Galatians 2:16 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… Justification has been defined to be an act of God s free grace, wherein He pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His right;" or, "to declare judicially the innocence of the person justified" (see Deuteronomy 25:1; 1 Kings 8:32; Matthew 12:37; Romans 8:33). The gist of St. Paul's argument with St. Peter is as follows: "If thou, being a Jew, livest, as thy usual habit, as a Gentile, how is it that thou art compelling the Gentiles to adopt Jewish customs as necessary to salvation? We truly are by nature Jews, and not sinners from among the Gentiles; we are not only not Gentiles but not even proselytes; we are of pure Jewish descent, and so enjoy the highest spiritual privileges; but yet, since we know that no man is justified by the works of the law, nor in any manner except through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Jesus Christ in order that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law; for it is a certain truth, that by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." Here we have — I. THE ABSOLUTE EXCLUSION OF WORKS FROM THE OFFICE OF JUSTIFYING. 1. Heavy charges are brought against man by his Maker. He is charged (1) with violating the law of God; (2) with having no love to his Maker; (3) with possessing a corrupt, proud, unbelieving heart; (4) with being alienated from God by wicked works. 2. It is impossible for man to vindicate himself from these charges. (1) He cannot show that the things charged have not been committed; (2) nor that, having been committed, he had a right to do them. He is without excuse. II. THE OFFICE OF JUSTIFYING IS ASCRIBED TO FAITH ONLY. 1. The principal cause of our justification is the love of God the Father. 2. The meritorious cause is the active and passive obedience, the perfect righteousness and vicarious death, of God the Son. 3. The efficient cause is the operation of God the Holy Ghost. 4. The instrumental cause is faith in Christ. (Emilius Bayley, B. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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