THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

Gal. 3:11

Morning Meditation 5/23/2015

Verse 11 says, “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

There are at least seven things that is said about faith in Galatians two and three that I want us to look at in this meditation.

Paul talks about the hearing of faith: Chapter 2 and verse 2 says, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Faith does not create its own things to believe. We are believers as a result of what we have heard. But the hearing of faith is more than just hearing. It is believing what we hear. This is true of the gospel message that brings us to Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” What about those who hear and don’t believe? It is not just hearing the message and knowing it is from God. It is called “the hearing of faith..” Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica and goes over what happened there when he came and preached the gospel. He says in 1 Thess. 2:13: ”For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” It was received by them as the Word of God. It worked effectively in those that believed. It illustrates the hearing of faith.

Then there is the prospect of faith in Gal. 3:24: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Here Paul pictures the law of Moses as a schoolmaster that brings those under the law to Christ. One could never be justified by the law (2:16) he is only condemned by the law. But a condemned man is ready to listen to anything that will get him off death row. So the Law says, “I have done my job. I have justly condemned you. I have had no mercy. It is not in my makeup to have mercy. But there is one who has been successful in setting men free whom I have condemned.” Would that be good news to you if you had been condemned and left on death row to await execution? This is the good news that is offered to every man. The words of this verse that say, “that we might be justified by faith.” This is the good news of the gospel. The words “might be justified” is an aorist passive subjunctive verb. The subjunctive mood is the mood of possibility. That means there is hope for the one condemned by the law even thought that condemnation left him on death row. The aorist tense is a point tense and it means that this justification is possible at some point in time in the future since it hasn’t happened yet. It is possible. At what point of time? At the point that you believe. The words “that we might be justified by faith” give us the message of the point of time. This is the prospect of faith.

Then there is the exercise of faith. Paul brings this out in chapter two and verse sixteen: “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.” The exercise of faith is in the person of Christ. Our justification is based on his faith. He is the only one who had perfect faith in the Father. There was no fault in him including his perfect faith. We put our faith in him and as a result we are justified by the faith of Christ. Our faith is not in our faith it is in him and his faith. Most modern translations of the Bible do not translate this verse right. The King James Bible translates the Textus Receptus exactly as it is. “. . . even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. . . .” I am convinced that the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures is always right and that God the Holy Spirit is the Author of this statement. If we were justified by our faith we would have something to boast about. But here we have a definitive statement concerning faith, it is the faith of Christ that justifies and again all the glory goes to him.

Then we have the family of faith. Paul brings this out in chapter three and verse twenty six: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” The entrance into God’s family is the same for all. Someone has said the ground is level at the cross. We are all the same. That is certainly true when it comes to faith. We must come as a child simply believing that Jesus is God’s answer to our sins and that he had to die and that he was raised again the third day. Jesus said in Matthew 18:4, “ Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Man would like to come before God with something great to offer. But the rich and the poor, the brilliant and the ignorant, the cannibal and the moralist must all come the same way. All enter God’s family and are children of God by faith in Christ.

Then there is the life of faith. Paul says in chapter three and verse eleven: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” This verse says two important things. First, no man is justified in the sight of God by keeping the law. That does not mean he cannot be justified in the sight of man. I have heard drunkards preached into heaven by the moralist who believe this man was good enough because he was a member of their organization (the Masons) and I happen to know that the man died because he drank himself to death. We are to live by faith. Not only are we to get into God’s family by faith but we are to live by faith after we enter. There is no way to live by faith without the Bible being the very life of your life. Jesus said in John chapter six and verse sixty three, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” No one lives by faith if he does not live in the Word of God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. I do not mean to hurt anyone when I make statements like this. But the moralist needs to know that. It is faith and faith alone that justifies in the sight of God and if one does not live by faith then it is evident he didn’t get in by faith. And if he didn’t get into God’s family by faith he will not go to heaven with God’s family.

Then there is the power of faith. Paul says in chapter three and verse fourteen: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The promise of the Spirit is the promise of power. For this read Acts 1:8 and 2:39.

Then there is the Source of faith. Paul says in Galatians chapter two verse twenty: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” It is living by the faith OF the Son of God. . .” He is the source of all true faith. Paul says, “The just shall live by faith.” Amen.

May God bless you.

In Christ

Bro. White