Justified by the faith of Christ

In our chapter Paul uses a phrase twice, in verse 5 and again in verse 14, which is the keynote of the whole letter. The phrase ‘the truth of the gospel’ embodies the message of Galatians. That is what Galatians is all about. The key element in ‘the truth of the gospel’ is that salvation from sin is received ‘by faith in Jesus Christ’, v. 16 NKJV, plus absolutely nothing else. Personal trust in Christ without any works of merit secures complete forgiveness. Verse 16 is a remarkable text. It asserts positively, no less than three times in one verse, that faith in the Lord Jesus is the way, and indeed the only way by which anyone, Jew or Gentile, can be justified by God. Justification is a legal term, borrowed from the law courts. It means ‘to be declared to be in the right’. It is the verdict of ‘not guilty’ pronounced by the Supreme Judge of all the earth. That verdict can never be set aside. It is final. God fully acquits everyone who places their faith in the risen Saviour. Verse 16 asserts, again three times, negatively that justification does not come through moral performance or spiritual achievement. ‘The works of the law’ will never justify any human being. How different is biblical Christianity from all man-made religions! We must recall every day that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone. We must constantly preach the gospel to ourselves.

Paul asserts these great truths as he records a distressing confrontation with Peter. Peter had happily enjoyed fellowship with Gentile Christians. He had shared meals with them without any problem. However, under pressure, he had reverted to eating only with Jews. Sadly, his example was followed by all the Jewish Christians in Antioch, even Barnabas. Paul declared that Peter’s behaviour was hypocritical and out of line with ‘the truth of the gospel’. To impose a kosher diet on Gentiles denied the truth that there was only one way of salvation. There are no second-class Christians. Every believer is justified before God ‘in Christ’, v. 17 ESV, and in Christ alone. None of us has any special claim on God. He accepts us because of the merits of His Son. Faith brings us into living union with Him. Faith means ‘Forsaking All I Trust Him’.