from the curse, in right standing with the Father, and justified by our faith in Jesus as our only way of salvation we now must live accordingly – we are no longer our own, we were purchased by a great price.
It is exciting to be justified, to be free from blame or guilt but our price in this transaction is to walk in, live by faith. Even if our faith is no greater than the smallest mustard seed (Matthew 17:20) it will grow into a mighty tree as we act on it. But faith is not something you place on the shelf and dust off to display to others. Faith is mighty and can direct our daily lives as we grow.
In Romans 3 Paul says (v. 24) that “…we have been justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (v. 28) “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith…” That is our inheritance, that is our gift and… that is our choice to accept.
