justification – Kingdom Theology

We have noted that reconciliation between God and sinful individuals has both a human side and a divine side. Conversion is man’s part in reconciliation. Though God, by His grace, leads people to repentance and faith, it is our responsibility to repent and believe. Regeneration is God’s part in reconciliation. He justifies and renews the repentant sinner.

The same cooperation is required in the relationship that follows reconciliation. We are called to trust, love and obey Jesus after we are reconciled to God through Him. We covered this in the previous post. But we are not expected to do this without God’s continuing grace. In the next two posts we want to look at the two primary ways God supports our daily walk with Jesus.

Are You Nervous Yet?

10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

– John 15:10 NKJV

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

– 1 John 2:3-4 NKJV

In the last post we concluded by talking about the requirement to obey Jesus. We pointed out that John 15:10 teaches that those who do not walk in obedience to Jesus Christ will be cut off from Him and the eternal life that is in Him. And 1 John 2:3-4 tells us that those who do not obey God through Christ do not know God. When the God fearing Christian reads such verses he trembles at God’s word. He begins to look at his life and judge it according to such divine declarations. And since the weakness of the humble Christian is never hidden from his conscience, the trembling begins. This is a good sign, for God delights in those who tremble at His word (Isaiah 66:5).

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Galatians 2:15-16

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

Romans 3:28

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

James 2:18-24

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe -and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” -and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

When we read these passages side by side they seem to offer conflicting views on how we are justified (i.e. forgiven and accepted by God; considered members of God’s people in good-standing). Paul in the books of Galatians and Romans seems to make it clear that we are accepted by God because of our faith alone, apart from anything we do. But James says with equal clarity that we are “justified by works and not by faith alone.” Knowing whether we are right with God or not, is a very important bit of information to have. So this is something we must wrestle with until we understand what James and Paul are trying to tell us.
Continue reading “Saving Faith According to James” →

Tag: justification

The Throne of Grace (Kingdom Salvation #9)

Are You Nervous Yet?

Saving Faith According to James